Georgie Lee - Engagement of Convenience

Two adventurous spirits

Julia Howard longs for the freedom her inheritance will bring her—but with her controlling brother holding the purse strings, she’s going to need a most convenient engagement… An encounter in the woods with a dashing stranger couldn’t be more timely.

Wounded, his life at sea at an end, Captain James Covington isn’t prepared for the dull ache of civilian life. He sees in Julia a fellow adventurous spirit—willing to risk all. Could agreeing to her outrageous proposal help him recapture a reason to live as they face the biggest adventure of all—marriage?

She whirled to face him, closing the short distance between them. ‘How dare you address me in such an intimate manner?’

‘I think it only fitting, since we’re engaged.’

There it was again, his knowing smile, the one she found so infuriating. What was it about this man who annoyed her with such charm?

‘Yes, engaged, and not even that, yet you already act like a husband.’

‘If I hadn’t undermined your authority some servant would have pummelled you.’

‘I do not wish to discuss it.’ She continued towards the house, too worked up by the fight, the wound and the Captain to stand still.

‘Julia, please stop.’

The tender request held more power than any of his commands, bringing her to a halt. He walked around to stand in front of her but she refused to meet his face. She kept her head down, studying his boots.

‘Whatever you think of my interfering, I only meant to help, and whether our engagement is real or fake doesn’t matter. I had no desire to see you hurt.’

‘Perhaps we shouldn’t play this game.’

He took her hand. ‘I very much enjoy this game, my little Artemis.’

AUTHOR NOTE

ENGAGEMENT OF CONVENIENCE was fun to write, but at times it proved a challenge. When I was three-quarters of the way through my first draft Julia and James stopped talking to me and everything stalled. I waited patiently for them to tell me where they wanted to go, and when they remained stubbornly silent I threatened to burn Knollwood to the ground if Julia didn’t start talking to me again. Thanks to a little inspiration from a history-themed daily desk calendar, and some research, I didn’t have to resort to such drastic measures.

Research was key to crafting this story, and I studied subjects ranging from Thomas Jefferson’s agricultural innovations to HMS Pickle’s return from the Battle of Trafalgar. I enjoyed weaving real events from the period into the lives of my fictional characters and using it all to help Julia and James reach their happy ending.

Now that their story is in print I’m enjoying something of my own happy ending, all the while heading back into my non-fiction history books to find more inspiration for my next novel. I hope you enjoy ENGAGEMENT OF CONVENIENCE. Please visit my website www.georgie-lee.com to learn more about me and my other historical works.

Engagement of

Convenience

Georgie Lee

www.millsandboon.co.uk

A dedicated history and film buff, GEORGIE LEEloves combining her passion for Hollywood, history and storytelling through romantic fiction. She began writing professionally at a small TV station in San Diego, before moving to Hollywood to work in the interesting but strange world of the entertainment industry. During her years in La-La Land she never lost her love for romance novels and decided to try writing one herself. To her surprise, a new career was born. When not crafting tales of love and happily-ever-after, Georgie enjoys reading non-fiction history and watching any movie with a costume and an accent. Please visit www.georgie-lee.com to learn more about Georgie and her books. She also loves to hear from readers, and you can e-mail her at georgie.lee@yahoo.com

This is Georgie Lee’s fabulous debut novel for Mills & Boon ®Historical Romance!

Enjoy the witty, playful attraction between Julia and Captain Covington. There will be more historical novels by Georgie Lee, coming soon …

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A very special thank you to Natashya Wilson for

seeing the potential in this story and for all her help.

Thanks also to my editor, Linda Fildew,

my agent, Ethan Ellenberg, and my friend Kristi

for sharing her knowledge of horses.

Also, thanks to my dear husband, Matt,

who always believes in me, even if he wouldn’t have

believed it if someone told him years ago

he’d someday be married to a romance writer.

Contents

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 One

October 31, 1805

Julia heard the shot from the top of the hill. It split the early morning still, sending a shock through her body and silencing the birds in the surrounding trees. Pulling hard on Manfred’s reins, she brought the large black horse to a halt and examined the woods below the riding path for signs of the shooter. Brilliant shades of orange, red and yellow dominated the trees and a gentle breeze sent many of the leaves cascading to the ground. A flock of birds rose from the forest, indicating the shot’s origin, but she saw nothing of the gunman. Uncle George often hunted here, but he was not expected back from London until later today.

How dare they, she fumed, nudging Manfred down the sloping hill and into the thick cluster of trees growing along the small valley floor. Only a guest of their neighbours, the Wilkinses, possessed the audacity to hunt uninvited on Knollwood land.

Low branches tugged at her hair, freeing it from the loose bun fastened at the nape of her neck. Pushing it back out of her face, she knew her sister-in-law Emily would object to such a display, but Julia didn’t care. She wasn’t about to allow the Wilkinses’ good-for-nothing friends to poach in her woods.

As she urged Manfred deeper into the thicket, it didn’t occur to her to fetch the gamekeeper until the horse stepped into a small clearing as the culprit let off another shot in the opposite direction. Julia flinched at the thunderous noise, but Manfred, true to his warhorse breeding, stood rock still. Only his twitching ears acknowledged the explosion.

‘What do you think you are doing?’ Julia demanded.

The stranger whirled to face her and she drew in a sharp breath. Here was no fat wastrel, but the most handsome rogue she’d ever seen. The low sunlight cutting through the trees highlighted the deep-red tones in his dark hair and sharpened the bones of his cheeks. The shadow of a beard marked the square line of his jaw, emphasising his straight nose and strong chin. Her pulse raced with an emotion far different from fear. She could not name it, but it emanated from deep within her body.

‘I’m hunting,’ he answered plainly. Leaning his gun against a tree, he straightened into a stance reminiscent of the one her brother Paul assumed when a superior officer commanded him to relax.