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A Bewitching Governess

Page 29

by Patricia Rice


  “Mine,” he growled, flinging her to his bed. He’d not slept in it last night, and he wasn’t sleeping in it now.

  “Mine,” she retorted, reaching for him.

  And that was precisely the way he wanted it. Simon covered her face in kisses and proceeded to acknowledge his gratitude for being claimed by a woman who wasn’t afraid to demand what she wanted.

  Characters

  Simon Blair—came from slums, now owns mines

  Enoch—Simon’s six-year-old son

  Catherine (Cat) and Clare—Simon’s four-year-old twins

  Letitia Montgomery Blair—Simon’s deceased wife

  Lady Olivia Malcolm McDowell Hargreaves—governess; viscount’s widow

  Owen, Lord Hargreaves—late viscount, Olivia’s husband

  Lawrence, Lord Hargreaves—current viscount, Owen’s younger brother

  Robert Hargreaves, Earl of Basingstoke—father to Owen and Lawrence

  Emma Malcolm Montgomery —Letitia’s sister; Simon’s sister-in-law

  Hortense Malcolm Montgomery—Emma’s mother; Simon’s mother-in-law

  Margaret (Maggie) Dunwoody—Simon’s aunt, a widow from Glasgow

  Andrew Blair—Simon’s cousin, an inventor

  Lady Phoebe Malcolm Blair—daughter of earl; Andrew’s wife; Olivia’s cousin

  Jeremy Hill—Owen’s former estate manager; Simon’s current steward;

  Aloysius Cargill—Owen’s illegitimate son

  Gareth Glengarry—Hargreaves’ estate agent

  Ramsay—Hargreaves’ steward

  Sir Harvey Hamilton—knighted for efforts in Crimean war; Simon’s neighbor

  Miss Charlotte Hamilton—Sir Harvey’s granddaughter

  Reverend Willingham—minister on Hargreaves’ estate

  Mary Willingham—minister’s daughter

  Mr. Wilson—Greybridge banker

  Mr. Napier—Greybridge minister

  Dr. Napier—physician; part of large Napier family in Greybridge

  Ponder Hamilton—new schoolteacher; nephew of Sir Harvey

  Wallace—mine manager

  Mr. and Mrs. Jameson—Hargreaves butler and housekeeper

  Susannah Susan—a widowed seamstress

  Joe—Susannah’s son

  Betsy—new nursemaid

  Sally Cargill—new kitchen maid; Aloysius’ aunt

  Bertram—new footman

  Abigail—new parlor maid

  Lily Brown—former upstairs maid; harlot with infant

  Daisy—nursemaid

  Rothberg—Simon’s solicitor in Glasgow

  Alexander Dare—doctor, professor; friend of Andrew Blair’s

  Azmin Dougall—photographer friend of Phoebe

  Thomas Mackle—deputy

  Bart—tavern owner of ill repute

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  And again, thank you so much for taking the time to read this book. Please stop by my website or Facebook page to let me know if you enjoyed it.

  I am an independent author, so getting the word out about my book is vital to its success. If you liked this book, please consider telling your friends, and writing a review at the store where you purchased it. Reviews help other readers find books. I appreciate all reviews, whether positive or negative!

  And be sure to check out my mystery series Tales of Love and Mystery at

  https://patriciarice.com/series/tales-of-love-and-mystery/

  as well as my Crystal Magic series

  https://patriciarice.com/series/crystal-magic/

  A Bewitching Governess

  Patricia Rice

  Copyright © 2019 Patricia Rice

  First Publication: Book View Cafe, May 26, 2020

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portion thereof, in any form.

  This is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Published by Rice Enterprises, Dana Point, CA, an affiliate of Book View Café Publishing Cooperative

  Cover design by Kim Killion

  Book View Café Publishing Cooperative

  P.O. Box 1624, Cedar Crest, NM 87008-1624

  http://bookviewcafe.com

  978161138 873-2 e-book

  978161138 874-9 print

  Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior permission of the copyright owner.

  The author has provided this e-book to you without Digital Rights Management software (DRM) applied so that you can enjoy reading it on your personal devices. You may not print or post this e-book, or make it publicly available in any way. You may not copy, reproduce, or upload this e-book, other than to read it on one of your personal devices. If you would like to share, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this e-fiction and it was not purchased for your use, then you should purchase your own copy. Thank you for helping the e-reading community to grow!

  School of Magic Series

  Lessons in Enchantment

  Book 1 of School of Magic

  Can a straitlaced engineer, three psychic children, and a lonely witch find love?

  * * *

  The daughter of an earl, Lady Phoebe Malcolm Duncan has the ability to talk to animals. She longs to be a veterinarian, but education requires more coin than she possesses. When the walls of her home come tumbling down, she has to take two steps back—to servitude.

  Inventor Andrew Blair keeps his nose to the grindstone, knowing his friends and family depend on his talent for turning machines into money. He is about to embark on his biggest investment yet—rebuilding crumbling tenements in Old Town Edinburgh— until his beleaguered cousin begs him to hide his precocious children from a killer.

  When the School of Malcolms sends Lady Phoebe as governess for his wards, Drew’s well-ordered beliefs are upended. Ladies don’t live in slum housing like the one he’s about to tear down, nor do they command ravens or encourage children to talk to dead mothers. It might take a vengeful ghost to show the disparate pair how to join forces, fight their fears and their enemies, and reveal a path to love.

  Buy Lessons in Enchantment

  Unexpected Magic Series

  Magic in the Stars

  Unexpected Magic, Book 1

  He’s a scientist who studies the stars. She’s an astrologer who predicts the future. Can a lonely witch save a handsome unbeliever from his own doom?

  * * *

  As an astrologer, Lady Azenor Dougall sadly realizes her stars are a danger to her beloved siblings and has banished herself from her Scots home. As the Malcolm family librarian, she dutifully creates zodiac charts for her often eccentric and mysterious relations—until the day she realizes a dire conjunction of planets spells a fatal threat in a distant branch of the family.

  Buy Magic in the Stars

  Whisper of Magic

  Unexpected Magic, Book 2

  The death of Celeste Rochester’s father on the voyage from Jamaica to London leaves her and her young siblings nearly penniless in a foreign country. Forced to battle lawyers for her inheritance and the roof over their heads, Celeste’s only weapon is her mysteriously compelling voice.

  “With unconventional recurring characters, passion and a bit of danger, this is a compelling read from a master of whimsy, mayhem and laughter. The
second Unexpected Magic book is a magical tale of love.” –Joan Hammond, RT Book Reviews

  Buy Whisper of Magic

  Theory of Magic

  Unexpected Magic, Book 3

  A blind marquess who detects lies...

  A spinster who hides behind deceit...

  Can even magic bring them together?

  * * *

  Scorned by suitors for her statuesque size, Harriet Stansbury bolts when her abusive stepfather begins negotiating with impecunious aristocrats to sell her for her dowry. When opportunity offers, she daringly takes a position in an eccentric household until she can claim her fortune.

  Romantic Times Review 4 1/2 star Top Pick: "Known for her masterful talent for writing whimsy, humor and mayhem, Rice gives the reader a delightful romantic adventure in the third book of her Unexpected Magic series. Along with her recurring characters, she pairs a statuesque Malcolm female who is the perfect foil for the blind, arrogant, frustrated Ives male. She includes sensuality, an abduction, political skullduggery along with lively verbal bantering in this mystical, magical tale of love"-- Joan Hammond

  Buy Theory of Magic

  Aura of Magic

  Unexpected Magic, Book 4

  Bridey and Pascoe face ghosts, assassins, and riots—but nothing as perilous as the irresistible attraction between them. With hard-fought goals at risk, they must make the ultimate choice between achieving dreams—or losing each other.

  “Known for her masterful talent for writing whimsy, humor and mayhem, Rice gives the reader a delightful romantic adventure in . . . her Unexpected Magic series”—Joan Hammond, RT Reviews 4 ½ stars

  Buy Aura of Magic

  Chemistry of Magic

  Unexpected Magic, Book 5

  Diagnosed with consumption, Viscount "Devil" Dare is dying. To secure the future of his sisters, industrialist Dare agrees to a marriage of convenience with botanist Emilia McDowell in order for her to inherit her grandfather's estate. Except Dare's desire for an heir is terribly inconvenient for Emilia--her healing gift could kill her if she touches her new husband.

  Buy Chemistry of Magic

  No Perfect Magic

  Unexpected Magic, Book 6

  Will Ives, the bastard of the late marquess, is as strong, handsome, and smart as his titled brothers, but he has no interest in society or book learning. His unique gift for training highly-prized rescue dogs is all he needs. His peace is shattered the day the beautiful but eccentric Lady Aurelia demands his help in finding a child no one knows is missing.

  Buy No Perfect Magic

  About the Author

  With several million books in print and New York Times and USA Today's bestseller lists under her belt, former CPA Patricia Rice is one of romance's hottest authors. Her emotionally-charged contemporary and historical romances have won numerous awards, including the RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice and Career Achievement Awards. Her books have been honored as Romance Writers of America RITA® finalists in the historical, regency and contemporary categories.

  A firm believer in happily-ever-after, Patricia Rice is married to her high school sweetheart and has two children. A native of Kentucky and New York, a past resident of North Carolina and Missouri, she currently resides in Southern California, and now does accounting only for herself.

  For further information, visit Patricia’s network:

  http://wordwenches.typepad.com/word_wenches/

  http://patricia-rice.tumblr.com/

  https://www.patriciarice.com

  Also by Patricia Rice

  The World of Magic:

  The Unexpected Magic Series

  Magic in the Stars

  Whisper of Magic

  Theory of Magic

  Aura of Magic

  Chemistry of Magic

  No Perfect Magic

  The Magical Malcolms Series

  Merely Magic

  Must Be Magic

  The Trouble With Magic

  This Magic Moment

  Much Ado About Magic

  Magic Man

  The California Malcolms Series

  The Lure of Song and Magic

  Trouble with Air and Magic

  The Risk of Love and Magic

  Crystal Magic

  Sapphire Nights

  Topaz Dreams

  Crystal Vision

  Wedding Gems

  Azure Secrets

  Amber Affairs

  Moonstone Shadows

  The Wedding Gift

  The Wedding Question

  The Wedding Surprise

  School of Magic

  Lessons in Enchantment

  A Bewitching Governess

  Historical Romance:

  American Dream Series

  Moon Dreams

  Rebel Dreams

  The Rebellious Sons

  Wicked Wyckerly

  Devilish Montague

  Notorious Atherton

  Formidable Lord Quentin

  The Regency Nobles Series

  The Genuine Article

  The Marquess

  English Heiress

  Irish Duchess

  Regency Love and Laughter Series

  Crossed in Love

  Mad Maria’s Daughter

  Artful Deceptions

  All a Woman Wants

  Rogues & Desperadoes Series

  Lord Rogue

  Moonlight and Memories

  Shelter from the Storm

  Wayward Angel

  Denim and Lace

  Cheyennes Lady

  Dark Lords and Dangerous Ladies Series

  Love Forever After

  Silver Enchantress

  Devil’s Lady

  Dash of Enchantment

  Indigo Moon

  Too Hard to Handle

  Texas Lily

  Texas Rose

  Texas Tiger

  Texas Moon

  Mystic Isle Series

  Mystic Isle

  Mystic Guardian

  Mystic Rider

  Mystic Warrior

  Mysteries:

  Family Genius Series

  Evil Genius

  Undercover Genius

  Cyber Genius

  Twin Genius

  Twisted Genius

  Tales of Love and Mystery

  Blue Clouds

  Garden of Dreams

  Nobody’s Angel

  Volcano

  California Girl

  About Book View Café

  Book View Café Publishing Cooperative (BVC) is an author-owned cooperative of over fifty professional writers, publishing in a variety of genres including fantasy, romance, mystery, and science fiction. Since its debut in 2008, BVC has gained a reputation for producing high-quality ebooks. BVC’s ebooks are DRM-free and are distributed around the world. The cooperative is now bringing that same quality to its print editions.

  BVC authors include New York Times and USA Today bestsellers as well as winners and nominees of many prestigious awards, including:

  Agatha Award

  Campbell Award

  Hugo Award

  Lambda Award

  Locus Award

  Nebula Award

  Nicholl Fellowship

  PEN/Malamud Award

  Philip K. Dick Award

  RITA Award

  World Fantasy Award

  Writers of the Future Award

 

 

 


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