Scandal Meets Its Match (The May Flowers Book 7)

Wyoming that accompanied the consolidation of smaller ranches into much larger, almost corporate ranches actually began in 1887 and lasted for several years. They were every bit as horrific and murderous as Lenore reported them to be. And seeing as the members of the WSGA and their associates more or less were the government of Wyoming, in actuality if not in name, during that time, it’s entirely plausible that one of their number could railroad the legal channels responsible for marriage to bind Lenore to Bart. Which means it’s equally as plausible that the legality of that marriage wouldn’t hold up in any other court of law.

Just a note on Victorian erotica, while we’re at it…. Guys, I’ve read some of the stuff, and if you think the steamy Romance novels we write in the 21^st century are salacious, you ain’t seen nothin’! In spite of having a reputation as prudes and moralizers, the Victorians were actually pretty dirty and open-minded, particularly in the upper classes. So don’t be tempted to think that my characters are too modern or progressive in their thinking for the time period I’m writing about! Those late-Victorians got around!

If you’ve fallen in love with the character of Lionel Mercer as much as I have, be sure to check out my gay historical romance series The Brotherhood, which begins with Just a Little Wickedness. Lionel and David Wirth are recurring characters in that entire series, and they have their own romance in the book Just a Little Seduction.

And if you happen to be curious about whether Lady Beatrice will get her proposal from Lord Harrison in time for Christmas, you’re going to love the next book in The May Flowers series, ’Twas the Night Before Scandal, which is available for preorder now! Will the proposal come off without a hitch or will there be all sorts of mad-capped Christmas hijinks before they get there? (I’ll give you three guesses as to the answer to that one!) Keep clicking to get started reading ’Twas the Night Before Scandal!

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AND NOW, GET STARTED ON ‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE SCANDAL…

London – Just before Christmas, 1887

Christmas was only a few days away, and Lady Beatrice Lichfield still didn’t have an engagement ring on her finger. That fact wouldn’t have caused her distress as she worked, tying bows with sprigs of holly for the decorations that were going up all over the rented hall in Clerkenwell, where the May Flowers were holding their charity event for the benefit of several London orphanages. In fact, not wearing jewelry of any sort was a great boon when it came to the delicate work she was required to do with her hands to create the decorations. And no shiny bobbles meant that some of the more mischievous orphans who were helping with preparations weren’t tempted.

But it had been months—no, years—since Bea had set her heart on Lord Harrison Manfred, Marquess of Landsbury. They’d been a part of the same group of friends ever since Bea joined the May Flowers and made the acquaintance of the likes of Lady Diana Pickwick, her very best friend in the entire world, Cecelia Campbell—who was now Lady Marlowe—and Bianca Marlowe—who was now Lady Clerkenwell and the hostess of the event. Through her female connections, Bea had been introduced to Harrison, and as far as she was concerned, it was love at first sight.

She’d always thought Harrison felt the same way, but as she stood at the long table, piled high with loose ribbon, boughs of holly and pine, wire to craft the decorations with, and bits and pieces of donations that had been delivered to the hall, staring at her sadly naked fingers, she heaved a sigh.

“What sort of silly, maudlin thoughts are going through your head to cause such a sigh?” Diana asked with a sardonic grin, stripping excess leaves off a sprig of holly for her decorations.

Bea glanced guiltily up at her friend, knowing full well what Diana thought of the situation. Diana was as brilliant and prickly as the holly she worked with—lovely and useful, but full of unexpected spikes and barbs. She was a beauty of the highest order as well, with dark hair and eyes, a clear, pale complexion, and a figure that made London’s finest modistes compete for her custom. By contrast, Bea considered herself sallow and skinny, with too much strawberry-blonde hair and eyes that couldn’t decide whether they were blue or green. No wonder Harrison was taking his time deciding whether he wanted to be shackled to her for the remainder of his life.

“I’m merely anxious that we won’t be able to finish decorating in time for the party on Christmas Eve,” she said, though she was a terrible liar. Her cheeks flared bright pink every time she so much as thought something dishonest.

Diana’s grin was all the proof she needed that her friend could see right through her. “Christmas Eve is still three days away, dearest. Which gives us ample time not only to finish decorating this hall, as shabby and cavernous as it is—” She glanced up at the rafters and