The American Bride - By Karla Darcy

Readers love Karla Darcy

"Fans of Downton Abbey and Jane Austen (without zombies) will adore this book. Karla Darcy makes us remember why we lose sense and sensibility for a sexy Regency hero and captures the era with a glorious and colorful voice!"

Roxanne St. Claire, New York Times Bestselling Author

"Karla Darcy weaves one fabulous Regency Romance after another. Wise, witty and wonderful. Move over Jane for another Darcy you will love!"

Mary Alice Monroe, NY Times author of Beach House Memories

"… creates a particularly attractive heroine to captivate both the hero and the reader alike. Darcy is winning a large readership with her diverting novels in this most competitive genre."

Romantic Times

"The result is an amusing contest of matching wits, that will leave you holding your sides as you root for a happy compromise between the foes."

Affaire de Coeur

"Karla hooks readers and carries them along to a wonderfully satisfying ending."

"I simply couldn't put the book down. This emotionally intense love story will grip readers' attention."

"…writing is graceful and witty, plotting is clever, added to this are two characters who will charm and delight you."

"The humor and tenderness give this book heart and authentic details and great sexual tension make for a great read."

"Darcy is winning a large readership with her diverting novels in this most competitive genre."

"…. weaves her magic spell once more in this intricately plotted gem of a book."

The American Bride is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright 2012 Karla Darcy

All Rights Reserved

Published by: Glades Publishing

License Notes:

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Publisher’s Note:

The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

Published by: Glades Publishing

http://www.GladesPublishing.com

Visit the author website:

http://www.KarlaDarcy.com

eISBN:

978-0-9857614-8-6

Original cover design by: Tara O’Shea

64 70 67 72 6f 75 70

© George Mayer | Dreamstime.com

Also by Karla Darcy

The Five Kisses

The Masked Heart

The Marriage Wager

The Scandalous Ward

The Virtuous Ward

DEDICATION

For Lorraine Pickard

Everything a friend should be

Chapter One

"I wish I were dead."

"Nonsense, Caroline. Where's your backbone?" the Duchess of Landglower snapped.

"But I've never even seen this Lord Wilton. What if he's repulsive?"

"Your marriage, my dear child, is unquestionably legal," the Duchess

announced. "It was conducted three months ago in my own household with duly authorized witnesses. I stood as proxy for you in this instance."

"Couldn't it be annulled?"

"Impossible!" Came the adamant reply.

"Oh, Grandmother, " Cara moaned, "I wish that I had never left America."

Her elegant eyebrows arched in surprise, Liela, Duchess of Landglower, inspected the fiery creature who had stormed into her presence an hour earlier. Her faded blue eyes noted the defiant bearing of the young figure pacing back and forth across the thick Aubusson carpet. With a final adjustment of the lacy nightcap covering her white hair, Liela leaned forward in her chair and stared at the girl.

"Caroline, I would appreciate it if you would sit down. Not only do you rouse me in the middle of the night but now proceed to make me seasick with your constant pacing."

Recognizing the steel beneath the dryly spoken rebuke, Cara flounced down onto the chair across from her grandmother. Even in her frustrated anger the girl was practical enough to realize that she could not afford to incur the older woman's wrath. Impatience for action and a ready tongue may have been considered fine attributes for an American but Caroline was finding that they were definitely not an asset in London in 1814.

Arms resting on her knees, hands clasped in silent supplication, Cara leaned toward the Duchess.

"My marriage really can't be legal, Grandmother," Cara pleaded. "After all, I've never even set eyes on Lord Wilton."

"Now, my child, there are certain facts that must be accepted." The Duchess held up one elegant blue-veined hand curtailing the younger girl's outburst. "First, the marriage is incontestably valid."

The blunt words hit Cara like a blow. She leaned against the velvet chair back trying to catch her breath. Her white face went even