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There was a point in time, not too long ago, that I binged on everything from Judith McNaught that I could get my hands on. ย I went from one to another and even have gone back again … she’s got such a magical touch and I’m so pleased to share this news from her publisher.

(And now I’m gonna have to drag out my copies of these books because I’m dying to read them yet again!!)

*****

We are excited to share with you that the fourteen Judith McNaught titles listed below are available for the first time in E-Book today, November 1st! If you previously read any of these amazing titles, revisiting them in E-Book is not โ€œAll for Naught,โ€ as each E-Book will contain original, new content (a letter) from Judith McNaught.

To celebrate this abundance of new material from Judith McNaught, we kick off McNaught-E November today with an excerpt for Whitney, My Love ($2.99 special price November 1st – December 4th, 2016). Please check back on McNaught-E Mondays (every Monday in November) to enjoy additional excerpts for the other thirteen E-Books.

Judith McNaught Historical Romances:

Let New York Times bestselling author Judith McNaught who โ€œis in a class by herselfโ€ (USA TODAY) sweep you off your feet and into another time with her sensual, passionate, and spellbinding historical romance classics, featuring her โ€œunique magicโ€ (RT Book Reviews)!

SEQUELS SERIES

cover-onceandalwaysOnce and Always

9781501145520

$7.99

Victoria Seaton, a blithe and fiercely independent orphan, leaves her home in America to travel across the vast Atlantic to claim her long-lost inheritance: a labyrinthine English estate named Wakefield. There she encounters her distant cousin, the notorious, proud, and mysterious Lord Jason Fielding. Drawn to his magnetic charisma, Victoria canโ€™t help but suspect that like her, he harbors a dark and painful past. Neither Victoria or Jason are able to resist one anotherโ€™s charm but, in a moment of blinding anguish, Victoria discovers the shocking truth that lays at the heart of their loveโ€”a love she had dreamed would triumph.

S&S: http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Once-and-Always/Judith-McNaught/9781501145520

IBOOKSTORE (ebook):ย  http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781501145520?at=10lrBC&ct=onceandalways_9781501145520_sscom&uo=8

KINDLE (ebook): http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LZXSNET?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01LZXSNET&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK (ebook):ย  http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781501145520

GOOGLE PLAY (ebook):ย  https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judith_McNaught_Once_and_Always?id=FBwmDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=onceandalways_9781501145520_sscom

cover-somethingwonderfulSomething Wonderful

9781501145544

$7.99

โ€œJudith McNaught not only spins dreams but makes them come trueโ€ (RT Book Reviews) in this sensual and moving tale of a tempestuous marriage facing its ultimate test. Alexandra Lawrence, an innocent country girl, and Jordan Townsende, the rich and powerful Duke of Hawthorne, have always had a stormy relationship. But when she is swept into the endlessly fascinating world of London society, free-spirited Alexandra becomes ensnared in a tangled web of jealousy, revenge, and overwhelming passion. But behind her husbandโ€™s cold, haughty mask, there lives a tender, vital, sensual man…the man Alexandra married. Now, she will fight for his very life and the rapturous bond they alone can share.

S&S:ย  http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Something-Wonderful/Judith-McNaught/9781501145544

IBOOKSTORE (ebook): http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781501145544?at=10lrBC&ct=somethingwonderful_9781501145544_sscom&uo=8

KINDLE (ebook):ย  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LX09O44?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01LX09O44&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK (ebook):ย  http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781501145544

GOOGLE PLAY (ebook): https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judith_McNaught_Something_Wonderful?id=7xsmDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=somethingwonderful_9781501145544_sscom

cover-almostheavenAlmost Heaven

9781501145698

$7.99

Elizabeth Cameron, the Countess of Havenhurst, possesses a rare gentleness and fierce courage to match her exquisite beauty. But her reputation is shattered when she is discovered in the arms of Ian Thornton, a notorious gambler and social outcast.ย A dangerously handsome man of secret wealth and mysterious lineage, Ianโ€™s interest in Elizabeth may not be all that it seems. His voyage to her heart is fraught with intrigue, scandal, and a venomous revenge.ย  As a twisting path of secrets takes them from Londonโ€™s drawing rooms to the awe-inspiring Scottish Highlands, Elizabeth must learn the truth: is Ian merely a ruthless fortune hunter at heart? โ€œWell-developed main characters with a compelling mutual attraction give strength and charm to this romance set in nineteenth-century Great Britainโ€ (Publishers Weekly).

S&S: http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Almost-Heaven/Judith-McNaught/9781501145698

IBOOKSTORE (ebook):ย  http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781501145698?at=10lrBC&ct=almostheaven_9781501145698_sscom&uo=8

KINDLE (ebook):ย  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M0WYDYS?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01M0WYDYS&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK (ebook):ย  http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781501145698

GOOGLE PLAY (ebook):ย  https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judith_McNaught_Almost_Heaven?id=XhwmDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=almostheaven_9781501145698_sscom

WESTMORELAND DYNASTY SAGA

cover-whitneymyloveWhitney, My Love

9781501145438

$2.99 (Offer Valid November 1st – December 4th, 2016)

CHAPTER 1 EXCERPT Below!

A saucy spitfire who has grown into a ravishing young woman, Whitney Stone returns from her triumphant time in Paris society to England. She plans on marrying her childhood sweetheart, only to discover she has been bargained away by her bankrupt father to the arrogant and alluring Clayton Westmoreland, the Duke of Claymore. Outraged, she defies her new lord. But even as his smoldering passion seduces her into a gathering storm of desire, Whitney cannotโ€”will notโ€”relinquish her dream of perfect love.ย Rich with emotion, brimming with laughter and tears,ย Whitney, My Loveย is โ€œthe ultimate love story, one you can dream about foreverโ€ (RT Book Reviews).

S&S:ย  http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Whitney-My-Love/Judith-McNaught/9781501145438

IBOOKSTORE (ebook):ย  http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781501145438?at=10lrBC&ct=whitneymylove_9781501145438_sscom&uo=8

KINDLE (ebook):ย  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LXC17WY?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01LXC17WY&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK (ebook):ย  http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781501145438

GOOGLE PLAY (ebook):ย  https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judith_McNaught_Whitney_My_Love?id=WxsmDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=whitneymylove_9781501145438_sscom

cover-akingdomofdreamsA Kingdom of Dreams

9781501145483

$7.99

Abducted from her convent school, headstrong Scottish beauty Jennifer Merrick does not easily surrender to Royce Westmoreland, Duke of Claymore. Known as โ€œThe Wolf,โ€ his very name strikes terror in the hearts of his enemies. But proud Jennifer will have nothing to do with the fierce English warrior who holds her captive, no matter what he threatens. Boldly she challenges his willโ€”until the night he takes her in his powerful embrace, awakening in her an irresistible hunger. Suddenly Jennifer finds herself ensnared in a bewildering and seductive web of pride, passion, and overwhelming love. This beloved tale about two defiant hearts clashing in a furious battle of wills in the glorious age of chivalry โ€œwill stay in your heart forever and be a classic on your shelvesโ€ (RT Book Reviews, Top Pick).

S&S: http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/A-Kingdom-of-Dreams/Judith-McNaught/9781501145483

IBOOKSTORE (ebook):ย  http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781501145483?at=10lrBC&ct=kingdomofdreams_9781501145483_sscom&uo=8

KINDLE (ebook): http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LYMXHMQ?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01LYMXHMQ&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK (ebook): http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781501145483

GOOGLE PLAY (ebook):ย  https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judith_McNaught_A_Kingdom_of_Dreams?id=4zMjDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=kingdomofdreams_9781501145483_sscom

cover-untilyouUntil You

9781501145490

$7.99

In this unforgettable romantic adventure, a teacher of wealthy young ladies finds her life changed forever when she travels from the wilds of America to elegant London. Sheridan Bromleigh is hired to accompany one of her students, heiress Charise Lancaster, to England to meet her fiancรฉ. But when her charge elopes with a stranger, Sheridan wonders how she will ever explain it to Chariseโ€™s intended, Lord Burleton.ย Standing on the pier, Stephen Westmoreland, the Earl of Langford, assumes the young woman coming toward him is Charise Lancaster and reluctantly informs her of his inadvertent role in a fatal accident involving Lord Burleton the night before. And just as the young woman is about to speak, she steps into the path of a cargo net loaded with crates. Sheridan awakens in Westmorelandโ€™s mansion with no memory of who she is; the only hint of her past is the puzzling fact that everyone calls her Miss Lancaster. All she truly knows is that she is falling in love with a handsome English earl, and that the life unfolding before her seems full of wondrous possibilities.

S&S:ย  http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Until-You/Judith-McNaught/9781501145490

IBOOKSTORE (ebook):ย  http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781501145490?at=10lrBC&ct=untilyou_9781501145490_sscom&uo=8

KINDLE (ebook): http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M1KAHIH?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01M1KAHIH&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK (ebook):ย  http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781501145490

GOOGLE PLAY (ebook): https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judith_McNaught_Until_You?id=yhsmDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=untilyou_9781501145490_sscom

cover-miraclesMiracles (in A Holiday of Love)

9781501145711

$1.99

Now available for the first time ever as an e-novella, New York Times bestselling author Judith McNaughtโ€™s short historical romance Miraclesโ€”which ties up ends left open in the Westmoreland Dynasty Sagaโ€”is available for the first time ever as a standalone e-novella. In Regency London, world-weary lord Nicki du Ville receives an outrageous proposal from Julianna Skeffington, who is Sheridan Bromleighโ€™s charge from Until You.

S&S: http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Miracles/Judith-Mcnaught/The-Westmorelands/9781501145711

IBOOKSTORE (ebook): http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781501145711?at=10lrBC&ct=miracles_9781501145711_sscom&uo=8

KINDLE (ebook):ย  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LZA7LUR?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01LZA7LUR&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK (ebook):ย  http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781501145711

GOOGLE PLAY (ebook):ย  https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judith_Mcnaught_Miracles?id=PB0mDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=miracles_9781501145711_sscom

Judith McNaught Contemporary Romances:

Discover the sensual and sweeping power of love in New York Times bestselling author Judith McNaughtโ€™s contemporary romances that will make โ€œyou laugh, cry, and fall in love againโ€ (RT Book Reviews)!

STAND-ALONES

cover-tendertriumphTender Triumph

9781501145421

$7.99

On Friday, a sensuous stranger enters Katieโ€™s life. By Sunday, her life is irrevocably changed forever.

Katie Connelly submerges her painful past in a promising career, an elegant apartment, and men she can keep at a distance. Yet something vital is missing from her lifeโ€”until she meets proud, rugged Ramon Galverra. With his charm and his passionate nature, Ramon gives her a love she had never known. Still she is afraid to surrender her heart to this strong, willful, secretive manโ€”a man from a different world, a man with a bold, uncertain future. Will Katieโ€™s relationship with Ramon survive once the thrill of their simmering passion subsides?

S&S:ย  http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Tender-Triumph/Judith-McNaught/9781501145421

IBOOKSTORE (ebook):ย  http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781501145421?at=10lrBC&ct=tendertriumph_9781501145421_sscom&uo=8

KINDLE (ebook):ย  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M0L420Q?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01M0L420Q&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK (ebook): http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781501145421

GOOGLE PLAY (ebook):ย  https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judith_McNaught_Tender_Triumph?id=ERsmDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=tendertriumph_9781501145421_sscom

cover-doublestandardsDouble Standards

9781501145704

$7.99

In the exclusive, glittering world of business superstars, Nick Sinclair is a legend. The ruggedly handsome president of Global Industries handles his business the way he handles his womenโ€”with charm, daring, and ruthless self-control. A man used to the very best, Nick hires Lauren Danner and assumes the proud beauty will soon be another easy conquest. But Laurenโ€™s flashing wit and rare spirit dazzles him and slowly, against his will, heโ€™s intrigued, challenged, and in love. Yet he doesnโ€™t know that Lauren is living a lie and, trapped in a web of deceit, she fights her growing love for Nick. Her secret could destroy his fragile trust and the promise of life with the most compelling man she has ever met.

S&S: http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Double-Standards/Judith-McNaught/9781501145704

IBOOKSTORE (ebook):ย  http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781501145704?at=10lrBC&ct=doublestandards_9781501145704_sscom&uo=8

KINDLE (ebook):ย  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LXC11YV?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01LXC11YV&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK (ebook): http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781501145704

GOOGLE PLAY (ebook):ย  https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judith_McNaught_Double_Standards?id=CTQjDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=doublestandards_9781501145704_sscom

FOSTER SAGA

cover-rememberwhenRemember When

9781439140802

$7.99

When multinational tycoon Cole Harrison approaches her on a moonlit balcony at the White Orchid Charity Ball, Diana Foster has no idea how life-changing the night ahead will be. The most lavish social event of the Houston season had brought out Texas aristocracy in glittering array but Diana only agreed to attend to save face after reading about her fiancรฉ leaving her for an Italian heiress in a sleazy gossip magazine. Her Beautiful Livingย magazine is her familyโ€™s success story, and Diana knows that as a single, childless, and suddenlyย unengaged woman, she is not living up to its lucrative image of upscale domestic tranquility. But when she spots the pride of Dallas billionaires, Cole Harrison, closing in on her with two crystal flutes and a bottle of champagne, she has no idea that he has ulterior motives for seducing her tonight. And he certainly has no idea that a match made in what he considers logicโ€™s heaven might be headed straight for an unexpected, once-in-a-lifetime love. โ€œJudith McNaught once again works her unique magic in this charming, sparkling romanceโ€ (RT Book Reviews, 4 stars).

S&S: http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Remember-When/Judith-McNaught/9781439140802

IBOOKSTORE (ebook): http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781439140802?at=10lrBC&ct=rememberwhen_9781439140802_sscom&uo=8

KINDLE (ebook):ย  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M0L4H1H?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01M0L4H1H&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK (ebook):ย  http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781439140802

GOOGLE PLAY (ebook):ย  https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judith_McNaught_Remember_When?id=dDMjDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=rememberwhen_9781439140802_sscom

PARADISE SERIES

cover-paradiseParadise

9781439138793

$7.99

โ€œJudith McNaught comes close to an Edith Wharton edgeโ€ (The Chicago Tribune) in this stylish and fast-paced classic. Ruthless corporate raider Matthew Farrell is poised to move in on the legendary department store empire owned by Chicagoโ€™s renowned Bancroft family. In the glare of the media spotlight, itโ€™s a stunning takeover that overshadows the electric chemistry between Matt, once a scruffy kid from steel town Indiana, and cool, sophisticated Meredith Bancroft. Their brief, ill-fated marriage sparked with thrilling sensuality but ended with a bitter betrayal. Now, locked in a battle that should be all business, dangerous temptations, and bittersweet memories are stirring their hearts. Will they risk everything for a passion too bold to be denied?

S&S: http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Paradise/Judith-McNaught/9781439138793

IBOOKSTORE (ebook): http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781439138793?at=10lrBC&ct=paradise_9781439138793_sscom&uo=8

KINDLE (ebook):ย ย  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M18K9UM?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01M18K9UM&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK (ebook):ย  http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781439138793

GOOGLE PLAY (ebook): https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judith_McNaught_Paradise?id=TzMjDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=paradise_9781439138793_sscom

cover-perfectPerfect

9781439140710

$7.99

A rootless foster child, Julie Mathison has blossomed under the love showered upon her by her adoptive family. Now a lovely and vivacious young woman, she is a respected teacher in her small Texas town and is determined to give back all the kindness she has received, believing that nothing can ever shatter the perfect life she has fashioned.ย Zachary Benedict is an actor whose Academy Award-winning career was shattered when he was wrongly convicted of murdering his wife. After the tall, ruggedly handsome Zack escapes from a Texas prison, he abducts Julie and forces her to drive him to his Colorado mountain hideout. Sheโ€™s outraged, cautious, and unable to ignore the instincts that whispers of his innocence. Heโ€™s cynical, wary, and increasingly attracted to her. Desire is about to capture them both in its fierce embrace but the journey to trust, true commitment, and proving Zackโ€™s innocence is just beginning.โ€œA mixture of virtue and passion that is almostโ€”ahemโ€”perfectโ€ (Kirkus Reviews) this is a captivating tale that fans will adore.

S&S:ย  http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Perfect/Judith-McNaught/9781439140710

IBOOKSTORE (ebook): http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781439140710?at=10lrBC&ct=perfect_9781439140710_sscom&uo=8

KINDLE (ebook):ย  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M18K9UL?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01M18K9UL&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK (ebook): http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781439140710

GOOGLE PLAY (ebook): https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judith_McNaught_Perfect?id=KjMjDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=perfect_9781439140710_sscom

cover-nightwhispersNight Whispers

9781439140833

$7.99

In this โ€œexciting tale of loyalty, love, and dangerโ€ (Publishers Weekly), Sloan Reynolds, a small-town Florida policewoman, knows that her modest upbringing is a long way from the social whirl of Palm Beach, the world inhabited by her father and her sister, Paris. Total strangers to Sloan, they have never tried to contact herโ€”until a sudden invitation arrives, to meet them and indulge in the Palm Beach social season. Reluctant to accept the long-overdue familial gesture, Sloan is convinced to visit when an FBI colleague informs her that her father and his associates are suspected of fraud, conspiracy, and murder. The only catch is she must hide her true profession from her family. Sloan is on top of her game until she meets Noah Maitland, a multinational corporate player and one of the FBIโ€™s prime suspects. She finds herself powerfully attracted to him, against her deepest instincts. When a shocking murder shatters the seductive facade of the wealth and glamour surrounding her, Sloan must maneuver through a maze of deceit and passion in this superb and enthralling tale of breathtaking suspense.

S&S: http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Night-Whispers/Judith-McNaught/9781439140833

IBOOKSTORE (ebook):ย  http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781439140833?at=10lrBC&ct=nightwhispers_9781439140833_sscom&uo=8

KINDLE (ebook):ย  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LZXSLVK?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01LZXSLVK&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK (ebook):ย ย  http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781439140833

GOOGLE PLAY (ebook):ย  https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judith_McNaught_Night_Whispers?id=mTMjDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=nightwhispers_9781439140833_sscom

cover-someonetowatchovermeSomeone to Watch Over Me

9781501145445

$7.99

Leigh Kendall is relishing her stellar Broadway acting career in her marriage to Logan Manning, scion of an old New York family, when her husband finds the perfect mountain property for their dream house. But while driving upstate on a winterโ€™s night, Leigh is run off the road in the midst of a blinding blizzard. When she awakes in the local hospital, seriously injured, the police inform her that her husband has mysteriously disappeared, and Leigh becomes the focus of their suspicions. The more she discovers about her husband and his business affairs, the less she realizes she knew about Logan Manning. Now, Leigh is heading deeper and deeper into unknown territoryโ€”where friends and enemies are impossible to distinguish, and the truth becomes the most terrifying weapon of all in this thrilling tale filled with unrelenting suspense, unforgettable characters, and powerful traces of greed, ambition, and desire.

S&S:ย  http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Someone-to-Watch-Over-Me/Judith-McNaught/9781501145445

IBOOKSTORE (ebook):ย  http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781501145445?at=10lrBC&ct=someonetowatchoverme_9781501145445_sscom&uo=8

KINDLE (ebook): http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M18K9K4?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01M18K9K4&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK (ebook):ย  http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781501145445

GOOGLE PLAY (ebook):ย  https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judith_McNaught_Someone_to_Watch_Over_Me?id=pRsmDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=someonetowatchoverme_9781501145445_sscom

*****

Excerpt:

Whitney My Love

1

As their elegant travelling chaise rocked and swayed along the rutted country road, Lady Anne Gilbert leaned her cheek against her husbandโ€™s shoulder and heaved a long, impatient sigh. โ€œAnother whole hour until we arrive, and already the suspense is positively gnawing at me. I keep wondering what Whitney will be like now that sheโ€™s grown up.โ€

She lapsed into silence and gazed absently out the coach window at the lush, rolling English countryside covered with wild pink Foxglove and yellow Buttercups, trying to envision the niece she hadnโ€™t seen in almost eleven years.

โ€œSheโ€™ll be pretty, just as her mother was. And sheโ€™ll have her motherโ€™s smile, her gentleness, her sweet dispositionย .ย .ย .โ€

Lord Edward Gilbert cast a skeptical glance at his wife. โ€œSweet disposition?โ€ he echoed in amused disbelief. โ€œThat isnโ€™t what her father said in his letter.โ€

As a diplomat attached to the British Consulate in Paris, Lord Gilbert was a master of hints, evasions, innuendoes,ย and intrigues. But in his personal life, he preferred the refreshing alternative of blunt truth. โ€œAllow me to refresh your memory,โ€ he said, groping in his pockets and retrieving the letter from Whitneyโ€™s father. He perched his spectacles upon his nose, and ignoring his wifeโ€™s grimace, he began to read:

โ€œโ€Šโ€˜Whitneyโ€™s manners are an outrage, her conduct is reprehensible. She is a willful hoyden who is the despair of everyone she knows and an embarrassment to me. I implore you to take her back to Paris with you, in the hope that you may have more success with the stubborn chit than I have had.โ€™โ€Šโ€

Edward chuckled. โ€œShow me where it says sheโ€™s โ€˜sweet-tempered.โ€™โ€Šโ€

His wife shot him a peevish glance. โ€œMartin Stone is a cold, unfeeling man who wouldnโ€™t recognize gentleness and goodness if Whitney were made of nothing else! Only think of the way he shouted at her and sent her to her room right after my sisterโ€™s funeral.โ€

Edward recognized the mutinous set of his wifeโ€™s chin and put his arm around her shoulders in a gesture of conciliation. โ€œIโ€™m no fonder of the man than you are, but you must admit that, just having lost his young wife to an early grave, to have his daughter accuse him, in front of fifty people, of locking her mama in a box so she couldnโ€™t escape had to be rather disconcerting.โ€

โ€œBut Whitney was scarcely five years old!โ€ Anne protested heatedly.

โ€œAgreed. But Martin was grieving. Besides, as I recall, it was not for that offense she was banished to her room. It was later, when everyone had gathered in the drawing roomโ€”when she stamped her foot and threatened to report us all to God if we didnโ€™t release her mama at once.โ€

Anne smiled. โ€œWhat spirit she had, Edward. I thought for a moment her little freckles were going to pop right off her nose. Admit itโ€”she was marvelous, and you thought so too!โ€

โ€œWell, yes,โ€ Edward agreed sheepishly. โ€œI rather thought she was.โ€

*ย ย *ย ย *

As the Gilbert chaise bore inexorably down on the Stone estate, a small knot of young people were waiting on the south lawn, impatiently looking toward the stable one hundred yards away. A petite blonde smoothed her pink ruffled skirts and sighed in a way that displayed a very fetching dimple. โ€œWhatever do you suppose Whitney is planning to do?โ€ she inquired of the handsome light-haired man beside her.

Glancing down into Elizabeth Ashtonโ€™s wide blue eyes, Paul Sevarin smiled a smile that Whitney would have forfeited both her feet to see focused on herself. โ€œTry to be patient, Elizabeth,โ€ he said.

โ€œIโ€™m sure none of us have the faintest ideaย whatย she is up to, Elizabeth,โ€ Margaret Merryton said tartly. โ€œBut you can be perfectly certain it will be something foolish and outrageous.โ€

โ€œMargaret, weโ€™re all Whitneyโ€™s guests today,โ€ Paul chided.

โ€œI donโ€™t know why you should defend her, Paul,โ€ Margaret argued spitefully. โ€œWhitney is creating a horrid scandal chasing after you, and you know it!โ€

โ€œMargaret!โ€ Paul snapped. โ€œI said that was enough.โ€ Drawing a long, irritated breath, Paul Sevarin frowned darkly at his gleaming boots. Whitneyย hadย been making a spectacle of herself chasing after him, and damned near everyone for fifteen miles was talking about it.

At first he had been mildly amused to find himself the object of a fifteen-year-oldโ€™s languishing looks and adoring smiles, but lately Whitney had begun pursuing him with the determination and tactical brilliance of a female Napoleon Bonaparte.

If he rode off the grounds of his estate, he could almost depend on meeting her en route to his destination. It was as if she had some lookout point from which she watched his every move, and Paul no longer found her childish infatuation with him either harmless or amusing.

Three weeks ago, she had followed him to a local inn. While he was pleasantly contemplating accepting the innkeeperโ€™s daughterโ€™s whispered invitation to meet her later in the hayloft, heโ€™d glanced up and seen a familiar pair of bright green eyes peeping at him through the window.

Slamming his tankard of ale on the table, heโ€™d marched outside, grabbed Whitney by the elbow, and unceremoniously deposited her on her horse, tersely reminding her that her father would be searching for her if she wasnโ€™t home by nightfall.

Heโ€™d stalked back inside and ordered another tankard, but when the innkeeperโ€™s daughter brushed her breasts suggestively against his arm while refilling his ale and Paul had a sudden vision of himself lying entangled with her voluptuous naked body, a pair of green eyes peered in through yetย anotherย window. Heโ€™d tossed enough coins on the planked wooden table to mollify the startled girlโ€™s wounded sensibilities and leftโ€”only to encounter Miss Stone again on his way home.

He was beginning to feel like a hunted man whose every move was under surveillance, and his temper was strained to the breaking point. And yet, Paul thought irritably,ย here he was standing in the April sun, trying for some obscure reason to protect Whitney from the criticism she richly deserved.

A pretty girl, several years younger than the others in the group, glanced at Paul. โ€œI think Iโ€™ll go and see whatโ€™s keeping Whitney,โ€ said Emily Williams. She hurried across the lawn and along the whitewashed fence adjoining the stable. Shoving open the big double doors, Emily looked down the wide gloomy corridor lined with stalls on both sides. โ€œWhere is Miss Whitney?โ€ she asked the stableboy who was currying a sorrel gelding.

โ€œIn there, Miss.โ€ Even in the muted light, Emily saw his face suffuse with color as he nodded toward a door adjacent to the tack room.

With a puzzled glance at the flushing stableboy, Emily tapped lightly on the designated door and stepped inside, then froze at the sight that greeted her: Whitney Allison Stoneโ€™s long legs were encased in coarse brown britches that clung startlingly to her slender hips and were held in place at her narrow waist with a length of rope. Above the riding britches she wore a thin chemise.

โ€œYou surely arenโ€™t going out there dressed like that?โ€ Emily gasped.

Whitney fired an amused glance over her shoulder at her scandalized friend. โ€œOf course not. Iโ€™m going to wear a shirt, too.โ€

โ€œB-but why?โ€ Emily persisted desperately.

โ€œBecause I donโ€™t think it would be very proper to appear in my chemise, silly,โ€ Whitney cheerfully replied, snatching the stableboyโ€™s clean shirt off a peg and plunging her arms into the sleeves.

โ€œP-proper? Proper?โ€ Emily sputtered. โ€œItโ€™s completelyย improperย for you to be wearing menโ€™s britches, and you know it!โ€

โ€œTrue. But I canโ€™t very well ride that horse without a saddle and risk having my skirts blow up around my neck, now can I?โ€ Whitney breezily argued while she twisted her long unruly hair into a knot and pinned it at her nape.

โ€œRide without a saddle? Youย canโ€™tย mean youโ€™re going to ride astrideโ€”your father willย disownย you if you do that again.โ€

โ€œI am not going to ride astride. Although,โ€ Whitney giggled, โ€œI canโ€™t understand why men are allowed to straddle a horse, while weโ€”who are supposed to be the weaker sexโ€”must hang off the side, praying for our lives.โ€

Emily refused to be diverted. โ€œThen whatย areย you going to do?โ€

โ€œI never realized what an inquisitive young lady you are, Miss Williams,โ€ Whitney teased. โ€œBut to answer your question, I am going to ride standing on the horseโ€™s back. I saw it done at the fair, and Iโ€™ve been practicing ever since. Then, when Paul sees how well I do, heโ€™llโ€”โ€

โ€œHeโ€™ll think you have lost your mind, Whitney Stone! Heโ€™ll think that you havenโ€™t a grain of sense or propriety, and that youโ€™re only trying something else to gain his attention.โ€ Seeing the stubborn set of her friendโ€™s chin, Emily switched her tactics. โ€œWhitney, pleaseโ€”think of your father. What will he say if he finds out?โ€

Whitney hesitated, feeling the force of her fatherโ€™s unwaveringly cold stare as if it were this minute focused upon her. She drew a long breath, then expelled it slowly as she glanced out the small window at the group waiting on the lawn. Wearily, she said, โ€œFather will say that, as usual, I have disappointed him, that I am a disgrace to him and to my motherโ€™s memory, that he is happy sheย didnโ€™t live to see what I have become. Then he will spend half an hour telling me what a perfect lady Elizabeth Ashton is, and that I ought to be like her.โ€

โ€œWell, if you really wanted to impress Paul, you could tryย .ย .ย .โ€

Whitney clenched her hands in frustration. โ€œIย haveย tried to be like Elizabeth. I wear those disgusting ruffled dresses that make me feel like a pastel mountain, Iโ€™ve practiced going for hours without saying a word, and Iโ€™ve fluttered my eyelashes until my eyelids go limp.โ€

Emily bit her lip to hide her smile at Whitneyโ€™s unflattering description of Elizabeth Ashtonโ€™s demure mannerisms, then she sighed. โ€œIโ€™ll go and tell the others that youโ€™ll be right out.โ€

Gasps of outrage and derisive sniggers greeted Whitneyโ€™s appearance on the lawn when she led the horse toward the spectators. โ€œSheโ€™ll fall off,โ€ one of the girls predicted, โ€œif God doesnโ€™t strike her dead first for wearing those britches.โ€

Ignoring the impulse to snap out a biting retort, Whitney raised her head in a gesture of haughty disdain, then stole a look at Paul. His handsome face was taut with disapproval as his gaze moved from her bare feet, up her trousered legs, to her face. Inwardly, Whitney faltered at his obvious displeasure, but she swung resolutely onto the back of the waiting horse.

The gelding moved into its practiced canter, and Whitney worked herself upward, first crouching with arms outstretched for balance, then slowly easing herself into a standing position. Around and around they went and, although Whitney was in constant terror of falling off and looking like a fool, she managed to appear competent and graceful.

As she completed the fourth circle, she let her eyes slant to the faces passing on her left, registering their looks of shock and derision, while she searched for the only face that mattered. Paul was partially in the treeโ€™s shadow, and Elizabeth Ashton was clinging to his arm, but as Whitney passed, she saw the slow, reluctant smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, and triumph unfurled like a banner in her heart. By the time she came around again, Paul was grinning broadly at her. Whitneyโ€™s spirits soared, and suddenly all the weeks of practice, the sore muscles and bruises, seemed worthwhile.

*ย ย *ย ย *

At the window of the second floor drawing room overlooking the south lawn, Martin Stone stared down at his performing daughter. Behind him, the butler announced that Lord and Lady Gilbert had arrived. Too enraged at his daughter to speak, Martin greeted his sister-in-law and her husband with a clenched jaw and curt nod.

โ€œHowโ€”how nice to see you again after so many years, Martin,โ€ Lady Anne lied graciously. When he remained icily silent, she said, โ€œWhere is Whitney? Weโ€™re so anxious to see her.โ€

Martin finally recovered his voice. โ€œSee her?โ€ he snapped savagely. โ€œMadam, you have only to look out this window.โ€

Bewildered, Anne did as he said. Below on the lawn there stood a group of young people watching a slender boy balancing beautifully on a cantering horse. โ€œWhat a clever young man,โ€ she said, smiling.

Her simple remark seemed to drive Martin Stone from frozen rage to frenzied action as he swung on his heel and marched toward the door. โ€œIf you wish to meetย your niece, come with me. Or, I can spare you the humiliation, and bring her here to you.โ€

With an exasperated look at Martinโ€™s back, Anne tucked her hand in her husbandโ€™s arm and together they followed Martin downstairs and outside.

As they approached the group of young people, Anne heard murmurings and laughter, and she was vaguely aware that there was something malicious in the tone, but she was too busy scanning the young ladiesโ€™ faces, looking for Whitney, to pay much heed to the fleeting impression. She mentally discarded two blondes and a redhead, quizzically studied a petite, blue-eyed brunette, then glanced helplessly at the young man beside her. โ€œPardon me, I am Lady Gilbert, Whitneyโ€™s aunt. Could you tell me where she is?โ€

Paul Sevarin grinned at her, half in sympathy and half in amusement. โ€œYour niece is on the horse, Lady Gilbert,โ€ he said.

โ€œOn theโ€”โ€ Lord Gilbert choked.

From her delicate perch atop the horse, Whitneyโ€™s eyes followed her fatherโ€™s progress as he bore down on her with long, rapid strides. โ€œPlease donโ€™t make a scene, Father,โ€ she implored when he was within earshot.

โ€œIย make a scene?โ€ he roared furiously. Snatching the halter, he brought the cantering horse around so sharply that he jerked it from beneath her. Whitney hit the ground on her feet, lost her balance, and ended up half-sprawling. As she scampered up, her father caught her arm in a ruthless grip and hauled her over toward the spectators. โ€œThisโ€”thisย thing,โ€ he said, thrusting her forward toward her aunt and uncle, โ€œI am mortified to tell you is your niece.โ€

Whitney heard the smattering of giggles as the groupย quickly disbanded, and she felt her face grow hot with shame. โ€œHow do you do, Aunt Gilbert? Uncle Gilbert?โ€ With one eye on Paulโ€™s broad-shouldered, retreating form, Whitney reached mechanically for her nonexistent skirt, realized it was missing, and executed a comical curtsy without it. She saw the frown on her auntโ€™s face and put her chin up defensively. โ€œYou may be sure that for the week you are here, I shall endeavor not to make a freak of myself again, Aunt.โ€

โ€œFor the week that we are here?โ€ her aunt gasped, but Whitney was preoccupied watching Paul help Elizabeth into his curricle and didnโ€™t notice the surprise in her auntโ€™s voice.

โ€œGood-bye, Paul,โ€ she called, waving madly. He turned and raised his arm in silent farewell.

Laughter drifted back as the curricles bowled down the drive, carrying their occupants off to a picnic or some other gay and wonderful activity, to which Whitney was never invited because she was too young.

Following Whitney toward the house, Anne was a mass of conflicting emotions. She was embarrassed for Whitney, furious with Martin Stone for humiliating the girl in front of the other young people, somewhat dazed by the sight of her own niece cavorting on the back of a horse, wearing menโ€™s britchesย .ย .ย . and utterly astonished to discover that Whitney, whose mother had been only passably pretty, showed promise of becoming a genuine beauty.

She was too thin right now, but even in disgrace Whitneyโ€™s shoulders were straight, her walk naturally graceful and faintly provocative. Anne smiled to herself at the gently rounded hips displayed to almost immoral advantage by the coarse brown trousers, the slender waistย that would require no subterfuge to make it appear smaller, eyes that seemed to change from sea-green to deep jade beneath their fringe of long, sooty lashes. And that hairโ€”piles and piles of rich mahogany brown! All it needed was a good trimming and brushing until it shone; Anneโ€™s fingers positively itched to go to work on it. Mentally she was already styling it in ways to highlight Whitneyโ€™s striking eyes and high cheekbones. Off her face, Anne decided, piled at the crown with tendrils at the ears, or pulled straight back off the forehead to fall in gentle waves down her back.

As soon as they entered the house, Whitney mumbled an excuse and fled to her room where she flopped dejectedly into a chair and morosely contemplated the humiliating scene Paul had just witnessed, with her father jerking her ignominiously off her horse and then shouting at her. No doubt her aunt and uncle were as horrified and revolted by her behavior as her father had been, and her cheeks burned with shame just thinking of how they must despise her already.

โ€œWhitney?โ€ Emily whispered, creeping into the bedroom and cautiously closing the door behind her. โ€œI came up the back way. Is your father angry?โ€

โ€œCross as crabs,โ€ Whitney confirmed, staring down at her trousered legs. โ€œI suppose I ruined everything today, didnโ€™t I? Everyone was laughing at me, and Paul heard them. Now that Elizabeth is seventeen, heโ€™s bound to offer for her before he ever has a chance to realize that he lovesย me.โ€

โ€œYou?โ€ Emily repeated dazedly. โ€œWhitney Stone, Paul avoids you like the plague, and well you know it! And who could blame him, after the mishaps youโ€™ve treated him to in the last year?โ€

โ€œThere havenโ€™t been so many as all that,โ€ Whitney protested, but she squirmed in her chair.

โ€œNo? What about that trick you played on him on All Soulโ€™sโ€”darting out in front of his carriage, shrieking like a banshee, and pretending to be a ghost, terrifying his horses.โ€

Whitney flushed. โ€œHe wasnโ€™t soย veryย angry. And it isnโ€™t as if the carriage was destroyed. It only broke a shaft when it overturned.โ€

โ€œAnd Paulโ€™s leg,โ€ Emily pointed out.

โ€œBut that mended perfectly,โ€ Whitney persisted, her mind already leaping from past debacles to future possibilities. She surged to her feet and began to pace slowly back and forth. โ€œThere has to be a wayโ€”but short of abducting him, Iโ€”โ€ A mischievous smile lit up her dust-streaked face as she swung around so quickly that Emily pressed back into her chair. โ€œEmily, one thing is infinitely clear: Paul does not yet know that he cares for me. Correct?โ€

โ€œHe doesnโ€™t care aย snapย for you is more like it,โ€ Emily replied warily.

โ€œTherefore, it would be safe to say that he is unlikely to offer for me without some sort of added incentive. Correct?โ€

โ€œYou couldnโ€™t make him offer for you at the point of a gun, and you know it. Besides, you arenโ€™t old enough to be betrothed, even ifโ€”โ€

โ€œUnder what circumstances,โ€ Whitney interrupted triumphantly, โ€œis a gentleman obliged to offer for a lady?โ€

โ€œI canโ€™t think of any. Except of course, if he has compromised herโ€”absolutely not!ย Whitney, whatever youโ€™re planning now, I wonโ€™t help.โ€

Sighing, Whitney flopped back into her chair, stretchingย her legs out in front of her. An irreverent giggle escaped her as she considered the sheer audacity of her last idea. โ€œIf only I could have pulled it offย .ย .ย . you know, loosened the wheel on Paulโ€™s carriage so that it would fall off later, and then asked him to drive me somewhere. Then, by the time we walked back, or help arrived, it would be late at night, and he would have to offer for me.โ€ Oblivious to Emilyโ€™s scandalized expression, Whitney continued, โ€œJust think what a wonderful turnabout that would have been on a tired old theme:ย Young Ladyย abductsย Gentlemanย and ruinsย hisreputation so thatย sheย is forced to marry him to set things aright! What a novel that could have made,โ€ she added, rather impressed with her own ingenuity.

โ€œIโ€™m leaving,โ€ Emily said. She marched to the door, then she hesitated and turned back to Whitney. โ€œYour aunt and uncle saw everything. What are you going to say to them about those trousers and the horse?โ€

Whitneyโ€™s face clouded. โ€œIโ€™m not going to say anything, it wouldnโ€™t helpโ€”but for the rest of the time they are here, Iโ€™m going to be the most demure, refined, delicate female youโ€™ve ever seen.โ€ She saw Emilyโ€™s dubious look and added, โ€œAlso I intend to stay out of sight except at mealtimes. I think Iโ€™ll be able to act like Elizabeth for three hours a day.โ€

*ย ย *ย ย *

Whitney kept her promise. At dinner that night, after her uncleโ€™s hair-raising tale of their life in Beirut where he was attached to the British Consulate, she murmured only, โ€œHow very informative, Uncle,โ€ even though she was positively burning to ply him with questions. At the end of her auntโ€™s description of Paris and the thrill of its gay social life, Whitney murmured, โ€œHow very informative,ย Aunt.โ€ The moment the meal was finished, she excused herself and vanished.

After three days, Whitneyโ€™s efforts to be either demure or absent had, in fact, been so successful that Anne was beginning to wonder whether she had only imagined the spark of fire sheโ€™d glimpsed the day of their arrival, or if the girl had some aversion to Edward and herself.

On the fourth day, when Whitney breakfasted before the rest of the household was up, and then vanished, Anne set out to discover the truth. She searched the house, but Whitney was not indoors. She was not in the garden, nor had she taken a horse from the stable, Anne was informed by a groom. Squinting into the sunlight, Anne looked around her, trying to imagine where a fifteen-year-old would go to spend all day.

Off on the crest of a hill overlooking the estate, she spied a patch of bright yellow. โ€œThere you are!โ€ she breathed, opening her parasol and striking out across the lawn.

Whitney didnโ€™t see her aunt coming until it was too late to escape. Wishing she had found a better place to hide, she tried to think of some innocuous subject on which she could converse without appearing ignorant. Clothes? Personally, she knew nothing of fashions and cared even less; she looked hopeless no matter what she wore. After all, what could clothes do to improve the looks of a female who had catโ€™s eyes, mud-colored hair, and freckles on the bridge of her nose? Besides that, she was too tall, too thin, and if the good Lord intended for her ever to have a bosom, it was very late in making its appearance.

Weak-kneed, her chest heaving with each labored breath, Anne topped the steep rise and collapsed unceremoniously onto the blanket beside Whitney. โ€œI-I thought Iโ€™d takeย .ย .ย . a nice stroll,โ€ Anne lied. When she caught herย breath, she noticed the leather-bound book lying face down on the blanket and, seizing on books as a topic of conversation, she said, โ€œIs that a romantic novel?โ€

โ€œNo, Aunt,โ€ Whitney demurely uttered, carefully placing her hand over the title of the book to conceal it from her auntโ€™s eyes.

โ€œIโ€™m told most young ladies adore romantic novels,โ€ Anne tried again.

โ€œYes, Aunt,โ€ Whitney agreed politely.

โ€œI read one once but I didnโ€™t like it,โ€ Anne remarked, her mind groping for some other topic that might draw Whitney into conversation. โ€œI cannot abide a heroine who is too perfect, nor one who is forever swooning.โ€

Whitney was so astonished to discover that she wasnโ€™t the only female in all of England who didnโ€™t devour the insipid things, that she instantly forgot her resolution to speak only in monosyllables. โ€œAnd when the heroines arenโ€™t swooning,โ€ she added, her entire face lighting up with laughter, โ€œthey are lying about with hartshorn bottles up their nostrils, moping and pining away for some faint-hearted gentleman who hasnโ€™t the gumption to offer for them, or else has already offered for some other, unworthy female.ย Iย could never just lie there doing nothing, knowing the man I loved was falling in love with a horrid person.โ€ Whitney darted a glance at her aunt to see if she was shocked, but her aunt was regarding her with an unexplainable smile lurking at the corners of her eyes. โ€œAunt Anne, could you actually care for a man who dropped to his knees and said, โ€˜Oh, Clarabel, your lips are the petals of a red rose and your eyes are two stars from the heavensโ€™?โ€ With a derisive snort, Whitney finished, โ€œThatย is where I would haveย leaptย for the hartshorn!โ€

โ€œAnd so would I,โ€ Anne said, laughing. โ€œWhat doย you read then, if not atrocious romantic novels?โ€ She pried the book from beneath Whitneyโ€™s flattened hand and stared at the gold-embossed title. โ€œTheย Iliad?โ€ she asked in astonished disbelief. The breeze ruffled the pages, and Anneโ€™s amazed gaze ricocheted from the print to Whitneyโ€™s tense face. โ€œBut this is in Greek! Surely you donโ€™t read Greek?โ€

Whitney nodded, her face flushed with mortification. Now her aunt would think her a bluestockingโ€”another black mark against her. โ€œAlso Latin, Italian, French, and even some German,โ€ she confessed.

โ€œGood God,โ€ Anne breathed. โ€œHow did you ever learn all that?โ€

โ€œDespite what Father thinks, Aunt Anne, I am only foolish, not stupid, and I plagued him to death until he allowed me tutors in languages and history.โ€ Whitney fell silent, remembering how sheโ€™d once believed that if

she applied herself to her studies, if she could become more like a son, her father might love her.

โ€œYou sound ashamed of your accomplishments, when you should be proud.โ€

Whitney gazed out at her home, nestled in the valley below. โ€œIโ€™m sure you know everyone thinks itโ€™s a waste of time to educate a female in these things. And anyway, I havenโ€™t aย feminineย accomplishment to my name. I canโ€™t sew a stitch that doesnโ€™t look as if it were done blindfolded, and when I sing, the dogs down at the stable begin to howl. Mr. Twittsworthy, our local music instructor, told my father that my playing of the pianoforte gives him hives. I canโ€™t do a thing that girlsย oughtย to do, and whatโ€™s more, I particularly detest doing them.โ€

Whitney knew her aunt would now take her in complete dislike, just as everyone else always did, but it wasย better this way because at least she could stop dreading the inevitable. She looked at Lady Anne, her green eyes wide and vulnerable. โ€œIโ€™m certain Papa has told you all about me. Iโ€™m a terrible disappointment to him. He wants me to be dainty and demure and quiet, like Elizabeth Ashton. I try to be, but I canโ€™t seem to do it.โ€

Anneโ€™s heart melted for the lovely, spirited, bewildered child her sister had borne. Laying her hand against Whitneyโ€™s cheek, she said tenderly, โ€œYour father wants a daughter who is like a cameoโ€”delicate, pale, and easily shaped. Instead, he has a daughter who is a diamond, full of sparkle and life, and he doesnโ€™t know what to do with her. Instead of appreciating the value and rarity of his jewelโ€”instead of polishing her a bit and then letting her shineโ€”he persists in trying to shape her into a common cameo.โ€

Whitney was more inclined to think of herself as a chunk of coal, but rather than disillusion her aunt, she kept silent. After her aunt left, Whitney picked up her book, but soon her mind wandered from the printed page to dreamy thoughts of Paul.

That night when she came down to the dining room, the atmosphere in the room was strangely charged, and no one noticed her sauntering toward the table. โ€œWhen do you plan to tell her sheโ€™s coming back to France with us, Martin?โ€ her uncle demanded angrily. โ€œOr is it your intention to wait until the day we leave and then just toss the child into the coach with us?โ€

The world tilted crazily, and for one horrible moment, Whitney thought she was going to be sick. She stopped, trying to steady her shaking limbs, and swallowed back the aching lump in her throat. โ€œAm I going somewhere, Father?โ€ she asked, trying to sound calm and indifferent.

They all turned and stared, and her fatherโ€™s face tightened into lines of impatience and annoyance. โ€œTo France,โ€ he replied abruptly. โ€œTo live with your aunt and uncle, who are going to try to make a lady out of you.โ€

Carefully avoiding meeting anyoneโ€™s eyes, lest she break down then and there, Whitney slid into her chair at the table. โ€œHave you informed my aunt and uncle of the risk they are taking?โ€ she asked, concentrating all her strength on preventing her father from seeing what he had just done to her heart. She looked coldly at her aunt and uncleโ€™s guilty, embarrassed faces. โ€œFather may have neglected to mention youโ€™re risking disgrace by welcoming me into your home. As he will tell you, Iโ€™ve a hideous disposition, Iโ€™m rag-mannered, and I havenโ€™t a trace of polite conversation.โ€

Her aunt was watching her with naked pity, but her fatherโ€™s expression was stony. โ€œOh Papa,โ€ she whispered brokenly, โ€œdo you really despise me this much? Do you hate me so much that you have to send me out of your sight?โ€ Her eyes swimming with unshed tears, Whitney stood up. โ€œIf youย .ย .ย . will excuse meย .ย .ย . Iโ€™m not very hungry this evening.โ€

โ€œHow could you!โ€ Anne cried when she left, rising from her own chair and glaring furiously at Martin Stone. โ€œYou are the most heartless, unfeelingโ€”it will be a pleasure to remove that child from your clutches. How she has survived this long is a testimony to her strength. Iโ€™m sure I could never have done so well.โ€

โ€œYou refine too much upon her words, Madam,โ€ Martin said icily. โ€œI assure you that what has her looking so distraught is not the prospect of being parted from me. I have merely put a premature end to her plans to continue making a fool of herself over Paul Sevarin.โ€

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judithmcnaught-authorphotoAuthor Info:

Judith McNaught is the New York Times bestselling author who first soared to stardom with her stunning bestseller Whitney, My Love, and went on to win the hearts of millions of readers with Once and Always, Something Wonderful, A Kingdom of Dreams, Almost Heaven, Paradise, Perfect, Until You,Remember When, Someone to Watch Over Me, the #1 bestseller Night Whispers, and other novels. There are more than thirty million copies of her books in print. She lives in Houston. Please visit her at JudithMcNaught.com and on Facebook at AuthorJudithMcNaught.

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Promo Code Giveaway:

For McNaught-E Cyber Monday (11/28) we will announce the winner(s) of 14 promo codes, one promo code for each title. Enter to win today! You can enter on all blogs on the tour listed below, but you can only win once.

Leave a comment and winners will be drawn at the end of the month!

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Blog Tour:

*****Harlequin Junkie: Spotlight Q&A with Judith McNaught!

A Midlife Wife

Agents of Romance

Alpha Heroes

Always Reviewing

Art, Books & Coffee

Black โ€˜N Gold Girlโ€™s Book Spot

Books and Boys Book Blog

Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My!

Celticladyโ€™s Reviews

Dark Faerie Tales

Dear Author

Dew On The Kudzu

Dirty Girl Romance

Feeding My Addiction Book Reviews

KT Book Reviews

Live to Read

Mrs. Leifโ€™s Two Fangs About It

Poof Books

Romancing the Readers

Romantic Reads and Such

Stephanieโ€™s Book Reports

Temppatt

The Book Enthusiast

The Qwillery

The Romance Reviews

Treat Yourself With Books

Undeniably Book Nerdy

Wrapped Up In Reading

WTF Are You Reading?