Bronwyn Scott - Rake Most Likely to Thrill

Outrageous hell-raisers let loose in Europe!

When London’s most notorious rakes embark on a Grand Tour they set female hearts aflutter all across Europe!

The exploits of these British rogues might be the stuff of legend, but on this adventure of a lifetime will they finally meet the women strong enough to tame their wicked ways?

Read Haviland North’s story in

Rake Most Likely to Rebel Already available

And read Archer Crawford’s story in

Rake Most Likely to Thrill August 2015

And watch out for

Rake Most Likely to Seduce and Rake Most Likely to Sin Coming 2016!

I hope you enjoy this second story in the Rakes on Tour mini-series. This is your chance to catch up with Archer Crawford in Siena as he embarks on his quest to ride in the famed Palio. I’ve tried to incorporate details about the race and to be as true to fact as possible. If you want to read more about the great race try La Terra In Piazza —the text I consulted.

What is true about the race the way it is depicted in Archer’s tale:

1. The Pantera neighbourhood did win the June Palio that year, with Jacopo’s Morello.

2. The Torre neighbourhood did turn around and win the August Palio that same year with the same horse. (It is fairly remarkable to have the same horse win both races in the same year.)

3. The neighbourhoods ( contradas ) did have rival neighbourhoods. Torre was despised by Oca and Onda. Pantera was a neutral neighbourhood with no set rivals. The neighbourhood rivalry was strong and intense and I’ve tried to be true to that intensity in the storyline.

What is not true (obviously) is that Torre’s jockey is hurt before the race and Archer needs to ride in his place. You can look up lists of jockeys and see who really rode in the August race.

I hope you have a good time with Archer, and learning a little bit about a beautiful Tuscan city.

Join me online at bronwynswriting.blogspot.com or at bronwynnscott.com

Rake Most Likely

to Thrill

Bronwyn Scott

www.millsandboon.co.uk

BRONWYN SCOTTis a communications instructor at Pierce College in the United States, and is the proud mother of three wonderful children (one boy and two girls). When she’s not teaching or writing she enjoys playing the piano, travelling—especially to Florence, Italy—and studying history and foreign languages. Readers can stay in touch on Bronwyn’s website, bronwynnscott.com, or at her blog, bronwynswriting.blogspot.com. She loves to hear from readers.

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For Judi and Don and Nina and El Dorado Farms.

Thanks for helping Catie find Sharper Eagle.

There is no finer love than a girl and her horse.

Contents

Cover

Introduction RAKES ON TOUR Outrageous hell-raisers let loose in Europe! When London’s most notorious rakes embark on a Grand Tour they set female hearts aflutter all across Europe! The exploits of these British rogues might be the stuff of legend, but on this adventure of a lifetime will they finally meet the women strong enough to tame their wicked ways? Read Haviland North’s story in Rake Most Likely to Rebel Already available And read Archer Crawford’s story in Rake Most Likely to Thrill August 2015 And watch out for Rake Most Likely to Seduce and Rake Most Likely to Sin Coming 2016!

Author Note AUTHOR NOTE I hope you enjoy this second story in the Rakes on Tour mini-series. This is your chance to catch up with Archer Crawford in Siena as he embarks on his quest to ride in the famed Palio. I’ve tried to incorporate details about the race and to be as true to fact as possible. If you want to read more about the great race try La Terra In Piazza —the text I consulted. What is true about the race the way it is depicted in Archer’s tale: 1. The Pantera neighbourhood did win the June Palio that year, with Jacopo’s Morello. 2. The Torre neighbourhood did turn around and win the August Palio that same year with the same horse. (It is fairly remarkable to have the same horse win both races in the same year.) 3. The neighbourhoods ( contradas ) did have rival neighbourhoods. Torre was despised by Oca and Onda. Pantera was a neutral neighbourhood with no set rivals. The neighbourhood rivalry was strong and intense and I’ve tried to be true to that intensity in the storyline. What is not true (obviously) is that Torre’s jockey is hurt before the race and Archer needs to ride in his place. You can look up lists of jockeys and see who really rode in the August race. I hope you have a good time with Archer, and learning a little bit about a beautiful Tuscan city. Join me online at bronwynswriting.blogspot.com or at bronwynnscott.com

Title Page Rake Most Likely to Thrill Bronwyn Scott www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author BRONWYN SCOTT is a communications instructor at Pierce College in the United States, and is the proud mother of three wonderful children (one boy and two girls). When she’s not teaching or writing she enjoys playing the piano, travelling—especially to Florence, Italy—and studying history and foreign languages. Readers can stay in touch on Bronwyn’s website, bronwynnscott.com , or at her blog, bronwynswriting.blogspot.com . She loves to hear from readers.

Dedication For Judi and Don and Nina and El Dorado Farms. Thanks for helping Catie find Sharper Eagle. There is no finer love than a girl and her horse.

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

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

The Antwerp Hotel, Dover —March 1835

There was going to be blood. It had become a forgone conclusion the moment the teamster brought the whip down across the hindquarters of the Cleveland Bay straining in the traces of the overloaded dray. How much blood, and whose, remained to be seen.

Archer Crawford had not stepped outside in the predawn darkness looking for trouble. Indeed, he’d been trying to avoid it. Inside, his travelling companion and long-time friend Nolan Gray’s card game was starting to take a turn for the worse. But it seemed trouble had found him anyway. He could not stand idly by and watch any horse abused. From the looks of this horse’s ragged coat, this wasn’t the first time. But it might be the last if Archer didn’t intervene. The teamster’s whip fell again, the beefy driver determined the horse pull the load or die trying. The latter was highly likely and the horse knew it. The Cleveland Bay showed no fear. He merely stood with resignation. Waiting. Knowing. Deciding: death now, or death pulling a weight more appropriate for two.