Carole Mortimer - Unlaced by Candlelight

‘A wild adventure with rich narrative, authentic dialogue and memorable characters.’

— RT Book Reviews on NOT JUST A GOVERNESS by Carole Mortimer

‘Scott pens a deliciously wicked romance.’

— RT Book Reviews on LONDON’S MOST WANTED RAKE by Bronwyn Scott

‘Plenty of tension and dangerous excitement blended with poignancy and passion.’

— RT Book Reviews on FALLING FOR THE HIGHLAND ROGUE by Ann Lethbridge

‘McCabe’s story charms readers.’

— RT Book Reviews on RUNNING FROM SCANDAL by Amanda McCabe

‘Kaye offers up another sexy romp.’

— RT Book Reviews on UNWED AND UNREPENTANT by Marguerite Kaye

CAROLE MORTIMERwas born in England, the youngest of three children. She began writing in 1978, and has now written over one hundred and fifty books for Harlequin Mills & Boon ®. Carole has six sons and is happily married to Peter. They are best friends as well as lovers, which is probably the best recipe for a successful relationship.

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, and studying history and foreign languages. Readers can stay in touch on Bronwyn’s website, www.bronwynnscott.com, or at her blog, www.bronwynswriting.blogspot.com—she loves to hear from readers.

ANN LETHBRIDGEgrew up roaming Britain with her military father. She now lives in Canada with her husband, two beautiful daughters, and a Maltese terrier named Teaser. Ann visits Britain every year to undertake research and also to visit family members. If you would like to know more about Ann and her research, or to contact her, visit www.annlethbridge.com

AMANDA McCABE’s books have been nominated for many awards, including a RITA ®Award and an RT Book Reviews Reviewers’ Choice Award. She lives in Oklahoma with a menagerie of two cats, a pug and a bossy miniature poodle, and loves dance classes, collecting cheesy travel souvenirs and watching the Food Network—even though she doesn’t cook. Visit her at www.ammandamccabe.comand www.riskyregencies.com

Born and educated in Scotland, MARGUERITE KAYEoriginally qualified as a lawyer but chose not to practise. Instead, she carved out a career in IT and studied history part-time, gaining first-class honours and a master’s degree. She decided to pursue her lifelong ambition to write, and submitted her first historical romance to Mills & Boon. They accepted it, and she’s been writing ever since. You can contact Marguerite through her website at: www.margueritekaye.com

Unlaced by

Candlelight

Not Just a Seduction

Carole Mortimer

An Officer but no Gentleman

Bronwyn Scott

One Night with the Highlander

Ann Lethbridge

Running Into Temptation

Amanda McCabe

How to Seduce a Sheikh

Marguerite Kaye

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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CONTENTS

Cover

Acclaim for the authors of Unlaced by Candlelight

About the Authors

Title Page

Not Just a Seduction

Back Cover Text

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

An Officer But No Gentleman

Back Cover Text

Author’s Note

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

One Night with the Highlander

Back Cover Text

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Running Into Temptation

AUTHOR NOTE

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Epilogue

How to Seduce a Sheikh

Back Cover Text

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Copyright

Not Just a Seduction

Carole Mortimer

London, 1817

The Earl of Chambourne’s scandalous reputation has been well-earned, but he has never forgotten the only woman he has ever loved—nor forgiven her for marrying another man while he was off fighting in France. When Christian discovers she is a widow, he hungers to possess her once again—as his mistress.

Lady Sylviana Moorland, Countess of Ampthill, knows it is only a matter of time before she comes face to face with Christian again. No longer an innocent, she sees no reason not to take the sensual pleasure he offers. But can Sylvie resist falling for the seductive rake?

Part of Carole Mortimer’s A Season of Secrets series.

Chapter One

April, 1817

The London home of Lady Cicely Hawthorne.

“I trust, ladies, that you have not begun to discuss the matter of our grandsons’ future wives without me...?” Edith St. Just, Dowager Duchess of Royston, frowned down the length of her aristocratic nose as she entered the salon where her two closest friends sat on the sofa in cozy conversation together.

“We would not think of doing such a thing, Edith.” Her hostess stood up to cross the room and greet her with a warm kiss on both of her powdered cheeks.

“Of course we would not.” A smiling Lady Jocelyn Ambrose, Dowager Countess of Chambourne, also rose to her feet.

The three women had been firm friends since some fifty years ago when, at the age of eighteen, they had shared a coming-out Season, their friendship continuing after they had all married. After becoming mothers and then grandmothers in the same years, the ladies continued to meet at least once a week while their respective husbands were still alive and sometimes two or three times a week since being widowed.

The dowager duchess nodded her satisfaction with her friends’ replies before turning to the young lady who had accompanied her into the salon. “You may join Miss Thompson and Mrs. Spencer at their sewing, Ellie.”

* * *

Eleanor Rosewood gave a brief curtsy to the lady who was not only her step-great-aunt by marriage but also her benefactress before stepping lightly across the room to join the other companions quietly sewing in the window alcove. The ladies, much older than her nineteen years, nevertheless smiled at her in welcome. As they had for this past year.

If not for the dowager duchess’s kindness, Ellie feared that she might have been forced to offer herself up to the tender mercies of becoming one of the demimonde after the death of her mother and stepfather had revealed she had not only been left penniless but seriously in debt. Edith St. Just, hearing of her nephew’s profligacy, had wasted no time in sweeping into his stepdaughter’s heavily mortgaged home and paying off those debts before gathering Ellie up to her ample bosom and making a place for her in her own household as her companion. This past year in that lady’s employ had revealed to Ellie that Edith St. Just’s outward appearance of stern severity hid a heart of gold.