2013-09-26

"Meet Emma Corrigan, a young woman with a huge heart, an irrepressible spirit, and a few little secrets: Secrets from her boyfriend: I’ve always thought Connor looks a bit like Ken. As in Barbie and Ken. Secrets from her mother: I lost my virginity in the spare bedroom with Danny Nussbaum while Mum and Dad were downstairs watching Ben-Hur. Secrets she wouldn’t share with anyone in the world: I have no idea what NATO stands for. Or even what it is. Until she spills them all to a handsome stranger on a plane. At least, she thought he was a stranger... Until Emma comes face-to-face with Jack Harper, the company’s elusive CEO, a man who knows every single humiliating detail about her." (Goodreads)


Don't miss it because...

A good plot, with a bunch of enjoyable twists. Emma is fabulous!

2013-09-23

This isn't a merry chapter, but I'd like to thank you for your trust and support. Your comments are welcome! Chapter 19 is waiting for you: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8955111/19/

 

Camilla's short poem (SatinCoveredSteel helped to translate it):

Or l'amico han "suicidato"
o così sembra sia stato.
C'è per Bella un'altra prova:
anche Charlie non si trova!


By his own hand, a friend is deceased,
or that’s the way it appears, at least.
And now there's a new sorrow for Bella:
Charlie is missing, the dear fella.


The new chapter is due to be posted in two weeks.
Reviewers get a little gift.


2013-09-19

This historical romance of seventeenth-century Milan, first published in 1827, is the most famous of Italian novels. It has great breadth and depth - indeed its moral, religious and political themes are as applicable to the problems of our own day as they were to the Napoleonic times when it was written, or the period of the Thirty Years War in which it is set. (Goodreads).


Don't miss it because...

This novel is part of the syllabus for secondary high school students in Italy. It means that almost everyone who has attended secondary high school has read at least a small part of this novel...and probably hasn't enjoyed it. Why? Because it's considered a long, difficult story.

If you want to give it a try, read just the scene where Manzoni describes Cecilia's mother (you'll find it in one of the last chapters).

The way Manzoni writes is amazing -- he gives attention to psychology, body language, and "show more than tell" decades and decades before scholars and researchers began to study them.

Don't miss the chance to fall in love with this masterpiece. Even if you read just some selected chapters out of it, Manzoni's characters will stay with you.

2013-09-12

New York Times Best Selling Author and  National Enquirer Lead Columnist  
MIKE WALKER
Announces His Cover Reveal and First Look at
 
OUT FOR BLOOD

http://ph.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/books/detail/104
Category: Fantasy / Paranormal, Publication date: Oct 31, 2013, ISBN (paper): 978-1-61213-157-3, ISBN (e-book): 978-1-61213-158-0

Released by The Writer's Coffee Shop Publishing House on October 31, 2013  
 
~SUMMARY~

National Revealer’s Clark Kelly carved out his killer career as Hollywood’s most-feared gossip columnist by exploiting mankind’s most ancient vulnerability:
“Everyone’s got a secret . . . and someone’s dying to tell it!”
Clark never reveals his to-die-for secret!
NEWS FLASH:
Dude’s a vampire!
CUE SCARY MUSIC . . . our undead gossip guru flies the night skies to spy on Hollywood’s hottest stars—then inks about their bedroom kinks! Imagine our studly, urbane journalist jotting notes as he hovers outside Scarlett Johansson’s bedroom window, or peeks into Tom Cruise’s “bachelor pad.”
Star secrets . . .?
This vampire BITES!
And what’s sexier than vampires, ladies? Just ask smokin’ hot starlet/tabloid terror TayLo Logan—this Wild Child gets crazy with bad boy Clark because his bite makes her blood boil!
Then it’s LIGHTS . . . CAMERA . . .  ACTION! . . . but not in a good way: Vampire Boy and Tabloid Train Wreck TayLo unwittingly end up stars of a sizzling sex tape—destined for worldwide display on the notorious vampire fan sex site, FANGBANGING.COM.
Still, the duo’s beyond-the-grave love story simmers away as Clark rips the lid off a murder cover-up—then discovers a murderous plot against TayLo!
DANGER! Can Clark stop a stalker who wants to drain his lover dry? Or wreak revenge on Tinseltown billion-heiress Roma Kane for her poisonous plot to paralyze TayLo—and her career? Can he foil a murder cabal so evil it feeds stars’ pets to coyotes?
AND THEN . . . talk about the plot thickening! Roma’s billionaire granddaddy, mogul Montague Kane, taking a breather from the nymphet “nannies” paid to play his naughty high-chair games, springs a backstab surprise—buying out Clark’s beloved National Revealer.
Suddenly, “deadline” takes on a whole new meaning
Triggered by vengeful fury, Clark goes “rogue vampire!”
Evil is punished . . . and the sun shines once more when he creates a Hollywood happy ending that makes everyone (undeads included) a STAR!
Hold the front page! Because Clark Kelly’s . . .
Out For Blood!
~EXCERPT~

She recoiled, screamed again as my hand snaked over her shoulder from behind, clamping her mouth, muzzling the shriek. My fangs grazed her neck delicately, barely piercing the skin.
My hot breath soothing in her ear as I whispered, “Just a tiny sting, baby . . . easy now! Okay, all done . . . just relax.”
Her eyes popped in a terrified stare. Suddenly, I was standing face-to-face with her again. She shuddered, swayed. I steadied her.
“Easy, girlfriend!”
Jesus! How did you . . .”
Her eyes focused, watching my tongue flick hypnotically back and forth across my teeth as I tested her blood. I sighed.
No question: Positive.
She flinched as I touched the tiny pinpricks I’d left on her neck, then showed her the crimson droplets on my fingertips. “Blood never lies, my sweet. You have tooted primo sniffy in the past hour. Not a lot, to be sure, but it’s a fresh trace. La Coca.”

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About MIKE WALKER

Dubbed “a one-man media conglomerate” by New Yorker magazine, Mike Walker became Tokyo’s youngest-ever foreign correspondent.
After launching his iconic gossip column, The National Enquirer's #1 feature, and his show on CBS radio nationwide, Walker became weekly co-anchor on TV's Geraldo and guested on such top shows like Nightline. After writing and hosting two successful MGM-TV specials, he created the daily series, National Enquirer TV!
Mike became the only reporter ever to write two bestsellers on one story when his books on the O.J. Simpson trial hit #1 and #5 on the New York Times Bestseller List.
Dubbed “The King of Gossip” by Publisher’s Weekly, he played his weekly “Gossip Game” on The Howard Stern Show for a record 16 years.
He’s lectured at distinguished journalism schools at Columbia University and UC Berkeley; and received a prestigious invitation to become a Fellow of Ireland's legendary Trinity College, Dublin.

Keep up with MIKE (and get some great gossip) on

2013-09-10


Beth Carter is a psychologist to many and a single mother to four unruly boys. Patients might almost be manageable, but her boys aren’t. While the household lurches inevitably from one catastrophe to another, Beth finds herself barely managing to hold onto the vital threads of sanity whilst leading her often complex patients through their own remarkable journeys.
Beth finds it to be a lonely venture, leading her to look for love—but in all the wrong places.

 
http://ph.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/books/detail/99
Do you want to know more about Beth's story?
Go read Trust Me! You can get a free copy of this new novel.
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Joan Callahan is a clinical psychologist practicing in Melbourne, Australia. She commenced her career teaching English and history at the prestigious Melbourne High School and later retrained in the field of psychology. Joan set up her own private practice and has a heavy forensic caseload, while providing consultancies to commerce, industry, and government. She also enjoys several mediation contracts. She particularly likes working with anxiety disorders, couples, and the full spectrum of psychological disorders.

Joan is the divorced mother of three boys, has three brothers, and three grandsons—not to mention that she taught only boys at Melbourne High School. By her sheer survival as teacher, mother, and psychologist, she considers herself something of an expert on boys. Joan loves her job, going to the gym, making bread, (boring, boring, boring. Next it will be romantic fireside chats and long walks on the beach at sunset!), socializing widely, and travelling around the world as often as she can with the love of her life. Her vast travels around the USA have provided fodder for the third book in this series as the inimitable Carter clan enjoy the wilds of Yeehaw Junction.

Life remains wonderfully hectic. Any similarity between Joan’s life and Beth’s is not purely coincidental.  Beth’s patients are pure fiction; her dogs are not. Her boys? Close!

2013-09-09

More about Charlie, a jazz concert for Bella, and a new meeting between Edward and Bella. Chapter 18 is available: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8955111/18/

"Do you know jazz?"Edward grinned. "I may I have listened to a CD or two." He doubted there were many compilations of good musicians he didn't know everything about. "Was there a particular song that piqued your interest?"

Camilla's short poem (SatinCoveredSteel helped to translate it):

Dacché un bacio si son dati
sono entrambi innamorati
ma il destino sembra duro,
senza gioia il lor futuro.


Since the kiss they shared,
between them love has flared.
But their destiny seems gloomier,
with no joy in their future.


The new chapter is due to be posted in two weeks.
Reviewers get a little gift.




Ella Fitzgerald singing Someone To Watch Over Me

Edward quotes Horace's Odes, 1.9

You can read the original Latin version here: http://rainybluedawn.com/translations/latin/odes1ix.htm

See how the deep snow shines on Mount Soracte!
The toiling woods
can bear the load no longer, and the streams
stand still in the sharp ice.
Dispel the cold, O Thaliarchus – quick,
pile up the logs –
and bring the four-year-aged unmixed wine
out in a Sabine jar.

The rest give to the gods, who, when they still
the winds at war
upon the boiling sea, leave mountain ash
and cypress trees untouched.

Don’t ask about tomorrow. Take what comes,
and count it gain;
and in your youth don’t turn away from dance
or from sweet love affairs,

so long as sour age stays far away
from your green strength.
Let streets and fields and soft nocturnal whispers
have their appointed times,

and perhaps sweet hidden laughter may reveal
a prize to take
from off the arms or fingers of a girl
pretending to resist.




2013-09-06

Over the last few months, I have had the pleasure to read the whole Harry Potter Saga, and even more than that I've had the wonderful opportunity to discuss the books with a few lovely friends. Their comments while I was reading have been a precious gift to me, and I can finally understand why they love the books so much.

Today SatinCoveredSteel and I are sharing our comments about the whole Saga. Warning: (some) spoilers ahead!


1. Mystery Writing

Raum: I love the way the author put so many hints in the books and used them to build such a complex and fascinating plot. So many times there were scenes that made perfect sense given the setting, but then they took on a new meaning as well, because they were preparing us readers for something different. E. g. Aragog had been mentioned in one of the first books, so when it died it wasn't strange for the readers. But the death and the "funeral" became very important given the things Harry got going to the funeral with Hagrid and Slughorn.

SatinCoveredSteel: This is something I love about JK Rowling's writing, too.  She works very much like a mystery writer, laying out many clues or situations that are only fully understood much later.  I love the how the seventh book in particular showed us a new side to so many things we thought we understood before.

A question for the readers: which is your favorite book in the Saga?

2. What changed during the Saga

Raum: I love that JK Rowling's writing style improved during the Saga. I think it takes courage and strength to always try to do better, and that shows in her writing.

SatinCoveredSteel: What I noticed was that I liked her plots better and better as the series progressed (although I think I enjoyed the 3rd and 4th books better than the 5th).  Generally, the books became more complex and interesting as they went along, and of course each one built on the existing complexity of the last one.  In addition, as the main characters grew up and dealt with more grown-up situations, it became more interesting in that way as well.

A question for the readers: which changes did you notice during the Saga?

3. Characters


Raum:  I love the care the author gave to all the characters. Each one has his/her flaws, and I really appreciate it. The Saga is not just Harry's story, but it's the story of all the people the author makes us love or hate or despise or pity. JK Rowling didn't create just a main character or an adventure; she created a new world. 

SatinCoveredSteel: She put gave years and years of her life to creating that world, and yes, it is a very full and interesting one.  There are many wonderful characters, some of them straightforward and others far more complex and at times hard to figure out.  For me, interesting characters are the most important ingredient of a good story.

A question for the readers: who is your favorite character and why?


4. Fanfiction?


Raum: The whole story is so well-crafted that, after reading it, I don't feel any need to read HP fanfics (let alone writing them!). I'm open to suggestions because...never say never, but so far I just want to reread what the author wrote. I wouldn't like to see a single detail changed, while in other fandoms I really enjoy AU fics, where the same characters have different backgrounds and adventures.

SatinCoveredSteel: Of course the first thing you want to do is reread it; I would too, if I'd just read all seven books in a row for the first time!  I've read a few short Harry Potter fanfics, but I never searched very seriously.  I'm sure there are some good quality ones out there...but like you, I haven't had much desire to read them.  I think you have a point that the story in the books is very tightly constructed and satisfying, but I think many people have written AU HP fics.  I know some people like to explore different character pairings, for example.  I'm sure there are fics elaborating upon things that happened in the canon Saga, as well. A Snape POV of certain parts of the story would be interesting, but it would have to be done well.  Same with Dumbledore, perhaps.  Something else I think could be interesting would be stories about what happens to the next generation of Potters and Weasleys—the kids we see at the end of the book.  

A question for the readers: which HP fanfics would you recommend?

5. Deep Meanings


Raum: I love the way the story can be read discovering so many layers. I think the last book is a great reflection about self-sacrifice (Harry), the complexity of every human being (Dumbledore), the way you can keep love going on even after the person you loved died (Severus). 

SatinCoveredSteel: I found Dumbledore's story fascinating, and we learn so much more about him in the seventh book.  Harry sees that everyone is fallible—even his hero—but of course he also sees that we can learn from our mistakes and become better people.  Both Dumbledore and Snape had to learn from some major mistakes in their lives.  

For me, Severus Snape was the most fascinating character in the Saga.

One of the main things I noticed throughout the books is the idea that appearances can be deceptive—don't judge a book by its cover.  Examples abound in the books.  Professor Quirrel, who seemed like a just a harmless teacher, but turned out to be helping Voldemort.  Mad-Eye Moody, who turned out to be Barty Crouch Jr. in disguise.  Scabbers, who seemed like just a hand-me-down pet rat, but was actually Peter Pettigrew, the man who betrayed Harry's Parents.  Sirius Black, who was believed by everyone to be that betrayer, but who had actually been framed by Pettigrew and wrongfully imprisoned all those years.  There are other examples, but those are the ones that come to mind.  Some characters are more straightforward, of course—for example, we pretty much knew what Bellatrix Lestrange was like from the first moment we saw her, and were never proven wrong.  

But I had a feeling that Rowling was playing with us when it came to Snape.  She usually showed a character's true colors over the course of one book (Sirius's arc in the third book, for example), but in Snape's case, she made us wait until the last book to show us what really happened.  One thing I never saw coming was his history with Lily, although when Harry saw the silver doe Patronus in the forest, I did wonder if that might have something to do with her (since James's was a stag).  I thought that was one of the most brilliant things in that book, and it's interesting to look back at the earlier books with that in mind.  For me, it's not simple...not at all.  Snape wanted to protect Harry for Lily's sake, but at the same time, he had to spend all those years watching over this boy who looked so much like James, but with Lily's eyes.  Harry is the reminder of the girl he lost, the girl he couldn't have...the girl who chose another.  I wonder how much of his poor treatment of Harry throughout the story was to hide his true mission, and how much was genuine dislike because of the boy's resemblance to his father?  I suspect it's some of both.  Perhaps Rowling leaves that as an open question for readers to decide.  

A question for the readers: which plot twist or which character surprised you more?

6. Humour

Raum: JK Rowling's humor was an elegant trait that made all the Saga even more enjoyable. It helped to break the tension, but it helped also to fall more and more in love with the characters. Fred and George are a great example of that. Even in the darkest moments, they kept their smile on their faces.

SatinCoveredSteel: Humor is another thing I feel is key to a good book—not always necessary, but it almost always helps.  With so much dark material, there needs to be something to break it up, to make us smile in the midst of it, and I think Rowling is wonderful at writing humor that appeals to a broad spectrum of people—both kids and adults. Fred and George were brilliant...but I'm still sad about Fred's death. The author clearly knows where to hit her readers where it hurts, doesn't she?

A question for the readers: which was the most funny or sad moment in the Saga?


7. Learning from the Saga


Raum: I think the Saga teaches us how our free choices are truly our most important talent. Intelligence, wealth, beauty... they matter, they all matter: the author doesn't deny it, because the characters wouldn't have been the same without their most important talents. But no talent is enough to grant you happiness. Everything depends on the choices you make. 

SatinCoveredSteel: You're right.  For example, Tom Riddle was an intelligent being with a natural talent for magic (and yes, a handsome face), but he lacked empathy for the people around him.  Whereas Bellatrix was a fiery villain who took pleasure in the pain of others, in comparison Voldemort almost seemed detached, uncaring, cold.  He could have been of great service to the world, but instead, he turned his natural talents to domination and destruction.  

Dumbledore and Grindelwald are another good example.  Dumbledore learned early in his life the pitfalls of thinking oneself superior, and he changed course, instead becoming a champion of Muggle-borns.  Grindelwald did not learn the same lesson.  Both men were similarly talented and intelligent, but one chose the path of light while the other chose darkness.  

I think if I had to name the single most important theme in the last book, it's the power of love.  Voldemort's failure to understand the human heart contributed to his downfall.  He didn't understand Snape's love for Lily—couldn't fathom the power of such a feeling—and so didn't see how Snape was working against him.  It had also proved his undoing on the night he killed Harry's parents, when Lily's love protected Harry from harm and his own attack rebounded upon him.  He overlooked that power, because he didn't understand it—didn't feel it for anyone himself.  And he failed to learn, because he made the same mistake again, on the night he tried to kill Harry in the woods (in the last book).  Once again, it was a mother's love for her son—Narcissa Malfoy's love for Draco—that brought about his ruin.  She lied to him, telling him Harry was dead, and that saved Harry's life again.  Her priorities had shifted, and she didn't care about the death eaters anymore; all she cared about was finding Draco and getting him to safety.  Voldemort didn't see this coming, because once again, he didn't understand her love.  It's one of my favorite things in the book, and the fact that it's one of Harry's enemies who is mirroring the actions of his own mother makes it all the more poignant for me.  It's like a perfect bookend for the saga.


A question for the readers: what have you learned from the Saga?

2013-09-04

I am proud to announce the cover reveal for 

Innocence by Elise De Sallier

Watch for its upcoming release on December 17!

Category: Romance / Historical / Regency Publication date: Dec 17, 2013 ISBN (paper): 978-1-61213-200-6 ISBN (ebook): 978-1-61213-201-3



Summary

Ignorance is supposed to be bliss, but in Anneliese Barlow's experience, it leads to poor choices and unnecessarily tragic outcomes . . . and there is nothing pleasant about either.
Forced to flee her father's brutal heir, Anneliese masquerades as Lisa Brown, a servant in the grand, country mansion of the Duke of Worthington. Befriended by her fellow maids, she tries—and failsto avoid attention while awaiting the return of the duke, her father's friend. Discovering the life of gentility she had known was a virtual fairy tale, reality a dark and forbidding place, Lisa faces danger at every turn.
Captivated by the beautiful maid, Nathaniel Stanton, the Marquis of Marsden, decides the only way to protect the new girl is by offering her his protection. With her reputation ruined and all hope of returning to her previous station seemingly lost, Lisa surrenders her virtue to the man she has come to love almost beyond reason. Finding unexpected passion in Nathaniel's arms, her senses are awakened to a world of sensuality she had not known existed. A world not without grave risks.
Believing it is the only way he can keep her in his life, Nathaniel asks Lisa to be his mistress, promising her a home and a future with him . . . of sorts. Despite her misgivings about its dubious morality, she accepts the position rather than be separated from Nathaniel. But her father's heir, Lord Copeland, has not given up in his quest to have her for himself.
With her freedom, Nathaniel's position in society, and the future of countless others at stake, she must sacrifice her future happiness and find a way to disappear forever. If her identity is uncovered, Lisa's innocence won't be the only thing that's lost. 

Author Bio


Elise met the love of her life when she was only sixteen, married him three years later, and recently celebrated her thirtieth wedding anniversary. Needless to say, she is a big believer in living Happily Ever After. With a lifetime's worth of experience behind her, Elise also believes great relationships don't just happen, they take work . . . which doesn’t mean writing about them can’t be a whole lot of fun. After surviving all manner of health obstacles while raising a family and nursing her elderly grandmother—her writing namesake, though she’d have been shocked by her granddaughter’s steamy love scenes—Elise established a career as a counselor and family therapist. Seeking an escape from the stresses of her work, she discovered the world of fan fiction, and her timid writer’s muse began to make its voice heard. Two point three million hits, twelve and a half thousand reviews, and an email from an acquisitions editor at The Writer's Coffee Shop later, and Elise's life found a new and fascinating direction. A romantic fiction addict from way back, writing her own historical and paranormal romances—and having others read and fall in love with her characters and the worlds she creates—is a dream come true. Elise likes to see her characters grow, experience passion and adventure, tackle some difficult issues, and find lasting love . . . eventually.

Find The Author

 
Excerpt 

Unable to see past the large bouquet, Lisa stumbled several times on the journey, the flowers falling to the side.
“Bother,” she muttered after her third attempt at repairing the damage was unsuccessful.
“I think they usually put the tallest ones at the back.”
Spinning around at the sound of a deep, male voice, she was surprised to see Nathaniel leaning against the wall.
“My lord! You startled me.”
He frowned—at her less than servile tone, she imagined—and Lisa offered a belated curtsy.
“Is there anything I can do for you?” she asked when the effect of his unbroken gaze reached an unbearable level.
“You can tell me your name.” His gaze roamed from the top of her head to the hem of her skirt in a shockingly forward manner.
“My name?”
“I’m assuming you have one?”
“Yes, of course. I have a name.”
“Well?”
One of his eyebrows rose, reminding Lisa of a novel she’d read by Mrs Radcliffe describing the hero as having a sardonic brow. She’d always wondered what one looked like, and now she knew.
Pushing away from the wall, Nathaniel walked over to the vase of flowers. With a few deft movements he created something quite presentable out of the jumble she had been fussing with for the better part of half an hour, and Lisa huffed.
“I’m sure you have many talents.” He chuckled at her reaction. “Although flower arranging and pouring hot beverages don’t seem to be among them.”
Unsure how to respond, she stared down at her wringing hands. Miss Brewer would not have approved.
“So, are you going to tell me,” Nathaniel continued. “Or am I going to have to force you to give me the information?”
Looking up, Lisa was surprised to see him standing mere inches away.
“My lord?”
“Your. Name.” He enunciated clearly.
Feeling her cheeks catch fire, she stammered a reply. “Li—Li Lisa.”
“Well, Li—Li Lisa, that’s an unusual name. How about I call you Lisa, or would you prefer Li—Li?”
In hindsight, she should have chosen a name that wasn’t derived from her own, especially considering Nathaniel was an acquaintance of Lord Copeland’s. But it was too late to do anything about it now.
“Lisa. I prefer Lisa.”
“From Elizabeth?” he asked, and she blinked.
“Um, yes, that’s right. From Elizabeth.”
Anneliese had been named after her Danish great grandmother on her mother’s side, or so she had been told, the name not common on English soil.
“I couldn’t make the zed sound when I was little, so I was called Lisa not Liza,” she said, trying to fit her story to his quite understandable assumption.
“How adorable.”
“I suppose that’s one way to describe a childhood lisp.”
“Not just the lisp, you.” Nathaniel smiled.
Lisa’s mouth dropped open. He thought her adorable? Maybe Ruth and Sally were right and Nathaniel was attracted to her even though he believed her a servant.
“There’s something I’ve been wanting to speak with you about. The other morning—”
“You mean the one where you had me banished from serving in the breakfast room on my very first day?” Lisa interjected, forgetting her place once more.
“So you were offended.” He rubbed his jaw.
“Er, of course not, my lord.” She modified her tone, not wanting to get herself banished altogether. “I could have spilled the coffee on you or one of the other guests. It was gracious of you not to have me dismissed.”
“Ah, Lisa, you misunderstood. I wasn’t concerned about your inability to serve the coffee. The excuse to hold your hand was most welcome.”
“What then?” She blurted the words then snapped her mouth shut. Holding her tongue was not a strength, and the unobtrusive nature of her new role was proving a challenge. Fortunately, Nathaniel did not appear offended.
“Are you aware of my father’s unusual standards concerning the treatment of his staff?” he asked, running his fingers over the satiny smooth finish of the side table.
She nodded, though it was difficult to think clearly with him standing so close.
“His Grace wasn’t always so honourable. When I was growing up, I distinctly recall him enjoying the odd dalliance with willing maids, and he did little to hide the existence of his mistresses.”
Lisa frowned. Dalliance was not a word she was familiar with, and as far as she knew, a man’s wife was the mistress of his household, a role that need not be hidden and did not come in multiples.
Nathaniel’s gaze rose to her face. “Don’t worry. You’re quite safe here at Worthington Hall. My father had a rather dramatic change of heart a while back, a conversion of sorts. He now devotes a substantial portion of his time and wealth to the betterment and protection of the working classes, despite the cost to his reputation.”
Lisa had heard as much from her father who had shared the Duke’s opinion.
“Do you follow a similar creed?” she asked.
“Mostly.” Nathaniel shrugged and took a step closer. “I’m happy to honour my father’s wishes, especially in his own home. Although the effort does sometimes come at personal cost.”
Reaching towards her, he ran his forefinger slowly down her cheek. “You have amazing skin. Soft as silk.”
Staring unblinking into his handsome face, Lisa swayed towards him.

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