The Earl with the Secret Tattoo by Kieran Kramer

Author:Kieran Kramer
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Macmillan
Published: 2012-12-17T22:00:00+00:00

Read on for an excerpt from Kieran Kramer’s next book in the House of Brady series

THE EARL IS MINE

Coming in March 2013 from St. Martin’s Paperbacks

Chapter 1

For Lady Pippa Harrington, it wasn’t going to be the usual Sunday family dinner at Uncle Bertie’s. Those were full of ridiculous speeches by her stepfather, Sir Harold Tavistock, followed by taut silences and the occasional grrr from one of Uncle Bertie’s eight corgis under the table. No, tonight, Pippa’s great-uncle was celebrating his birthday, and as always, he would have the same guest, his godson Gregory Sherwood, Lord Westdale, son of the Marquess and Marchioness of Brady—one of the most eligible bachelors in London and a talented young architect.

An architect! One, by the way, whom Pippa couldn’t bear to see. But that was a story for another day.

“Pippa, dear?” The timid voice came to her from the kitchen door.

“Yes, Mother?” Pippa looked up from work that was her greatest pleasure. She was attaching the final miniature crown to a tiny window on a pale silver sugar sculpture she’d made for Uncle Bertie’s birthday celebration. Hip-to-hip with her at the work table was Mrs. Dodd, Uncle Bertie’s elderly cook, who was like the grandmother Pippa had never had.

“Why, hello, Mrs. Dodd.” Mother’s limpid blue gaze took in the pretty disarray of molds, marzipan, and cutting tools on the table. The aromatic smells of roast beef, gravy, and various side dishes wafted from the stove and oven. “You’re hard at work, I see.”

“Good evenin’, my lady.” The cook bobbed a curtsy and smiled. “Lady Pippa’s managing this evening’s confection without me. I’m merely an onlooker.”

“Mrs. Dodd has prepared a lovely meal, Mother.” Pippa was kitted out in a fashionable pink satin frock protected, for the most part, by a sunny blue floral apron. “I did most of the work this morning while you were at the vicar’s tea, but I’m putting the finishing touches on it now. What do you think?” She spread her arms wide so her mother could experience the full effect of viewing the miniature castle unimpeded.

“Yes, well”—Mother pulled distractedly at her pearls—“very nice, Mrs. Dodd.”

Pippa’s spirits drooped, rather like the top of the freshly baked apple pie sitting atop a nearby shelf. It was painful to witness the dismal effect years and years of unhappiness had had on her mother’s cheerful temperament. It hurt to have a mother who didn’t really see her.

Very carefully, Mrs. Dodd laid her rough, warm hand over Pippa’s and gave it a squeeze.

“The earl’s in the drawing room,” Lady Helen told her daughter, “and he’s looking forward to seeing you again.”

Looking forward, indeed!

Pippa threw her parent a brisk smile. “I’ll be there in a moment.”

“Very well.”

Pippa saw that it took everything in Mother to lift the corners of her mouth before she turned and crept back down the corridor toward her awful husband and their beleaguered uncle, the sole person standing between them and the poorhouse. And then there was Lord Westdale waiting as well.

Pippa’s heart nearly gave out at the thought of him.

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