Continuing with my Knavish theme this month, and since THE KNAVE OF HEARTS will only be on sale for a very short time longer, I thought I would give another look inside at the very beginning of Tuck and Lavinia’s romance. Poor Lavinia! The thing about a knave is that he never has your best interests at heart — no matter how sincere he seems.

“Miss Tempest, you must have faith,” he told her, getting to his feet. “You must trust me—”

“Trust you?” Her astonishment all but filled the room.

Well, she might have a point in that regard . . . But this was a new beginning for both of them.

“Yes, you must trust me. Because I can put this all to rights. I can.” He tried to sound far more confident than he felt.

After all, he only had two bloody weeks to pull off this miracle.

“I don’t see how—”

“Believe me, you will,” he promised, holding out his hand to her. “Let me be your guide. You came to London to be matched, did you not?”

“Well, yes—” she managed.

“And it would be a shame to have to leave when you’ve just arrived—”

She gave a shuddering sigh. “I haven’t even received all the dresses I ordered.”

“No!” He shook his head. “And how pretty you will look wearing them.”

“There is no point to any of it, for I cannot dance,” she told him.

“Is that all?” Tuck waved his hand at this. “ ’Tis nothing a good London dancing master can’t fix in an afternoon.”

The lady shook her head and glanced away, but not before he saw the skepticism in her expression.

“Come now, Miss Tempest,” he said softly, coaxing her to look up at him. “Will you allow me the privilege of helping you find your perfect match?”

You can read the full excerpt here, and find order links here. Make sure to get your .99 copy soon before this Knavish deal ends.