An Earl's Flaming Journal: A Historical Regency Romance Book Read online

  An Earl's Flaming Journal

  A REGENCY ROMANCE NOVEL

  LUCY LANGTON

  Copyright © 2021 by Lucy Langton

  All Rights Reserved.

  This book may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the publisher.

  In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher.

  Table of Contents

  An Earl's Flaming Journal

  Table of Contents

  Free Exclusive Gift

  An Earl's Flaming Journal

  Introduction

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Epilogue

  A Fiery Lady's Accidental Affair

  Introduction

  Chapter 1

  Free Exclusive Gift

  Sign up for my mailing list to be notified of hot new releases and get my latest Full-Length Novel “The Enchanted by a Fiery Lady” (available only to my subscribers) for FREE!

  Click the link or enter it into your browser

  http://lucylangton.com/adelaide

  An Earl's Flaming Journal

  Introduction

  Jemima Place is an alluring village girl, who tries to settle herself between her controlling parents and her rebellious nature. While she seems compromised with her middle-class status and arranged future, fate will throw a scandalous journal in her path… Even though she knows what the right thing to do is, she is unable to resist her curiosity and finds out all the tempting details about the sinful life of its owner. After taking a secret peek at the intruiging pages, Jemima hurries to sneakily return the journal, when she is confronted by its writer; a vigorous Earl who comes to completely shake her world. Soon, she will find herself falling for a man who likes to make his experiences a literary escapade. Knowing that a dreadful scandal can tarnish her name, will she follow her fiery heart and surrender to her burning desire?

  Nicholas Templeton is a charming young Earl known for his magical ability to seduce whoever is around him, especially eligible ladies. Therefore, driven by his impulsive passion, he likes to relive his storming conquests by writing them down. However, the shocking details of his wild life are at risk when he loses his precious journal. Fearing that his voluptuous life is likely to be exposed, he announces a reward for anyone who finds it. Intrigue replaces surprise when Nicholas catches sight of the seductive village girl who returns the journal, as she is like no other woman he has encountered before. Even though he knows he is just a pleasure seeker, he is determined to conquer her. Yet, will he manage to seduce her with no strings attached, or will he end up with his heart broken?

  The more Jemima and Nicholas are trying to resist their flaming fervor, the more they keep running into each other. Can this scandalous journal be the beginning of the end of a deep and unexpected affection? They both have to choose between status, duty and undeniable emotions, and yet, when they share their first passionate kiss, lust will be too overwhelming to resist. Ripped apart, they can’t go back, they can’t go on, and they can’t let go… Will their untamed desire manage to overpower their inner struggles and stand against the social standards? Will they lose their hearts to the most sizzling affair of their life, or will their relationship fade in vain once and for all?

  Chapter 1

  “Oh, come along, Jemima!” Amy Place huffed, stopping to look over her shoulder when she realized that her older daughter was not at her side. “Must you dawdle like that whenever we go out?”

  Jemima turned away from the shop window. Her eye had been caught by a beautiful dress in pale blue fabric, and it looked stunning. It was, of course, far too dear for her, but it did give her some ideas. She did need a new dress, after all. She swallowed back the retort she wanted to give her mother as Amy came hurrying back to her, Jemima’s younger sister in tow.

  “I was just having a look at the dresses, Mother.”

  Mrs Place pursed her lips, still not looking happy. But she did glance at the dress, and Jemima saw a gleam in her eye. She loved the sight of beautiful things, things that were far out of their household budget. Their father was in despair as to why his wife wanted things she knew they couldn’t afford. Finally, Mrs Place huffed and turned away, beckoning both of her daughters to follow her.

  “Well, come along now. We can’t stay in town for much longer. You know Mr Hann and his wife and son are visiting us for tea shortly. We’re going to be late to greet them if we wait for you to stop staring at pretty dresses.”

  Jemima stopped herself from rolling her eyes. The Hann family. Daniel and his parents. Why did they have to keep coming over to the Place family home for tea? Jemima didn’t mind seeing Mr and Mrs Hann on occasion, and they were nice people, but even the nicest of people could drive her mad. She just wanted to be left alone.

  Unfortunately, Amy Place deemed that unacceptable and that Jemima’s lack of social visits was why she wasn’t married at her age.

  “Mother, Mr Hann won’t mind if we’re not there to greet them. You know how poor they are with their timekeeping.”

  Mrs Place sniffed.

  “That doesn’t mean we should be tardy ourselves. And you need to change so Daniel can see you at your best.”

  “I need to change?” Jemima looked down at her dress, a simple muslin in pale yellow. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”

  “Aside from the fact it’s got mud on the hem, it’s not your afternoon best. You know perfectly well what attire you need.”

  “I can get the mud off. It’s not much …”

  But Mrs Place’s annoyed huff had Jemima falling into silence. Standing beside Mrs Place, sixteen-year-old Elizabeth Place smirked. She was clearly enjoying seeing her sister being scolded.

  “Just stop arguing, Jemima, and come along!”

  “I’m not …”

  “Honestly!” Mrs Place turned on her heel and stalked off. “I feel like I’m herding ducks with you and your sister whenever we go out. You know it makes me look like a fool that I can’t keep my daughters in line?”

  Jemima sighed and followed her mother, the woman walking ahead with a long, purposeful stride. Amy Place was quite a figure, and she loved to show her face in their small community. Hemingford Grey knew all about the Place family, mostly due to Mrs Place’s attempts to move her daughters further up in the social classes. She liked to go for a walk at least twice a week to greet those with a slightly higher status in Society. Jemima didn’t understand it. She just wanted to be left alone.

  Which wasn’t easy when her father was always at work in his lawyer’s office, her mother was forcing her to meet practically everyone who had a title, and a little sister who liked to pester and tease her.

  A little sister who was now falling into step beside Jemima with a scowl at her mother’s back.

  “I wish she wouldn’t put me in that comparison as well,” she muttered. “That’s not fair.”

  “Well, she does have a point,” Jemima said. “You’re just as bad as I am when you get distracted.”

  “Only if we’re in the music shop and I find new music.”

  Jemima couldn’t argue with that. Elizabeth loved her music, and she played the piano almost religiously. It was the only subject Je
mima didn’t tutor Elizabeth in, her younger sister choosing to learn things herself. She was a natural with the piano, but it was a shame she couldn’t put her mind to her other subjects.

  Jemima had asked her parents to hire a tutor instead of using her to teach Elizabeth, as it was clear that Elizabeth didn’t like the fact her older sister was her tutor, but she had been told that it was cheaper for Jemima to teach her sister. She didn’t have anything better to do.

  That remark had stung her.

  “I don’t blame you for getting distracted in there, but you do get lost in a world of your own.”

  Elizabeth snorted.

  “Like you do when you’re writing that pathetic poetry.”

  Jemima bit back her annoyance. That would never work with Elizabeth. They hurried across the street after their mother, getting out the way of a horse pulling a carriage. The driver touched his fingers to his hat as he passed, both Jemima and Elizabeth nodding in response. Then they followed Mrs Place as she turned left and went down the street.

  “Do you think you can write poetry, Elizabeth?” Jemima asked. “It’s not as easy as you think it is.”

  “I can write letters, and I write well enough. I can write poetry.”

  “All right, fine. I’ll set that for you when we start your lessons tomorrow morning. See if you can write better poetry.”

  Which wouldn’t be easy. Jemima’s poetry wasn’t great, but it was passable. Elizabeth could write nicely, but her spelling was still atrocious. Mrs Place thought her daughter wrote beautiful prose, but it was nonsensical. Jemima knew she shouldn’t be mean towards her sister, but every time she tried to prompt Elizabeth into doing the right spelling or doing it in a way that made sense, Elizabeth told her to go away, and she didn’t need any help.

  The girl was far too prideful to ask for it, and Jemima had no time for her arrogance. Most of the time, it was just Jemima telling Elizabeth what she needed to do, and then she sat off to the side doing her own thing while Elizabeth focused on her lessons alone. She did not like Jemima telling her what to do.

  Another reason they should hire a tutor. They did not get along in the best of times, and their parents expected them to get along in this capacity. Jemima knew she was going to scream at some point.

  They were coming to the final shop in the street, which was a tobacconist’s. A hansom carriage was waiting outside. Mrs Place walked by the carriage just as a young man wearing a dark blue coat came out of the shop, carrying a couple of parcels. He stopped abruptly to avoid colliding with Mrs Place, but Jemima’s mother didn’t falter in her stride. She simply nodded at the young man.

  “Thank you, sir.”

  Jemima had to bite back a groan. Mrs Place never realized that she was an incredibly rude woman. She saw it as being forthright when she needed to be. Jemima saw it as something else entirely. Now she was stuck with the embarrassing situation of apologizing to a stranger for her mother almost walking into him.

  But before she could move, however, the stranger got into the carriage, saying something to his driver. As he got in, however, something dropped to the ground by the wheels. But the stranger didn’t notice, simply disappearing inside the carriage and shutting the door.

  Jemima hurried forward as the carriage headed down the street, looking down to see a small leather-bound book at her feet. It must have dropped out of the man’s pocket. She picked it up. It was a small book, just slightly bigger than her hand, but it was thick. And it was heavy, delicately made, almost like it was brand new. Wrapped around it was a thick leather shoestring, looking like one end was stitched into the book’s spine.

  It looked like one of those journals Jemima’s father loved to use.

  “Jemima?” Elizabeth appeared at her side. “What is it?”

  “It’s ... it’s a notebook of some kind.” Jemima turned it over in her hands. “It must have come out of his pocket when he was getting into the carriage.”

  “Oh?” Elizabeth looked over her sister’s shoulder. “A journal. Father uses them all the time.”

  “I know.”

  “I wonder if there’s something salacious in there.” Elizabeth giggled. “Something naughty.”

  Jemima stared at her.

  “Elizabeth! You’re too young to be saying such things!”

  “What? I’m not a child!”

  “As far as everyone is concerned, you are until you turn eighteen. Don’t you forget that.” Jemima put the journal into her reticule and tightened the strings. “I’m going to be responsible and look after it. It’s not for us to pore over and see what the writer has put between the pages.”

  Elizabeth pouted, sticking out her bottom lip.

  “Spoilsport,” she muttered.

  “You two!”

  Jemima jumped. Their mother was outside the gate of a nearby cottage, hands on her hips as she frowned at her daughters. Clearing her throat, Jemima started to walk again.

  “Coming, Mother!”

  At least they weren’t too far from home. Their home was a nice-sized cottage on the outskirts of Hemingford Grey, just out of the way of foot traffic but right on the way in from St Ives. There had been instances when Jemima could easily hail the carriage going to St Ives right outside their front gate.

  But much as Jemima wanted to get home and find a place to put the journal, a place where Elizabeth couldn’t snoop, she wasn’t too keen on going to see Daniel Hann. He would want to get her attention, and Jemima found him rather boring. When he wasn’t being overbearing. Amy and Charles Place thought he was a charming, polite young man. They clearly hadn’t seen the real person.

  Jemima had when they grew up as children. And she hadn’t liked that side of him.

  “Come on, Jemima!” Elizabeth tugged on her sister’s arm. “Let’s go! I’m hungry, and Mrs Mason said she was going to cook her shortbread today.”

  “I …”

  “Oh, for goodness sake!” Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “What’s the matter with you? Nervous that you’re seeing Daniel again?”

  “Of course I’m not.” Jemima frowned. “Although this is the third time in the last two weeks. That is a little too much, even when they’re your friends.”

  “Maybe there’s a reason for Daniel to be coming over so much with his parents.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Elizabeth shrugged.

  “Maybe Mother and Father and Daniel’s parents are trying to set up a match for both of you. Push you into courtship.”

  Jemima stopped short and stared at her.

  “They wouldn’t do that. Would they?”

  “Why not? You’re five-and-twenty now, Jemima, and you’re still unmarried.” Elizabeth huffed. “If you don’t get married, there’s little chance that I will be able to find a good match. An unmarried sister is good at keeping marriage prospects away for everyone else.”

  Jemima frowned.

  “That’s not the case. And you’re not old enough to be talking about marriage.”

  “I still need to consider it and weigh up my options.” Elizabeth started tugging Jemima into walking again. “And what’s wrong with marriage, anyway? It means you’ve got someone to look after you, and Daniel comes from a wealthy family. You two would be a good match.”

  Jemima didn’t think so. She had made the choice when she was younger that when she married, it would be for love. No matches because it was financially beneficial, or the families were friends. Jemima didn’t see anything romantic in it at all. Besides, she didn’t exactly have much for a dowry. Her father had money, and he was a hard worker, but they were certainly not wealthy. No matter what the situation, the dowry would play a big part.

  Her parents might have thought Daniel was a good choice, and he did have money, was good-looking, and had connections. But Jemima didn’t love him. She tolerated him, at best. It was only because Mr and Mrs Hann were nice people that she could sit in the same room as Daniel. She didn’t want to upset them.