Leisure
Featuring: Thomas Doverspike; Her Grace, Artemisia Duchess of Southwycke
336 pages ISBN: 0843958707 EAN: 9780843958706 Paperback Add to Wish List
Artemesia, the Duchess of Southwicke, is an artist. Young
and beautiful, but shunning society and all it represents,
she's become the infamous target of the "Tattler," the
gossip sheet of the day. Artemesia wants only to retain her
freedom, run her own affairs and paint. Freed by the death
of the elderly duke, Artemesia searches out her dreams and
creates a man of business, Mr. Bedington, to handle her
estate and expand her large fortune.
Trevelyn Deveridge is an undercover agent for Queen
Victoria whose goal is to contact the said Mr. Bedington
and retrieve a certain key that carries the names of other
agents in India. He calls on Artemesia in the hope she can
put him in touch with her man of affairs. Instead, he's
mistaken for a model and asked to pose in the nude for the
duchess' new painting. Trevelyn agrees and the duchess is
awed by his powerful body.
Thus begins a dance of swords with both determined to call
the shots. Then a third party begins to threaten and
complicate their dance. Can Artemesia release control and
remarry? Will Trevelyn admit defeat and sail off to India
without her? Or will the enigmatic third party destroy them
both?
I was a little put off by the idea of a hero being a nude
model, but Emily Bryan pulls it off. The characters
are strong enough to appeal to the most ruthless romantic,
and the story is edgy enough to hold your interest. There's
humor, but it doesn't control the story, for which I'm
glad. I enjoyed reading it because it has just enough
pathos. After all, an agent leads a dangerous life and
can't afford to be distracted by a beautiful love interest.
Would a man actually give it all up for love, or would a
woman? The power is there, the hero is all-knowing and all-
powerful to the dismay and distraction of the heroine,
which is just what the title promises. This was a very good
read.
Her Grace, Artemisia Pelham-Smythe, widowed Duchess of
Southwycke was an acclaimed child prodigy. Now she won't
rest until she's recognized as an artist in the full bloom
of her talent.
Trevelyn Deveridge never intended to pose nude to serve his
Queen and country. But when the trail of the elusive Mr.
Beddington leads straight to Her Grace's door, he has little
choice but to play the hand he's dealt.
The duchess has no idea her newest model is about to drive
her to . . . distraction!
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