The Fall of a Saint
THE ONLY WOMAN WHO CAN MAKE HIM REPENT!Honourable – and handsome to boot! – Michael Poole, Duke of St Aldric, has earned his nickname ‘The Saint’. But the ton would shudder if they knew the truth. Because, thrust into a world of debauchery, this saint has turned sinner!With the appearance of fallen governess Madeline Cranston – carrying his heir – St Aldric looks for redemption through a marriage of convenience. But the intriguing Madeline is far from a dutiful duchess, and soon this saint is indulging in the most sinful of thoughts…while his new wife vows to make him pay for his past.
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âTo be the acknowledged bastard of a duke would open many doors. Butââ
He broke off.
There was the hesitation again, and proof that she was right not to trust him. She braced herself for whatever might come after.
âBut would it not be better to be my heir?â
She could not help a single unladylike bark of laughter at the idea. Then she composed herself again and gave him a sarcastic smile, pretending to ponder. âWould it be better to be a duke than a bastard son? Next you will be asking me if it is better to be a duchess than a governess.â
The room fell silent.
âThat is precisely what I am asking.â
Don't miss this sensational Regency duet from Christine Merrill
THE SINNER AND THE SAINT
Brothers separated at birth,brought together by scandal
From the birth of a secret to the death of a lie, two brothers have been torn apart. While the Duke behaves like a saint, the Doctor believes himself a sinner. And only a scandal can bring them back together.
THE GREATEST OF SINSAlready available
THE FALL OF A SAINTMarch 2014
CHRISTINE MERRILL lives on a farm in Wisconsin, USA, with her husband, two sons, and too many petsâall of whom would like her to get off the computer so they can check their e-mail. She has worked by turns in theatre costuming, where she was paid to play with period ballgowns, and as a librarian, where she spent the day surrounded by books. Writing historical romance combines her love of good stories and fancy dress with her ability to stare out of the window and make stuff up.
Previous novels by Christine Merrill:
THE INCONVENIENT DUCHESS
AN UNLADYLIKE OFFER A WICKED LIAISON MISS WINTHORPE'S ELOPEMENT THE MISTLETOE WAGER (part of A Yuletide Invitation) DANGEROUS LORD, INNOCENT GOVERNESS PAYING THE VIRGIN'S PRICE* TAKEN BY THE WICKED RAKE* MASTER OF PENLOWEN (part of Halloween Temptations) LADY FOLBROKE'S DELICIOUS DECEPTIONâ LADY DRUSILLA'S ROAD TO RUINâ LADY PRISCILLA'S SHAMEFUL SECRETâ A REGENCY CHRISTMAS CAROL (part of One Snowy Regency Christmas) TWO WRONGS MAKE A MARRIAGE THE GREATEST OF SINS**
*Regency Silk & Scandal mini-series â Ladies in Disgrace trilogy **The Sinner and the Saint duet
And in Mills & Boon>® HistoricalUndone!eBooks:
SEDUCING A STRANGER
TAMING HER GYPSY LOVER* VIRGIN UNWRAPPED TO UNDO A LADY
Did you know that some of these novels are also available as eBooks? Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk
AUTHOR NOTE
After you read this book, you will all ask the same question: What is Wow Wow sauce, and what does it taste like?
It was actually one of the hot recipes of 1817, published in The Cook's Oracle, by Dr William Kitchiner. My heroine would be disappointed to learn that there is no evidence he was a real doctor. But he was famous for his dinner parties and his cooking.
Here is the recipe for Wow Wow Sauce:
Chop some Parsley leaves very finely, quarter two or three pickled Cucumbers, or Walnuts, and divide them into small squares, and set them by ready; put into a saucepan a bit of Butter as big as an egg; when it is melted stir to it a tablespoonful of fine Flour, and about half a pint of the Broth in which the Beef was boiled; add a tablespoonful of Vinegar, the like quantity of Mushroom Catsup, or Port Wine, or both, and a tea-spoonful of made Mustard; let it simmer together till it is as thick as you wish it, put in the Parsley and Pickles to get warm, and pour it over the Beefâor rather send it up in a Sauce tureen.
I recommend going light on the pickles and thinking of a really small egg when adding the butter, as those were the only things I could taste. I found it rather bland. But Kitchiner recommends a variety of additions, including shallots, capers and horseradish, for those who think it is ânot sufficiently piquantâ.
DEDICATION
To George Bloczynski,
who gave me my sense of humour.
Contents
Chapter One
âI am Mrs Samuel Hastings, but you may call me Evelyn.â
Maddie Cranston looked at the woman in front of her with suspicion. Mrs Hastings was smiling in a sympathetic, comforting way. But it had been her husband who had come to Maddie on that night in Dover with apologies and lame excuses, as though any amount of money could make up for what had happened. It was possible that Evelyn Hastings was just another toady to the Duke of St Aldric and therefore not to be trusted.
The duke had said she was a midwife. It would be a relief to speak to a woman on the subject, especially one familiar with the complaints of pregnancy. Sometimes Maddie felt so wretched that she feared what was happening to her body could not quite be normal. If anyone deserved punishment for that night, it was St Aldric. But if that was true, why did God leave her to do the suffering?
