Gambling with the Earl, Gambling with the Earl

A locked tower - a battle-scarred Earl - a lady in disguise... 1296 A.D. Kitty's titled mother is dead. Her father - once a humble fisherman - has emptied the family coin chests seeking solace in the local alehouse and Kitty now works like a drudge in their crumbling home. All they have left is a handful of glittering gemstones - the Answick Jewels. Jewels which Kitty has set aside for her younger sister's dowry. When their feckless father loses the jewels in an ill-judged wager with the infamous Earl of Rossfarne, Kitty resolves to put things right. But the next morning, she learns that she too belongs to the Earl. Pushing her fears aside, she disguises herself as a servant and sets out for the castle, determined to recover the jewels and escape before her true identity is discovered. Guy has recently inherited his uncle's title and estate - a wild, desolate castle reached only by a causeway at low tide. He was injured and robbed while serving the King in battle, and has come to Rossfarne to convalesce. Trusting no one since the theft of his hard-earned coin, he relishes the fearsome reputation reaped by the old Earl. But after months of isolation, his lonely heart quickens at the arrival of a new serving wench with an enigmatic smile and the grace of a high-born lady. Her quest for the jewels soon brings Kitty into close contact with the battle-scarred knight, and she discovers that the Earl she once feared is actually a man of honour. But Kitty is living in his castle under false pretences, and as the attraction between them grows stronger, she must make an impossible decision. Should she confess the truth and face the shame of her father's sordid wager? Or should she reclaim her sister's fortune and flee? Welcome to the Earls of the North; where the lands are wild and the Earls are in need of salvation! Each book in this series is a standalone story that can be enjoyed independently. The Earls of the North Book 1: Gambling with the Earl Book 2: Forced to Marry the Earl Book 3: Taming the Earl