Lord Quickthorn's Bargain
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Sensible Gwen Appleby is aghast when her foolish sister vows to pursue the notorious rake, Lord Quickthorn. To save her sister from certain ruin, she turns to her friend, the custodian of the fairy well. A simple spell, making Lord Quickthorn indifferent to her sister’s beauty, is all that’s required.
But Gwen’s friend is no longer at the well, and the new, mischievous, very male custodian agrees on one condition: Lord Quickthorn will turn his seductive wiles on Gwen instead. To save her sister’s virtue, must Gwen sacrifice her own? Worse, will the promise of passion make her long to do so? |
Here's an excerpt from Lord Quickthorn's Bargain
Setup: Rex, Lord Quickthorn, a rake who has quite a bit of fairy blood, has temporarily taken the job of custodian of the fairy well. Gwen Appleby has come to crave a boon.
“What do you wish me to do?” asked Rex from his hiding place behind the hawthorn bush. The darkness prevented him from seeing Gwen Appleby properly, but it would never do to reveal that a notorious seducer was acting custodian of the fairy well.
“I want you to put a spell on Lord Quickthorn,” she said.
That was a surprise. “On his lordship? Why?”
“Because he’s a horrid rake. I want you to prevent him from admiring my sister, Melisande. To make him indifferent to her charms.”
Rex muffled an urge to laugh. A spell upon himself! What a pity it was unnecessary.
“Can you do that? It needn’t be a long-lasting spell. They say he’s only here for a week or so.”
“Perhaps,” Rex said, “but it might not be as simple as you think. What if you are correct, and Lord Quickthorn is as unprincipled as you believe him? What if he cannot control his urges and, under the influence of the spell, turns his attention to some other hapless female?”
“Oh, dear,” she said. “I hadn’t thought of that. I wouldn’t want to bring ruin upon any other woman.”
“There is also the question of tit for tat,” he said. “You are surely aware that in return for my assistance, you will have to make a sacrifice of some sort.”
*Oh, drat.* In her worry for Melisande, Gwen had forgotten about this aspect of asking a boon. She’d never asked a true boon before, merely small favors.
It was worth a try. “Yes, of course. I’m in the habit of repaying the custodian of the well with embroidered slippers, a pillowslip, a knitted scarf—that sort of thing. I’m a notable needlewoman. Many of the cloths brought to the well at Lammas are embroidered by me for villagers and visitors alike.” Her exceptional skill at needlework was due to her smidgen of fairy blood; therefore she generally repaid the Fair Folk with the fruits of her talent. “Would you like a warm, quilted waistcoat for the winter, perhaps?”
He chuckled, a low, enticing sound which didn’t quite match his hollow-sounding voice. “Come, come, Miss Appleby. You will have to do much better than that.”
Her heartbeat sped up. Whatever did he intend to ask?
“How much will you sacrifice for your sister?” he asked.
“Anything that is required,” she said.
He gave that same deep chuckle. “Very well, I shall grant your boon. Lord Quickthorn will scarcely glance at your sister.”
“Thank you,” she said, gratitude and trepidation warring within her. “And…?”
“Instead, he will turn the full force of his carnal desires upon you.”
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Setup: Rex, Lord Quickthorn, a rake who has quite a bit of fairy blood, has temporarily taken the job of custodian of the fairy well. Gwen Appleby has come to crave a boon.
“What do you wish me to do?” asked Rex from his hiding place behind the hawthorn bush. The darkness prevented him from seeing Gwen Appleby properly, but it would never do to reveal that a notorious seducer was acting custodian of the fairy well.
“I want you to put a spell on Lord Quickthorn,” she said.
That was a surprise. “On his lordship? Why?”
“Because he’s a horrid rake. I want you to prevent him from admiring my sister, Melisande. To make him indifferent to her charms.”
Rex muffled an urge to laugh. A spell upon himself! What a pity it was unnecessary.
“Can you do that? It needn’t be a long-lasting spell. They say he’s only here for a week or so.”
“Perhaps,” Rex said, “but it might not be as simple as you think. What if you are correct, and Lord Quickthorn is as unprincipled as you believe him? What if he cannot control his urges and, under the influence of the spell, turns his attention to some other hapless female?”
“Oh, dear,” she said. “I hadn’t thought of that. I wouldn’t want to bring ruin upon any other woman.”
“There is also the question of tit for tat,” he said. “You are surely aware that in return for my assistance, you will have to make a sacrifice of some sort.”
*Oh, drat.* In her worry for Melisande, Gwen had forgotten about this aspect of asking a boon. She’d never asked a true boon before, merely small favors.
It was worth a try. “Yes, of course. I’m in the habit of repaying the custodian of the well with embroidered slippers, a pillowslip, a knitted scarf—that sort of thing. I’m a notable needlewoman. Many of the cloths brought to the well at Lammas are embroidered by me for villagers and visitors alike.” Her exceptional skill at needlework was due to her smidgen of fairy blood; therefore she generally repaid the Fair Folk with the fruits of her talent. “Would you like a warm, quilted waistcoat for the winter, perhaps?”
He chuckled, a low, enticing sound which didn’t quite match his hollow-sounding voice. “Come, come, Miss Appleby. You will have to do much better than that.”
Her heartbeat sped up. Whatever did he intend to ask?
“How much will you sacrifice for your sister?” he asked.
“Anything that is required,” she said.
He gave that same deep chuckle. “Very well, I shall grant your boon. Lord Quickthorn will scarcely glance at your sister.”
“Thank you,” she said, gratitude and trepidation warring within her. “And…?”
“Instead, he will turn the full force of his carnal desires upon you.”
Buy now!
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon Canada
Amazon Australia
Kobo
