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~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Order it from Amazon Order it from Barnes & Noble Order the ebook Order from Indie Bound Order from Books A Million Order from iBooks ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Read an essay about why I chose to write about a blind heroine ISBN 978-0-06-207607-6 Nominated for RT Book Reviews Magazine's RT Book Reviews Magazine
K.I.S.S. award for Finalist: Best Short Historical, Booksellers' Best Award |
Surrender to the Earl
by Gayle Callen
Book 2 of the "Brides of Redemption" trilogy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She wanted a favor, not a fiance...Audrey Blake's impromptu plan--asking a visitor to help her take ownership of her rightful property--is unraveling in spectacular fashion. Audrey has been kept in virtual seclusion by her family, and now the enigmatic Robert Henslow, Earl of Knightsbridge, has complicated her scheme to gain independence, insisting they pretend to be engaged. Duty brought Robert to Audrey's doorstep. As for what makes him propose marriage...it might be guilt. Compassion. Or something far more urgent and unexpected. Their counterfeit union was supposed to be for Audrey's benefit. Yet it's Robert who yearns to prove to the intriguing Audrey how much they both have to gain by making it real--and convincing her to submit to the most blissful passion. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
REVIEWS “Known for her emotionally powerful and touching novels, Callen has outdone herself with a beautifully rendered romance between two wounded souls. The strong characters and heart-tugging love story, filled with sensuality and passion, truly demonstrates love’s power to heal.” RT Book Reviews Magazine K.I.S.S. Award (Knight in Shining Silver): "Gayle Callen will have you wanting to Surrender to the Earl, Robert Henslow, just because of his compassionate and passionate nature." RT Book Reviews Magazine "a moving, intelligent tale...not to be missed." Affaire de Coeur Magazine "A seductive Victorian romance filled with steamy excitement and spicy ardor, Surrender to the Earl is sure to cast a spell on Gayle Callen’s fans and new readers alike." And a "Top Pick" Night Owl Reviews "Robert’s determination to break down Audrey’s wall was so commendable that I actually wanted him for myself. Surrender To The Earl is the first of Gayle Callen’s books that I have read and I find myself downloading more at this very moment!" Under the Covers Book Blog "a wickedly delicious historical romance" Romance Junkies "Gayle Callen has a knack for creating characters that the reader can emotionally connect to, admire and root for until the very last page." Novels Alive "Audrey's character was easy to embrace as Ms. Callen
found a way to balance her strength and independence against the vulnerability
she hides." "This is a wonderful historical that provides not only romance but also a good
glimpse into the issues of the times." EXCERPT
(The following is the property of the
author and Avon Books, and cannot be
copied or reprinted without permission.)
(Story Setup: Robert Henslow, Earl of
Knightsbridge, arrives at the home of Mrs. Audrey Blake, the blind widow of the
fellow soldier who died in battle because of a mistake Robert and his friends
made. In private, he asks if there’s anything he can do for her. She tells him
she’s trapped, and no one will take her to manor house she inherited from her
husband. She asks if he’ll help her.) Audrey Blake knew her request was too
forward, too impolite—but she no longer cared. She was desperate, and Lord
Knightsbridge’s arrival might be her only chance. He sounded pleasant, his
voice deep, manly, and obviously he had compassion and a sense of justice to
come all this way to offer his assistance. “I am not an invalid, my lord,” she
continued, knowing she rushed her words. She couldn’t hear anyone in the foyer,
but they’d be interrupted soon. “And I’m not a fool. I would have servants to
assist me, and my lady’s maid, who acts as my eyes when necessary. And I
remember what things look like—I went blind from scarlet fever at seven years
of age, and I’ve done my best to remind myself every night of the images of my
relatives’ faces, the grounds of my home.” “But you would be going to a place with
none of those things, Mrs. Blake,” he said in a gentle voice. “You are a soldier, sir—did you not wish
to explore places you’d never been before? Why would I be different? And the
house is mine,” she added with emphasis, “although my father tried to weave an
elaborate deception to convince me the house went to a distant male relative of
my husband. I wrote to a lawyer and discovered the truth. I do not want to
spend my days as my sister’s companion, to intrude on her marriage as a poor
relation. That is what they plan for me, all of my family, when they aren’t
trying to keep me hidden.” She heard the inhalation of his breath,
forced herself to remain calm, though she could barely control the trembling of
her hands. This was her chance—would the earl deny her, when he obviously felt
he owed her? She knew he heard the footsteps in the
hall when he lowered his voice and spoke quickly. “You make a good argument, Mrs. Blake,
and I do understand your frustration. But I don’t know you or your situation,
and could be doing more harm than good.” He must have leaned closer, for she
could smell the clean, outdoor scent of him. “Then stay,” she said. “My brother is
having a shooting party with his friends for the next few days. My family would
be honored at your presence—especially my sister Blythe,” she added with just a
touch of sarcasm. “I will invite you if my father or sister doesn’t. And then
you will see the family I have, who believe they know best for me, when I’m a grown,
competent woman, and not a drooling invalid.” “Very well, I will stay,” he said. “Thank you, my lord.” The surge of relief Audrey felt was
enough to make her teacup rattle in the saucer as she picked it up. She was
sipping slowly, casually, when she heard the rush of swirling garments, the
prancing steps of Blythe entering the parlor, the heavy footfalls of her
father. With the creak of the padded chair, she
knew Lord Knightsbridge had risen to his feet. “Knightsbridge,” her father said with
his overly cheerful tone, “may I present my daughter, Miss Blythe Collins.” “Miss Collins, it is a pleasure to meet
you.” The earl’s voice was full of the warm
admiration men always showed a lovely woman. Even though Audrey had last seen
Blythe as a two-year-old, she well remembered her pretty brunette curls and the
dimples whenever she smiled. She’d been Audrey’s little doll baby from the
moment of her birth and she’d enjoyed caring for her and dressing her under
their mother’s loving supervision. Both children had contracted scarlet fever,
but only Audrey’s fever had raged so high as to take her sight. And it had
altered their relationship ever since. Her father and siblings were ashamed of
her infirmity, of her very differentness, as if it were a mark on their family
that might be carried to future generations. While their mother had been alive, she
made certain Audrey was treated as any normal child, and the seasons had passed
with some moments of harmony. But her mother had died seven years ago.
Gradually, Audrey’s visits to the outside world had been restricted, as if she
were a ghost who shouldn’t be seen. Blythe had more and more mimicked their
father, who tolerated Audrey’s blindness, especially since he could use the few
skills he thought she had. But treat her like a normal daughter? No. Only
Blythe could regularly visit neighbors or go to London. Audrey’s control of the
household freed Blythe to concentrate on finding a husband. Audrey had never been beyond their
village. She had no women friends of her own except dear Molly, her nanny’s
daughter. They’d been raised together since infancy, and Molly was now her
lady’s maid and secretary all rolled into one cheerful package. Would things be better if she lived
alone in her own home? Would strangers give her the benefit of the doubt,
unlike her own family? Audrey didn’t know, but at least she’d be free to do as
she wished, go where she wished. That had seemed just a distant, unattainable
dream this morning—until the arrival of the Earl of Knightsbridge. She knew Blythe would have swept into a
deep curtsy at meeting a peer of the realm. And by her breathless, “How do you
do, my lord?” Audrey assumed his lordship must be an attractive man, and not
too old for Blythe’s consideration. Their father didn’t even bother to tell
Blythe the real reason Lord Knightsbridge had visited them, only said,
“Knightsbridge is newly returned from India, lately a cavalryman for the
Queen.” “Oh, what an exciting and dangerous
life,” Blythe said, her voice full of awe and eagerness. Didn’t she hear her own desperation?
Audrey wondered. She’d once tried to point it out, but Blythe had dismissed her
concerns, saying Audrey knew nothing of the flirtation between men and women.
But Audrey could hear when someone made a fool of themselves. “I consider myself honored to serve my
country,” Lord Knightsbridge said in a somber voice. “But it is not a life for
the faint of heart.” He hesitated. “I inherited the earldom at twenty, but did
not have the maturity for the title. The army seemed like the only way to
achieve that. And I had an excellent staff who kept the estates running
smoothly in my absence.” Oh, there was a deeper story there, but
she would not be so impolite as to ask about it. “We don’t need to talk about the army,”
Blythe said in a too cheerful voice. “I imagine you simply want to forget it.” “Sometimes, I would like to,” he said
quietly. Audrey felt a chill at the emptiness in
his voice. “But I must honor the memory of the
friends I lost,” he continued. “That is why I’m here, to pay my respects to the
widow of my fellow soldier, Mr. Blake.” “Oh, I didn’t realize,” Blythe said
faintly. Audrey could already feel her sister’s
mind working, as she imagined that yet another man was connected to Audrey,
besides her late husband. And Audrey wanted this new connection. She didn’t
want to hurt Blythe, but for once, she had to put herself first. “Surely you weren’t planning to share
tea and then leave,” Lord Collins blustered. “We have several young men
arriving for my son’s shooting party. Do stay, Knightsbridge. We have plenty of
room.” On cue, Lord Knightsbridge said, “That
is a gracious invitation, sir. I accept. I’ve been away nine years, so it will
do me good to reacquaint myself with other young men.” “Oh, I am so glad, my lord,” Blythe
gushed. “Perhaps you wish to retire and rest
before dinner?” Audrey asked. Sometimes it was good not to be able to
see, if her sister was angry to have the earl snatched away from her so soon. “I imagine I look dusty from the road,”
the earl said lightly, then his voice sobered. “Forgive me, Mrs. Blake, of
course you cannot see that—” She put up a hand and interrupted. “My
lord, figures of speech are not offensive to me, so do not be concerned. I
understand you are probably not used to dealing with the blind.” But she felt
rather relieved that he was considerate. After all, she’d just recklessly asked
him, a stranger, to take her away from home. Perhaps it was good that they both
learned about each other. But he wasn’t a stranger—he’d been a
friend of Martin’s. That didn’t exactly recommend him in her eyes. “You are very understanding, ma’am.” “I’ll have a footman escort you to your
room.” Audrey rose to her feet. She was always very careful to sit at the end
of furniture groups, so she wouldn’t have to stumble over people. At the door,
she leaned out to give instructions to the footman. She could hear the party rise behind her
as Lord Knightsbridge thanked her father once again before following her to the
entrance hall. “Rest well, my lord,” Blythe called. They were all briefly silent as the
earl’s footsteps faded away up the stairs. Then Audrey heard her sister
excitedly whisper, “Oh, Father! An earl—” Audrey heard her father rubbing his
hands together. “I know something of Knightsbridge,” he
said. “Though he has not taken his place in the House of Lords for these nine
years, there is gossip to be heard.” Blythe asked, “What kind of gossip?” Audrey did not want to be a part of
passing along rumors, but she could not pretend disinterest. “I believe when he became the earl at
twenty, he was considered by some to be too arrogant for his own good.” “And it seems the army cured him of
that,” Blythe countered. “Maturity and experience help, too,”
Audrey added. “There was something about a business
investment that failed, and a man involved took his own life. That was when the
young earl bought his commission.” Audrey frowned. “His lordship could be
innocent or guilty of … anything.” “No one believes the earl had a hand in
this man’s death,” Lord Collins assured them, his voice full of blustery
conviction. “Then it was the investment that people
questioned?” Audrey asked warily. Had she just asked an unscrupulous man to
take her away from her home? “This doesn’t concern you, Audrey,” her
father said. She’d heard that her whole life. “But, no, nothing underhanded was
discovered, only bad judgment.” “And he was only twenty,” Blythe said.
“Anyone can make foolish mistakes at twenty.” “You’re twenty,” Audrey couldn’t help
pointing out. “Oooh!” Blythe said with a groan. “You
are impossible to speak with!” And she marched out, her slippers making
scuffing sounds on the stairs. Audrey sighed and was about to follow
her. “Audrey, I would like a word.” She remained still as her father brushed
past her to close the door. “I could confine you to your room,” he
said in his I know best voice. She clenched her teeth together so hard
she felt a spasm in her jaw. Then she calmed herself. She had intrigued Lord
Knightsbridge, she knew, and he felt obligated to do something for her. If she
were confined to her room, it might make him even more determined to help. I can’t
lose here, she told herself firmly. But she didn’t want to be confined, to hear
other people having fun, to be unable to even sit among them. “But confining you would cause talk
during a shooting party, since Knightsbridge has already met you,” he continued,
heaving a sigh. “So I must trust you to be circumspect in your dealings with
him. Your sister deserves her chance to shine.” “Father, the man is an earl,” she
insisted. “He will not be interested in a blind woman, except for compassion’s
sake. I am no threat to Blythe.” “See that you remember that,” he warned
her. “You didn’t before.” She could feel him take a step toward
her, and much as he’d never physically harmed her, his complete control of her
was threatening enough. It was as if the air around her shrank, and she could
smell the cologne he used to mask his body odor. “I warned you about Blake,” he reminded
her for the thousandth time. “And you were right,” she said, trying
to sound humble instead of furious. “Believe me, it is a lesson I have not
forgotten.” “Good.” He stepped away. “What do you
have planned for dinner tonight, once all the young men have arrived?” She briefly, impassively sketched out
the menu for him, while her mind churned at her helplessness. He would confine
his own daughter, but for talk and her usefulness to his guests. It had
happened before, when she’d been cloistered alone and miserable but for Molly.
Every time she thought herself immune to her family’s subtle humiliations,
another rose to wound her again. Order it from Amazon Order it from Barnes & Noble Order the Kindle edition Order the ebook Order from Indie Bound Order from Books A Million ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Why I Chose to Write a Blind Heroine
I’ve tried something a little
different with my newest historical, Surrender
to the Earl. My heroine, Mrs. Audrey Blake, is a blind widow. Now I’ve done
a blind main character before, Simon Wade, the hero of The Viscount In Her Bedroom. You might wonder why I’ve chosen to
write two blind characters, rather than just accept the challenge of one. It
probably started when I read Christina Dodd’s Candle In The Window, a
medieval with a heroine blind from birth who’s hired to help and teach a knight
newly blinded in battle. It was Christina’s first book, and it won her so many
awards. I read it almost twenty years ago, but it stuck with me, along with the
challenge of trying to be in the point of view of a blind person, something
I’ve never experienced. I did a lot of research on how
the blind were treated in the nineteenth century, pretty much as invalids. And
when people are treated as invalids, they tend to weaken from lack of exercise,
and it becomes a vicious cycle. But people did begin to help the blind. The
first school for the blind was established in the late eighteenth century.
Embossed books were created for the blind to read, a way to press letters into
the paper (before Braille was developed). But this could make a long book huge,
of course. I do have Audrey reading some of these, but they were very
expensive, and the poor could never afford them. In those days, if you had to
earn a living, a blind person would be taught to weave baskets, spin flax, or plait whips. It was easier to be a viscount
and blind. Simon had a loving family, servants to assist him, a secretary. But
what about a woman like Audrey, whose family was embarrassed by her, whose
husband married her for her dowry and left her behind? She was powerless to
escape, had no real friends. Such a woman could very well wither away. But not Audrey. She had the
benefit of a mother who loved her and treated her as a normal child, encouraged
her to learn needlework and play the piano. By the time her mother died several
years before, Audrey already had the gift of belief in herself, although it was
tested by the lengths her family went to to hide her away. And then Robert
Henslow, Earl of Knightsbridge, returns from India to pay his respects to the
widow of a fallen soldier, who died because of a mistake Robert made. Audrey
bravely asks him for help, and Robert is amazed by her courage and bothered by
the way her family treats her. He can’t help but agree—yet how to escort a
blind woman away from her family without looking like he’s kidnapping an
invalid? By proposing a fake engagement,
of course! But complications happen… Back |
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