The Rake to Ruin Her. Julia Justiss

       ‘I know which Ransleigh you are, sir,’ the young woman interrupted. ‘That’s why I sought you out. I have a proposition for you. So to speak,’ she added, her cheeks pinkening.

      Max blinked at her, sure he could not have heard her properly. ‘A proposition?’ he repeated.

      ‘Yes. I’m Caroline Denby, by the way. My father was the late Sir Martin Denby of Denby Stables.’

      Thinking this bizarre meeting was getting even more bizarre, Max bowed. ‘Miss Denby. Yes, I’ve heard of your father’s excellent horses. My condolences on your loss. However, whatever it is you wish to say, perhaps Mrs Ransleigh could arrange a meeting later. Truly, it’s most imperative that you quit my presence immediately, lest you put your reputation at risk.’

      ‘But that’s exactly what I wish to do. Not just risk it, but ruin it. Irretrievably.’

       THE RANSLEIGH ROGUES

       Where these notorious rakes go, scandal always follows …

      Max, Will, Alastair and Dominic Ransleigh—cousins, friends … and the most wickedly attractive men in Regency London. Between war, betrayal and scandal, love has never featured in the Ransleighs’ destinies—until now!

      Don’t miss this enthralling new quartet from Julia Justiss, starting with Max’s story

       THE RAKE TO RUIN HER

       Look for Will Ransleigh’s story

       Available April 2013

      About the Author

      JULIA JUSTISS wrote her first plot ideas for a Nancy Drew novel in the back of her third-grade notebook, and has been writing ever since. After such journalistic adventures as publishing poetry and editing an American Embassy newsletter she returned to her first love: writing fiction. Her Regency historical novels have been winners or finalists in the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart^™, RT Book Reviews magazine’s Best First Historical, Golden Quill, National Readers’ Choice and Daphne Du Maurier contests. She lives with her husband, three children and two dogs in rural east Texas, where she also teaches high school French. For current news and contests, please visit her website at www.juliajustiss.com

       Novels by the same author:

      THE WEDDING GAMBLE

      THE PROPER WIFE

      MY LADY’S TRUST

      MY LADY’S PLEASURE

      MY LADY’S HONOUR

      A SCANDALOUS PROPOSAL

      SEDUCTIVE STRANGER

      THE COURTESAN

      THE THREE GIFTS

       (part of A Regency Lords & Ladies Christmas anthology)

      THE UNTAMED HEIRESS

      ROGUE’S LADY

      CHRISTMAS WEDDING WISH

       (part of Regency Candlelit Christmas anthology)

      THE SMUGGLER AND THE SOCIETY BRIDE

       (part of Silk & Scandal mini-series)

      A MOST UNCONVENTIONAL MATCH

      WICKED WAGER

      FROM WAIF TO GENTLEMAN’S WIFE

      SOCIETY’S MOST DISREPUTABLE GENTLEMAN

       Did you know that some of these novels are also available as eBooks? Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk

       AUTHOR NOTE

      The 2012 London summer games are unfolding as I write this note, and as the athletes tell their stories I’m repeatedly reminded of how many years of hard work and single-minded dedication are necessary to earn them a place among the best of the best. Yet sometimes, after devoting all one’s energies to achieving an aim, some totally unexpected catastrophe destroys in an instant the possibility of reaching that goal. Standing shocked and disbelieving amid the wreckage of that dream, the survivor is forced to find a different path.

      Such is the case with ‘Magnificent Max’ Ransleigh, the earl’s son and charismatic leader of a group of cousins known as The Ransleigh Rogues. With his father a force in the House of Lords, Max has prepared all his life for a high diplomatic position, and seems well on his way when he’s chosen as one of the Duke of Wellington’s aides at the Congress of Vienna. But when an assassination attempt on the Duke is perpetrated by relatives of a Frenchwoman Max has befriended, even his valour at Waterloo can’t resurrect the tatters of his career.

      Returning after the battle, with none of his former associates—including his father—willing to see him, he turns to the Rogues. He stops at Alastair’s country home, unaware that his aunt, Alastair’s mother, is hostessing a house party to acquaint her youngest daughter, soon to make her London debut, with other young ladies of the Ton.

      While Max mourns the loss of a conventional future, Caroline Denby schemes to destroy her own. Sole heiress of a wealthy baron, she has good reasons for avoiding wedlock, and is actively resisting her stepmother’s attempts to marry her off—what future is there for a woman but marriage? Lady Denby argues—so she may return to Kent and run the horse-breeding farm she established with her father.

      When Caro discovers the infamous Max Ransleigh has dropped in on her hostess’s house party, she decides he is just the rogue to ruin her. With her reputation in tatters, her suitors will depart, her stepmother will refocus her matrimonial schemes on her own daughter, and Caro will be left in peace to tend her horses.

      But sometimes the goal we yearn for turns out not to be the path for which we’re destined. And a love we never expected to find becomes the most precious blessing of our life.

      I hope you’ll enjoy Max and Caro’s journey.

      Soon to follow in 2013 and 2014 will be the stories of the other Rogues: ‘Wagering Will’, illegitimate son of the earl’s brother, who never met a game of chance he couldn’t win, ‘Ingenious Alastair’, philosopher and poet who thinks to best Byron until a humiliating betrayal turns him into the worst rake in England, and ‘Dandy Dominic’, handsomest man in the Regiment, who returns from Waterloo maimed, scarred, and searching for meaning in the ruins of his life.

      I love to hear from readers! Find me at my website, www.juliajustiss.com, for excepts, updates and background bits about my books, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/juliajustiss and on Twitter @juliajustiss.

      The Rake to Ruin Her

      Julia Justiss

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

       Prologue

       Vienna—January 1815

      The distant sound of waltz music and a murmur of voices met his ear as Max Ransleigh exited the anteroom. Quickly he paced toward the dark-haired woman standing in the shadowy alcove at the far end of the hallway.

      Hoping he wouldn’t find on her more marks of her cousin’s abuse, he said, ‘What is it? He hasn’t struck you again, has he? I fear I cannot stay; Lord Wellington should arrive in the Green Salon at any moment and he despises tardiness. I would not have come at all, had your note not sounded most urgent.’

      ‘Yes,