The Rakehell Regency Romance Series Boxed Set 6 Read online

  The Rakehell Regency Romance Series

  Volume 6

  Sorcha MacMurrough

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Book 16: MADNESS

  Book 17: BEGUILED

  Book 18: BEGUILED ANEW

  The Rakehell Regency Romance Series

  Book 16

  MADNESS

  Sorcha MacMurrough

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  SYNOPSIS

  REVIEWS

  COPYRIGHT

  CAST OF CHARACTERS

  PROLOGUE

  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 TWENTY-TWO

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

  EPILOGUE

  SYNOPSIS

  Freedom and love, or death...

  Gabrielle Howell enters the hellish asylum of Bedlam in London when her sister Lucinda is committed as insane by her husband the Earl of Oxnard.

  During a riot at the asylum, Gabrielle is rescued by a handsome inmate known only as Simon, who seems to make an awful lot of sense for someone supposedly deranged.

  Drugged and suffering from a mysterious malady, Simon cannot remember his past. All his records seem to indicate he is a deadly killer incarcerated by his prominent family.

  But the more Gabrielle gets to know the fiercely intelligent and gentle man, the more she has her doubts that this could ever be true. Simon is principled, kind, and certainly no murderer. He transforms from loyal ally to the most magnificent lover as the passion sparks between them, heady and addictive.

  Simon isn't sure if the gorgeous woman he has held in his arms is real, or a figment of his opium-addled brain. All he knows is that it is true love, a gift from the gods he will never give up, except in death.

  Simon refuses to be kept a prisoner any longer by the puppetmasters who have been pulling his strings ever since the war with Napoleon started. Trusting in his new-found love Gabrielle, Simon is willing to risk everything to defeat his captors, and the opium addiction they have caused by drugging him to keep him cooperative. Simon dares all to escape from Bedlam and come out of the shadows to live a normal life again once more.

  Gabrielle begins to believe the impossible: that she can save Simon from their enemies before it is too late. In a bold and daring move, she risks everything to heal Simon and rescue him from the living death he has been consigned to.

  Even as their love deepens, the danger swarms in all around them as the agents who imprisoned him in the asylum return to use him once more as a pawn in their deadly political games. Will allowing themselves to love one other prove to be Gabrielle and Simon's salvation, or sheer madness?

  An excerpt from the novel:

  Simon began to tease Gabrielle, rippling his fingers over her peaks and valleys with a surety of touch which set her hips thrusting against his hand so desperately, he had all to do not to take her there and then.

  He whispered in her ear, "If we were alone, do you know what I would do?"

  She shook her head.

  "Do you want me to tell you?" he asked, nuzzling her ear and nibbling the lobe.

  "Yes," she sighed through parted lips.

  "I would lick you all over, running my tongue inside and out. Explore you fully with it, and my fingers, and finally my straining manhood. Penetrate you with all three until you melted against me and called out my name. I would wander over every part of your body, so that you would know my touch everywhere. I'd possess you utterly, so that you could never think of anything but my caresses, my passion. Oh God, Gabrielle, j'ai besoin de toi."

  "I need you too, Simon," she panted, before feasting on his mouth with her own.

  REVIEWS

  This endlessly creative and talented author has done it again, producing a chilling and clever Regency Noir with strong Gothic elements and a couple who go through hell on earth in order to win the other's love.

  Bedlam asylum is not the most likely place for a genteel young woman to find her lover, but Gabrielle knows there is more to Simon than meets the eye. Though warned off him by her cousin Antony, she is soon caught up in a whirlwind of espionage and murder as she seeks to save him from the hell on earth he has been forced to endure for the sake of his country during the war.

  All of the Rakehell heroes are wonderful, but I have to admit that Simon has a special place in my heart. He is the perfect lover and a most remarkable man. With Gabrielle's love he is able to reintegrate back into the world after the torture he has endured.

  Gabrielle is the ultimate MacMurrough heroine, more than a match for Simon and his enemies, brave, intelligent, fiercely loyal. This is truly a wondrous romance that blazes with passionate intensity.

  -Evelyn Trimborn

  The incredible talent of Ms. MacMurrough is to be marvelled at once more as we trace the very rocky road to true love for Simon and Gabrielle, a wonderful couple trapped in the living hell of the Bedlam insane asylum together.

  Gabrielle knows she is rapidly falling in love with the handsome stranger, but must risk everything to save him from the demon opium and his imprisonment.

  This loving man, a paragon of intelligence and sexiness, cannot possibly be the murderer the authorities claim him to be. Gabrielle is determined to seek the truth about his real identity, which proves more stunning than anything she could have ever dreamed of.

  Full of suspense, sensuality and the Gothic elements which never fail to keep us guessing, this is another eagerly awaited volume in this fantastic series.

  -Jacinta Carey

  Simon is simply the most magnificent Rakehell hero to date. Gabrielle is his perfect foil, the lush bed which sets off the jewels of his personality to perfection...his intelligence, sensuality, and above all, his capacity to love and be loved, even when he has had to endure the most dreadful punishments at the hands of his enemies.

  Gabrielle moves heaven and earth to rescue him from the insane asylum they have imprisoned him in. But even more dangers lurk outside in the world than within Bedlam. Their love lights the pages of this endlessly fascinating book. Carolyn Stone

  I loved this stunning romance. It has everything we have come to love about a MacMurrough novel: the strong but not bitchy heroine, the hero who can be all male without being violent or abusive, the nasty enemies in the background, the cloak and dagger suspense. Above all, the simmering sensuality and brilliant love scenes guaranteed to make your heart melt.

  Simon is one sexy man. From the moment they meet their chemistry is incredible. This is an exuberant novel of love and dang
er amid Regency power politics, and a worthy continuation to this fantastic series, one you will not want to miss.

  -Annabelle Stevens

  MADNESS

  A Rakehell Regency Romance Novel

  Sorcha MacMurrough

  HerStory Books

  Copyright 2006, 2009 by the author

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information and storage retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

  Under the 1988 UK copyright laws, the author asserts the right to be identified as the creator of this work.

  ISBN: 978-1-58345-828-0

  Published by HerStory Books

  http://www.herstorybooks.com

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  CAST OF CHARACTERS

  Gabrielle Howell, an orphan, trying to support herself by working with her cousin Antony Herriot at his medical clinic

  Lucinda Howell, her older sister, committed to Bedlam, a Mental Hospital by her husband The Earl of Oxnard; she is his 4th young wife in as many years.

  The Earl of Oxnard, Lucinda's husband

  Randall Avenel, the Earl of Hazelmere, Gabrielle and Lucinda's cousin<

  Isolde Avenel, his wife

  (For their story, see Innocence, and Innocence Afire)

  Chauncey Howell, Gabrielle and Lucinda's brother, now deceased; Randall and Isolde's worst enemy.

  Antony Herriot, Gabrielle and Lucinda's cousin, runs a clinic for the poor and fallen women in London's West End

  Oliver, Antony's medical colleague at the clinic

  Clarissa, their assistant

  Angela, Clarissa's friend, a prostitute at Bedlam

  Simon, a resident of Bedlam

  Spence, his guard in the asylum

  Michael Avenel, Randall's elder brother

  Bryony, his wife

  (For their story, see The Model Master)

  Lawrence Howard, a Rakehell and tea trader recently back from India

  Juliet, his wife, a wine merchant and historian

  Miranda, Juliet's sister, an actress, admired by the Earl of Oxnard; he wants to make her his 5th young wife.

  George Davenant, Miranda's special friend, a theatre owner and brothel keeper in London, said to be a criminal mastermind

  Sebastian, a Good Samaritan to Gabrielle and Lucinda, and George's friend

  Alistair Grant, a Rakehell and barrister in London

  Viola, his wife, Sebastian's sister

  (For their story, see Ruthless)

  Sarah Deveril Davenport, Jonathan's youngest sister

  Alexander Deveril, also known as Jason Alexander Davenport, her husband, an English spy against Napoleon's forces'; a Rakehell

  (for their story, see The Matchless Miss)

  Dr. Blake Sanderson, a Rakehell, a doctor in London and Somerset

  Arabella Neville Sanderson, his wife

  (for their story, see Guardian of the Heart)

  Philip Marshall, a Rakehell, works with Alistair Grant the barrister

  Jasmine Marshall, his wife, friends with Isolde

  (for their story, see The Mistaken Miss)

  Martin Jerome, Blake's cousin, an honorary Rakehell

  Eswara Paignton Jerome, his wife, a healer from India who works with Blake

  (for their story, see The Model Mistress)

  Ash Paignton, Eswara's son

  Ellen Paignton, his wife

  (for their story, see The Model Husband)

  Clifford Stone, a Rakehell, owner of Stone Court

  Vanessa Stone, nee Hawkesworth, his wife, a great scholar(for their story, see The Mad Mistress)

  The Duke of Ellesmere, Thomas Eltham, a Rakehell, lives at Eltham Castle

  The Duchess of Ellesmere, Charlotte Eltham, nee Castlemaine, his wife

  (for their story, see The Missed Match)

  Jonathan Deveril, a Rakehell, vicar of Brimley and Eltham

  Pamela Deveril, nee Ashton, his wife

  (for their story, see The Miss Matched)

  Much madness is divinest sense

  To a discerning eye;

  Much sense the starkest madness.

  Emily Dickinson, ‘Much madness is divinest sense' (l. 1-3)

  Madness is the jail we could all end up in. And we know it. And watch our step. For a lifetime. We behave. A fantastic and entire system of social control, by the threat of example as effective over the general population as detention centers in dictatorships, the image of the madhouse floats through every mind for the course of its lifetime.

  Kate Millett, The Loony-Bin Trip, Conclusion.

  Author's Note: The events depicted in this novel which take place in Bedlam are based on historical records of the time. At around this time, the asylum relocated to a new facility, but for dramatic purposes I have used the old building as my setting.

  The author uses British spelling conventions.

  PROLOGUE

  "Let her go! Damn it! Let her go!" Gabrielle thumped impotently on the huge man's shoulders as he writhed between her battered sister's legs, hauling at her skirts.

  A dreadful wailing sound came from the back of Lucinda's throat as Gabrielle feebly tried to yank the degenerate away. Loud though it was, her protests were scarcely audible amid the cacophony of cackles, shrieks and howls throughout the common ward.

  Well, hadn't the name Bedlam become synonymous with uproar and confusion? Gabrielle could understand why as she tried to drown out the noise thrumming in her ears to concentrate on rescuing her poor sister from the violent fiend who had suddenly attacked her without warning or provocation.

  "Help me! For God's sake, someone! Antony! Nurse! Warder! Help me!"

  Gabrielle grabbed the man around his throat with one slender forearm as he continued to try to mount her sister. Her other hand shot between his thighs. She found his most fleshy orbs, and squeezed hard, then yanked and twisted desperately.

  The man roared in fury, lashing out at her with his left arm.

  Gabrielle sailed across the ward like a paper kite. Pain daggered her left side, tearing the breath from her. She was almost sure one of her shoulders dislocated as she crashed into the wall and slid down it in an ignominious heap.

  She clutched her aching side convulsively as she tried to heave in a single blessed breath. Her heart hammered in her chest, and the pounding of the blood in her veins nearly deafened her.

  At last Gabrielle gasped and filled her lungs. But if she had hoped her most immediate problem was over, the sight of the stocky man with wildly rolling eyes looming above her now was enough to have her praying to the Almighty anew.

  "No, oh God, no!"

  "I'm gonna kill ye, ye little bitch!"

  He yanked her up by her hair with his left hand. The fingers of his right locked around her slender throat with inhuman fury. Gabrielle yanked at his meaty wrist with both hands, clawing at his flesh even as she clawed for air. Digging in as hard as she could with her nails, she at last got another roar of fury as the pressure eased.

  Shoving as hard as she could at his chest, she kneed him at the same time and leaned back. But the lunatic's fingers had clung onto the high-necked collar of her demure hunter green gown. With one huge rent he shredded the frock from her body, baring her to the waist as he held onto her hair and shook her like a puppet.

  Her feet kicked at empty air as she dangled several inches off the floo
r, struggling to get away from the scorching pain of her scalp.