A Hint of Scandal

<p><strong style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)><em>Fate throws a shy wallflower into the path of a handsome wounded soldier.</em></strong></p><p></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Major Max Aubrey invalided out of the army has to marry before he turns thirty in a few months' time-or he'll forfeit the property left to him by his late father. Along with his much older brother the Earl of Westbury his mother and sister-in-law are determined he should marry forthwith and receive his inheritance. It's with marked reluctance that he agrees to escort his sister-in-law and niece to London for the season.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Serafina Gilbert the orphaned half-sister of Sir Ogden Gilbert is very much the poor relation in the Gilbert family. When the parsimonious Ogden takes a small house in London for the season he and his wife who hates Serafina bring her along so she can act as an unpaid companion to their oldest daughter. Being already twenty-two Serafina has had it drummed into her that she's an unattractive old maid.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>At her first ball Serafina bumps into Max. When they both inadvertently end up escaping to the safety of the dark summerhouse Max offers to escort her to the British Museum. Each acknowledges without saying anything that they're attracted to one another.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>After Serafina accepts Max's almost businesslike proposal of marriage his mother invites her to visit Bratton Park the seat of Max's ailing brother. There they discover the earl has a problem that could cause a terrible scandal: a woman is claiming to be his lawful wife. And now it seems she's determined that her adult son is the true heir to the earldom.</span></p><p></p><p><strong style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)><em>Suddenly it falls to Max and Serafina to discover the truth before they can even think about the growing-and real-feelings between them.</em></strong></p><p></p><p><strong style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)><u>The Mismatched Lovers</u></strong></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Book 1: A Sham Engagement</span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Book 2: A Hint of Scandal</span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Book 3: A Duchess of Mystery</span></p>