Captain Fawley's Innocent Bride

Battle-scarred Captain Robert Fawley was under no illusion that women still found him attractive.

He offered no pretty speeches of courtship—only a brisk bargain to claim a Berkshire estate before an old family feud stripped away his inheritance. None would agree to marry him—except, perhaps, Miss Deborah Gillies, a woman so down on her luck that a convenient marriage might help improve her circumstances.

Facing a bleak future as an underpaid teacher, she harboured no illusions of an eligible match—merely the hope of easing her widowed mother’s poverty. Plain and somewhat shy, Deborah accepted his pragmatic proposal—because she was already halfway to falling in love with him. As remote as Robert was, though, could she ever hope to reach his guarded heart?

A private wedding swiftly bound their fortunes together. Yet settling into his country house at The Dovecote proved far more turbulent than their practical arrangement promised. Years of bitter recovery had taught the former soldier to trust no one within his quiet country manor.

• Scarred Hero: Severe wounds from Salamanca left Captain Fawley with a false leg, a missing hand, and a defensive pride that trusts only his loyal orderly, Linney.
• Plain Jane: Overlooked by the fashionable ton in favour of prettier débutantes, the late vicar’s daughter hides a resilient spirit and a practical intellect schooled in Latin and Greek.
• Forced Proximity: Bound by an urgent deadline to secure an eccentric bequest, the newlyweds must navigate sharing close quarters while learning the reality of each other’s private vulnerabilities.
• Found Family: Arriving at The Dovecote in Berkshire, Robert and Deborah discover an extraordinary household of spirited female staff determined to help their new master and mistress thrive.
• Also by This Author: Lord Havelock’s List, The Major Meets His Match and Never Trust a Rake.