Scandalous Scions Two 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 Two

  Praise for the Scandalous Scions Series

  MASK OF NOBILITY

  About Mask of Nobility

  Praise for Mask of Nobility

  Mask of Nobility Title Page

  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

  1866 Great Family Gathering

  LAW OF ATTRACTION

  About Law Attraction

  Praise for Law of Attraction

  Law of Attraction Title Page

  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

  The Great Family Gathering, 1867

  VEIL OF HONOR

  About Veil of Honor

  Praise for Veil of Honor

  Veil of Honor Title Page

  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

  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 Two

  The second three novels 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.

  Mask of Nobility

  He’s royalty. She’s a commoner. Their association has no future.

  Bronwen Davies is not only disinterested in marrying well, she has turned her back upon society, to live as freely as she can in the wilds of Northallerton, where she lives with her cousin Lilly and Lilly’s husband, Jasper. Jasper’s half-brother, the Archeduke Edvard Christoffer of Silkeborg, arrives at Northallerton without warning, asking for temporary sanctuary from the pressures of his public life. There, he finds Bronwen, a most distracting diversion. Only, Bronwen’s unexpected opinions and forthright manner prove to be far more seductive than a simple distraction should be…

  There were a lot of laughs and even some tears. It seems you experience every emotion in the pages of her books. – Reader Review

  Law of Attraction

  Her husband will divorce her for adultery, no matter the cost or the ruin it will deliver.

  Knowing their love was doomed, Jenny accepted the Duke of Burscough’s pragmatic and loveless proposal of marriage to force Jack, Baron Guestwick and heir to the Marquess of Laceby, to marry as his family wished. Now Burscough is determined to divorce Jenny in an outrageously scandalous and public manner, while the newspapers paw over her secrets and speculate about her morals and values, as well as those of the family who raised her.

  Jack refused to ever marry as long as Jenny was alive even though she was married to someone else. Can you get any more tragically romantic than that? – Reader review.

  Veil of Honour

  Bridget’s downfall at the hands of a duke forces Will to save her.

  Lady Bridget is determined to marry well, to a man not of the great family. When the Duke of Taplow takes advantage of her, William Wardell, heir to the Marquiss of Farleigh and great family member, is forced to marry her himself to save her reputation…which also happens to remove the family pressure upon him to wed and get himself an heir. The agreement only brings more strife into their lives for they are both stubborn, willful and most definitely not the marrying kind…

  Even when you think you can't be surprised, there is a twist, a turn, a scandal that will.

  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 funny, 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!

  MASK OF NOBIL
ITY

  About Mask of Nobility

  He’s royalty. She’s a commoner. Their association has no future.

  Bronwen Davies is not only disinterested in marrying well, she has turned her back upon society, to live as freely as she can in the wilds of Northallerton, where she lives with her cousin Lilly and Lilly’s husband, Jasper.

  Jasper’s half-brother, the Archeduke Edvard Christoffer of Silkeborg, arrives at Northallerton without warning, asking for temporary sanctuary from the pressures of his public life. There, he finds Bronwen, a most distracting diversion. Only, Bronwen’s unexpected opinions and forthright manner prove to be far more seductive than a simple distraction should be…

  Praise for Mask of Nobility

  Once again I fell under Tracy Cooper-Posey’s spell with this story.

  Reading this book gave me another very late night since I couldn’t stop reading it. I really should know better than to start one of Tracy’s books at night.

  Tracy Cooper-Posey continues to both amaze and please me with her historical romances. Her books have raised the bar for what I enjoy in this genre.

  A story where love conquers through the highs and lows of one's life and family is there to hold you up, is a story worth reading.

  Tracy Cooper-Posey has a talent for making the characters so real, in a succinct way, that draws the reader's empathy while moving the action and adventure along at an exciting pace.

  I grew up just outside Northallerton so I could picture the black faced sheep and the dales where this beautiful love story began. Tracy has done her homework!

  There were a lot of laughs and even some tears. It seems you experience every emotion in the pages of her books.

  I love it when a romance is more than just a romance that's why I adored reading the story of free spirited, unconventional Bronwen.

  This author is a great storyteller and I loved the wit and humor throughout the book.

  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

  And their children:

  Natasha and Raymond Devlin

  Viscount Marblethorpe

  1857 Vaughn Elis Devlin (Raymond’s heir)

  1861 Richard Seth Devlin

  Lilly and Jasper Thomsett

  1862 Seth Eckhard Thomsett (heir)

  1863 Elise Marie & Anne Louise Thomsett

  1864 George Jasper Thomsett (stillborn)

  Chapter One

  The Great Family Gathering. Cornwall, October, 1864.

  Princess Annalies Benedickta Davies of the royal Saxe-Coburg-Weiden dynasty rested the back of her trembling hand against her fine brow. “Perhaps it is impossible for a princess to raise children by herself. I don’t know, anymore. The books lay it out perfectly and sensibly. I have both of you as inspiring examples of motherhood, yet I think…I suspect…I have failed as an ordinary mother.”

  Natasha rested on the ottoman in front of Annalies’ chair, the twenty-five yards of tartan skirt of her dress spread around her like petals of a colorful flower. Annalies wondered if, hidden beneath the hoops, Natasha had her limbs arranged comfortably in an unladylike pose. From the waist up, she was a most elegant lady. A beautiful one, too. Natasha seemed to grow more lovely with each passing year.

  “There is nothing ordinary about you, Anna,” Natasha said, resting her hand on the Princess’, where it lay limp on the arm of the wing chair.

  “Exactly,” Annalies replied, with not a trace of pride. “I cannot fulfill a simple biological function of womanhood. Bronwen is completely out of hand. Look at her.”

  Natasha studied Bronwen, the subject of their discussion. Anna’s daughter sprawled on the big armchair on the other side of the big room. She sat with her legs draped over the arm of the chair. The arrangement was only possible because she wore no hoops and no corset. She bent in the middle.

  Worse, the feet she swung, her heels kicking the side of the chair with every arc, were quite bare. Her pink toes peeped beneath the dirty hem of her petticoat.

  Bronwen’s hair, which was perhaps her best feature, if one did not first notice her clear gray eyes, was thick and long, ending well beneath her waist. Annalies knew the exact length because Bronwen had not bothered to pin it up. It hung free, only the side sections swept up to the back of her head. Bronwen would have arranged it that way for convenience’s sake and no other reason.

  There was not a single bow anywhere on Bronwen’s ensemble. Not a scrap of lace, no embroidery, not a hint of embellishment. The buttons were plain bone things. Annalies suspected one or more of the buttons on her bodice might be missing. She was too afraid to look closely, for the confirmation would overwhelm her with despair.

  “How could she let herself descend to such…such…” Annalies said, her throat tight.

  “Freedom?” Natasha asked. “She’s still young, Anna. Yes? Nineteen, I calculate?”

  Anna pressed her lips together. “You were married at nineteen. Elisa was a mother at nineteen.” She glanced at Elisa, who did not react. “Elisa, are you even listening?”

  Elisa sat on the upright chair on Annalies’ other side, her knees together and her skirt pooling around her boots, her hands together in her lap. She peered about the busy, crowded room.

  Then she stirred. “Hmm?” She turned her head as if she was loath to look away. “Excuse me?” She frowned, her gaze turning inward for a heartbeat. “I was listening!” she protested, her frown clearing.

  “Then it was not Bronwen you were studying so closely?” Natasha said.

  Elisa smiled. It was a small expression, heated with emotion. “I am afraid you have both caught me indulging in motherly pride. I do apologize, Anna. It will seem as though I am trying to rub it in, only I cannot help watching the three of them and…oh, I am just so pleased!”

  “The three of whom?” Anna asked. For the first time, she yanked her gaze away from her wayward daughter and cataloged the family members in the big room.

  There was only one grouping of three among the couples and large circles of people laughing and talking and taking afternoon tea. Travers and his men were still to reach Anna’s side of the room with their trays of tea, sugar and cream, and the plate of scones and pots of jam. They had not yet served the little group of three, either.

  Ben kept company with Sharla and her husband, the Duke of Wakefield. All three stood together, intent on their conversation. Sharla watched Wakefield’s face as he spoke, a small smile on her glowing face. Ben was also listening. His arm was about Sharla’s waist.

  As Wakefield finished speaking, the three
of them laughed. Ben rested his other hand on Wakefield’s shoulder, a comradely gesture. Wakefield tugged at the ribbon bow Sharla wore at her neck, arranging it properly, before patting it into place. They were all intimate, familiar touches.

  Anna’s heart squeezed.

  “All three of them?” she whispered, her throat clamping so she could barely breathe.

  Natasha turned, peering.

  Elisa shook her head. “No, no. Ben and Sharla are together. Wakefield is part of it, only…not.” Her cheeks grew pink.

  “Why not?” Anna demanded.

  Elisa rolled her eyes.

  Natasha laughed. “Because…well, think about it, Anna.”

  Anna felt the jolt down to her bones. “Oh…!” she breathed, studying Wakefield once more. “Who would ever have guessed?”

  “I think that is the point,” Natasha said. “No one is supposed to guess at all. At least, not outside the family, yes, Elisa?”

  “Inside the family, we do as we please,” Elisa finished. “And their arrangement pleases them very much. Just look at them. I’ve never seen any of them happier.”

  Anna took in Ben’s relaxed pose. His arm about Sharla. The warmth and peace in his dark eyes. Yes, Elisa was right. “Ben asked to speak to me and Rhys after tea,” Anna said. “Now I know why.”

  “You are pleased for him, aren’t you?” Natasha asked, with an anxious note.

  Anna considered it. “Yes,” she said. “I believe I am. It isn’t a conventional arrangement, although if they’re happy…”

  “Ben is his mother’s son,” Elisa said. “Convention has never been a strong suit of yours. Why should it be his?”

  “Which brings me right back to the problem child of the day,” Anna replied, glancing at Bronwen again. Bronwen was eating her cream-ladened scone, her head back as she lowered the entire scone down into her mouth with patent relish.