Beguiling The Duke
Can an impoverished orphan …ever marry a duke? Penniless American Rosie Smith will do anything for her wealthy guardian’s daughter. She’ll even save her friend from a marriage of convenience with a stuffy Englishman by posing as her at his house party! But her plan to put off the Duke backfires spectacularly, because beneath his stiff formality is a hard-working and amusing man. Too late Rosie finds she's falling for Alexander—only he has no idea who she really is…
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Can an impoverished orphan
...ever marry a duke?
Penniless American Rosie Smith will do anything for her wealthy guardian’s daughter. She’d even save her friend from a marriage of convenience with a stuffy Englishman by posing as the heiress! Her plan to put off the duke backfires spectacularly: beneath his stiff formality is a hardworking and amusing man. Too late Rosie is falling for Alexander—only he has no idea who she really is...
After graduating with degrees in history and political science, EVA SHEPHERD worked in journalism and as an advertising copywriter. She began writing historical romances because it combines her love of a happy ending with her passion for history. She lives in Christchurch, New Zealand, but spends her days immersed in the world of late Victorian England.
Beguiling the Duke
is Eva Shepherd’s gripping debut
for Mills & Boon Historical!
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk.
ISBN: 978-1-474-08945-6
BEGUILING THE DUKE
© 2019 Eva Shepherd
Published in Great Britain 2019
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF
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To Julia Williams, Bryony Green
and the editorial team at Harlequin, for their support,
guidance and encouragement.
Contents
Note to Readers
London 1893
Rosie Smith raised the delicate bone china cup to her lips, took a sip of the fragrant Darjeeling tea and sighed with contentment.
Despite being a penniless orphan, with no prospects worth mentioning, here she was, dressed in the latest fashion, taking tea at the Ritz, surrounded by Britain’s elite.
Her feet, encased in soft kid leather boots, were aching after spending all day walking around the shops and sights of London. She was still tired from the gruelling trip across the Atlantic from New York. And yet she couldn’t be happier.
She sighed again and looked across the lace-covered table at her friend, who was smiling with equal contentment.
‘What shall we do tomorrow?’ Rosie took a cucumber sandwich from the top layer of the three-tiered cake stand and placed it on her rose-patterned plate. ‘More shopping? Or shall we take in some art galleries and museums?’
‘Art galleries and museums, I think.’ Arabella placed a scone on her plate and smothered it with jam and clotted cream. ‘After all, I’m sure Father would want us to absorb as much culture as we can while we’re in England.’
The two girls giggled conspiratorially.
Rosie lifted a finger and waggled it in Arabella’s direction. ‘“What good is art, my dear? You don’t get a decent return on sculptures. Nobody ever got rich from culture.”’
Arabella clapped her hands and laughed loudly. ‘You do such a brilliant impersonation of Father. It’s you who should be on the stage, Rosie, not me.’
