The Muse

by Raine Miller

  “NUMBER Three.”

  “Le Sommeil d’Imogene. Translation: Sleeping Imogene. Date of creation, 1812. Single. Lady Imogene Rothvale sleeping in a chair. Yellow gown, same Indian shawl that appears in Numbers One and Two. Items of note: pet dog, Greyhound; writing journal; lap escritoire; pen and ink. Artistic impression: unique, one of a kind. Very exaggerated romantic image of a blonde, sleeping woman, arms and legs tucked up into the chair. Remarkable, flowing movement in a jonquil-yellow gown, the colour, being the height of fashion for 1812. Completely unknown style for the period. The subject and execution bears a striking resemblance to the subject of Lord Leighton’s Flaming June, painted 1895. One must ask the question: Did Lord Leighton, at some point in his lifetime, view this painting, and was it in fact his inspiration for Flaming June? If true, then Flaming June is a simulacrum of this much earlier work. Mallerton’s Sleeping Imogene predates Leighton’s Flaming June by eighty-three years. In the very least this is a stunning revelation. This is it, folks, the painting setting the art world on its ear. The painting people will be talking about for years to come. Sleeping Imogene. Size is three by three feet square. The opening bid starting today at £10,000,000…”

  “BIDDING has ended. Sold to number 317. Sleeping Imogene has sold for £28,000,000. Well done, California, patron of the arts. What a coup! The Getty Museum taking all three, for an unprecedented grand total of £44,000,000.”

  Finis.

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  If you enjoy Contemporary Romance, you’ll want to read all about Graham and Imogene’s direct descendant, Ivan Everley, and the discovery of the paintings created in this book. You can meet the present-day Lord Rothvale and his art-loving lady, Gabrielle Hargreave, in my contemporary romance series The Rothvale Legacy, beginning with Priceless – Book I.

  The ROGUE

  A ROTHVALE LEGACY HISTORICAL PREQUEL

  Book II

  Fast horses fill his days…

  Fast women fill his nights. Racing horseman, Clive Gravelle, has never given the idea of settling down much thought at all. And why should he? His life is satisfying just as it is. Or, he would say so, even if it isn’t really true. But ideas do change. New acquaintances are made. Love finds a way of pushing in, becoming something very unexpected—a forbidden dream to a man like Gravelle. He won’t ever fall in love with a woman again.

  Then he finds Cariss Wilton. Beautiful, lovely, sweet, unspoiled, Cariss Wilton.

  She comes gently into his life, although the effect is anything but gentle for him because Cariss is someone he can never have. She is innocent, and far too young. A girl so far away and above the debauched world in which he’s lived his life, that he couldn’t possibly entertain the notion of dragging her down with him.

  But Cariss is far stronger than she looks, and she definitely knows the difference between good and evil. Clive Gravelle just needs to be persuaded he is so much more than an expert predictor of winning horseflesh, and a scandalous cad with the ladies.

  …Will the innocent tame the rogue?

  Maybe she already has, but he just hasn’t realized it yet.

  Coming 2015 from Raine Miller Romance

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  RAINE has been reading romance novels since she picked up that first Barbara Cartland paperback at the tender age of thirteen. She thinks it was The Flame is Love from 1975. And it's a safe bet she'll never stop reading romance novels because now she writes them too. Granted, Raine's stories are edgy enough to turn Ms. Cartland in her grave, but to her way of thinking, a tall, dark and handsome hero never goes out of fashion. Never! A former teacher turned full-time writer of sexy romance stories, is how she fills her days. Raine has a prince of a husband, and two brilliant sons to pull her back into the real world if the writing takes her too far away. Her sons know she likes to write stories, but have never asked to read any. (Thank God) She loves to hear from readers and chat about the characters in her books. You can connect with Raine on Facebook at the Blackstone Affair Fan Page or visit www.RaineMiller.com to sign up for newsletter updates and see what she's working on now.

  BOOKS BY RAINE MILLER

  The Blackstone Affair

  NAKED, Book 1

  ALL IN, Book 2

  EYES WIDE OPEN, Book 3

  RARE and PRECIOUS THINGS, Book 4

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  CHERRY GIRL, Neil & Elaina I

  MY CAPTAIN, Neil & Elaina II (December 2014)

  Historical Prequels to The Blackstone Affair

  The PASSION of DARIUS

  The UNDOING of a LIBERTINE

  The MAKING of LADY PERCIVAL (2015)

  The Rothvale Legacy

  PRICELESS, Book I

  MY LORD, Book II

  HEART and ARROW, Book III (January 2015)

  Historical Prequels to The Rothvale Legacy

  The MUSE, Book I

  The ROGUE, Book II (2015)