Читать книгу The Wicked Baron - Sarah Mallory - Страница 3

Ask writers where they find the ideas for their stories and many will tell you it starts with a little question: what if? I am no exception.

A few years ago I visited West Wycombe Park, the eighteenth-century home of Sir Francis Dashwood, founder of the infamous Hellfire Club. I have no doubt that many of the rakes featured in historical romances are in some part based upon Sir Francis and his friends, but when I visited West Wycombe Park I was taken with the beautiful paintings that adorn the house—and that is when that little question popped into my head. What if my heroine was an artist? What if she painted beautiful frescoes like the ones that decorate the house?

This is how Luke first sees Carlotta, dressed in breeches and a paint-stained shirt, climbing down from the scaffolding at Malberry Court. He is immediately enchanted with this waif-like creature: she is different from all the other young ladies of his acquaintance. But Luke is the Wicked Baron of the title: he is not used to behaving chivalrously, and when he decides to make a noble sacrifice Carlotta is not at all grateful for his actions. In fact, in true Italian style, she is determined to punish him!

I hope you will follow Luke and Carlotta as their battle of wits takes them from the ballrooms of Regency London to the Italianate elegance of Malberry Court, where they must face well-meaning relatives, intrigue and danger before they can find their happy ending. Enjoy the journey!