Book Title: MIDNIGHT PROMISES
Character Name: Isabelle Varens
How would you describe your family or childhood?
I am the illegitimate daughter of a Drury Lane actress. I never had any idea who my father was. Life with Mama was always uncertain. My mother was as beautiful as she was feckless and impractical. By the age of nine, I was already the responsible adult, shielding Mama from creditors, trying to manage our meagre supply of coin. The best times when Mama secured a wealthy benefactor. We lived lavishly and Mama loved to parade about as though she was a grand lady. But I was sensitive of the sneers of the tradesmen and the way respectable women looked down upon us. Even as a child, I dreamed of somehow becoming a real lady and living a life far different from that of my mother.
What was your greatest talent?
I inherited my mother’s beauty and acting ability, although I believe I have far surpassed her. I am highly skilled in the arts of deceit, a talent that has served me well considering the perilous nature of my profession.
What do you do for a living?
I am a spy. I work for a network of French emigres, who hope to oust Napoleon Bonaparte and restore the monarchy to France. This is a far cry from the respectable life I dreamed of a child.
Significant other?
When I was sixteen, my mother became the mistress of a wealthy Italian count. Mama passed herself off as his countess and me as his daughter. In this guise, I attracted a shy, young French nobleman, Jean-Claude de Varens, who became smitten with me. I married him, concealing the truth of my lowly birth and embarked on one of the happiest periods of my life. I fell in love with my gentle, idealistic husband, resolving that one day I would tell him the truth about my background. But I never found the courage until it was too late. Jean-Claude found out my secret and was devastated. His image of me as the perfect, innocent lady was shattered. The revolution had changed many laws in France, making it easier to obtain a divorce. My husband cast me off, leaving me to nurse a broken heart.
Biggest challenge in relationships?
After losing Jean-Claude, I have learned to guard my heart too well and never risk the pain of falling in love again. But I never imagined encountering a man like Sinclair Carrington. Sinclair is the newest recruit to our agency of spies. A devilishly handsome man, he exudes a sensuality that would have most mothers locking up their daughters. Alas, I have been alone and celibate for far too long and am not immune to his rakish charm. I must resist because I do not fully trust Sinclair. I know so little about him and I sense, like me, he is also skilled at deceit. And yet, he can be so kind, sympathetic and understanding and that is when he presents the greatest danger to my lonely heart.
Do you have any enemies?
Etienne Lazare, a fellow agent. When we worked together on a mission, spying on the French army, we were obliged to capture two young soldiers, raw peasant lads. We had them trussed up and there was no need to kill them, but Lazare wanted to slit their throats. I had to pull out my pistol to stop him. As we wrestled for the weapon, it went off, shooting off his ear and searing his handsome face with powder burns. Lazare has never forgiven me, and I fear he is only biding his time to get revenge.
What keeps you awake at night?
Nightmares of the dark days of the revolution known as the Terror, when I saw so many innocent souls dragged off to the guillotine and I feared I might become one of them.
What is the most pressing problem you have at the moment?
The latest mission I have been assigned is the most dangerous one yet. If I succeed, I could earn enough money to retire from this perilous life. If I fail, I could end up dead.
Hidden Hearts Collection #2
During the French Revolution, Belle Varens risked her life to help aristocrats escape the deadly kiss of the guillotine. But there was no escape from the painful memories of her past until she met Sinclair Carrington, a British spy with dark secrets of his own. Sinclair rouses in Belle a passion she has long denied, but dare she trust her heart to a man who is a master of deception. Especially now when Belle is about to embark on the most dangerous mission she has ever undertaken-a plot whose target is none other than General Napoleon Bonaparte.
Can the Avenging Angel, secret agent Belle Varens dare trust her heart to a spy who is a master of deception?
Romance Historical [Oliver-Heber Books, On Sale: June 10, 2025, e-Book , / ]
Susan Carroll is an award-winning American writer of romance novels, she also writes novels as Susan Coppula and Serena Richards. She obtained a Degree in English with complementary studies in History in the University of Indiana. Susan Carroll lives in Rock Island, Illinois.
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