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The Forbidden
Duke
The Untouchables #1
The Untouchables #1
By: Darcy Burke
Released March 15,
2016.
Self-Published
Self-Published
Spinster Miss Eleanor
Lockhart is suddenly homeless and employment is her only option. Ruined after
succumbing to a scoundrel’s excessive charm nearly a decade ago, she’s lucky to
obtain a position as a paid companion and committed to behaving with the utmost
propriety. She definitely shouldn’t be in the arms of a man capable of utterly
destroying what little remains of her reputation...
Titus St. John, Duke of Kendal, is known as the
Forbidden Duke, a mysterious, intimidating figure who enters Society just once
each year at his stepmother’s ball. A decade ago, he was a devil-may-care rake
until his idle roguery brought about the ruin of Eleanor Lockhart—and his
resulting self-imposed isolation. Now she’s back, and she needs his help. But
by “saving” her, he may just ruin her life all over again.
The library was
not a small chamber, however it seemed somehow smaller tonight. Kendal’s
presence seemed to invade every nook and inhabit every cranny, and Nora was
nearly overcome with awareness. And nervousness.
She rushed to
say something to put herself at ease. “I quite enjoy the Satterfields’
library.”
He paused,
pivoting toward the bookcases that marched along one wall. “Do you? What are
your favorites?”
Nora wondered
what he’d think of her tastes, which ran the gamut from romantic novels to
gothic tales to poetry to suspenseful narratives. “I have many. I’m afraid it’s
difficult to choose.”
“What’s the last
one you read then?”
She hesitated,
but only briefly. “A romantic novel by Sarah Wilkinson.” Presumably, he’d find
her tastes lacking.
“I’ve read all
of her books.”
Nora looked up
at him in surprise. “You read Sara
Wilkinson?”
He gave her a
sly look. “Perhaps you noticed that Lady Satterfield owns every title. She’s
always had a penchant for such stories, and, in my youth, I read everything I
could get my hands on. Everything.”
Nora pressed her
fingers to her mouth and giggled. “Do you like romantic novels?”
“I don’t dislike them. If I’m in a particular
mood, I’ve been known to read three or four in a week.”
Her giggles
turned to outright laughter. “The Forbidden Duke reads tawdry romances? What
would the ton say?”
“I don’t give a
damn what anyone says, but I suppose that would cause a stir.”
How lovely it
must be not to care—not to have to
care—what others said about you. “Everything you do causes a stir,” she said,
her laughter dying down. “The novels would make you seem more human, however.”
She inwardly winced at how awful that sounded. “Oh dear, please forgive me. I
didn’t mean to infer you aren’t human.”
He took her hand
and tucked her fingers beneath his coat, guiding her palm flat against his
waistcoat directly over his heart. “You can feel that I am.”
Nora’s breath
caught. She looked up at him, her gaze locking with his. “I never doubted it.”
Darcy Burke is the USA Today bestselling author of hot, action-packed
historical and sexy, emotional contemporary romance. Darcy wrote her first book
at age 11, a happily-ever-after about a swan addicted to magic and the female
swan who loved him, with exceedingly poor illustrations.
A native
Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her guitar-strumming
husband, their two hilarious kids-who each seem to have inherited the writing
gene in some form-and two Bengal cats. In her "spare" time Darcy is a
serial volunteer enrolled in a 12-step program where one learns to say
"no," but she keeps having to start over. Her happy places are
Disneyland and Labor Day weekend at the Gorge.
Thank you for hosting me today!!
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