Scandalous Scions One Read online

  Special Offer

  Learn the origins of the Great Family!

  The Great Family was not always a great family.

  In October 1843, Anna & Rhys, Natasha & Seth, Elisa & Vaughn all face problems, their hearts heavy with the challenges of life.

  This is the origins story of the Scandalous Scions series—the first great family gathering, where traditions that will last a generation are born and Anna & Rhys, Natasha & Seth, Elisa & Vaughn meld into a single, united family.

  Find out how the couples of Scandalous Sirens learn that together, they are stronger.

  This novelette has not been commercially released for sale. It is only available as a gift to readers of the series, who subscribe to Tracy’s Newsletter.

  Click here to get your copy.

  http://tracycooperposey.com/free-copy-of-lost-at-sea/

  Table of Contents

  Special Offer

  About Scandalous Scions One

  Praise for the Scandalous Scions Series

  ROSE OF EBONY

  About Rose of Ebony

  Praise for Rose of Ebony

  Title Page for Rose of Ebony

  The Great Families

  Rose of Ebony

  SOUL OF SIN

  About Soul of Sin

  Praise for Soul of Sin

  Title Page for Soul of Sin

  The Great Families

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  VALOR OF LOVE

  About Valor of Love

  Praise for Valor of Love

  Title Page for Valor of Love

  The Great Families

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  1860 Great Family Gathering

  MARRIAGE OF LIES

  About Marriage of Lies

  Praise for Marriage of Lies

  Title Page for Marriage of Lies

  The Great Families

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Did you enjoy this set? How to make a big difference!

  About the Author

  Other books by Tracy Cooper-Posey

  Copyright Information

  About Scandalous Scions One

  The first four titles of the beloved historical romance series in one set.

  The sexy historical romance series, Scandalous Scions, brings together the members of three great families, to love and play under the gaze of the Victorian era’s moralistic, straight-laced society.

  Rose of Ebony

  An unwanted marriage turns tragic.

  Raymond, Viscount Marblethorpe, eldest son to Elisa and stepson to Vaughn Wardell, casts off the solitary confines of a mourning widower to seek the company of his extended family. His sharp-eyed cousins and siblings refuse to let him lie to himself, even if he must deceive the ton to save the family from yet another scandal.

  Wow, As soon as I started Tracys first book in her new spin off series Scandalous Scions I was hooked. . –Reader Review

  Soul of Sin

  Two broken hearts.

  Lady Natasha Innesford, four years a widow, still cannot stir herself to live. Her life died with Seth. Lord Raymond Marblethorpe, oldest son of Lady Elisa Farleigh, has loved the mysterious Susanna forever, but she can never be his. Can they learn to let go of the past and love again?

  I do not know how this woman does it! I absolutely loved this book. –Reader Review

  Valor of Love

  He is less than a commoner and should be beneath her notice.

  Lady Lillian Innesford, oldest daughter of the Williams family, withdrew from society seven years ago. A governess now, she carries a secret that has drained all life from her. Jasper Thomsett, new butler to the Williams family, is the first and only person to realize the nature of Lilly’s troubles. Retired with the highest honours after the Crimea War, he seeks a quiet life, but Lilly’s secret will rip their world apart.

  Wow! I was so moved by their story that I cried happy tears!! I'm so totally in love with these characters! . –Reader Review

  Marriage of Lies

  Guilt about their love for each other is steadily destroying their lives…

  Since Sharla married the Duke of Wakefield, Ben’s life has slowly crumbled as the knowledge that he is a mere commoner and can never have her eats at his soul. Sharla hides the truth about her disastrous marriage from everyone, shamed by her failure. When Ben glimpses a fragment of the awful truth, he knows he must do what he can to help her…and in the process he might just be able to pull his own life from the gutter.

  I could see no possible resolution, and when I thought I was onto the answer this creative author proved me wrong. . –Reader Review

  Reader Advisory: This boxed set contains frank sex scenes and sexual language.

  This story is part of the Scandalous Scions series:

  0.5 Rose of Ebony

  1.0 Soul of Sin

  2.0 Valor of Love

  3.0 Marriage of Lies

  3.5 Scandalous Scions Boxed Set 1

  4.0 Mask of Nobility

  5.0 Law of Attraction

  6.0 Veil of Honor

  6.5 Scandalous Scions Boxed Set 2

  7.0 Season of Denial

  8.0 Rules of Engagement

  9.0 Degree of Solitude

  10.0 Ashes of Pride

  11.0 Risk of Ruin

  12.0 Year of Folly

  13.0 Queen of Hearts

  A Sexy Historical Romance

  Praise for the Scandalous Scions Series

  If you are familiar with the previous series, I am sure you fell in love with the huge family like I did.

  She is a go to author for me when I need a fix of historical romance.

  Tracy Cooper-Posey takes us into the staid yet surprisingly bawdy Victorian Era where appearance is everything and secrets are held inside the family.

  Thanks once again, Tracy Cooper-Posey, for giving us another great story and for giving me back my love of historical romances.

  I love historical romances and this one filled all my likes, from a dashing, wonderful hero, a beautiful strong heroine, a love story to sigh over, side characters that are interesting, and f
unny, and move the story along.

  I don't often give books five stars, but I really enjoyed the mystery that puzzled all of the characters in this story.

  A wonderful story set in the Victorian era of such strict social conventions and yet the main characters are shimmering with latent sexual tension. What a fabulous juxtaposition!

  ROSE OF EBONY

  About Rose of Ebony

  An unwanted marriage turns tragic.

  Raymond, Viscount Marblethorpe, eldest son to Elisa and stepson to Vaughn Wardell, casts off the solitary confines of a mourning widower to seek the company of his extended family.

  His sharp-eyed cousins and siblings refuse to let him lie to himself, even if he must deceive the ton to save the family from yet another scandal.

  The Rose of Ebony novelette is an introduction to the spin-off series following the historical romances of Scandalous Sirens. Scandalous Scions brings together the members of three great families, to love and play under the gaze of the Victorian era’s moralistic, straight-laced society.

  Praise for Rose of Ebony

  This is a good start to a new series.

  I love reading any story Tracy Cooper-Posey writes. This one grabbed my attention and I couldn't put it down until I was done.

  Oh, how I wish this story was longer; goes without saying that I'm grabbing book two in the series.

  I love Victorian London books and this one was read with great expectations for a wonderful story, and it did not disappoint.

  Another great series is starting and it looks like it will be great just like all the other series by this author.

  Wow, As soon as I started Tracys Cooper Posey first book in her new spin off series Scandalous Scions I was hooked.

  Thank you Tracy for introducing me to this wonderful series.

  Ok here goes again! I never expected Tracy to leave me perched on the edge of a cliff, but she has succeeded.

  Having not read any historical romances before, I was amazed how quickly I immersed into this novella. Tracy describes the setting so beautifully that the imagery takes you back to that era in the past where traditions are so different from today.

  The Great Families

  Elisa and Vaughn Wardell

  Marquess of Fairleigh, Viscount Rothmere

  1825 Raymond, Viscount Marblethorpe (stepson)

  1839 William Vaughn Wardell

  1839 John (Jack) Gladwin Lochlann Mayes (fostered in 1846)

  1842 Sarah Louise Wardell (D)

  1843 Peter Lovell Wardell

  1844 Gwendolyn (Jenny) Violet Moore Wardell (adopted in 1848)

  1844 Patricia Sharla Victoria Mayes (fostered in 1846)

  1849 Blanche Brigitte Colombe Bonnay (adopted in 1851)

  1853 Emma Jane Wardell (adopted at birth)

  Natasha and Seth Williams

  Earl of Innesford, Baron Harrow (Ire.)

  1839 Lillian Mary Harrow

  1840 Richard Cian Seth Williams

  1841 Neil Vaughn Williams

  1843 Daniel Rhys Williams

  1846 Bridget Bronte Williams & Mairin May Williams

  1849 Annalies Grace Williams

  Annalies and Rhys Davies

  Princess Annalies Benedickta of Saxe-Weiden, of the royal house Saxe-Coburg-Weiden, Formerly of the Principality of Saxe-Weiden.

  1835 Benjamin Hedley Davies (adopted in 1845)

  1842 Iefan William Davies

  1843 Morgan Harrow Davies

  1843 Sadie Hedley Davies (adopted in 1845)

  1846 Bronwen Natasha Davies

  1848 Alice Thomasina Davies (adopted at birth)

  1849 Catrin Elise Davies

  Rose of Ebony

  Innesford House, Cornwall. 1857.

  It vexed Raymond that despite Herculean effort to remember to sit in the middle of the carriage seat, he continually found himself against the edge of the old carriage, making way for hoops and petticoats that would never again push up against his thigh.

  It didn’t seem fair that a marriage entered into reluctantly, maintained minimally and ended tragically should continue to impinge upon him in this way, but there it was. He was making way for Rose and her skirts.

  Then the carriage rounded the last curve and the multiple peaks and gables of Innesford House appeared among the rusty red, dusky orange and yellow leaves still stubbornly clinging to the black oak branches and the upright silver birches.

  From the nearby Dunstall Woods, he could hear a hunting party—the cry of the dogs, peppered by rifle blasts and horns. As the carriage turned into the gravelled drive in front of the big, old house, he could feel the bothersome itchiness that had driven him out of London fall away.

  Corcoran stepped out the door as the carriage came to a halt with the driver calming the horses with soothing phrases. Behind the Innesford butler, a half-a-dozen maids and footmen streamed out. A footman opened the door of the carriage, the other three began removing Raymond’s trunks from the back of the carriage. The two maids stood in file by the door, waiting.

  Corcoran, as usual, looked calm, even though Raymond had given no warning of his arrival. The butler was utterly unflappable and completely devoted to the family.

  Raymond stepped out and stretched. There were very few carriages built for a man of his height. He looked forward to the train line to London being completed in the next year or so. The long hours in a carriage with little spring left in it was not nearly as comfortable as an upholstered first class train cabin.

  There were late larks twittering in the trees, fighting over the last of the summer green for their nests. The sun was high overhead and pleasantly warm.

  He sniffed. He could smell the salty tang of the sea and hear the screech of gulls. “Ah, that smells good, Corcoran.”

  “Viscount Marblethorpe, we were not expecting you,” Corcoran chided him. “Lunch has just been served. I have asked for a place to be made for you.”

  That explained why he couldn’t hear children shouting from the back of the big old rambling country house. They were all sitting down to eat. “Day two of the Great Family Gathering, hey, Corcoran? Does that mean they’re outside?”

  “Of course, my lord. The pavilion was erected last week to accommodate the numbers.”

  “How many this year?” Raymond asked, as he removed his great coat and straightened his coat and cravat.

  “Twenty-seven, my lord, including yourself. Even Miss Emma has been deemed grown enough to sit at the family table for this occasion.”

  “Has she, indeed?” Raymond remarked. Emma would be four this year. The last time he had seen her, she had been a toddler wearing a big lavender bow in her dark hair, gripping a much battered and chewed doll. “If Emma is at the table, with my arrival that includes absolutely everyone, does it not?” He was pleased about that.

  Corcoran cleared his throat as he rearranged the great coat over his arm. “Lord Innesford, of course, will not be there.”

  Raymond gripped Corcoran’s shoulder compulsively. “I’m sorry, Corcoran. You are right. I had not forgotten him. I have been rather distracted lately. The only thought occupying me for the last week was the idea of seeing everyone today.”

  Corcoran looked just as abashed and awkward. “It is I who should apologize, my lord. How thoughtless of me…”

  Raymond patted his shoulder. “There is no need to announce me. I’ll slip around the house and surprise them.”

  “Very good, my Lord.” Corcoran’s relief at being able to escape the vicinity of his gaff was visible.

  Raymond handed over his top hat and ran his hand through his hair, as the breeze ruffled it. “Thank you, Corcoran.”

  He crunched across the gravel to the formal footpath that shot straight as a javelin through the west wing gardens, that featured a big maze the children loved to play in. The east wing, which got more southern light, was given over to a formal pottager garden with espaliered fruit trees and grassed and paved areas where lounges could be spread for relaxing in the sun.


  The big pavilion was always set up on the edge of the field-sized lawn at the back of the house, facing the sea, as close to the house as possible without siting it on the gravel between house and lawn. The rest of the mown and rolled grass was given over to a large croquet field and a cricket pitch at the far end for the more energetic members of the family.

  Croquet mallets and balls, hoops and stakes were scattered over the lawn. The wickets on the cricket pitch were set up, yet no bats or balls lay near them. It seemed that lunch had interrupted one of the family’s boisterous croquet matches.

  From inside the white pavilion, which had most of the sides in place, came the noisy chatter of twenty-six adults and children, as they dined together on locally caught baked sole, glazed vegetables and freshly baked bread. There would be three types of dessert, including fresh fruit compote made from peaches, cherries and apricots picked from the espalier trees.

  Vaughn, sitting at the head of the table, as the most senior male, jumped to his feet the moment he spotted Raymond through the openings in the side of the tent. He strode around the table and out onto the gravel, his arms out. “Raymond!” He smiled and shook his hand vigorously.

  Vaughn Wardell had not changed a great deal from the first time Raymond had met him, on the day he had returned Raymond to his mother when he was only ten years old. Raymond had become particularly sensitive to signs of aging or ailment in people in the last few weeks and could see nothing disturbing in Vaughn’s features. He was still as tall as Raymond, just as wide in the shoulders and the relaxed, contented air had not changed. The only difference from the man he had first met was the few silver spots in his dark hair.