Rescued by the Rakish Lord
by Sarah Mallory
A man of such dubious reputation…
that he was called Devil Blackbourne!
When Lord Deveril Blackbourne meets Selina Wynter, he is intrigued. For she has all the accomplishments of a lady, but the fiery temper and spirit of a tavern maid! Then she is abducted by a dastardly suitor, and Deveril—for all his roguish reputation— can’t stand idly by…
Lord Deveril is Selina’s least likely rescuer, but when they’re stranded together in a snowstorm and her reputation is at risk, he surprises her with a gallant proposal! Deveril’s no honourable suitor, yet his actions say otherwise…
Just who is the real Devil Blackbourne? Selina’s determined to find out!
Meet Selina & Deveril!
When it comes to the characters in my book, the location has to be a character in its own right. I was born in the West Country and still visit Exmoor regularly. It was on a winter visit to the area that I began to think of this story. Steep sided lanes lead up to the windswept moors where ponies now graze quietly, posing for visitors to take photographs. The whole area lends itself to tales of adventure with spirited ladies, handsome heroes and dastardly villains.
 |
| Exmoor Ponies (c) Sarah Mallory |
When you think of a romance set on Exmoor, you most likely think of Lorna Doone, but that was written one hundred years before my latest story.
 |
| Lorna Doone illustration, British Library via Wikimedia Commons, no restrictions. |
Rescued by the Rakish Lord is a sparkling Georgian adventure. It focuses on the romance between Miss Selina Wynter, an independent lady living in a small market town on the southern edge of Exmoor and a London buck, Lord Deveril Blackbourne. They are neither of them what they appear to be at their first encounter. She thinks him a rakish libertine, and he thinks her a spirited tavern wench!
Selina
Selina has been educated as a lady, although that would probably have been pretty basic. Reading, writing, a little arithmetic and some painting and music thrown in. possibly a smattering of French or Italian, too. Selina learns to play the pianoforte and naturally, she can dance. Many a match was made on the dancefloor!
 |
| 1776 robe a l’anglaise attrib. Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons |
Selina, however, has no thoughts of marriage. Her father has suffered from ill health for years and on her mother’s death, Selina quit the schoolroom to look after him and take charge Reigney, his estate, as well as the busy posting house that is on their land.
She is more than happy with her life, which has made her far more independent than many single ladies, and she thrives on the hard work and challenges it presents. She hunts, drives and shoots, and she won’t take a husband if it means giving up her independence. When I started planning this book, I had in mind a beautiful, resourceful woman, restless and lively, full of energy (think Kate Beckinsale in Van Helsing).
Deveril
Lord Deveril is a fashionable London gentleman with a reputation for being a rake. Although he isn’t. Far from it. Lord Deveril Blackbourne may seem like a devil-make-care London beau but he is at heart a kind and honourable man. Hardly his fault if women throw themselves at him, attracted by his charm and good looks, not to mention his wealth and title!
One of the challenges of writing historical romance is that many readers like the idea of a bad boy hero, but how many of us would want to be married to one? Having read a great deal about the real-life rakes of the 18th century, I think most of them were neither honourable or kind. Certainly not the sort to win the heart of a modern-day reader. Deveril, on the other hand, while he is willing to enjoy a mild flirtation, would not willingly break any young lady’s heart.
Deveril is intrigued by Selina, but not at all sure he likes her: “All the breeding and accomplishments of a lady, but the temper and spirit of a tavern wench.” However, when he suspects she has been abducted he cannot help but set out to rescue her, which results in them being snowbound at a remote inn together. It is then, as they begin to overcome their differences, that the attraction grows. They share a lively sense of the ridiculous and we all know that laughter can be very attractive.
Finishing a new book is always exciting, and this one has been no different. I have loved following Selina and Deveril on their journey and bringing them to their eventual happy ending. I make no apologies for writing romantic adventures, I began writing these stories because I wanted to read feel-good fiction, something that would take me away from the real world for a while. And I shall continue to write them, for as long as the stories keep coming into my head.
 |
| Autumn lane, Exmoor (c) Sarah Mallory |
Sarah Mallory
Sarah Mallory is an award-winning author who has published more than 40 historical romances with Harlequin Mills & Boon. She loves history, especially the Georgian and Regency.
She won the prestigious RoNA Rose Award from the Romantic Novelists Association in 2012 and 2013 and nominated in 2022. She also won the RNA’s Romantic Historical Novel Award in 2024 for The Night She Met the Duke. Sarah also writes romantic historical adventures as Melinda Hammond.
Sarah was born in the West Country but lived for many years on the Yorkshire Pennines, taking inspiration from the wild and rugged moors. Then in 2018 she fell in love with Scotland and ran away to live on the rugged North West Coast, which is proving even more inspiring!
Connect with Sarah:
Facebook • Twitter / X • Bluesky • Instagram
No comments:
Post a Comment