by Cheryl Holt
“Aren’t you just up the coast from Land’s End?” Jo asked.
“Yes.”
“Then it feels like the end of the Earth because that’s where you are.”
Winnie chuckled. “The place is growing on me. I’m getting used to the isolation and the stormy weather, but if I can persuade competent candidates to travel there for an interview, they’ll probably run screaming once they’re confronted by reality.”
“You might be surprised. You were charmed right away.”
“I wasn’t charmed,” Winnie said. “In the beginning, I was more horrified than anything. It can be daunting and intimidating, and I was very discouraged.”
“But your misgivings quickly vanished. Isn’t it interesting how a rich man can fix what’s wrong in a woman’s life?”
“It’s interesting and aggravating,” Winnie said. “I was eager to fix my own problems.”
She’d already convinced Jo and Peyton to visit Dunworthy the following summer, to bring Daisy and to let her stay for as long as she liked. It was satisfying to imagine the three siblings playing out on the cliffs with Rex dogging their heels. She was excited as well to have Jo tarry, to have a friend observe the rugged, desolate spot she’d landed for herself.
It still made her head spin.
Jo glanced over at her husband, her affection obvious and exhilarating to witness.
“I’m so glad Peyton chose me,” she said.
“I think the same about John. I never expected I’d have a chance to wed.”
“Why not?” Jo asked. “You’re only twenty. It’s not as if you’re an aged crone.”
“After my father died, I learned he was bankrupt. I had to sell everything, so I didn’t have a dowry. Because of it, I figured matrimony would never be an option for me. It was easier to deal with the consequences that way. I didn’t dare dream for more.”
“I didn’t have a dowry either, so I believe you and I have proved that a poor girl can snag a dashing rogue without having money to lay on the table.”
“I believe we have too.” Winnie nodded her assent. “For me though, it was more than my not having a dowry. When I was seventeen, I was jilted by a scoundrel when I walked down the aisle to my wedding.”
Jo froze, then shook herself. “You were what?”
Winnie was stunned to have blurted out the shameful incident. She never mentioned it, but it had been an eternity since she’d had a true friend, and Jo simply inspired confidences.
“I was jilted at the altar,” Winnie repeated. “It was so mortifying. I’m still embarrassed over it. I’ve always felt that it was my fault somehow, even though it wasn’t. It left me wary of men and their motives.”
Jo appeared flummoxed by the admission, and Winnie was unnerved by her expression. Had she shared a story she shouldn’t have? Was Jo insulted or distressed by it?
“I hope I didn’t offend you,” Winnie hurriedly stated, “and I hope you won’t think less of me because of it.”
“No, no, it’s not that. I was jilted too—when I was eighteen.”
Winnie’s jaw dropped. “No!”
“Yes.”
“Is there an epidemic of bad behavior sweeping the kingdom?” Winnie sighed. “I thought a jilted bride was a very rare animal, but apparently, it’s not.”
“I thought it was rare too. As for myself, I was as humiliated as you were. I never talk about it.”
“Neither do I.”
“What was your villain’s name?”
“I hate to speak it aloud,” Winnie told her. “I don’t like to give him any power over me.”
“I used to have a similar opinion, but since I wed Peyton, I’ve exorcised my cad. He can’t hurt me now, and I’m not afraid of him.”
“That’s a good attitude to have.” Winnie was conflicted. Why not speak of him? It wasn’t as if she’d be struck by lightning. She straightened and bluntly announced, “His name was Holden Cartwright. How about you?”
Jo was holding a cup of tea, and it slid out of her hand and fell to the floor. Fortunately, it bounced on the rug so the fine china didn’t shatter.
Jo was visibly aghast. “Who was it?”
“Holden Cartwright?”
“Does this describe him: thirty or so, golden blond hair, green eyes?”
“Ah…yes?”
“Thin frame, dapper dresser, with a charming demeanor and amusing sense of humor?”
“Yes, that’s definitely him.” Winnie frowned. “Do you know him?”
“Do I know Holden?” Jo called to her husband, “Peyton, would you come over here?”
“Is that a command, my dear wife?” Peyton asked.
“Yes, it’s a command,” Jo replied.
He grinned at John, then stood and walked over to them. John followed him.
“What is it, Jo?” Peyton inquired. “From the look on your face, I’m worried I’ve upset you, but I can’t imagine how.”
“Winnie just confessed to being jilted awhile back.”
His gaze whipped to Winnie. “I’m very sorry to hear it.”
“Thank you,” Winnie murmured, “but it was years ago. I’m over it.”
Peyton scoffed. “A female never really recovers from such a thing.”
Jo interrupted them. “Peyton, guess who the culprit was?”
“Who?”
“Holden Cartwright.”
Peyton gasped. “Are you serious?”
“Yes. It was Holden Cartwright.”
Winnie’s frown deepened. “I don’t understand what pot I’ve stirred.”
“You were jilted by a scoundrel,” Jo told her, “and I was jilted by a cad—named Holden Cartwright.”
Winnie could have fainted from shock. John too.
“John,” Peyton asked him, “do you know much about this Cartwright fellow?”
John snorted with disgust. “Oh, yes. He and I are old, old enemies.”
“Then you and I need to have a long talk,” Peyton said. “I’ve been wondering if I shouldn’t search for the elusive Mr. Cartwright. I’d love to get my hands on him.”
“So would I,” John responded. “I almost caught him last summer, but I had some other issues arise, and I couldn’t chase after him. He slipped away from me.”
“He stole a pile of money from Jo, and I’d like to retrieve it. Or if it’s gone, which is likely, I could at least extract a more painful penalty for his crime.”
“He stole more than money from me,” John said. “If you’d like to hunt for him, I’d be happy to assist you.”
“Would you ladies excuse us?” Peyton said. “We have to make some plans.”
They exited the room together, and Winnie raised a brow. “I can’t decide whether I should be pleased or terrified about this.”
“Let’s be both,” Jo said.
“Their ire doesn’t bode well for Holden.”
“Whatever happens to him, he deserves it, and I would be thrilled for my husband to be the one who delivers his punishment.”
“For a minute there,” Winnie joked, “you sounded quite bloodthirsty, Lady Benton.”
“You have no idea, Mrs. Dunn.”
“Actually, I’m feeling a tad bloodthirsty too.” Winnie brimmed with resolve. “I’m certain we’re not the only women Holden has harmed.”
“No, we wouldn’t be. There’s probably a lengthy line of them.”
“I agree,” Winnie said, “so if John can mete out a bit of justice, I’ll be very, very glad.”
* * * *
Holden Cartwright laid down his cards, and the other players groaned with frustration. He’d been enjoying a run of luck, but he wasn’t addicted to wagering as so many were. He knew when to gamble—and when to quit. He scooped up his winnings and withdrew from the game.
He’d accomplished what he’d set out to do, had amassed a fortune in London. He was ready to hit the road and not look back.
He’d been i
n the city for too many months. John Dunn was enraged and hot on his trail, so he shouldn’t have tarried a single day, but he liked to taunt his foes, and he’d been greedy. With the money he’d stolen from Ellen Dunn, he’d been able to significantly increase his nest egg.
London was full of idiots who were ripe for the plucking. How could he have been expected to ignore the opportunity?
He went to the lobby of the club and called for his coat and hat. He bundled up and stepped outside. It was a cold winter night, precisely the sort of weather he despised.
Why stay in London? Why stay in England? There were many warm, beautiful places in the world, places where the women were gorgeous and exotic. Anymore, the blond, blue-eyed British girls he typically seduced were so boring. He was weary of their gullible natures, their trusting ways.
If he left England, where might he go instead? Egypt? The Canary Islands? The Caribbean?
The whole globe beckoned, and his purse was crammed with gold coins. And of course, he still had the diamonds that had vanished under John’s very astute nose. In the morning, he’d visit the docks and inquire as to which ships were departing and where they were headed. He’d pick the location that was the most intriguing, but the main aspect of the spot he selected was that the climate had to be temperate and sunny.
Hadn’t he been Holden Cartwright long enough? Perhaps it was time to become a more interesting person, perhaps a nobleman, perhaps even a duke or a prince. Could he pull it off?
He definitely thought so. He was tired of swindling for small stakes, of charming silly ninnies who had a few pounds to hand over. He needed to reach for a bigger slice of the pie, and he needed to do it where his past could be safely buried.
Where would he travel next? It was so exciting to ponder his choices.
THE END
* * *
Don’t Miss the Third and Final Novel in
Cheryl Holt’s “JILTED BRIDES” trilogy!
JILTED BY A ROGUE
The story of Miss Amelia Boyle
and Captain James Hastings
* * *
Available now!
* * *
CHERYL HOLT is a New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon “Top 100” bestselling author who has published fifty-two novels.
She’s also a lawyer and mom, and at age forty, with two babies at home, she started a new career as a commercial fiction writer. She’d hoped to be a suspense novelist, but couldn’t sell any of her manuscripts, so she ended up taking a detour into romance where she was stunned to discover that she has a knack for writing some of the world’s greatest love stories.
Her books have been released to wide acclaim, and she has won or been nominated for many national awards. She is considered to be one of the masters of the romance genre. For many years, she was hailed as “The Queen of Erotic Romance”, and she’s also revered as “The International Queen of Villains.” She is particularly proud to have been named “Best Storyteller of the Year” by the trade magazine Romantic Times BOOK Reviews.
She lives and writes in Hollywood, California, and she loves to hear from fans. Visit her website at www.cherylholt.com.
Praise for New York Times Bestselling Author
CHERYL HOLT
“Best storyteller of the year…”
Romantic Times Magazine
“A master writer…”
Fallen Angel Reviews
“The Queen of Erotic Romance…”
Book Cover Reviews
“Cheryl Holt is magnificent…”
Reader to Reader Reviews
“From cover to cover, I was spellbound. Truly outstanding…”
Romance Junkies
“A classic love story with hot, fiery passion dripping from every page. There’s nothing better than curling up with a great book and this one totally qualifies.”
Fresh Fiction
“This is a masterpiece of storytelling. A sensual delight scattered with rose petals that are divinely arousing. Oh my, yes indeedy!”
Reader to Reader Reviews
Praise for Cheryl Holt’s “Lord Trent” trilogy
“A true guilty pleasure!”
Novels Alive TV
“LOVE’S PROMISE can’t take the number one spot as my favorite by Ms. Holt—that belongs to her book NICHOLAS—but it’s currently running a close second.”
Manic Readers
“The book was brilliant…can’t wait for Book #2.”
Harlie’s Book Reviews
“I guarantee you won’t want to put this one down. Holt’s fast-paced dialogue, paired with the emotional turmoil, will keep you turning the pages all the way to the end.”
Susana’s Parlour
“…A great love story populated with many flawed characters. Highly recommend it.”
Bookworm 2 Bookworm Reviews
BOOKS BY CHERYL HOLT
JILTED BY A ROGUE
JILTED BY A SCOUNDREL
JILTED BY A CAD
FOREVER
FOREVER AFTER
FOREVER MINE
FOREVER YOURS
ONLY MINE
ONLY YOU
HEART’S DEBT
SCOUNDREL
HEART’S DEMAND
HEART’S DESIRE
HEART’S DELIGHT
WONDERFUL
WANTON
WICKED
SEDUCING THE GROOM
LOVE’S PERIL
LOVE’S PRICE
LOVE’S PROMISE
SWEET SURRENDER
THE WEDDING
MUD CREEK
MARRY ME
LOVE ME
KISS ME
SEDUCE ME
KNIGHT OF SEDUCTION
NICHOLAS
DREAMS OF DESIRE
TASTE OF TEMPTATION
PROMISE OF PLEASURE
SLEEPING WITH THE DEVIL
DOUBLE FANTASY
FORBIDDEN FANTASY
SECRET FANTASY
TOO WICKED TO WED
TOO TEMPTING TO TOUCH
TOO HOT TO HANDLE
FURTHER THAN PASSION
DEEPER THAN DESIRE
MORE THAN SEDUCTION
COMPLETE ABANDON
ABSOLUTE PLEASURE
TOTAL SURRENDER
LOVE LESSONS
MOUNTAIN DREAMS
MY TRUE LOVE
MY ONLY LOVE
MEG’S SECRET ADMIRER
THE WAY OF THE HEART
ISBN: 9781543943917 (E-version)
Copyright 2018 by Cheryl Holt
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Cover Design Angela Waters
Interior format, Dayna Linton, Day Agency
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