EVEN THE WILDEST RAKES HAVE THEIR WEAKNESSES

EVEN THE WILDEST RAKES HAVE THEIR WEAKNESSES

Grace Paul

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The Marquis of Chase is not a reputable man. He is notorious for his wretched morals and is never received in respectable houses. The ladies of the ton would never allow him in their drawing rooms . . . though some of them have welcomed him into their bedchambers. Ejected from his father's house at the age of sixteen, he now lives a life of wanton pleasure. So what could the Marquis of Chase possibly want with Juliana Merton, a lovely, perfectly upstanding shopkeeper with a mysterious past? A moment's indiscretion? A night's passion? Or a lifetime of love? Even the wildest rakes have their weaknesses . . .

Chapter 1 PROLOGUE

Salisbury

April 1818

The second pint might have been a mistake.

Joseph Merton considered the stairs, which swayed a little. Yet it wasn't every day a man discovered a fortune and the occasion demanded a celebration. He couldn't wait to tell his wife.

A good woman, his wife. He'd thought himself lucky to get her. A humble bookseller's assistant wouldn't normally aspire to a pretty girl with a fine education and a knowledge of his trade. And then there had been the matter of her one thousand pounds. Enough to set him up in London. Certainly he had never expected any more.

Over dinner in the noisy tavern he raised a silent toast to Juliana, with a fondness undiluted by consideration of her more annoying traits. Her tendency to develop contrary opinions was forgotten in the prospect of a greater fortune coming his way.

Not even three flights of stairs could disturb his good mood, though he might have taken a more expensive room on a lower floor had he known what he'd learn today.

Such indulgence would be hasty, he reminded himself. He still needed to lay his hands on the proof. He trusted the old woman was right when she said the vital document would be found among her books. That he wouldn't be transporting several hampers of worthless volumes to London for nothing.

He stumbled on the top step, almost fell into the narrow passage, and crashed against a door, fortunately that of his own room. To his surprise it opened. The books he'd left in neat piles were strewn about the room. He had a visitor.

Joseph knew the man by sight and he knew what he wanted. Cheerful tipsiness faded to chill sobriety.

"Where is it?" the man asked.

Though not physically strong, Joseph was no coward and he tried to fight for his life. He never had a chance. His assailant wielded his knife with ungentlemanlike efficiency.

As his life drained away, Joseph's last thought was for Juliana. He hoped she would be able to manage without him. And wondered if she'd ever learn why he died.

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EVEN THE WILDEST RAKES HAVE THEIR WEAKNESSES
1

Chapter 1 PROLOGUE

06/10/2023

2

Chapter 2 THE LIBRARY

06/10/2023

3

Chapter 3 CHASE

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4

Chapter 4 AND NO DOUBT

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5

Chapter 5 JULIANA WAS HEADED

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6

Chapter 6 IT SHOULD

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7

Chapter 7 LORD CHASE

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Chapter 8 CAIN HAD BEEN ENJOYING

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Chapter 9 DURING EIGHT YEARS

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Chapter 10 MAY I SAY

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Chapter 11 ON A CHILLY

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Chapter 12 TOUCH ME

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Chapter 13 Cain loved morning

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Chapter 14 Matthew Gilbert

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Chapter 15 Juliana would have

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Chapter 16 An hour

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Chapter 17 Cain returned

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Chapter 18 You smell of wine

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Chapter 19 Good afternoon Juliana

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Chapter 20 WHY CANT I HAVE

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Chapter 21 SO NEPHEW

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Chapter 22 CAIN HAD GIVEN

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Chapter 23 THE LOOK SHE GAVE

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Chapter 24 THE AUCTION

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Chapter 25 HIS FINAL ARGUMENT

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Chapter 26 THE FOLLOWING AFTERNOON

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Chapter 27 HE HADNT

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Chapter 28 CAINS HEAD

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Chapter 29 AND THEN

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Chapter 30 if cassandra

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Chapter 31 juliana

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Chapter 32 a very proper

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Chapter 33 the black chariot

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Chapter 34 this sudden boldness

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Chapter 35 an image from that book

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Chapter 36 juliana couldnt

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Chapter 37 cain was unhappy

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Chapter 38 At nine

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Chapter 39 cain had

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Chapter 40 juliana arrived

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