Lady Caroline and the Egotistical Earl by Terry Spear

 

Blurb:
Lady Caroline has one mission in mind, helping her mother maintain their estates after her father’s death, while knights posing as the earl’s men continue to kill their livestock. But as soon as her mother wishes the earl’s intervention, Caroline has a new problem–the earl is intrigued with her and wants her to reside at his castle and serve his mother.

Caroline refuses, but as the raids on her family’s lands turn more deadly, Lord John Talbot forces the issue. Caroline continues to attempt to uncover who is behind the raids, and with her unnatural ability to remember details, she intends to see justice done.

The lady may be his undoing, but the earl decides she is the one for him and no other will do, if only he can keep her safe from the danger that follows her every move until he can wed her.
Book Genres: Historical Romance

Description and Word Count: Historical Romance Novel – 92,000

Average Starred Reviews: 5 stars-Amazon, 4.5 Barnes and Noble,

Price: $4.99

 

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Review Quotes & Endorsements:

Lady Caroline is almost an old maid… At 19 she is still not married. But due to the untimely death of her father, she helps her Lady Mother run their estate. Lady Caroline is stubborn and strong willed. When someone is killing their livestock; Lady Caroline makes it her job to find and stop whomever is responsible. She and her mother make a trip to see the Earl to ask for his assistance. Once, he sees Caroline, he decides to help her and have her. Lady Caroline seems to find herself on the wrong end of the search. She is knocked out, shot (bow and arrow) at and all sorts of things that find her up a tree. Through Caroline’s gift of drawing they have an artist’s sketch as to what the man looks like that is raiding the livestock. Through all sorts of twists and turns, Caroline is able to capture the Earl’s heart. This type of writing really shows that Terry Spear’s can write! She doesn’t use sex in this book to try and keep the reader’s attention. The most passionate is kissing.. But the implications and the writing help the readers see the story in their mind. Good Job!! –Love to Read

Chapter One or Long Excerpt:

The first chapter or excerpt is posted as submitted by the author. We requested that the author send us the text EXACTLY as published in the eBook.

Chapter 1

1105, Suffolk, England

“God’s teeth, the murdering thieves,” Lady Caroline said under her breath as she guided her horse around a farmer burying another dead sheep.

Before first light, she and her mother, Baroness Worthington, and their armed escort rode toward Ipswich with heavy hearts. Torches cast an eerie glow against the blanket of mist in their path, making their task all the more gloomy. Everyone kept a wary lookout for the armor-clad men wearing the tunics known by all in Suffolk as the earl of Ipswich’s knights. But Caroline wasn’t afraid. Let one of these men who stole or killed their cattle in the darkness of night try attacking them, and they’d soon be wearing an arrow or two of hers.

Her gloved hand shifted to her bow. ‘Twas not oft she felt murder in her heart, but this time she could not abide the cruelty of the men who struck down their livestock, making their people suffer.
Her attention shifted west when she thought she saw something move in the distance. She stiffened her back and studied the thick mist, sure she’d seen a hint of torchlight much farther southwest, but only for an instant. No matter how much she kept her eyes focused on the perceived threat, she didn’t see the same sight again to confirm what she thought she’d seen.

Sir Herbert pulled up alongside her and looked from her to the area where she still searched for signs of movement or the light of a torch. “What did you see, Lady Caroline?”

The knight’s black eyes shifted back to her, his equally ebony hair cut short like most Normans wore theirs. Having lost his own wife and daughter to a fever the year before, he’d taken Caroline under his wing when her father had died and had even promised to show her some of the basic sword fighting techniques—when her mother wasn’t around.

“I thought I saw a torchlight in that direction.” She pointed slightly behind her now that they’d progressed further toward Castle Hanford two hours south of her own castle, where John Talbot, earl of Ipswich, held court.
Sir Herbert switched his attention back to the area she pointed and she noticed then, several of the knights accompanying them looked in that direction also. “I see nothing,” he said.

“Can we check it out?”

His head spun around like an owl’s. “We go to Castle Hanford, my lady. This is not the time to be searching for the culprits.”

Letting out her breath in exasperation, Caroline scowled at him. “When is the right time then? After they’ve killed all of our livestock?”

“With any conscience, we could not leave you and your mother unprotected.”

“Bother. I will go with you, and we need only take a couple of men.”

“My lady, the raiders number ten or more. ‘Tis folly to think—”

She waved her hand to silence him. “We should be chasing them down, rather than seeing the earl. He will no more help us than—”

Her mother cast her a look meant to squelch her tongue.
Caroline growled inwardly, but then started in on her mother again. “Think you ‘tis necessary for us to see the earl in this matter, my lady mother?” Despite repeatedly telling her mother what a waste of time the venture was, her words had fallen on deaf ears.

“Lord Dresden advised me to do so. He has never failed in his advice to neither your father—God rest his soul—nor me.”

“But the earl will undoubtedly believe we cannot manage our own crises. What if he sends his own men to manage our affairs?” Or worse, insisted her mother marry to provide him with another vassal lord to serve at his beck and call. Rumors abounded that even King Henry himself was anxious Caroline’s mother married a Norman lord, loyal to his rule.

“Lord Talbot would not send his men to govern our lands, Caroline. And to the best of our knowledge, the earl’s own staff is involved. He must be made aware of this.”

“Aye, my lady mother. But think you he will even see us? I have heard it said it oft takes weeks before His Lordship will grant an audience with his subjects.”

The notion rankled her.
When their own people faced difficulties, the baroness and her staff dealt with the matter at once. If they could catch any of the brigands who were terrorizing their farmers, they’d deal with them swiftly. Just because the earl was rather young…well, if he could not lead well, he should give up his title. Swan feathers…she could do a better job.

“We shall not know what his response will be until we try, my dear. I thought an audience would garner more attention than sending a missive, however.”

Caroline observed the way her mother was dressed, wondering if she meant to impress the earl or someone else in his court because she did not wear the usual brown woolen gown she wore in mourning, but a prettier blue that matched her eyes. And for the first time since her father had died, her mother wore her hair like Queen Matilda, unveiled for all to see with silver tassels extending her golden braids past her hips.

Though it had been a year since her father’s death, the sudden change in her mother’s appearance shook Caroline up. Her mother did not need a new husband!

For nearly the rest of the trip, they traveled in silence. Then Caroline frowned when she spied the towers of Hanford Castle in the distance. Resting atop the slope leading away from River Orwell, the castle commanded access to the rivers and the town below. “I am not so certain Lord Dresden is right in this matter.”

“And why, pray tell, do you say that, Daughter?”

Caroline considered the sandstone castle, its four towers looming high above the town, the manor much more substantial than her own. She took a deep breath. “I suspect he has ulterior motives.”

Her mother stared back at her. “Whatever makes you say such a thing?”

“‘Tis just that…well, I cannot explain, my lady mother. Lord Dresden has a way of standing, the placement of his hands, the look in his eyes…”

Her mother shook her head. “Oh, that is all.”

“But, Mother—”

“He only wishes the best for all concerned. You suspect the worst in everyone.”

“Nay, not everyone, my mother.” But she knew her mother’s advisor had some other plan in mind. What frustrated her most was nobody else could ever see these things…like she could.

With the knights killing or stealing their cattle and sheep, their people already faced a world of strife. Though the shiver in her bones told her more difficulty lay straight ahead at Castle Hanford in the form of one pompous, too young earl.

At least that was what Margaret, one of her ladies-in-waiting, said about him, having been born at Castle Hanford and raised alongside the earl. She’d begged to come to work for Caroline’s mother to get away from the arrogant beast!

Caroline narrowed her eyes as the castle grew closer with every step her horse took.‘Twas bound to be a darkling day.

***

In the great hall late that summer morning, John Talbot, earl of Ipswich, spoke to one of his knights about a future tourney when his senior advisor rushed into the room, looking as concerned as if the castle was currently under siege. Lord Giles’s face was dark with disquiet, his black hair windswept, and his breathing labored. In a fortnight, Lord Giles had interrupted John while he held court thrice, yet the matters had not needed his immediate attention.

This time John folded his arms, determined not to react with haste as he had done before and look the fool. Was his advisor testing him?

Seeing if he was capable of managing the land and his people in his father’s stead?
Lord Giles cleared his throat in prelude to announcing the disagreeable news. “My lord, Baroness Irma Worthington of Eiling Castle is here to see you concerning a matter of grave importance. According to the lady, several men have—”

“Is there anything else requiring my attention?”

“The duke of Norfolk has sent you a new falcon for your special celebration, my lord. But as to this other matter, the baroness—”

“Ah, splendid, a little early, but better early than late, I always say. I must see this new bird at once.”
Leaving his chair, John headed outside of the hall, feigning disinterest in the other matter, knowing that if it truly was important, his advisor would persist, and
John would deal with it. The baron had always served his father well. Because John had fought valiantly in the Crusades alongside his father and King Henry’s older brother, Robert Curthose, and John had earned his knighthood earlier than most, he could not fathom what was making Lord Giles so edgy in his dealings with him now that his father was deceased.

His advisor sprinted after him. “And the lady, my lord?”

“Baroness Worthington?”

“Aye, my lord, what shall I tell her?”

John stopped and faced his advisor. “Tell her I shall have to meet with her at a later date because I have more urgent matters to attend at the moment.”

When Lord Giles didn’t object, John was certain that the crisis was indeed nothing to worry about.

The two men walked out of the great hall, and Lord Giles bowed to John, then joined the baroness waiting nearby, a lovely middle-aged woman with hair the color of the sun and soft blue eyes and a gown to match. He wondered if his advisor hadn’t more interest in the woman than just the concern he had for her disagreeable news.

She curtsied to John, but she didn’t appear to be terribly distraught, which made him believe Lord Giles was overreacting to a situation once again. John bowed his head to the lady, then walked toward the main doors opening into the inner bailey. A servant hurried to pull the door aside, when one of the women who served as lady-in-waiting to his mother walked inside. But it was the striking woman beside Lady Mary who caught his breath.

Hair a sensuous red shimmered beneath sheer veils. A brown gown flowed over rounded curves, and her green eyes speckled with gold, studied him back with intrigue. Even her full lips turned up slightly.

At once, he wondered why the lady had never graced his castle before and never had attended the mandatory social functions. If she was a daughter of one of the lords who owed him allegiance, her father should have presented her to him.

He’d never seen such a fair-skinned beauty before, and the flush to her cheeks made her all the more appealing. The notion of seeing his new falcon fairly slipped his mind.

Amused at the lady’s obvious interest in him, he glanced back to see whatever was taking his advisor so long. Proper etiquette called for introductions at once, but he could not stoop so low as to ask who she was. ‘Twas his advisor’s place to introduce them properly, after all.
Mary poked the woman in the shoulder for not acknowledging his presence in a satisfactory manner. The red-haired beauty said in a hushed, but annoyed tone,

“What?”

The intricately woven pattern of her velvet gown indicated she was a highborn lady. But when she didn’t greet him properly, he realized at once she didn’t recognize he was the earl. He frowned at his advisor. The situation had to be remedied at once.

She finally moved aside to let him pass. Instead of leaving the keep as he’d intended, he glanced back to see his advisor still speaking to the baroness. He folded his arms across his chest and tapped his boot on the floor. When Lord Giles finally noticed he was waiting for him to conclude his conversation with the baroness, his advisor hurriedly made his excuses to her, then rejoined him.

“My lord,” Lord Giles said, his face slightly flushed.
“You wished to proceed with inspecting your new bird?”

Nay, he did not wish to see his falcon. The swan before him was all who held his attention at the moment. John looked at the woman.
Lord Giles, finally getting the point, cleared his throat. “This is Baroness Worthington’s daughter, Lady Caroline.”

“Oh.” That put him in a bit of a quandary. Despite not wishing to seem overanxious to know the young woman better, John said, “I will see the baroness and her daughter, if you will escort them to the great hall.”

Lord Giles looked a bit surprised. “‘Tis only the baroness who wished an audience with you, my lord.”

John raised his brows. He wasn’t used to being challenged, and he had every intention of getting to know Caroline better—at once.

“As you wish, my lord.” Lord Giles waved for the baroness and her daughter to join him in the great hall.

John milled around in the keep, hoping not too many of his servants wondered what he was about, until he felt he’d delayed the meeting long enough to maintain his air of professed aloofness. It would not be prudent to look as though he was too eager to meet the stunning young woman.

He strode into the hall, and the two ladies curtsied to him again, then he took his seat. Motioning for the baroness to have her say with a wave of his hand, he further studied Caroline’s appearance. Her lips were the color of the dusky red roses in bloom in his mother’s garden. Lady Caroline’s expressive eyes studied him back. She tilted her chin up slightly, daring him to take care of their problems. He loved the challenge. Not that he had a whole lot of interest in whatever small difficulty the mother most likely faced, but he was determined to find out more about the daughter.

Why had she not been to any of the functions he’d held? She appeared old enough. And the decree had been sent across the earldom that all eligible ladies would attend. She was definitely eligible.

“My Lord Earl, I must enlighten you with a most grievous matter,” Lady Worthington said. “On several occasions, knights from your castle have slaughtered cattle and sheep with wanton disregard to the fact these farmers raise their livestock on my lands.”

John considered the baroness’s sincerity. She seemed somewhat disconcerted, but he was impressed that her bearing remained so regal.

“And these knights, do you know them by name?” he asked.

Caroline let out her breath in exasperation, catching his attention. Inwardly, he smiled. The baroness’s daughter would unquestionably be a challenge. He tapped his fingers on the carved armrests of his chair. Unless his decree hadn’t reached her, which was doubtful, he assumed Lady Caroline had refused his summons to attend the mandatory social functions.

“Nay, my lord,” Baroness Worthington said. “I know not their names, but I ask that those who have done such a deed be caught and pay for their crimes.”

“But you do not know who has committed the crime, my lady.” He looked back at Caroline and considered her rich gown, the cut of her bodice, the gold belt at her waist—he raised his brows—and the dagger hanging from the belt. “Are you betrothed to anyone?”

“Nay, my lord, I am widowed,” the baroness said, making him turn his head in her direction.

He attempted to hide his amusement. “I meant your daughter, my lady.”

The baroness’s face brightened. “Nay, my lord.”

“And why not? Lady Caroline looks to be of an acceptable marriageable age.”

“She is, my lord. She is nine and ten. The count she was betrothed to drowned in the North Sea when the ship sank during a storm the summer before last. And then in the fall after that, my dear husband died unexpectedly after taking a chill when he was considering a suitable husband for dear Caroline, but he not sent off the correspondence before his untimely demise. I have been too busy with the estate to do anything further about the matter.” She glanced at Caroline, and John wondered if the daughter hadn’t had her hand in staying her mother’s attempt at finding a match for her.

John wanted to ask why Caroline’s father had not come to him concerning the matter, but he didn’t want to appear that he was moonstruck over the woman. He stood, then walked around Caroline.

Facing her, he lifted her chin when she avoided looking at him. “My mother needs a new lady-in-waiting. You will do.”

Caroline’s eyes darkened and her cheeks grew rosy. “I could not, my lord.”

Baroness Worthington frowned at her. “She meant to say—”

“Nay, my lord,” Caroline said. “My mother needs my assistance.”

“Mayhap your mother needs a husband, someone who can help her to manage her estates.” John retook his seat. “What could a slip of a girl like you do for her?”

“You would be surprised, my lord.”

Not to be thwarted, John turned to his advisor. “Have my steward set up an appointment with Lady Ann for her to interview Lady Caroline for the position.”

“Aye, my lord.”

“In the meantime, you may join me on the falconry expedition we’re having, Lady Caroline.”

“Now, my lord?” Lord Giles asked, his voice elevating.

“Of course.”

“But, what of my mother’s request of you, my lord?” Caroline asked.

“Mayhap we could discuss this further at some length on the hunt.” John stood, gave Caroline’s appearance one more look—amused at her reluctance to attend the hunt with him—then strode out of the room determined to have his way.

***

When Caroline balked at following the earl out of the hall, her mother took hold of her arm and led her out.
“I do not want to do this, my lady mother. Can we not return home?” Caroline asked.

“We must not offend His Lordship.”

They both looked toward the north doors and found him watching them. A smile spread across his face as he’d undoubtedly heard Caroline’s words, and a flush of warmth invaded her body. His dark curly hair framed his stern face, but it was his dark brown eyes that devoured her with interest and his smile indicating his amusement that made her melt at the sight of him.

He turned and walked outside.
Her lady-in-waiting had never told Caroline how handsome the earl was. But he was indeed arrogant!

After hasty preparations, several knights, lords, and ladies followed the earl beyond the castle walls to participate in the hunt, all except Caroline who balked at mounting her horse. “He will not even know if we go on the hunt, my mother. At least sixty or more participants from the look of it are ready to ride, and we do not even have our merlins with us.”

“You must catch up with him, Caroline. He said he would discuss the problem we’re having with his knights.”

Caroline’s anger flared.
“Mayhap, Mother. He said mayhap. He has no intention of doing anything about our difficulties. You heard him.”

Her mother gave her one of her long-suffering looks like she did when she did not agree with Caroline, but had naught more to say about it. Which meant Caroline was doomed to deal with the self-important earl further.

***

During the hunt, Caroline and her mother trailed far behind the others while Lord John Talbot released his bird first. Caroline could not stop fuming about being here.

The day remained warm, the sky clear, and a hint of a breeze stirred the veil covering her hair, but she preferred being home where she could do something worthwhile rather than being here, which was a waste of her valuable time.

When the earl’s falcon had brought in its catch, Lord Giles approached Caroline.

“His Lordship wishes to speak to you further concerning your estates, Lady Caroline.”

“They’re my mother’s estates. He should speak to my mother about the problems we’re having.” What game was the earl attempting to play?

“Certes, but His Lordship still wishes to speak to you of the matter.”

The earl released his bird again.

She looked back at her mother who waved her on. “Go, Caroline. Mayhap he will help us with your influence, dear.”
Caroline didn’t believe the earl would do anything to help them.

“I will keep your mother company, Lady Caroline,” Lord Giles said.

Irritated that her mother showed any interest in the earl’s advisor, Caroline kicked her horse and cantered to the earl’s location, gripping her reins with a fierce hold. She could not help the annoyance she felt toward her mother’s own advisor for getting them into this predicament in the first place. As soon as she returned home, she would take him to task.

The falcon handler retrieved the earl’s bird and the duck it had caught.

Without taking his eyes off his handler, the earl asked, “What are your interests, Lady Caroline?”

Staring at him in surprise, Caroline waited a little too long to reply, causing him to look her way. “I enjoy many things, my lord, but for now, I am only interested in helping my mother to rid herself of the plague on our lands, who call themselves gallant knights of your court.”

“If you saw these knights, would you recognize them?”
“They come long after the sun has set. I do not make it a habit to roam our vast lands in the middle of the night to watch for poachers.”

“Really.” He turned his horse and headed toward the river, but glanced back when she hesitated to join him. “How then do you know these men are knights in my service?”

“My farmers have told me they’re the ones.”

“And how would they know?”

“The knights were dressed in tunics embroidered with your heraldic symbol, the golden eagle. They must not have been your brightest knights to have done such a clandestine deed so dressed.”

“How many were there?”

“Ten, my lord.”

He nodded, the breeze sweeping his rich dark hair against his stern jaw, softening it. “You shall not reconsider being a lady-in-waiting for Lady Ann?”

“I must help my mother—”

“If you have any further difficulties with these men and you are able to ascertain their names in the future, let me know.”

He mocked her. Pickled boar. If she knew the knights’ names, she’d string them up in her own court. She would not turn them over to the earl. Justice would prevail. And anyone else who thought they wouldd commit a similar crime on her family’s lands would soon learn to leave her people alone or face the consequences of their intolerable actions.

The earl rode off to hunt further, but she wasn’t about to join him. Instead, she returned to her mother’s side. Seeing her mother laughing at a comment Lord Giles made, she wrinkled her brow. “Come, Mother, we must return home at once.”

“But it would be rude to leave now when His Lordship has invited us—”

“He has no intention of helping us, my lady mother.”

“What makes you think thus?”

“He wishes to know who the knights are. I do not believe he shall be satisfied until we offer him signed confessions from the men who are responsible for these nightly raids on our livestock.”

Lord Giles gave a small smile, his long black hair tousled by the breeze. He was a handsome man, broad of shoulder, tall like the earl, but more her mother’s age. And he appeared totally smitten with her mother. Caroline frowned at him.

The baroness said, “Why do you not join some of the other ladies on the hunt?”

Several conversed with gentlemen across the field, and Caroline shook her head.

“I do not believe they would relish the interruption of their social life.”

“The earl is looking for you, dear. Go join him.”

The earl had dismounted while he watered his horse at a creek and watched her. She shook her head. “He is preoccupied.”

“Caroline,” her mother said in a tone meant to scold.

Caroline nodded, hating that her mother was being overly friendly to a man not her father. Not that her father had been a perfect man. Nay. He had scolded Caroline too much, made her learn numbers until her eyes grew weary and her head ached, and would never allow her to use even a blunt sword to practice swordsmanship. But he’d given her jobs of overseeing the staff as if she would someday be the baron ruling the land, and he loved to hunt with her, too, as if she were the son he’d never had. Hunting made her think of him and the loss she had to bear.

She banished the tears threatening to spill and cantered her horse to join the earl, disliking that he was forcing her to participate in the hunt when she wished it not.

Lord Talbot never took his eyes off her, his lips turned up slightly. “You were not excused from my presence, my lady.”

“I thought you had finished with me, my lord.”

“Not to my knowledge. I still wished to know what you like to do to occupy your time.”

“I love to sell our cows, pigs, and sheep for a profit so I can pay for the services of our servants. I enjoy overseeing the management of our crops and the—”

“What of the finer aspects of life?”

“These are the finer aspects of life, to me.”

“What of dancing and games, reading, other interests? Surely you enjoy some other facets such as these?”

“Not since my father died last fall, my lord.”

The earl’s manly jaw lifted slightly, the sunlight reflecting off his dark brown eyes, making them sparkle. She had thought he was younger than what he appeared to be, but now she could see he was much more a man than she’d thought.

“I am giving a dance on the morrow. I will expect to see you here without fail.”

“But—”

“On the morrow.” He mounted his horse and turned in the direction of the castle. He signaled to his falcon handler to return the bird to its mews, then galloped off.

“On the morrow,” Caroline said under her breath. “We should never have come here.” She had every intention of wringing her mother’s chief advisor’s neck when they returned home because she knew he had planned the whole horrible affair.

Looking north she wondered, would their livestock be safe at nightfall when she was forced to dance, or would the marauders attack again?

Mayhap…they would catch them on their return home in the act this time. And she would have their names to give to the arrogant earl.

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Author Bio:

Award-winning author of urban fantasy and medieval historical romantic suspense, HEART OF THE WOLF named in Publishers Weekly’s BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR, NOR Reader Choice for BEST PARANORMAL ROMANCE.

Terry Spear also writes true stories for adult and young adult audiences. She’s a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves and has an MBA from Monmouth University and a Bachelors in Business and Distinguished Military Graduate of West Texas A & M. She also creates award-winning teddy bears, Wilde & Woolly Bears, to include personalized bears designed to commemorate authors’ books. When she’s not writing or making bears, she’s teaching online writing courses.

 

Author Interview:

What sparked the idea for this book?

I love historical romance, but also mystery and adventure. In this book it also has a touch of the paranormal. She can remember the smallest details an commits them to memory. Playing shell games with her for money can be a losing venture.

How did you come up with the title?

I had several titles for the book before I finally decided on Lady Caroline and the Egotistical Earl. He was a Bossy Earl at one time, but it sounded too modern, and egotistical suited him just as well.

Is there a message in this story?

I think in all my stories there is–that women can persevere, no matter their class, or abilities, or weaknesses, they’re strong, capable and determined. And they love the man who will cherish and protect them, but also let them spread their wings to achieve that which they were born to achieve.

What do you like to read?

Everything and anything from historical romance to paranormal, urban fantasy and nonfiction, YA and adult!

Do you have a writing format?

Pure pantser. Oh, sure, I give a lot of thought to occupations, goals, what motivates them, and the first meeting between hero and heroine. But other than that, there’s no telling where the story will go!

 

Thanks for reading!