Forever a Lady. Delilah Marvelle
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TWO DIFFERENT CLASSES, ONE COMMON DESIRE...
Lady Bernadette Marie Burton
may be the richest widow in England,
but like her dreams of finding true passion, her reputation is deteriorating. Cruel gossip, loneliness and hoards of opportunistic suitors have her believing Society couldn’t be more vile...or dangerous. So when an attacker threatens her life, she finds safety in the most unseemly of places: the arms of a mysterious, Irish-American gang leader.
His fortune stolen, young
Matthew Milton
is done playing the respectable gentleman. In the slums of New York, only ruffians thrive. But from the moment he arrives in London and encounters the voluptuous Lady Bernadette, he can’t help but wonder about the finer pleasures he’s missing. Or just how much he’s willing to risk—not only to bed her, but to prove his worth....
Praise for the novels of Delilah Marvelle
“Marvelle adeptly explores the best and worst of
social class divides in this unforgettable story.”
—Booklist on Forever and a Day (starred review)
“Marvelle not only crafts highly sensual novels, her innovative ideas and plot twists invigorate the genre.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Not only is it intriguing and mysterious,
it’s highly addictive.”
—Fresh Fiction on Forever Mine
“Showcases Marvelle’s ability to heat up the pages
while creating a tender love story that touches the heart.”
—RT Book Reviews on Once Upon a Scandal
“Marvelle’s story of Radcliff coming to know himself,
and Justine’s faith in him, is a quintessential romance.”
—Booklist on Prelude to a Scandal
Forever a Lady
Delilah Marvelle
Dear Reader,
Everyone deserves a second chance at life. Especially when at the core of who and what they are, they define all things good. Sometimes, life cheats us out of opportunities we deserve. But even then, we have the right to dream and to be more than what everyone expects from us. Such is the story of Matthew Joseph Milton. Educated, dashing and a true gentleman at heart, he finds that being a good man simply isn’t enough to survive in a world looking to take everything away from you. So what do you do in an effort to fight back? You redefine yourself, even at the cost of yourself. In that, Matthew and Bernadette are the same (without knowing it). They both had to redefine themselves, only to discover that they buried far too much. Forever a Lady is my twisted version of Newsies. Only, I’m going with buff, older men toting pistols, instead of boys toting newspapers. It is my hope you will enjoy the searing passion Matthew and Bernadette learn to share not only for each other but for life as they return to who and what they really are. I feel blessed enough to speak from experience when I say, there is no better happily-ever-after than finding yourself and the love of your life.
Much love,
Delilah Marvelle
To my sister, Yvonne.
In honor of Once Upon a Time.
Contents
PROLOGUE
Survival, gentlemen. Life is all about survival.
—The Truth Teller, a New York Newspaper for Gentlemen
June 1822
New York City—Orange Street
WHEN IT HAD BEEN UNCOVERED that their bookkeeper and longtime friend, Mr. Richard Rawson, was actually a money-pilfering son of a mudsill, Matthew and his father had sent the authorities straight to Rawson’s house to make an arrest. Rawson, realizing he was about to hang, saddled a horse and galloped off, leaving behind a clutter of furniture and foppish clothing worth a sliver of nothing. The rest of the money taken from coffers of the Milton newspaper—two thousand dollars of it—Rawson had long since squandered on gambling and countless whores, whose extravagant tastes included every imaginable trinket known to please female humanity.
When