The Cardross Luck

I enjoy these Candlelight Regency Specials. They are light reading and sometimes you find a jewel among them. "The Cardross Luck" is one of those jewels. The heroine Heather Mallory is so admirable. She is not ashamed of her background, nor does she hide it. Her mother, widowed, married into trade when Heather was young. Her choice of husband was poor and he worked her to death, both in his shop and taking care of his young sons. Heather took over the work after that and when the sons died young, Frederick Bannister left his wealth to his step-daughter but entrusted to his cousin Joseph Bannister until her marriage. As the wealth was being recklessly spent, Heather looks to contract a marriage of convenience for one year to gain control of her money. Ian Cardross has always been lucky (The Cardross Luck) but due to some bad feelings with a grandfather, he is left with a moldering castle, an orphaned nephew and no money to properly care for either. He is an honorable man, a large laughing red-head with a scarred face from the war. Heather (with the help of her solicitors) finds him principled enough to contract a marriage with. He will be given a large sum of money to do with what he wants if he agrees to stay married for one year. So they begin this marriage, a family of three - for the young nephew, aged 9, falls immediately into Heather's spell and trails her like a puppy. But there is trouble in paradise. Both Ian and Heather have bothersome cousins that spoil their happiness! While Heather begins to make the castle a home as a way to keep busy, Ian appears to be romancing the beautiful and deceitful Amelia. Although so loving at the beginning, she hardly recognizes this taunting man she married. There is much unhappiness as a large party from London (including Amelia and both cousins) descend into the country. Will Ian return to Heather, now that she loves him? Will she be forced to leave him? And how can she remain faithful to her promise to Daniel (Ian's nephew) that she will not desert him? There are some intimate scenes in this book as the marriage is made true long before all feelings are resolved. Wonderful storyline, interesting characters and you are left on the edge of your seat wondering who the real Ian is!