A Countess by Christmas

He only wanted peace from grasping relatives, but a spirited orphan might just be the greatest Christmas gift of all.

The Earl of Bridgemere is happy to encourage his reputation as a curmudgeonly recluse if it repels the grasping females who usually attend his lavish Christmas parties.

Arriving at Alvanley Hall to help her ailing aunt, she expects an unyielding host, only to scold the broad-shouldered stranger she mistakes for a footman.

Helen Forrest is like a breath of fresh air, uninterested in his wealth and not cowed by his temper. Instead of scheming for his fortune, she rallies the nursery party for games on the frozen pond and stitches angel robes for the local theatricals.

Dazzled by her spirited honesty amidst a house of scheming kin, he finds his bitter vow against matrimony crumbling by the hour. Bridgemere's seasonal duty suddenly becomes a pleasure as he sets about making Helen his countess—by Christmas!

• Regency Romance: When Lord Bridgemere's massive, overgrown hound charges through the garden hedge, he scatters the haughty ladies of the manor and sparks an unexpected alliance.
• Opposites Attract: Beset by meddling sisters and a spendthrift heir demanding money, the guarded earl meets his match in a woman who refuses to flatter his title or accept his charity.
• Christmas Romance: From roasting chestnuts over the nursery hearth to an intimate waltz that scandalises the ballroom, holiday magic slowly thaws years of bitter isolation.
• Also by This Author: Lord Havelock's List, The Major Meets His Match and Never Trust a Rake.