Simply Forbidden, February 2011
House of Pleasure #6
by Kate Pearce
Aphrodisia
Featuring: Major Lord Gabriel Swanfield; Lisette Delornay-Ross
304 pages
ISBN: 0758241399
EAN: 9780758241399
Trade Size
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"Historical Romance meets sensual and powerful Erotica..."
Reviewed by Mandy Burns
Posted April 2, 2011
Romance Erotica Sensual | Romance Historical | Erotic Historical
So far, Gabriel Swanfield has done a great job of avoiding
frequenting the aristocratic circles of London society
unless absolutely necessary. To his great disappointment,
his current situation warrants some contact with the rich
and spoiled. Due to past betrayals and a devastating year of
being imprisoned, Gabriel lives a solitary existence except
when the need to buy a bit of good horse flesh comes about.
Gabriel hopes to purchase a few horses from Philip Ross and
quickly take his leave but Philip's daughters have other
ideas. Lisette Delornay-Ross catches Gabriel's attention
like no other woman with her honesty and forward speaking.
Though she flirts outrageously, Lisette tends to have no
interest in Gabriel which of course peaks his interest.
Gabriel has no problem indulging in anything Lisette throws
his way but he has no intent to marry or produce an heir. Lisette Delornay-Ross's life is split in two different
worlds, one with her father who is well established in
London society and on with her mother who owns a very
popular House of Pleasures. Lisette, familiar with life's
pleasures, is determined to control her wild ways so as to
not embarrass her younger sister as she is introduced into
society until the brooding and rude Lord Gabriel Swanfield
peeks her interest. Lisette becomes
attracted enough with his lack of interest in her but the
secrets Lisette know he holds close are too enticing to let
alone. Lisette attempts her usual brand of flirting which is
frowned upon in polite society but ignites a passion neither
Lisette or Gabriel is ready for. Old insecurities and
betrayal, along with the past, threaten the balance until
everything spirals out of control forcing both Gabriel and
Lisette to make decisions they swore they would never make. Pearce's House of Pleasure series continues to offer the
reader a touch of Historical Romance with a strong dose of
erotica that burns up the pages.
SUMMARY
Your most scorching desires come blissfully true at
Madame Helene’s Pleasure House—an elite brothel in Regency
England where passion has no limits… Nothing’s More Satisfying Than… With an unconventional upbringing and a reputation as a
shameless flirt, Lisette Delornay-Ross is not your typical
young lady of the ton. Unlike her peers, she is not afraid
to follow her desires. And what she desires is Major Lord
Gabriel Swanfield… Fulfilling Forbidden Passions… Returned to England after his harrowing ordeal as a war
prisoner, Gabriel has shunned society. When Lisette brazenly
confronts him, he feels an overwhelming stirring of lust.
He’s sure she would never entertain the illicit desires he
indulges at Madame Helene’s. But when he kisses her, he
discovers her thirst for pleasure—and adventure—matches his…
ExcerptChapter One
Knowles Hall, England, 1822
“Why on earth did you invite him, Christian?” Lisette
Delornay-Ross nudged her twin’s arm and nodded at the corner
of the sunny breakfast room where Major Lord Gabriel
Swanfield read the newspaper and continued to ignore everyone
around him.
“I didn’t invite him.” Christian poured himself more
coffee.
“Philip did.”
Lisette leaned her elbows on the table and
contemplated her
brother. “But he’s nowhere near Father’s age, so how do they
know each other?”
“I’ve no idea. Why don’t you stop bothering me and go
and
ask Lord Swanfield himself?”
“Because he’ll stare at me as if I’m a worm and then
give me
a one-word answer that tells me nothing.”
“I take it you’ve already met him then?” Christian
smiled.
“Is he really that unforthcoming?”
“When I was introduced to him the other night he barely
bothered to say a word to me.” Lisette stood up. “Perhaps I’ll
go and ask Father. He’ll probably tell me the truth.”
Christian leaned back in his chair to study her, his
blond
hair catching the light, his long, elegant body shown to
advantage
in his brown coat and black breeches. “The real question is,
why are you so interested in Lord Swanfield?”
“Because I hate being ignored?”
“That’s certainly true, but there are plenty of other
gentlemen
here this week eager to flirt with you. Why not go and
bother one of them?”
Lisette frowned. “Are you warning me off?”
“As if you would pay any attention to me if I did.”
Christian
shrugged. “As far as I know, he doesn’t mix much in
society.” “But what you do know of him, you don’t like?”
“Don’t start, Lis.” He sighed. “As I said, if you
really want
to pry, go and talk to the poor man.” “Perhaps I will.”
Determined not to be shown up by her brother, Lisette
marched across to where Lord Swanfield sat hidden behind his
newspaper and cleared her throat. He lowered the paper the
merest inch and studied her over the top of it.
“Yes?”
Lisette gave him her sweetest smile. “I just wanted
to wish
you good morning, my lord. We’ve scarcely had a chance to
speak since your arrival.”
The paper came down another three inches, allowing
her to
look into his eyes. Up close, they were a very dark blue and
fringed with long lashes.
“And you are?”
Good Lord, the man didn’t even remember being introduced
to her! Lisette kept smiling. “I’m Miss Ross, Lord Knowles’s
eldest daughter. I’m acting as my father’s hostess this
weekend.” “Ah. A pleasure, ma’am.” His fingers
twitched on the newspaper
as if he intended to flip it back up and dismiss her, but
Lisette was quicker. If he intended to be so dismissive of her,
she could definitely be a little forward.
“I was wondering what brought you here to Knowles Hall
during this particular week. I don’t remember your name being
on the guest list.” She smiled graciously. “Not that you aren’t
welcome, of course.”
His dark brows drew together. “I’m looking for some
horses. Your father told me to come down anytime I liked. I
didn’t realize all this nonsense would be going on.”
“Or else you wouldn’t have come.”
He met her gaze properly for the first time, a hint
of wary
surprise in his. “Exactly.”
Beneath the careful upper-class cadences of his voice
there
was a slight northern burr, which deepened his tone and made
it rougher and far more interesting.
“Well, I’m sorry that we are spoiling your quiet week
in the
countryside.”
“Thank you.”
She couldn’t decide whether he was incapable of
detecting
her sarcasm or really quite rude. She suspected the latter.
“You
think us frivolous and unworthy of your interest then, my
lord?”
He started to fold the paper and she caught sight of
the deep
parallel scars on his left cheek that disappeared below his
high
collar. “I didn’t say that.” “But you obviously think
so. I don’t believe you’ve spoken
a single word to anyone since you walked into this room.”
He raised his eyebrows. “I’ve spoken to you.”
She stared at him for a long moment as she struggled
to control
her tongue. “Are you going out with the shooting party
this morning?”
A shudder of something that looked like revulsion passed
over his face. “No, Miss Ross, I’m not.”
“Then would you like to join me and some of the other
ladies for a walk around the estate?” She wasn’t quite sure why
she made the offer when he was being so objectionable, but she
refused to be defeated by any man.
“Unfortunately, I’m already engaged. Your father has
found
someone to show me around the stables.”
“Which is why you came here in the first place.”
“Indeed.”
He stood up and dropped the newspaper onto the table.
She
found she had to look up at him, which was unnerving. She’d
only viewed him from above last night when her father had
brought him into the great hall. At five foot eight, she was
tall
for a woman, but he topped her by at least five inches. He was
as lean and elegant as a greyhound, his shoulders accentuated
by the confines of his black coat and his long thighs
encased in
clinging buckskin. He inclined his head the barest inch.
“Good morning, Miss Ross.”
She dropped him a quick curtsey. “Good morning, my
lord.”
He nodded and strolled away, stopped to talk to one
of the
footmen positioned by the door, and was directed on his way.
“Well,” Lisette huffed as her half sister, Emily, and
her
friends came up beside her. “What an incredibly rude man.”
“What did he say to you?” Emily inquired, her face
flushed
and her blue eyes eager.
“He said that he didn’t want to be here, and that
he’d only
come to look at a horse.”
“He didn’t!”
Lisette smiled at her younger sister’s indignant
expression.
“He most certainly did. I suspect he wishes us all to the
devil.” Emily’s two friends giggled and whispered at
Lisette’s language
and she reminded herself to be more careful. At eighteen,
Emily’s prospects for an excellent marriage were much on her
mind. Lisette didn’t want to spoil anything for Emily by
drawing
the ton’s attention to her less than reputable half sister.
“I wonder if he will attend the ball on Friday.”
Lisette sighed at the hopeful gleam in Emily’s eyes.
What
was it about dark-haired brooding men that sent all young girls
into a flutter? In her experience, good-looking men did not
make good husbands or lovers, being far too concerned with
their own appearance to care about a woman’s feelings.
“I’m not sure if he’ll be staying the full week,
Emily. Once
he’s decided on a horse, he’ll probably be off.”
“Oh.” There was a wealth of regret in Emily’s
response that
Lisette tried to ignore. She was very fond of her sister,
but frequently
amazed at the differences between them. Emily had
been protected by their father all her life, whereas Lisette
had
only met him three years ago. Emily’s safe, romantic view of
the world had never been Lisette’s and never would.
“If he does stay, I’m sure he’ll dance with you.”
Lisette patted
Emily’s shoulder. “He can hardly say no.” She paused to
consider her words. “Well, he probably could, but I’m sure
Papa can persuade him to change his mind.”
Emily pouted. “But I don’t want him to ask me out of
duty.
I want him to ask me because he can’t bear not to dance with
me. He is an earl, Lisette!”
Lisette struggled not to smile. “Then make yourself
pleasant
to him over the next few days, and I’m sure he’ll come around
and ask you to dance. Why wouldn’t he?”
“He’d probably rather ask you. What man wouldn’t?” Emily
looked glum.
Lisette chuckled, remembering the complete lack of
interest
in Lord Swanfield’s rather fine eyes. “After the way he just
spoke to me, I doubt that.”
Emily grabbed her hand. “Oh, shall we have a wager to see
who can get him to ask us to dance first? Wouldn’t that be
fun, Lisette?”
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