Silence of Scandal — Jackie Williams

A Regency Romance. The war is over for the nation but not for the new Duke of Ormond. With death and debt stalking his every waking moment, caught between blackmailers and his brother's deepest secret, Alexander's dreams lie in tatters but he never surrendered on the battlefields of the Peninsular and he's not about to admit defeat now. Even if that means marrying a woman he has never laid eyes on before. With her father's warnings still fresh in her mind and her imperfections obvious to any who know her, Elizabeth's options for freedom are diminishing with every trembling step. Available suitors are few and far between. Marriage to a debt ridden, aging fortune hunter will not be easy but with no other alternatives and destitution threatening she cannot escape her fate. Falling in love hadn't been a possibility Alexander ever considered but one glance at his beautiful bride's tear filled onyx eyes has his blood surging through his veins, his heart pounding in his chest and he can no longer hide his emotions behind a facade of polite indifference. Elizabeth hadn't expected him to be handsome. She hadn't expected him to greet her with a sparkling sapphire gaze. She hadn't expected gentle fingertips on her skin or her heart to break at the tender words on his lips. With Ormond and the family jewels at stake, Alexander's resolve to defeat his enemies is soon put to the test as rumour, intrigue and scandal threaten his and Elizabeth's blossoming affections. There is clearly another plan. There had always been another plan. A plan of greed and vengeance devised to ruin Ormond and its descendants for all time. Silence of Scandal is a light-hearted, easy read suitable for age 16 and upwards. (Contains some swearing and sensual love scenes)