The Sons of the Aristocracy Series by Linda Rae Sande

If every man is a master of time, then what of the man who loses track of it? A viscount's son and a bare knuckle boxer, Michael Cunningham is more interested in building his fortune than spending time at the Marriage Mart. But long ago he promised his mother he would get married "if not before, then on the eve of my twenty-eighth birthday"... moreIf every man is a master of time, then what of the man who loses track of it? A viscount's son and a bare knuckle boxer, Michael Cunningham is more interested in building his fortune than spending time at the Marriage Mart. But long ago he promised his mother he would get married "if not before, then on the eve of my twenty-eighth birthday". Reminded by his sister, a duchess, that his next birthday is his twenty-eighth birthday, Michael realizes he has much to do in the three weeks he has to keep his promise – not the least of which is to secure the only woman he has ever considered for a wife – the younger daughter of his business partner and the very woman his sister has just hired to be a governess! The duchess will rescind her offer of employment to Olivia Waterford, but there's no time for courtship, no time for banns to be read, and certainly no time to wait for a wedding to be planned once Michael proposes. His sister has the perfect plan, though. In order to meet his mother's deadline and ensure a quick marriage, she insists Michael must ruin Olivia! Olivia has felt affection for her father's business partner since the day he rescued her from a rake. But since the gentleman never showed a romantic interest in her during his frequent visits to her family's home in Shipley, imagine her shock when he climbs into her bed and is discovered by her father! Ruined, indeed! Now married and living in London, Michael is sure Olivia despises him for what happened, while Olivia is quite sure her husband has feelings for her sister and simply wandered into the wrong bedchamber that fateful Tuesday night. Will a week be enough time for Michael to court his new wife and convince her of his affections? Or will he regret his last-minute efforts to accomplish too much in too little time? Only time will tell in "Tuesday Nights". less

When twin brothers love the same woman, is two times the romance worth double the trouble? Especially when one is a ghost? The sudden death of David Fitzwilliam, Earl of Norwick, is a crushing blow to his countess, Clarinda. Their four-year union was a celebrated love match. With her year of mourning just beginning, Clarinda takes comfort in knowing she carries a child... moreWhen twin brothers love the same woman, is two times the romance worth double the trouble? Especially when one is a ghost? The sudden death of David Fitzwilliam, Earl of Norwick, is a crushing blow to his countess, Clarinda. Their four-year union was a celebrated love match. With her year of mourning just beginning, Clarinda takes comfort in knowing she carries a child. She could give birth to the next earl, but it’s David’s identical twin brother Daniel who will assume the duties of the earldom until an heir is old enough. Too bad Clarinda’s last encounter with the despicable man went so poorly. He claimed to have been the Fitzwilliam that courted her and asked for her hand in marriage, implying that Clarinda had accepted David’s suit only to become a countess. But Clarinda is quite certain it was David who captured her heart all those years ago. Now that she’ll have to live in the same house as Daniel, though, she wonders how she’ll manage. “He despises me,” she tells her best friend and confidante Adele Grandby, Countess of Torrington, recounting how she slapped her brother-in-law so hard she thought she broke her arm. Adele has a secret she cannot yet share with the widow. Her husband, Grandby, is hell-bent on making sure one of his goddaughters is properly wed. Dorothea, the dowager countess, seems to have plans for her daughter-in-law and the spare heir when she isn’t spending quality time with a younger viscount. And the ghost of David has become a nightly visitor to Clarinda’s bedchamber, hinting that she’s carrying twins and making comments that would suggest he’s suddenly rather fond of his brother – and inferring that Clarinda should be, too. Clarinda has no idea David’s ghost has been visiting Daniel, acting in part as a matchmaker and soothsayer while insisting his death was not, in fact, an accident. “I was shot,” David claims, encouraging Daniel to do a bit of investigating while considering his brother’s blessing in regard to Clarinda. Daniel needs no encouragement when it comes to Clarinda – he’s loved the woman since her come-out and will gladly take her as his wife when she’s out of mourning. If she’ll have him. He still remembers how hard she slapped him all those years ago. Through the funeral, the reading of the will, and David’s burial, these would-be lovers will learn more about David’s past and determine the fishy circumstances that led to his death. But will they discover if their own futures are meant to be shared with one another? Twins are double the fun in "The Widowed Countess". less

If people only see what they expect to see … then why doesn’t she? When her friend Lady Samantha spies a rather handsome groom from Lady Julia’s second story bedchamber window, Julia Harrington agrees the man is far too handsome to be a groom. “He could be a gentleman,” she tells Sam, thinking the servant could be taught how to bow and dance and dress like a gentleman... moreIf people only see what they expect to see … then why doesn’t she? When her friend Lady Samantha spies a rather handsome groom from Lady Julia’s second story bedchamber window, Julia Harrington agrees the man is far too handsome to be a groom. “He could be a gentleman,” she tells Sam, thinking the servant could be taught how to bow and dance and dress like a gentleman. Doubting her friend can accomplish such a task, Samantha dares Julia to do just that – and in time for the Mayfield ball – in just three weeks! Alistair Comber, the second son of the Earl of Aimsley, was fighting Napoleon's forces on the Continent until his blown. Having assured one of his dying soldiers he would see to the man’s widow and children, Alistair returns to England intending to keep the promise. When his father refuses to honor the obligation, however, Alistair is forced to sell his commission to raise the funds. Angered that Alistair would do such a thing, the earl disowns his son. An expert on horses and needing employment and a place to live, Alistair takes a position as a groom at Harrington House. When Lady Julia tells him of her plans to make him into a gentleman for her mother's ball, Alistair agrees to the scheme. After all, how hard can it be when he’s already a gentleman? How hard, indeed! less