Julia Justiss - Stolen Encounters With The Duchess

She would rather burn in his presence than pine in his absence

Faith Wellingford Evers, Duchess of Ashedon, is tired of society’s endless gossiping about her failings and her late husband’s infidelities. Seeking escape one night, she’s attacked by ruffians, but is saved by an unlikely figure from her past!

Having risen from penniless orphan to Member of Parliament, David Tanner Smith is no longer the quiet boy Faith once knew. With the first spine-tingling kiss, their old friendship is transformed. And in its place is an explosive mix of illicit encounters and forbidden desire…

Hadley’s Hellions

Four friends united by power, privilege

and the daring pursuit of passion!

From being disreputable rogues at Oxford

to becoming masters of the political game,

Giles Hadley, David Tanner Smith,

Christopher Lattimar and Benedict Tawny

live by their own set of unconventional rules.

But as the struggle for power heats up, so too,

do the lives of these daring friends. They face

unexpected challenges to their long-held beliefs

and rigid self-control when they meet

four gorgeous independent women

with defiant streaks of their own...

Read Giles Hadley’s story in

Forbidden Nights with the Viscount

Already available

Read David Tanner Smith’s story in

Stolen Encounters with the Duchess

Available now

And watch for more Hadley’s Hellions stories, coming soon!

Author Note Author Note Title Page About the Author Dedication Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Extract Copyright

For both readers and writers, sometimes secondary characters get stuck in our heads. Intrigued by the glimpses we’ve been given of them, we want to know their whole story. Where did they come from and what will happen to them?

Such was the case with Davie in From Waif to Gentleman’s Wife. An orphan taken in by an elderly widow, he becomes involved in the lives of Sir Edward Greaves and Joanna Merrill, the penniless governess who ends up on Ned’s doorstep. When Davie saves Joanna from danger, a grateful Ned takes him under his wing, impressed by the orphan’s courage, ingenuity and intelligence.

By the time I’d finished Waif I knew he would grow up to be a Parliamentary leader, instrumental in moving England towards a more egalitarian future with the great Reform Bill. I also knew that he would fall in love with Faith, the youngest Wellingford daughter—sister of Sarah, heroine of The Wedding Gamble—a girl far above his station. But how could they find a happy ending?

In Stolen Encounters with the Duchess, Davie has become that leader, and is still in love with the girl he met when he was just beginning his career. When they meet by chance ten years later he is an influential force, while Faith is a new widow, estranged from her family and Society. Although painfully aware that she is still far beyond his touch, David vows to reawaken in her the joy, optimism and self-confidence years of being a scorned, neglected wife have crushed. But love is a force that resists being contained...

I hope you will enjoy Faith and Davie’s story.

Stolen Encounters with the Duchess

Julia Justiss

www.millsandboon.co.uk

JULIA JUSTISS wrote her first ideas for Nancy Drew stories in her third-grade notebook, and has been writing ever since. After publishing poetry in college she turned to novels. Her Regency historical romances have won or been placed in contests by the Romance Writers of America, RT Book Reviews, National Readers’ Choice and the Daphne du Maurier Award. She lives with her husband in Texas. For news and contests visit juliajustiss.com.

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To Sue Ballard

You light up a room with your smile and brighten my day with your cheerful optimism. Thank you for being the inspiration for my Faith and for me.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text She would rather burn in his presence than pine in his absence Faith Wellingford Evers, Duchess of Ashedon, is tired of society’s endless gossiping about her failings and her late husband’s infidelities. Seeking escape one night, she’s attacked by ruffians, but is saved by an unlikely figure from her past! Having risen from penniless orphan to Member of Parliament, David Tanner Smith is no longer the quiet boy Faith once knew. With the first spine-tingling kiss, their old friendship is transformed. And in its place is an explosive mix of illicit encounters and forbidden desire…

Introduction Hadley’s Hellions Four friends united by power, privilege and the daring pursuit of passion! From being disreputable rogues at Oxford to becoming masters of the political game, Giles Hadley, David Tanner Smith, Christopher Lattimar and Benedict Tawny live by their own set of unconventional rules. But as the struggle for power heats up, so too, do the lives of these daring friends. They face unexpected challenges to their long-held beliefs and rigid self-control when they meet four gorgeous independent women with defiant streaks of their own... Read Giles Hadley’s story in Forbidden Nights with the Viscount Already available Read David Tanner Smith’s story in Stolen Encounters with the Duchess Available now And watch for more Hadley’s Hellions stories, coming soon!

Author Note Author Note Author Note Title Page About the Author Dedication Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Extract Copyright For both readers and writers, sometimes secondary characters get stuck in our heads. Intrigued by the glimpses we’ve been given of them, we want to know their whole story. Where did they come from and what will happen to them? Such was the case with Davie in From Waif to Gentleman’s Wife. An orphan taken in by an elderly widow, he becomes involved in the lives of Sir Edward Greaves and Joanna Merrill, the penniless governess who ends up on Ned’s doorstep. When Davie saves Joanna from danger, a grateful Ned takes him under his wing, impressed by the orphan’s courage, ingenuity and intelligence. By the time I’d finished Waif I knew he would grow up to be a Parliamentary leader, instrumental in moving England towards a more egalitarian future with the great Reform Bill. I also knew that he would fall in love with Faith, the youngest Wellingford daughter—sister of Sarah, heroine of The Wedding Gamble—a girl far above his station. But how could they find a happy ending? In Stolen Encounters with the Duchess, Davie has become that leader, and is still in love with the girl he met when he was just beginning his career. When they meet by chance ten years later he is an influential force, while Faith is a new widow, estranged from her family and Society. Although painfully aware that she is still far beyond his touch, David vows to reawaken in her the joy, optimism and self-confidence years of being a scorned, neglected wife have crushed. But love is a force that resists being contained... I hope you will enjoy Faith and Davie’s story.