Scandalous Brides: In Scandal in Venice\The Spanish Bride
Read Scandalous Brides: In Scandal in Venice\The Spanish Bride Online
Authors: Amanda McCabe
Tags: #Romance, #Fiction; Romance
Table of Contents
Praise for
Scandal in Venice
“A lively, delicious Regency.”
—Karen Harbaugh, author of
Midnight Surrender
“Amanda McCabe writes an excitingly sensuous yet darkly haunting tale of love and human frailty that is sure to engage readers’ full emotions.”
—
Romantic Times
“An unusual heroine and a nicely done and different setting ... a most promising debut novel.”
—
The Romance Reader
Praise for The Spanish Bride
“An unusual plot, interesting characters, and an intriguing mystery make for a delightful Regency read.”
—June Calvin, author of
The Ruby Ghost
“The Spanish Bride,
by the immensely talented Amanda McCabe, brings us the bittersweet tale of two people who believe that all of their chances at love have died in the ashes of war, only to find that the warmth of true love can thaw even the coldest of angers.
”
—
Romantic Times
“[Amanda McCabe] re-creates the world of Regency society with a sure hand ... [and] provides a sweet and moving romance. I heartily recommend
The Spanish Bride.”
—
The Romance Reader
Praise for the Other Romances of Amanda McCabe
“Flawlessly crafted historical romance.”
—
Chicago Tribune
“An enthralling spell of tender romance with a hint of danger, set against the glittering backdrop of Regency London.”
—Diane Farr, author of Once Upon a Christmas
“[A] terrific book that kept me engrossed the entire time! A real winner.”
—Huntress Book Reviews
“Amanda McCabe has been delighting readers since her debut, and this sweetly engaging tale doesn’t disappoint. She has a talent for bringing ordinary characters into soft focus and making us want the best for them.”
—
Romantic Times
“An extremely talented new voice.”
—Romance Reviews Today
“McCabe is a welcome addition to the ranks of Regency
authors.”
—
The Romance Reader
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Published by Signet Eclipse, an imprint of New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
Scandal in Venice
and
The Spanish Bride
were previously published in Signet editions.
First Signet Eclipse Printing, March 2010
Scandal in Venice
copyright © Ammanda McCabe, 2001
The Spanish Bride
copyright © Ammanda McCabe, 2001
All rights reserved
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PUBLISHER’S NOTE
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
eISBN : 978-1-101-18556-8
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Author’s Note
I am so excited about this reissue of
Scandal in Venice
and
The Spanish Bride
and having the chance to catch up with these characters! These were the second and third books I ever wrote, and my first Regencies. I had been addicted to the Regency period ever since I was nine years old and came across some books by Georgette Heyer, Joan Smith, and Marian Chesney in a dusty box at my grandmother’s house. Even though I’ve since branched out with some stories with Renaissance settings, the Regency will always be my first love and I think I will always return to it. It has endless facets to explore—and I’m sure I have more scandalous characters to unearth!
I hope you enjoy reading these stories as much as I enjoyed writing them. And be sure to visit my Web site for some research tidbits and resources I used for these books.
Scandal in Venice
To my very dear friends
Anne Wright Backus and Laura Kay Gauldin,
for putting up with me for all these years.
What would I have done without you?
Prologue
England, 1814
H
e was dead. Really, deeply,
profoundly
dead.
And she had killed him.
Lady Elizabeth Everdean nudged cautiously at the prone body of her affianced bridegroom with the toe of her slipper, moving one massive, flaccid arm all of two inches. He did not appear to be moving at all, and the stream of crimson that flowed from the back of his bald head was a very bad sign indeed.
Still, she wasn’t absolutely certain. It seemed entirely impossible that someone who had caused such violence, such terror only an instant before should suddenly be so ... still. Choking back a terrified sob, she clutched her torn chemise around her naked breasts and knelt beside him.
Slowly, slowly she leaned forward, half afraid the closed eyes would suddenly fly open and the cold hands would reach for her again. She stretched out one finger and touched the pulse point on his wrinkled neck.
Nothing. Not a movement, not a breath. The ancient Duke of Leonard would never, could never, hurt her again. Not in this world. Elizabeth almost murmured a prayer of thanksgiving, before she realized that she was now in serious trouble.
She stumbled to her feet and fell back onto the rumpled bed, shaking with sobs. Right next to the murder weapon itself. With a small shriek, she shoved the bloodstained chamberpot onto the floor and buried her head in a pillow.
“Damn you to the furthest reaches of Hades, Peter!” she choked out, consigning her stepbrother to flames of torment with a furious swipe of her fist. “This is all your doing. Yours ... and mine.”