Title: THE DISHWATER DUCHESS OF WYLDER, WYOMING
Author: Sharon Shipley
Genre: Period/Western/Romance
Book Blurb:
The Duke of Sandringham arrives in the raw frontier town of Wylder, Wyoming but soon contracts typhoid. The only person who can safely nurse him to health is the orphaned kitchen drudge, Catriona, who survived typhoid fever that took her parents. The duke’s awkward ginger-haired nephew Hugo, in turn, saves Cat’s life, and later her virtue, yet she ignores him, despite his interest, in favor of her employer's handsome ne're-do-well son, Aaron.
Lovely raven-haired Cat falls afoul of the jealous ladies in the duke’s party. Falsely accused of stealing, Catriona is banished, desperate, she is taken under the wing of the local town madam, where Cat becomes the prize to be won at The Wylder Social Club's, also known as a brothel's, highest bidder…yet Hugo knows nothing of the auction.
What rescue can be hoped?
Excerpt:
"My dear girl, please settle. You must think, as I am worried sick! I fret for your future. For my future. We have none unless we play our cards exceedingly cautious."
"Maman! Such a bore." Her lovely daughter once again affected French and an attitude.
"Patience my girl. We must be extremely shrewd. Not a false step!"
"Very well! Ma mere, what must we do?" Audrina asked with the patience of a saint.
"For one thing, be more gracious to our hostess. You know we are here only on sufferance; just because she's my third cousin does not mean she wants to keep us in bed and board, until I'm in my dotage or death bed."
"Don't be morbid! So off-putting! You’ve quite spoilt my morning Now I am most melancholy."
The Duchess cast an impatient gaze at her spoon-fed daughter.
"I've apparently shielded you from the harsher facts of life, far too long, Audrina." She spoke with the bitter dryness of a green walnut. "But true, we might stretch this out until the benevolent season of Christmas, and of course the balls have some possibilities. Yet from there, where do we find our next perch? We're running out of relatives—."
"Is it really that important maman? Why are we going on this dreadful trip! I loathe the Americas. New York was worse than London. Rude classless people. They actually bump into one! Why they don’t have titles at all!"
Daphne watched her daughter sadly.
My darling girl, if we do not come into some fortune soon, all we have is our title to keep us warm and fed. When the Duke mentioned the trip might broaden one, I jumped at it. Cousin Edith was getting fidgety to see us gone. I saw the signs. "Closing the house Dear Daphne." She mimicked. "So dear, I hope our servants are up to the extra work…"
Lady Daphne made a face at the recollection.
After her cousin left, Lady Daphne checked her daughter as if buying a horse. "— and you my dear, are running out of gowns. How you do grow! Get the height from me," she had continued rueful.
True, tall, and slender to the point of aristocratic boniness, Lady Daphne gained a certain attenuation as she aged. Firm arms now held strings where flesh had once the firmness of an unripe peach. To her vexation, she'd need cover more of herself each year until she resembled an Egyptian mummy!
"So, we will be going with the duke!" she continued. "And thank providence he invited us in the nick."
"That stuffy old yawn? All he did was prattle of mines and railroads." Audrina feigned a boredom, that if real, would have surely brought her death. "He's old and probably smells," she sniffed. "Most older persons do," she announced from the safe perch of youth.
"Audrina! We shall travel with the duke, if he goes to the second circle of Hell, until I can think of something. Besides, we will be with an eligible man." Daphne said with such triumph one would think she pulled coins from Audrina's ear.
"Hugo will be along too."
"Ugh! Hugo! I would be societies' laughing stock. He's a worm! A ginger hair! A beanstalk. A rag man to scare ravens. No one pays him mind. Why even the homeliest, most desperate wallflower eschewed his request for their dance card last season!"
Audrina tittered, crowing.
"And the cards were empty!"
"Audrina!" Daphne hid a smile, yet she had been angrier with her child then, than she had ever been.
"Besides, I was rather thinking the duke, might be a suitable match," she murmured lightly as if an afterthought, daubing a dot of perfume on each a wrist.
It had to last. The perfume.
"You are young and tender. A perfect foil and sweetmeat for an older titled gentleman in perfect health and temperament—a cultured man of seasoned age and aristocratic maturity. And wealth." She ended heavily. Fifty thousand pounds a year, three estates, and more fortuitous, no heirs. Lady Daphne smiled to herself... "Maman!" Audrina's horrified outrage entered her consciousness.
"Don't give me that look! A duchess's tiara on you pretty head would not go amiss."
"Please, ma mere, surely you jest." The look on Audrina's face foretold storm clouds.
"Oh, do quit sounding like a bad melodrama!"
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What’s your favorite part about being a romance author?
I can dream can't I…? Also, my husband is curious where I get my 'ideas'.
Here’s my tip to add romance to your love life:
Even if one toils at home, always take pride in your appearance. Wear your jewelry! Dab that perfume! One never knows who they might meet. And looking your best, is good for the soul
Giveaway –
One lucky reader will win a $75 Amazon US or Canada gift card.
Open internationally. You must have a valid Amazon US or Amazon CA account to win.
Runs February 1 – 28, 2023.
Drawing will be held on March 1, 2023.
Author Biography:
I live and pen novels and scripts overlooking Myrtle Beach and frequent far too many 'all you can eat' crab shacks….
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