The Devil and The Heiress by Harper St. George @harperstgeorge @BerkleyPub @hfvbt
The Devil and the Heiress by Harper St. George
Sparks fly when a runaway heiress bargains with a devilish rogue to escape a marriage of convenience.
No one would guess that beneath Violet Crenshaw's ladylike demeanor lies the heart of a rebel. American heiresses looking to secure English lords must be on their best behavior, but Violet has other plans. She intends to flee London and the marriage her parents have arranged to become a published author--if only the wickedly handsome earl who inspired her most outrageously sinful character didn't insist on coming with her.
Christian Halston, Earl of Leigh, has a scheme of his own: escort the surprisingly spirited dollar princess north and use every delicious moment in close quarters to convince Violet to marry him. Christian needs an heiress to rebuild his Scottish estate but the more time he spends with Violet, the more he realizes what he really needs is her--by his side, near his heart, in his bed.
Though Christian's burning glances offer unholy temptation, Violet has no intention of surrendering herself or her newfound freedom in a permanent deal with the devil. It's going to take more than pretty words to prove this fortune hunter's love is true...
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“Ah, that explains it, then,” Lord Leigh said.
“Explains what?” Violet asked, intrigued.
“Ware.” He said the name as if that clarified everything.
“Lord Ware? What about him?” The hair on the back of her neck stood up in warning.
“I should not gossip. I have been told it leads to terrible consequences.”
Before she knew it, she was in front of him, her hand on his forearm. His muscle flexed beneath her touch, again making her realize how much strength he held contained within his deceptively dispassionate exterior. Both of their gazes locked on the touch, prompting her to quickly retract it, drawing his gaze to hers. He seemed quite serious now as he searched her face, though she couldn’t have said what he was looking for.
“Please. If it concerns me, then I want to know.”
“He believes that he will marry you.” They were so close that his breath caressed her temple, and she caught a faint trace of scotch and the hint of tobacco.
“That isn’t true. He hasn’t proposed or even asked my father.” Had he? Knowing her parents’ past behavior, she shouldn’t be shocked if he had and they hadn’t told her, but she would be deeply hurt. Her parents had the duke as an almost-son-in-law. They might want another nobleman in the family, but there was no pressing need to force another marriage. However, the dread in her belly warned her otherwise.
Lord Leigh did not say anything. His penetrating gray eyes simply held hers. It was almost as if he knew more than he was saying. He would have no reason to lie about this.
“What did he tell you?” she asked.
“That he intends to have you, and he can arrange it so that you have no choice in the matter.”
Her blood turned to ice water, and she might have swayed on her feet. His hand moved to her rib cage to keep her balanced. It was warm and strong, and she imagined it touching her for a different reason. This was improper, and she should immediately step away, but she couldn’t.
“There was also some mention of mineral rights,” he added.
Oh, God. With August’s marriage, Crenshaw Iron would be permitted to open a division in London. The necessary approvements were already winging their way through Parliament, pending her marriage to the duke. Papa would logically be seeking resources for that. But would he sell his own daughter for them? Violet knew the answer to that even if she didn’t want to believe it.
“You didn’t know.”
She shook her head, but it wasn’t as if she hadn’t suspected. She simply hadn’t wanted to believe. She had thought that perhaps the duke had been a stroke of luck, that he had approached her parents and they had been beside themselves with joy. But it was so much worse than that. Her parents actually hoped to sell both of their daughters. Even if she was able to convince Papa that she would not marry one of them, would Lord Ware take matters into his own hands? He could easily seek to have her alone, to have someone find them. Would she be strong enough to face the scandal and accompanying repercussions against her family if she continued to resist marriage after that?
“I didn’t want to believe,” she said.
His grip tightened slightly on her rib cage. The pressure caused a pleasant tingle to work its way over her skin. His hand felt so strong and sure that she wanted to lean into it.
“What will you do?” he asked quietly.
His irises were rimmed in a darker color, though the light was too low to tell if that color was blue or a darker gray. He seemed so earnest and concerned for her that she covered his hand with her own. That simple touch thickened the air, and heat swirled between them.
“I’m not certain.” And she could hardly think with him so close. Her heart pounded a frantic beat as her body kept wanting to sway into him. The effect he had on her was an immature infatuation, but she wanted more of it.
“If they disregard your feelings on the matter, then you only have two choices.”
“Run away.” She sounded a bit breathless.
“Yes.” Was it her overactive imagination, or did he sound breathless, too?
When he didn’t say anything else, she prodded him. “Or?”
“Marry someone of your own choosing.”
Surely, he didn’t mean him?
About the Author
She lives in the Atlanta area with her husband and two children. When not writing, she can be found devouring her husband's amazing cooking and reading. She would love to hear from you. Please visit her website at www.harperstgeorge.com. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Goodreads.
Blog Tour Schedule
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The Devil and the Heiress
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