The Heir

by Grace Burrowes

Overview

A New York Times and USA Today Bestseller!

"a refreshing and captivating love story."—Publishers Weekly, STARRED Review

Gayle Windham, earl of Westhaven, is the first legitimate son and heir to the duke of Moreland. To escape his father's inexorable pressure to marry, he decides to spend the summer at his townhouse in London, where he finds himself intrigued by the secretive ways of his beautiful housekeeper...

Anna Seaton is a beautiful, talented, educated woman, which is why it is so puzzling to Gayle Windham that she works as his housekeeper.

As the two draw closer and begin to lose their hearts to each other, Anna's secrets threaten to bring the earl's orderly life crashing down—and he doesn't know how he's going to protect her from the fallout...

Windham series:
The Heir (Book 1)
The Soldier (Book 2)
The Virtuoso (Book 3)
Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish (Book 4)
Lady Maggie's Secret Scandal (Book 5)
Lady Louisa's Christmas Knight (Book 6)
Lady Eve's Indiscretion (Book 7)
Lady Jenny's Christmas Portrait (Book 8)

"A luminous and graceful erotic Regency...a captivating love story that will have readers eagerly awaiting the planned sequels."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Burrowes' outstanding debut is a witty, sensual, Regency romance featuring complex characters who ring to to the time period, leaving readers saying huzzah!" — Booklist (starred review)

"A dazzling debut brimming with passion, romance, and wit." —Sophia Nash, RITA ward-winning author of Secrets of a Scandalous Bride

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781402244360
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	12/01/2010
Series:	Mortimer Angel Series, Book 3 , #1
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	480
Sales rank:	14,470
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Grace Burrowes hit the bestseller lists with her debut, The Heir, followed by The Soldier and Lady Maggie's Secret Scandal. The Heir was also named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2010, The Soldier was named a Publishers Weekly Best Spring Romance of 2011, and Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish was named Best Historical Romance of the Year in 2011 by RT Reviewers' Choice Awards. All of her Regency romances have received extensive praise, including starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist. Grace is branching out into short stories and Scotland-set Victorian romance with Sourcebooks. She is a practicing family law attorney and lives in rural Maryland.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Grace Burrowes' bestsellers include The Heir, The Soldier, Lady Maggie's Secret Scandal, Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish and Lady Eve's Indiscretion. Her Regency romances and Scotland-set Victorian romances have received extensive praise, including starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist. The Heir was a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2010, The Soldier was a PW Best Spring Romance of 2011, Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish and Once Upon a Tartan have both won RT Reviewers' Choice Awards, Lady Louisa's Christmas Knight was a Library Journal Best Book of 2012, The Bridegroom Wore Plaid was a PW Best Book of 2012. Two of her MacGregor heroes have won KISS awards. Grace is a practicing family law attorney and lives in rural Maryland.

Read an Excerpt

From One

Gayle Windham, Earl of Westhaven, was enjoying a leisurely measure of those things that pleased him most: solitude, peace, and quiet.

The best plans were the simplest, he reflected as he poured himself a single finger of brandy, and his brother's suggestion that Westhaven hide in plain sight had proven brilliant. The unmarried heir to a dukedom had a nigh impossible task if he wanted to elude the predatory mamas and determined debutantes of polite society. He was in demand everywhere, and for form's sake, he had to be seen everywhere.

But not this summer. He smiled with relish. This summer, this stinking, infernally hot summer, he was going to remain right where he was, in the blessedly empty confines of London itself. Not for him the endless round of house parties and boating parties and social gatherings in the country.

His father had too free a hand in those environs, and Westhaven knew better than to give the duke any unnecessary advantage.

The Duke of Moreland was a devious, determined, unscrupulous old rogue. His goal in life was to see to it his heir married and produced sons, and Westhaven had made it a matter of pride to outwit the old man. There had already been one forced engagement, which the lady's family had thwarted at the last minute. One was more than enough. Westhaven was a dutiful son, conscientious in his responsibilities, a brother who could be relied upon, an heir more than willing to tend to the properties and investments as his father's power of attorney. He would not, however, be forced to marry some simpering little puppet to breed sons on her like a rutting hound.

And already, the pleasure of days and nights uncluttered by meaningless entertainments was bringing a certain cheer to Westhaven's normally reserved demeanor. He found himself noticing things, like the way his townhouse bore the fragrance of roses and honeysuckle, or how an empty grate was graced with a bouquet of flowers just for the pleasure of his eye. His solitary meals tasted more appealing; he slept better on his lavender-scented sheets. He heard his neighbor playing the piano late at night, and he caught the sound of laughter drifting up from his kitchen early in the morning.

I would have made an exemplary monk, he thought as he regarded the bowl of roses on the cold andirons. But then, monks had little solitude, and no recreational access to the fairer sex.

A modest exponent thereof silently entered the library, bobbed her little curtsy, and went about refilling the water in the several vases of flowers gracing the room. He watched her as she moved around without a sound, and wondered when she'd joined his household. She was a pretty little thing, with graceful ways and a sense of competence about her.

The chambermaid paused to water the flowers in the hearth, reaching over the fireplace screen to carefully top up the wide bowl of roses sitting on the empty grate. Who would think to put flowers in a cold fireplace? Westhaven wondered idly, but then he realized the chambermaid was taking rather too long to complete her task.

"Is something amiss?" he asked, not meaning to sound irritated but concluding he must have, for the girl flinched and cowered. She didn't, however, straighten up, make another curtsy, and leave him to his brandy.

"Is something amiss?" He spoke more slowly, knowing menials were not always of great understanding. The girl whimpered, an odd sound, not speech but an indication of distress. And she remained right where she was, bent over the hearth screen, her pitcher of water in her hand.

Westhaven set down his brandy and rose from his wingchair, the better to investigate the problem. The girl was making that odd sound continuously, which pleased him not at all. It wasn't as if he'd ever trifled with the help, for God's sake.

When he came near the hearth, the chambermaid positively cringed away from him, another irritant, but her movement allowed Westhaven to see the difficulty: The buttons on the front of her bodice were caught in the mesh of the hearth screen. She wasn't tall enough to set down her pitcher, leaving her only one hand with which to free herself. That hand, however, she needed for balance.

"Hush," Westhaven said more gently. He did have five sisters, after all, and a mother; he understood females were prone to dramatics. "I'll have you free in no time, if you'll just hold still and turn loose of this pitcher."

He had to pry the girl's fingers from the handle of the pitcher, so overset was she, but still she said nothing, just warbled her distress like a trapped animal. "No need to take on so," he soothed as he reached around her so he could slide his fingers along the screen. "We'll have you free in a moment, and next time you'll know to move the screen before you try to water the flowers." It took an infernally long time, but he had one button forced back through the screen and was working on the other when the girl's whimpering escalated to a moan.

"Hush," he murmured again. "I won't hurt you, and I almost have your buttons free. Just hold still-" The first blow landed across his shoulders, a searing flash of pain that left his fine linen shirt and his skin torn. The second followed rapidly, as he tightened his arms protectively around the maid, and at the third, which landed smartly on the back of his head, everything went black.

Editorial Reviews

Burrowes debuts with a luminous and graceful erotic Regency. The earl of Westhaven is determined to avoid his father's marital machinations by remaining in sweltering London while Society departs for the country. Westhaven takes great pleasure in his well-run household until his new housekeeper, Anna Seaton, mistakes his intentions toward a chambermaid and knocks him flat with a fireplace poker. Anna is too educated and polished to have been born to service, but she makes a tender nurse. As their affections grow, Westhaven believes he's found a candidate for marriage who would please him and satisfy his father, but Anna refuses Westhaven's proposal. Her hidden background contains ugly obligations, and she's determined to keep outrunning them even as he tries to change her mind. Burrowes turns familiar tropes into a refreshing and captivating love story that will have readers eagerly awaiting the planned sequels. (Dec.)

Publishers Weekly

"Burrowes' outstanding debut is a witty, sensual, Regency romance featuring complex characters who ring true to the time period, leaving readers saying huzzah!" —Booklist Starred Review

From the Publisher

I really loved the deep characters, the tender romance and the voice of this story!

Reviews by Martha's Bookshelf

Dangerous secrets, scheming families and villainous villains--Ms. Burrowes keeps us wondering almost to the end exactly what those secrets are.

Linda Banche Romance Author

If you're in the mood for a romantic read, pick up Grace Burrowes' The Heir to curl up with on a cold night.

Drey's Library

Burrowes expertly crafts her characters and fills the plot with secrets and plot twists along with vivid descriptions and a lot of romance.

Rundpinne

There is no doubt in my mind that regency lovers the world over will find this story a refreshing sip of lemonade in the stark heat of summer. This is most certainly a story that will be on my keeper shelf

Seriously Reviewed

A great page-turning take on forbidden love.

New York Journal of Books

Debut author Grace Burrowes brings readers a captivating historical romance that will leave them longing for more.

Romance Fiction on Suite101.com

The Heir is an amazingly touching and genuine regency romance with very human main characters.

Bookaholics Romance Book Club

Burrowes' smooth, unobtrusive writing style engages all the senses. It makes the love scenes spellbinding, the danger a heart-pounding experience, and the caring, protective love for loved ones awe-inspiring.

The Long and Short of It Reviews

Such an incredible book, I couldn't put it down... perfectly executed.

Yankee Romance Reviewers

A fun and rollicking romp of a new Regency series featuring fascinating brothers, beautiful and troubled women, and steamy passion. With tons of intrigue, searing seduction, and wonderful humor, Grace Burrowes' first book is a fun read that is a must read for fans of Georgette Heyer and Regency romances. A Night Owl Romance Top Pick!

Night Owl Romance

Ms. Burrowes's characters are well developed, and the plot is interesting.

Historical Novels Review

Burrowes' enchanting romance charms from the beginning as her characters' battle of wills progresses into a deep passion. What sets this story apart are the charming and intelligent protagonists and delightful secondary characters. There's tenderness and sensuality, lighthearted verbal battles and tense moments that combine to delight. 4 Star Review

RT Book Reviews

Burrowes' outstanding debut is a witty, sensual, Regency romance featuring complex characters who ring true to the time period, leaving readers saying huzzah! STARRED REVIEW

Booklist