Behind the Rake's Wicked Wager. Sarah Mallory
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THE NOTORIOUS COALE BROTHERS
They are the talk of the Ton!
Twin brothers Dominic and Jasper Coale set society’s tongues wagging with their disreputable behaviour.
Get to know the real men behind the scandalous reputations in this deliciously wicked duet from Sarah Mallory!
Major Dominic Coale
Locked away in his castle in the woods with only his tormenting memories for company, until governess Zelah Pentewan crosses the threshold …
BENEATH THE MAJOR’S SCARS
December 2012
Jasper Coale, Viscount Markham
Used to having his own way where women are concerned, Jasper would bet his fortune on being able to seduce beautiful Susannah Prentess, but she proves stubbornly resistant to his charms!
BEHIND THE RAKE’S WICKED WAGER
January 2013
AUTHOR NOTE
BEHIND THE RAKE’S WICKED WAGER is the story of Jasper Coale, Viscount Markham, the elder of the notorious Coale brothers.
When I decided upon my identical twin heroes I wanted the men and their stories to be anything but identical. Dominic is a soldier. He sustained horrific injuries during the Peninsular War, but he is surviving to build a new life for himself in England. By comparison Jasper has had an easy time of it. He has grown up knowing his role in life: he was born and raised to be Viscount Markham. Jasper has it all—money, position, good looks and an abundance of charm. He has been courted as a most eligible bachelor all his life and has never fought for any woman’s attention—if she does not welcome his advances he is happy to shrug and move on. Until he meets Susannah Prentess, who appears to be contemptuous of his charm, his money and his title.
Susannah has her own reasons for keeping the attractive Viscount at arm’s length. Her experiences have taught her to be wary of fashionable gentlemen like Lord Markham, and she has secrets that could ruin her standing in Bath society should they become known. At first she thinks Jasper is not so different from any other rich man—determined to get his own way at any cost—but when she finds herself in a difficult and potentially serious situation with him she finds the Viscount capable of some very unrakish behaviour!
I do hope you enjoy reading Susannah and Jasper’s story and I would be delighted to know what you think of it. You can contact me via my website: www.sarahmallory.com
About the Author
SARAH MALLORY was born in Bristol, and now lives in an old farmhouse on the edge of the Pennines with her husband and family. She left grammar school at sixteen to work in companies as varied as stockbrokers, marine engineers, insurance brokers, biscuit manufacturers and even a quarrying company. Her first book was published shortly after the birth of her daughter. She has published more than a dozen books under the pen-name of Melinda Hammond, winning the Reviewers’ Choice Award from Singletitles.com for Dance for a Diamond and the Historical Novel Society’s Editors’ Choice for Gentlemen in Question. In 2012, her Sarah Mallory novel THE DANGEROUS LORD DARRINGTON won the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s RONA Rose Award.
Previous novels by the same author:
THE WICKED BARON
MORE THAN A GOVERNESS
(part of On Mothering Sunday)
WICKED CAPTAIN, WAYWARD WIFE
THE EARL’S RUNAWAY BRIDE
DISGRACE AND DESIRE
TO CATCH A HUSBAND …
SNOWBOUND WITH THE NOTORIOUS RAKE
(part of An Improper Regency Christmas)
THE DANGEROUS LORD DARRINGTON
BENEATH THE MAJOR’S SCARS*
* The Notorious Coale Brothers
Look for Sarah Mallory’s THE ILLEGITIMATE MONTAGUE part of Castonbury Park Regency mini-series available now
Did you know that some of these novels are also available as eBooks? Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk
Behind the Rake’s
Wicked Wager
Sarah Mallory
For P and S, my own twin heroes.
Chapter One
‘Well, well, Lord Markham, have you ever seen such a bonny child?’
Jasper Coale, Viscount Markham, looked down at the baby lying in its crib and was at a loss for words. Thankfully, his sister-in-law came to his aid.
‘Fie now, Lady Andrews, when was a man ever interested in babies? I suspect the viscount is merely glad that his little godson is not screaming the house down, as he was doing during the ceremony.’ Zelah gazed down fondly at her baby son. ‘Fortunately the journey back from the church has rocked him off to sleep.’
The christening of Dominic and Zelah’s second child had been a major event and the little church at Lesserton was crowded for the ceremony. Afterwards, Dominic laid on a feast at the White Hart for the tenants and villagers to enjoy, while family and close friends were invited to Rooks Tower for an elegant and substantial repast. Zelah had the satisfaction of seeing her rooms overflowing with guests, despite the threat of snow which was always a concern during the early months of the year. She suspected no small part of the inducement to the local families to leave their firesides was the knowledge that no lesser person than Viscount Markham would be present.
Jasper had been unable to attend the christening of his niece Arabella some eighteen months earlier, but Zelah and Dominic had asked him to stand godfather for their new-born son, and only the direst winter weather would have kept him away.
The fires at Rooks Tower were banked up, the table almost groaned with the banquet it was required to support and the wine flowed freely. Jasper was sure the neighbourhood would be talking about the Coales’ hospitality for months to come. Most of the guests were gathered in the yellow salon, but Jasper had wandered across to join Zelah in the study where the baby was sleeping, watched over by his devoted nurse. Sir Arthur and Lady Andrews had followed him into the room, brimming with good humour thanks to the abundant quantities of wine and food.
‘I admit I have nothing but praise for my godson while he is sleeping,’ said Jasper, glancing down into the crib.
‘It makes me quite broody,’ declared Lady Andrews, causing her husband to guffaw loudly.
‘Now, now, my dear, our breeding days are well past, thank the Lord!’
‘I am well aware of that, sir.’ The lady turned her bright gaze upon Jasper. ‘But what of you, Lord Markham? I am sure, seeing your brother’s felicity, you must envy him his happy state.’
Jasper’s smile froze. Glancing across the crib, he saw the sudden alarm in Zelah’s dark eyes. He must respond quickly, lest they notice how pale