The Naked Earl. Sally MacKenzie
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Praise for The Naked Marquis
“The Naked Marquis is an endearing confection of sweetness and sensuality, the romance equivalent of chocolate cake…every page is an irresistible delight!”—Lisa Kleypas, New York Times bestselling author
“With a delightfully quirky cast of characters and heated bedroom encounters, MacKenzie’s latest Naked novel delivers a humorous, sprightly romance.”—Romantic Times BOOK Reviews
“A pure delight…filled with very lovable characters, and perhaps the sexiest hero I’ve read in a long, long time.”—rakehell.com
“Charming…funny…full of delightful characters…The Naked Marquis merits a place on the keeper shelves of readers of the traditional Regency and the spicier Regency-set historical romances alike.”—Romance Reviews Today
“A delightful read.”—Fallen Angels Reviews
“A wild, witty, and wonderful romance.”—coffeetimeromance.com
“Sally MacKenzie has written a book filled with steam and humor.”—themysticcastle.com
“A sensual and breathtaking story that drew me in and would not let me move until the final sentence was finished.”—Romance Junkies
“MacKenzie’s mix of humor and sensuality, with just a hint of suspense, definitely works…. The Naked Marquis is a lot offun.”—booksforabuck.com
“A highly enchanting and thoroughly polished novel…you will not want to let the characters out of your sight. Their lives are your life, their discoveries are your discoveries, and their passions become your desires.”—roadtoromance.ca
“The Naked Marquis is a delicious indulgence. Treat yourself!”—onceuponaromance.net
“With Sally MacKenzie’s The Naked Marquis, you’ll never stop laughing at the antics of the countryside.”—Writers Unlimited
Praise for The Naked Duke
“MacKenzie sets a merry dance in motion in this enjoyable Regency romp.”—Booklist
“This is a funny, delightful debut by a talented writer who knows how to blend passion, humor and the essence of the Regency period into a satisfying tale.”—Romantic Times BOOK Reviews
“Delightful Regency story of love and danger.”—The Best Reviews
“The Naked Duke is a thoroughly enjoyable story with several wonderful characters.”—Romance Reviews Today
“A well-written and enjoyable first novel. Ms. MacKenzie has a wonderful voice.”—The Romance Readers Connection
“Debut author Sally MacKenzie has penned a marvelously witty novel…. Readers who enjoy a large dose of humor will love The Naked Duke. The characters are charming, and the pace is quick. It is the perfect book for a cozy winter retreat.”—aromancereview.com
“If you like Regency-set romances that offer both humor and excitement, you should enjoy reading The Naked Duke. MacKenzie’s voice is fresh and intriguing, her characterization is sound, she knows the period—and her villain is extremely nasty.”—rakehell.com
“We just might have a new star in the making! This is definitely a new author that one should take a closer look at.”—Historical Romance Writers
“Author Sally MacKenzie combines humor and suspense in her debut novel.”—booksforabuck.com
“Sally MacKenzie’s first novel, The Naked Duke, runs a range of emotions that will have you laughing out loud and then biting your nails in anticipation…. The characters were realistic, the story was fast paced and the love story of an American girl returning to her father’s homeland to find love and happiness is straight out of a fairy tale.”—Fallen Angel Reviews
PLEASE EXPLAIN
“Be that as it may, miss, you cannot entertain naked men in your room and not promptly attire your finger with an engagement ring.”
Meg squeaked again. She was becoming a regular mouse.
“Robbie was naked?”
“Well…yes.” Lizzie feared she would spontaneously combust from mortification. “In a manner of speaking, that is.”
“Hmm.” Lady Bea’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline. “And how can a gentleman be naked in a manner of speaking?”
Lizzie would not meet the older woman’s eyes. “It was dark.”
The Naked Earl
SALLY MACKENZIE
http://www.kensingtonbooks.com
Helen R. Stanton
September 4, 1917–May 23, 2006
I love you, Mom.
For Dad, who reads romance, and for Kevin, Dan, Matt,
David, and Mike, who don’t.
Thanks to my writer pals (www.romanceunleashed.com)
for keeping me sane.
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter One
Robert Hamilton, Earl of Westbrooke, was a light sleeper. His eyes opened the moment his mattress shifted. He turned to see what had caused the disturbance.
Two very large, very naked breasts dangled in front of his nose. Damn! He looked up to see to whom they belonged. Lady Felicity Brookton. She gave him an arch look as she drew in her breath to scream.
Bloody hell.
He bolted from the bed and leapt for the window. There was no time for such niceties as breeches or shoes. Once Lady Felicity started her caterwauling, the entire house party would be banging on his door. He’d be securely caught in parson’s mousetrap, condemned to face Lady Felicity at the breakfast table every morning for the rest of his life.
Could there be a more succinct description of hell?
He swung his leg over the sill and dropped down onto the roof of the portico as she emitted her first screech. The sharp surface cut into his bare feet, but the pain was nothing to the panic raging in his chest.
He had to get away.
Thank God he had scrutinized the view from his window when he’d arrived at Tynweith’s house party. He’d made a habit of looking for escape routes since the ladies of the ton had gotten so persistent. If they only knew…. Well, if he was forced to flee naked from his bed perhaps it was time to do something. A discreet rumor judiciously