Attracted To The Earl releases Tuesday 28 May.
Guy Neville, the second son of the Earl of Argyle is shattered when he learns of his elder brother’s death. Suddenly the idiot, imbecile son is the new earl. How is he to run an estate, or sit in the House of Lords, when he’s unable to read or write? Guy has lived in the shadows his whole life, beaten and abused by his late father, threatened with an asylum… His one vow is to ensure no one learns of his disability.
Abigail Pinehurst has risen from the gutter. Well educated she works hard because she is never going back to poverty. Her life is running smoothly until Patrick Neville threatens her with the truth of her ugly past. She’s to go to the Argyle Estate under the guise of drawing the rare Ghost Orchid. But in reality it’s to spy on the Earl of Argyle, Guy Neville. He has a secret, and Patrick needs to know what it is if he is to make a case to be made Trustee of the estate.
I’ll let Abigail and Guy share some of their story:
My sweet, Abigail
A love noet from me, I bet you weer not expeting this. And yes, I can see a little tear your in eye as you see I’ve tried do write some of it myself. That’s why itis such a mess!
But I shall leave the rest to Kit’s fine hand, but believe me the words are from my heart.
I love you. This is the only place to start. And it’s not only because you learned my secret and kept it secret. It’s because you gave me your heart and became my wife. I have a large list of why I love you… It would take all day to write. In the space of five minutes you changed my world. I fell in love at first sight and for the first, and only time, with a woman who accepted me—faults and all.
However, the one thing I’ve come to love about my disability, is the way my memory has compensated. I still remember the very first time I set eyes on you. My butler called you a drowned rat, but I saw an angel. I remember in minute detail everything about that day.
I did not even notice the puddle of water you were standing in. I remember the scent of lilies that came off your soaking wet clothes, and even when you are not by my side, I only have to close my eyes and I can smell your sweet fragrance. I remember each drop of rain trailing down your gorgeous face, and how much I wanted to kiss them off. I remember the pout of your beautiful lips and how you kept licking them. I had never envied a raindrop before. I remember how your gown clung to each luscious curve and how much I wanted to strip those wet clothes from your body and worship it.
I’ve come to realize that although I cannot read or write, I would not change that affliction for all the money in the world, because it gave me this amazing memory. When we are both old and grey, I will still have vivid pictures of the day we first met. Of the day you agreed to become my wife. Of the day our first child was born. Of the day each of our children were born…
And I will be able to share them with you, as I will share all of my life.
Thank you for loving me. Thank you for seeing me as a man, not the damaged soul I was before I met you. But most of all, thank you for making me the happiest and luckiest man in the world.
Your loving husband, always,
Guy Neville, Earl of Argyle
My darling, Guy
I L O V E Y O U
I’m hoping you can recognize those letters, but I don’t care if you cannot, as I will show you how much I love you later tonight, in our bed, as I read you this letter.
I will be with you, lying cuddled into your side, as I share with you how much your letter meant to me. I still pinch myself everyday that you wanted a woman like me as your bride.
When I first met you I was too scared to see what a wonderful man stood before me. It was only as I got to know you, as I got to learn what an honorable, kind, and regardless of what you think of yourself, brilliant man you were, I allowed myself to dream. And you made my dream come true.
Your faith in me, the fact you were willing to give up everything, to protect me—only made me love you more. You own my heart and always will. I don’t need a memory as special as yours to know I will remember you and your love now and into the beyond.
Yours always,
Love Abigail
The flower Abigail wishes to point is the the Ghost Orchid.
It was interesting that one learns about dyslexia in this story I thoroughly enjoyed the excerpt.
Yes, I don’t call it dyslexia in the story as in the Regency era no one really knew what the problem was.