Read The Marquess's Scottish Bride: A Sweet & Clean Historical Romance (The Chase Brides Book 2) Online

Authors: Lauren Royal,Devon Royal

Tags: #Young Adult Historical Romance

The Marquess's Scottish Bride: A Sweet & Clean Historical Romance (The Chase Brides Book 2) (2 page)

BOOK: The Marquess's Scottish Bride: A Sweet & Clean Historical Romance (The Chase Brides Book 2)
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Regency Chase Brides

Renaissance Chase Family Series

A MESSAGE FROM DEVON…

Not gonna lie, I thought it was pretty cool growing up with an author for a mom! I’d always been into books (like, every morning when 1st grade reading time ended, Mrs. Schultz had to physically pry the book from my hands), plus there were perks. Mom was always home with us kids, so we never had to go to daycare. She was also always on deadline, so we got to eat a lot of Pizza Hut for dinner. And I could impress my friends by moseying into Barnes & Noble and casually pointing out my mom’s books on the shelves.

The only problem: I wasn’t allowed to read them!

Her romance novels were for and about adults, and I was just a kid. A kid who loved books and hated rules—so you can imagine my dismay.

Of course, the instant I was old enough, I swiped a full set of her books from the garage and devoured them all in a row. And I wasn’t surprised when I loved every one, because, you guys, my mom is seriously awesome.

Recently the aforementioned awesome lady had an awesome idea: releasing new, revised versions of her novels that are appropriate for all ages, so that everyone can enjoy them. To think, all those dismay-ful years could have been avoided!

I knew instantly I was the girl for the job. My mom and I have been writing together basically since I learned how to type—our first all-new collaborative release,
Alice Betrothed
, is a project we started when I was in middle school—plus, I was a sweet-romance-reading teenager myself only a few years ago. I literally bumped into walls walking around high school with my nose buried in a book.

There’s a crazy amount of fantastic romance out there right now—we’re SO excited that you’ve chosen our book! Like, spontaneous-dance-party-excited! I would be doing the robot right now if I weren’t busy typing. Maybe I’ll wrap up this letter so I can go do that.

I so hope you’ll enjoy Caithren’s story!

 

xoxo

January 2016

CHASE FAMILY TREE

To see a larger version of the Chase Family Tree,
click here
!

 

 

For our mother and grandmother,

Joan Falbaum Royal,

our biggest cheerleader!

ONE

Chichester, England
August 1, 1667

“JASON, YOU
cannot mean to kill him.”

Jason Chase stopped short and wrenched out of his brother Ford’s grasp. “Of course I don’t. But I’ll bring him to justice if it’s the last thing I do.”

“I’ve never seen you like this—”

“Because
I’ve
never seen anything like sweet little Mary lying still as death. Or the look on her mother’s bruised face as she chanted Geoffrey Gothard’s name over and over.” Trembling with rage, Jason’s hand came up to smooth his slim black mustache. “My villagers.” He met his brother’s gaze with his own. “My responsibility.”

“You’ve plastered the kingdom with broadsides.” Ford’s blue eyes looked puzzled, as though he were unsure how to take this new side of his oldest sibling. “The reward will bring him in.”

“I’ll be satisfied to bring him in myself,” Jason said with more confidence than he felt.

They turned and continued down East Street to where Chichester’s vaulted Market Cross sat in the center of the Roman-walled town. Carved from limestone, it was arguably the most elaborate edifice in all of England…but its intricate beauty couldn’t distract Jason from the ugliness lurking inside.

An ugliness he intended to deal with.

He recognized the Gothard brothers from the descriptions his villagers had given him: Geoffrey, tall and slender with an elegant sneer; Walter, shorter and bony.

Jason’s footsteps echoed as he strode through the open arches, his own brother following behind. Scattered businessmen, exchanging mail and news in the shade beneath the dome, paused to glance their way. People seemed to stream from all four corners of the town, rushing to catch the show.

Walter Gothard scurried back like a frightened rabbit, but his older brother merely stared.

With a click of his spurred heels, Jason came to a halt and drew an uneven breath. He pinned Geoffrey Gothard with a furious gaze. “You’ll come with me to the magistrate,” he snapped out, surprising even himself at the commanding tone of his voice.

BOOK: The Marquess's Scottish Bride: A Sweet & Clean Historical Romance (The Chase Brides Book 2)
12.13Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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