Scandal at Vauxhall (Pleasure Garden Follies)

SCANDAL AT VAUXHALL

Pleasure Garden Follies 1

Layna Pimentel

Erotic Romance

Secret Cravings Publishing

www.secretcravingspublishing.com

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A Secret Cravings
Publishing Book

Erotic Romance

Scandal at Vauxhall

Copyright © 2013 Layna Pimentel

E-book ISBN:
978-1-61885-757-6

First E-book Publication: June 2013

Cover design by
Dawné
Dominique

Edited by Tabitha Bower

Proofread by Laurie White

All cover art and logo copyright © 2013 by Secret Cravings Publishing

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dead is strictly coincidental.

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Dedication

For my mom and my two sisters, your continued support amazes
me. You’ll never know how much that means to me.

A huge thank you as always to my amazing critique partner
Jessica, and my editors Natascha and Tabitha. Without all of you, I’d be lost.

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SCANDAL AT VAUXHALL

Pleasure
Garden Follies 1

Layna Pimentel

Copyright
© 2013

London,
England, 1815

Isabel Salisbury hopped
up from her seat and faced her mother. “Elevating me? Are you mad? This
arrangement only benefits you and Father! What is the rush? Surely,
your
situation can wait until Nathaniel
returns?” She lifted her chin high, attempting to remain controlled, but lost
all civility.

“Furthermore, I will
not
accept a proposal of any sort from
any duke or such until I have spoken with Nathaniel!”
I could never love another. How can they do this to me?

Interrupting the
hostility, the ancient pendulum clock hanging behind her father struck eight
bells, reminding her where she needed to be. Without asking for permission, she
dashed from the room, wiping her eyes and not looking back. Her conniving
parents thought that this—that they—would be over.
Not if I can help it.
She had to get answers and soon. The last
thing she desired was to be pawned off to a duke who had no interest in her.

Isabel had heard in
great detail of the Duke of Brimley’s conquests—from the infamous courtesans
Madame Martine boasted of to a mysterious affair with some Italian beauty, who
was never seen, over a year ago. All of this and so much more had been revealed
at Miss Turner’s garden tea party just a week prior.

While Cecily, Madeline,
and several other ladies of the
haute ton
thought the rumors to be utterly scandalous, that didn’t stop them from letting
their imagination run wild. Miss Turner went on to compare Brimley to the men
written about in those French novels that her mother kept hidden.

What
more could I ask for? Not only will I marry well, but I’m bound to be miserable
with a man who thrived on living a life scandalously and shadowed by
infidelity. I would much rather perish from consumption.

Hidden in the shadows
of her parent’s maze of roses, Isabel raced against time. There she would meet
Nathaniel, in what could be their last moments together for months. Despair over
not seeing her beloved until he returned from the war office shook her to her
core, tripping and stumbling her along the way. Her hopes and desires had been crushed.
Emptiness swallowed her heart whole.

What
if he never returns? How could he not tell me?
She
loved him dearly, yet anger simmered beneath the surface and insecurity washed
over her.

“There you are,
sweetling
. I was beginning to think you weren’t coming.”

Isabel threw herself at
him, desperately hoping her parents were wrong. “You’re leaving me?” she
murmured into his overcoat.
Please let it
be a falsehood.

“Darling, let me
explain, but first I have to ask you something.”

Her eyes widened with
disbelief. She sniffled and stepped out of his hold, gazing into his beautiful
and stoic blue eyes.

“I wanted to do this
sooner, but…would you do me the honor of becoming my wife? I know that we
cannot be married until I return. Nevertheless…”

Isabel smiled, tears
rolling down her cheeks. She almost shrieked with glee, but given their
clandestine meeting, her joy had to be contained.
Please, please, please, don’t anyone find us right now.
“I accept,”
she blurted before wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her lips to
his. She allowed herself to languish in the slow tease of his tongue.

“Outstanding,
sweetling
. I’ll meet with your father in the morning, and
we’ll begin the arrangements when I return in six months.”

“Nathaniel, that is too
long! Are you sure you cannot return any sooner?”

She found herself enveloped
firmly in his embrace, finally content, when he replied. “My dear, it could
very well take longer. I assure you, I will do my utmost best to return to you
in time.”

Isabel beamed against
his chest. “Very well, my darling. I cannot wait to share the news with Mother!”

Maybe
now they’ll see how worthy you are. Now there shouldn’t be any reason why I must
meet that wicked duke.