Praise Books By Cheryl Holt MY SCOUNDREL Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 About the Author “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 MY SCOUNDREL ALWAYS MINE ALWAYS YOURS ALWAYS 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 My Scoundrel Copyright 2020 by Cheryl Holt All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Originally Published as Nicholas by Samhain Publishing in 2012 ISBN: 978-1-64786-504-7 (Print version) ISBN: 978-1-64786-526-9 (Ebook version) By payment of required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferrable right to access and read the text of this book. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, stored in, or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or invented in the future, without the express written permission or the copyright holder. Please Note The reverse engineering, uploading, and/or distributing of this book via the internet or via any other means without the permission of the copyright owner is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized editions, and do not participate in or encourage the piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the author, except where permitted by law. Thank you. Cover Design Angela Waters Print and eBook format by Dayna Linton at Day Agency London, May, 1814 . . . “Are you sure about this?” “Very sure.” Emeline Wilson forced a smile as she leaned across the wagon seat and patted Mr. Templeton’s hand. He was an older gentleman, an acquaintance from her rural village of Stafford. He’d offered to drive her to London as he brought a load of hides to the tanner. Since she hadn’t had the money to travel any other way, she’d accepted. The trip had been bumpy and lengthy and fraught with uncertainties. She was worried over whether she should proceed with her plan, and she still hadn’t convinced herself that she was doing the right thing. Nervously, Mr. Templeton pointed to the ostentatious mansion that towered over them. It belonged to Nicholas Price, the new Lord Stafford, a mysterious personage who’d been earl for a year and who no one at the Stafford estate had ever seen or met. “The house is awfully grand, isn’t it?” he said. “Not as grand as Stafford Manor.” “How will you gain entrance?” “I’ll simply knock on the door.” “Do you think his staff will admit you?” “Why wouldn’t they?” she firmly replied. Two days earlier, when they’d left home, she’d been brimming with indignation, aggrieved on her neighbors’ behalves, and prepared to slay any dragon as she sought a paltry crumb of justice for them. But now, with their having arrived, her confidence was flagging. Why had she assumed she could make a difference? Why was she always so eager to carry the burdens of others? Perhaps she should have stayed in the country and kept her mouth shut. Unfortunately, it wasn’t her nature to be silent or submissive. She was forever arguing when she shouldn’t, fighting unwinnable battles, and cheering on the less fortunate. Usually to no avail. There were few rewards to be gleaned by heroics, but she couldn’t stop herself. Life was so unfair, catastrophe so random and typically heaped on those least able to withstand the onslaught. If she didn’t comment on inequity, who would? Her dear, departed father—the village school teacher and best man she’d ever known—had educated her beyond her needs. She saw problems and the obvious solutions too clearly, and she couldn’t comprehend why the easiest remedies were the hardest to attain. Especially from someone as rich and powerful as Lord Stafford. His tenants were suffering egregiously. Crops had failed and conditions were desperate, yet he couldn’t care less. He’d never bothered to visit Stafford. Instead, he’d installed Mr. Mason as his land agent. Mason was a bully and fiend who had been given free rein and unfettered control. His sole objective was to put the estate on a sound financial footing, by any means necessary. He implemented his draconian measures without regard to the human cost. Families had been thrown out on the road. Acreage had been confiscated. No one was safe from his harsh edicts, not even Emeline. Despite her father’s three decades of loyal service, she—and her two sisters, ten-year-old twins, Nan and Nell—were about to be evicted. Mr. Mason had already forced them to relinquish their comfortable
