A person for whom one did not need to pretend to be more or less than what one was—good and bad, wicked and charming—because he proved how much he loved you every day.
Constance held that person’s elegant, long fingers in her smaller ink-stained ones as he laughed at her bawdy jokes, some of them at his expense and some of them at hers. Just as she had held them the night before, at a dinner in St. James Square where she had watched him politely, blandly negotiate support for the funding of a charity that would provide care and midwives for brothel workers. Just as she had, the month before, as they had toasted the groundbreaking for his first canal, surrounded by his family and a host of tenants in Cheshire. Just as she had, this very morning, when they had taken Shrimpy for a walk along the Strand. Just as she was still holding them an hour later as the crowd cheered as the narrator called out the final lines of her first play.
So damn what they say in the papers,
—the rumors put forth and retracted
And raise a glass that the mismatched lord and lady found love,
And their vows were swiftly transacted!
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THE END
Thank You!
Dearest reader,
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Thank you so very much for reading The Earl I Ruined!
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If you enjoyed Constance and Julian’s story (and oh my, what good taste you have!) consider being a gossip like Constance and telling all your friends (friends love romance novels), your mom’s friends (moms’ friends love romance novels), and some cute boys (let’s teach boys to love romance novels and make the world a better place).
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And and above all, consider leaving a review on the retailer or social media site of your fancy. They help authors like moi know what you like and want more of, and help other readers discover new books.
Do you want more now?
Like, say, a top-secret extra epilogue of The Earl I Ruined? Sign up for my newsletter to receive a glimpse into what our dear newly minted Countess of Apthorp has in store for Apthorp Manor this Christmas.
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In general, my newsletter is the place to be if you want to stay in touch and know what’s coming out next. It is delightful and comes with perks like sneak peeks at upcoming books, glimpses of scenes from the cutting room floor, recommendations for stuff to read, contests galore, and, of course, photos of my cat in her bow ties. (She has six. Naturally.)
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And if you want to spend more time in the world of Charlotte Street, have you read Archer and Poppy’s book? The Duke I Tempted is the first in the series and was named one of the best five romance books of 2018 by The Washington Post.
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What’s next in the series? That is for me to know and for you to find out. But let’s just say our heroine works the door of a certain establishment on Charlotte Street, our hero is a man of God, and emotions are about to get intense.
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More soon, my dears. Until then, come say hello on Twitter or Instagram!
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Love,
Scarlett
Acknowledgments
Thank you as always to my brilliant agent Sarah Younger, without whom Constance and Julian’s love would never have been consummated. (I mean this very literally.) Thank you to the Rebelles for helping me stay sane while writing this book, bat by bat. Thank you to all the friends who beta read for me, and especially Emily Tomson, who helped me find the plot, and Colette Dixon, who heroically read the whole book in one day at last minute. Thank you to my editors Peter Sentfleben and Michele Alpern. Thank you to Kerry Hynds for the GORGEOUS COVER OF MY DREAMS. And thank you to my editorial assistant, Nonie, who is still a cat.
Also by Scarlett Peckham
The Secrets of Charlotte Street
The Duke I Tempted
The Earl I Ruined
About Scarlett
Scarlett Peckham is a Golden Heart® winner in Historical Romance who writes steamy stories about alpha heroines. Her Secrets of Charlotte Street series follows the members of Georgian London’s most discreet—and illicit—private club. She lives in Los Angeles. When not reading, writing, or thinking about romance novels she enjoys drinking wine, watching The Real Housewives, and admiring her cat.
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She loves chatting about books on Twitter, turning them into pretty pictures on Instagram, and doddering around haphazardly on Facebook.
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You can find here here:
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Website: https://www.scarlettpeckham.com/
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