Sophia James - A Proposition For The Comte

Dark. Dangerous. Damaged. This man will protect her.

After years of an unhappy and bitter marriage, cautious Lady Violet Addington is intrigued by the Comte de Beaumont. His air of danger, mysterious scars and pure sexuality pose a temptation that’s hard to resist.

Threatened by her late husband’s enemies, she makes a daring proposition: in exchange for the Comte’s protection, she’ll join him in his bed!

Gentlemen of Honor miniseries

Book 1— A Night of Secret Surrender

Book 2— A Proposition for the Comte

Look out for the next book in the miniseries, coming soon!

“Sophia James again delivers a truly wonderful love story filled with adventure and surprising twists.”

— Goodreads on A Night of Secret Surrender

“A fantastically vivid setting, characters (and a relationship) you really believe in, suspense and tension, and an emotional impact that stays with you long after the last page has been turned.”

— Goodreads on A Night of Secret Surrender

SOPHIA JAMESlives in Chelsea Bay, on the North Shore of Auckland, New Zealand, with her husband, who is an artist. She has a degree in English and history from Auckland University and believes her love of writing was formed by reading Georgette Heyer on vacations at her grandmother’s house. Sophia enjoys getting feedback at sophiajames.co.

Also By Sophia James

Ruined by the Reckless Viscount

Gentlemen of Honor

A Night of Secret Surrender

A Proposition for the Comte

The Society of Wicked Gentlemen

A Secret Consequence for the Viscount

The Penniless Lords

Marriage Made in Money

Marriage Made in Shame

Marriage Made in Rebellion

Marriage Made in Hope

Once Upon a Regency Christmas

“Marriage Made at Christmas”

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

A Proposition for the Comte

Sophia James

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-07410-0

A PROPOSITION FOR THE COMTE

© 2018 Sophia James

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

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www.millsandboon.co.uk

Version: 2018-08-06

“I need protection and I am willing to pay for it,” Violet said.

His fingers turned and curled over hers, eyes rising to lock into her own.

“How?”

“I can see that you want me. You would not have come here otherwise.”

He laughed at that. “You are bold, Violet Addington, but are you also foolish?”

“I am a twenty-seven-year-old widow who is soon to be twenty-eight. It is not permanence I am petitioning you for, only safety. I have not offered my body to any other and there have been many who have asked.” She couldn’t make it any plainer.

Author Note Contents Cover Back Cover Text About the Author Booklist Title Page Copyright Introduction Author Note Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Epilogue Extract About the Publisher

Aurelian de la Tomber, Comte de Beaumont, was one of the main lesser characters in my last book, A Night of Secret Surrender.

He fascinated me not only with his cleverness and his danger but also because of his vulnerability. I wanted to know more of his story and his life. I felt that his utter darkness needed the counterpoint of a woman who brought him the light.

Lady Violet Addington has suffered her own losses, too, but she is a woman of resilience and purpose.

Can the secrets that lie between them bridge the gap of politics, greed and history?

Can love overcome darkness?

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text Dark. Dangerous. Damaged. This man will protect her. After years of an unhappy and bitter marriage, cautious Lady Violet Addington is intrigued by the Comte de Beaumont. His air of danger, mysterious scars and pure sexuality pose a temptation that’s hard to resist. Threatened by her late husband’s enemies, she makes a daring proposition: in exchange for the Comte’s protection, she’ll join him in his bed! Gentlemen of Honor miniseries Book 1— A Night of Secret Surrender Book 2— A Proposition for the Comte Look out for the next book in the miniseries, coming soon! “Sophia James again delivers a truly wonderful love story filled with adventure and surprising twists.” — Goodreads on A Night of Secret Surrender “A fantastically vivid setting, characters (and a relationship) you really believe in, suspense and tension, and an emotional impact that stays with you long after the last page has been turned.” — Goodreads on A Night of Secret Surrender

About the Author SOPHIA JAMES lives in Chelsea Bay, on the North Shore of Auckland, New Zealand, with her husband, who is an artist. She has a degree in English and history from Auckland University and believes her love of writing was formed by reading Georgette Heyer on vacations at her grandmother’s house. Sophia enjoys getting feedback at sophiajames.co .

Booklist Also By Sophia James Ruined by the Reckless Viscount Gentlemen of Honor A Night of Secret Surrender A Proposition for the Comte The Society of Wicked Gentlemen A Secret Consequence for the Viscount The Penniless Lords Marriage Made in Money Marriage Made in Shame Marriage Made in Rebellion Marriage Made in Hope Once Upon a Regency Christmas “Marriage Made at Christmas” Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

Title Page A Proposition for the Comte Sophia James www.millsandboon.co.uk

Copyright ISBN: 978-1-474-07410-0 A PROPOSITION FOR THE COMTE © 2018 Sophia James Published in Great Britain 2018 by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.