Mary Brendan - Compromising The Duke's Daughter

Playing with scandal

Lady Joan Morland has already risked her reputation once with dashing Drew Rockleigh. And when her coach is set upon, it’s Drew who rescues her, more roguish and tempting than ever!

Then Joan discovers Drew has lost his fortune and decides to repay her debt by helping him. But after a sizzling kiss, she finds herself compromised once again! This time, scandal is surely inevitable...and the only thing to quell it is a walk down the aisle!

With her puny fists Joan battered a chest that felt like granite, trying to squirm away, but he suddenly shifted sideways on the seat and brought her down on her back beside him.

Drew braced an arm over her so she was trapped against the upholstery. Slowly his face descended and, mesmerised, Joan watched his mouth until it blurred out of focus. But he didn’t kiss her; his lips skimmed her hot cheek, the faintest tickle of bristle scouring her skin.

‘Do you know what I think, my lady?’ he murmured against her small, sensitive earlobe. ‘I think my conceit is making me believe your interest in me is personal. I think you’re as eager to taste me as I am to have you.’

Author Note

This novel is the second of two books featuring characters linked by family and friendship. In Tarnished, Tempted and Tamed Lady Joan Morland’s beloved stepsister Fiona finds happiness with dashing Luke Wolfson, following an adventure that plunges her into the midst of a smuggling gang.

In Compromising the Duke’s Daughter Lady Joan is aware that impeccable behaviour is expected of a young woman of her privileged status. She is sure that a youthful peccadillo with one of her brother-in-law’s rakish friends is firmly buried in her past. Then Drew Rockleigh bursts back into her life and Joan is astonished to see how low the handsome gentleman has fallen. She knows she owes him a debt of gratitude for having kept her secret...a secret that could ruin her and break her father’s heart should it leak out.

Keen to prove that she trusts him, Joan probes the mystery behind Rockleigh’s downfall. Infuriatingly, he seems not to need or want her assistance. But he does want her, and soon Joan realises that she wants him too, and will do her utmost to help him regain his rightful position in society.

The drama sweeps Lady Joan from the elegant drawing rooms of Mayfair, pitching her headlong into the squalid slums of the East End of London where, unbelievably, this duke’s daughter finds she has fallen in love with a streetfighter and will do whatever it takes to capture Rockleigh’s heart.

I hope you enjoy reading about Joan and Drew’s passionate skirmishes, and the obstacles they must overcome on the road to winning their happy-ever-after.

Compromising the Duke’s Daughter

Mary Brendan

www.millsandboon.co.uk

MARY BRENDAN was born in North London, but now lives in rural Suffolk. She has always had a fascination with bygone days, and enjoys the research involved in writing historical fiction. When not at her word processor she can be found trying to bring order to a large overgrown garden, or browsing local fairs and junk shops for that elusive bargain.

Books by Mary Brendan

Mills & Boon Historical Romance

Linked by Character

Tarnished, Tempted and Tamed

Compromising the Duke’s Daughter

Society Scandals

A Date with Dishonour

The Rake’s Ruined Lady

Regency Rogues

Chivalrous Rake, Scandalous Lady

Dangerous Lord, Seductive Miss

The Hunter Brothers

A Practical Mistress

The Wanton Bride

The Meredith Sisters

Wedding Night Revenge

The Unknown Wife

A Scandalous Marriage

The Rake and the Rebel

Visit the Author Profile page

at millsandboon.co.ukfor more titles.

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For Sheila Hodgson, my editor, with thanks for advice and support given over many years.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

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

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

‘Get us from this infernal place at once, you stupid boy!’

‘Calm yourself, Aunt, and please don’t shout at Pip—it will only make matters worse. If he panics he might overset the coach, or trample somebody underfoot.’

‘I wish the horses would trample the savages to death!’ Dorothea warbled hysterically.

‘Hush!’ Joan slammed an unsteady finger to her soft mouth, hissing from behind it, ‘If we infuriate these people, heaven only knows what will become of us all!’

Lady Joan Morland was attempting to combat her fright as well as pacify her companion. Joan knew she was to blame for their terrifying predicament, but her aunt’s callous remark about running over their attackers had shocked and angered her. Just a short while ago Joan had been sitting in the same room as these folks’ youngsters and she’d not willingly orphan any child.

Joan had wanted to visit a ragged school in the eastern quarter of the metropolis to assist her friend the Reverend Walters teaching at his vicarage. Thus, she accepted that it was her fault that their novice driver had taken a wrong turning and ended up in the heart of a slum. Pip was into his apprenticeship and was now allowed to drive the smaller carriages, but this calamity had proved that he hadn’t the necessary experience to negotiate a detour about the London stews as his master would have done. The youth had plunged headlong into the midst of a crowd of spectators at a street fight. Their crested coach and team of fine chestnuts had drawn interest in the way bluebottles would swarm to a joint of prime beef.

‘Get away...you vile creature!’ Dorothea flapped her handkerchief at a bold urchin who’d clung to the side of the vehicle and was thrusting a grimy hand at her, palm up.

‘Come on, lady, give us summat or I’ll have them baubles off yer chest instead.’ The boy bared a set of brown teeth in a grin while his filthy fingers mimicked an approaching spider.

Dorothea squeaked in alarm, jamming a hand over the pearl mourning brooch pinned to her cloak.

‘Here...take this and please leave us be.’ Joan slid forward on the seat to throw the boy some coppers dug from her reticule. He caught them deftly and leapt down.

Had Joan thought more carefully about it she would have realised that her action was inflammatory rather than calming. Within seconds of the boy whooping with glee, his hand aloft displaying his treasure, a horde had clambered on to the running boards. Youthful and aged faces began competing for space at the windows, all with the same wide, avaricious grins stretching their mouths. Dorothea clung to her niece, shivering, as the vehicle swayed precariously from side to side with the weight of unwashed bodies hanging off the coachwork.