Sometimes the only way to take control is to lose it...
1811, England
SUDDEN RICHES TURN A MERE LADY INTO A POTENTIAL QUEEN
For Lady Claire Hanscombe, her father's sudden fortune from a risky investment in a South American silver mine means that marrying childhood love Evan Michaelson, a commoner, is now out of the question. Lord Christian Hanscombe, Earl of Landsdown, married off her twin sister, Sara, to a prince of a minor country and he plans to place Claire and her younger sister, Julia, in line for thrones as well.
Fearing her pending marriage to a prince from a strange land, Claire seeks refuge in a magical waterfall on the Hanscombe estate that draws women to it for special, sensual properties, qualities that no proper lady should know of, much less harness.
YET THAT WEALTH ENDS A MUCH-WANTED BETROTHAL
Evan Michaelson had known since his early teens that he would marry Claire; his wealthy solicitor father had planned the match quite carefully, lining up the poor noble with his family's fortune to gain a title for his son. When the elder Michaelson suggested that Lord Landsdown consider a longshot investment in the Spanish colonies, he never imagined he would seal his own family's doom and end the dream of marrying into nobility.
Evan, unable to sleep as he fitfully worries about losing his love, encounters her at the waterfall, finding her in a most compromising position - and mutual frustration yields to mutual desire. As Claire prepares to be betrothed to a prince far away, Evan schemes to find a way out of the impossible mess that keeps them apart.
A BOLD MOVE MAY RISK IT ALL - OR SECURE THEIR LOVE
Time is not on their side, but perhaps - just perhaps - Evan can convince Claire to throw all convention aside and take control of their destiny by making an irrevocable decision that would shock the ton if known. One enormous risk taken by Claire's father has nearly ruined their love; if Evan's own risk pays off, though, it means a lifetime together...
The Water's Kiss is a Regency romance novella of 21,000 words, part of the Waterfall series. Includes a sample from An Inconvenient Fortune, a full-length novel featuring the South American cousins of the Hanscombe daughters.
Edit : e Genre : Historical Romance