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Four Dukes and a Devil
Cathy Maxwell
Elaine Fox
Jeaniene Frost
Sophia Nash
Tracy Anne Warren
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Contents
The Irish Duke
Cathy Maxwell
About Cathy Maxwell
The Duke Who Came to Dinner
Elaine Fox
About Elaine Fox
Devil to Pay
Jeaniene Frost
About Jeaniene Frost
Catch of the Century
Sophia Nash
About Sophia Nash
Charmed By Her Smile
Tracy Anne Warren
About Tracy Anne Warren
Other Books by Cathy Maxwell, Elaine Fox, Jeaniene Frost, Sophia Nash and Tracy Anne
Warren
Copyright
About the Publisher
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The Irish Duke
Cathy Maxwell
Chapter One
B ut what about love?" Miss Susan Rogers had anticipated Lady Theresa Alberth’s question.
It was the mental inclination of young women nowadays. She understood because she’d also once
believed love was the only true concern when it came to marriage. But now, at six-and-twenty and
firmly established as a spinster, she knew differently.
Lady Theresa was Lord and Lady Alberth’s only child. They sat on chairs next to their
daughter and turned to Susan as if they, too, needed an answer.
Susan set her cup and saucer on the side table next to her chair. She knew her role. It was to
convince Lady Theresa to obey her parents’ wishes.
“Love is important,” Susan agreed, very certain of herself and her message. After all, she’d
given this lecture numerous times over just the last week as anxious parents with willful daughters
had sought out her services. “But is it more important than compatibility? Than security? You will
have children someday, Lady Theresa. What do you hope for them?”
A small frown line appeared between Lady Theresa’s brows.
“I’m not going to tell you,” Susan continued, “that it is as easy to love a wealthy man as it is
a poor one. Or that you have obligations to your family line. I’m certain your parents have already
told you all that.”
Lady Theresa nodded, her expression tense. Lady Alberth had confided in Susan earlier that
their daughter believed herself in love with their land steward’s son, a Mr. Gerald Grover. They
were hiring Susan to convince her differently. They wanted a good family for their daughter, and a
title.
“What they say is true,” Susan said matter-of-factly. “However, that doesn’t change how
one feels when one is in love.”
“Yes,” Lady Theresa agreed, half-sobbing the word.
Susan leaned forward, reaching for Lady Theresa’s hand. The girl gave it to her. “I’m going
to advise you to remember that love must be tested. It can be a liar, a thief. ”
Lady Theresa shook her head, but Susan pressed on. “Let me tell you my story. I was once
in love. I would have willingly sacrificed everything for him. He said he loved me, too, and we
were to marry. One week before the wedding, both of my parents died in a coaching accident.”
“Oh, dear,” Lady Alberth said. Her husband’s expression had gone grim. Lady Theresa
listened, that frown between her brows deepening as she placed herself in Susan’s position.
“My two younger sisters and I were alone,” Susan said. “The estate went to a cousin, who
did not want the responsibility of us. My betrothed had told me he loved me. It was only natural I
turned to him in this difficult situation. He said everything would be fine, but on the day of our
wedding, he didn’t appear for the ceremony.”
“You were left at the altar?” Lady Alberth asked.
Susan nodded. “Publicly humiliated.” The words no longer embarrassed her. She’d said
them too often…to other girls…in front of other parents. “You see, my gentleman had been
informed an hour before we were to be wed that my cousin refused to pay my dowry. He had other
plans for the money.” She gave Lady Theresa’s hand a squeeze. “Don’t be foolish as I was. Is it so
much for your parents to ask you to participate in one Season? Is your love so fragile it would not
survive a few parties, a couple of balls?”
Lady Theresa looked to her parents. “Does that mean I may marry Gerald if I go through a
Season?”
“The lad is unsuitable—” her father started.
“You must follow my guidelines,” Susan said, directing her comment to Lady Theresa but
boldly cutting her father off. No good came from arguing with a young woman who thought she
was in love.

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