In the enchanting kingdom of Veridonia, where magic flows through every part of daily life, traditions and ancient spells hold a quiet power over the realm.
Lady Adeline Wycliffe, the adventurous and spirited daughter of Viscount Wycliffe, dreams of a life unfettered by noble expectations. With a sharp mind, a kind heart, and a secret gift for magic, she yearns to explore the world beyond the rigid walls of nobility. But her aspirations come to an abrupt halt when her family arranges her marriage to the enigmatic Duke of Wintermere, a man she's heard of only in whispers.
Duke Lucien Valenhart is known for his honor, his strategic brilliance, and the aura of winter that seems to follow him. Steadfast in duty but guarded at heart, Lucien sees marriage as a necessity, a way to strengthen alliances. Love, to him, is a luxury he cannot afford.
Bound by duty but brought together by circumstance, Adeline and Lucien find themselves navigating the grandeur of court life and the quiet magic that fills the Duke's estate. Facing unexpected dangers, enchanting mysteries, and the warmth of small, shared moments, they begin to see each other in a new light. But to truly find one another, they must first let down their walls and open their guarded hearts.
***This is my original work, and if anyone decides to steal it and post it anywhere else without specific permission, I will not hesitate to take legal action against you!!!!***
A girl to take home to one's mother with no fear of sharp disapproval. Sure, she was plain and dull, but she was the sort one could settle down with in a few years after the sowing of the wild oats was completed. . .if one could get past how plain and ordinary she was that is.
In truth, Lady Lavinia Antrucha was nothing compared to her sister, Cassandra. She had neither beauty nor social notoriety. . .but at least she didn't leave a trail of broken hearts behind her. She's the one people go to when they're in trouble and don't know what to do, the one who is supposed to be the stronger of the two Antrucha girls, the one her parents expect will stay with them for the rest of their lives, because what man would want to marry plain, little Lavinia?
The most sought after bachelor in all of Scotland, the life of any given party, that's what they named Laird Ethan Brodi. He was the toast of high society and the man every mother yearned to see on their doorstep, asking to see their fine daughter. He knew there was something more to life than petty women who couldn't see past his fine physique, and he intended to find it; that is, until his father decided he had spent enough time unmarried and forged an alliance with the rich Antruchas by promising him in marriage to the eldest daughter who would certainly match Ethan in good looks and fine tastes. As far as Ethan was concerned, Lady Cassandra Antrucha could take a long walk off a short pier, but his father's word was law, and so to England he must go to meet his future bride. Can he go through with a marriage when his heart yearns for another?
#Wattys2016