The Scarred Heart - Volume 2 of The Scars of the Heart Series Upon Her Heart

Elizabeth Eltham, beloved sister of the Duke of Ellesmere, travels to Ireland with the Duke and his friend Clifford, known as the Rakehells from their days at college and in the Peninsular War. After the tragic death of their sister Jane, her brother and his friends want to protect her more than ever.

One chance meeting with a dashing stranger in a cave is enough to awaken Elizabeth as a woman ripe for love, the love of the right man. Everyone she meets longs to marry a Duke's daughter; she must trust her instincts to choose the man who loves her best.

But her choice of husband has far more cataclysmic consequences that her own personal ones, as Elizabeth must help save her beloved, and all of Ireland, from a devastating French invasion....

"Elizabeth," the mysterious man murmured, her name upon his lips sounding like a tender vow that the most sensual delights would soon be hers. "I shall see you again soon, my most beautiful Elizabeth. Just promise me, darling, you'll never tell anyone about this place, our secret haven. If you promise, then one day soon, you shall be mine."

She would have asked a million questions, and yet only one: Will you make me yours now?

Her enigmatic lover had stilled, waiting for her answer, one hand now poised around her tender throat.

She whispered, "I promise. You and the cave are mine. I don't want to share you with anyone. I want you."

His hand between her thighs stroking her, and his mouth descending upon hers once more, silenced her utterly. She had no urge to ask him any more questions. All she wanted was to let the incredible sensations wash over her like the thundering tide.

Elizabeth felt a flood of heat fly upwards to her face, downwards toward her hips. As one of his fingers pressed in deeply, she dug her nails into the bare flesh of his back and mewled like a kitten.

He laughed tenderly against her lips, and moved his finger and thumb. An inward quiver so strong it shook her from head to toe rippled through Elizabeth, causing her to gasp and pull away, open-mouthed with desire.

"Don't be afraid. It's only the beginning. A bit of light loving. I won't damage you. Enjoy this, and keep it locked in your memory until next we're alone, my love."

His hand moved again, and a rainbow sparkled in her head. Elizabeth gasped, writhed, and panted, her eyes tightly shut, swirling like a feather wafted by a hurricane....

The Scarred Heart
Book 2 of The Scars of the Heart Series
Book 5 of The Rakehell Regency Series
Sorcha MacMurrough
Setting: Ireland, 1812
Word Count=82,000 (approx 300 pages)
Rating: Quite Sensual
Price: $4.99

Chapter One
31 August 1814

Two pairs of eyes scanned the coast, looking for the long-awaited signal. Nothing. Still nothing. Hour after hour, day after day, yet still nothing.
Both pairs of eyes looked wearily out to sea, and wished that it could all be over at last. The long years of war had taken their toll. It would be good to have the fighting finally finished.
Many people had foolishly assumed that just because Napoleon had abdicated as Emperor of France in early April, it was all over. But it would never be over until the ultimate victory was achieved.
One of the men longed for the return of the glorious Bonaparte.
The other yearned for a decisive victory by the Coalition forces so that everyone could at last breath a sigh of relief, and get back to something approaching a normal life.
Both wished for peace, to go home to their families, their houses. Neither was sure what that would mean. The prospect was almost frightening.
It had been so long, over three years, since they had lived a regular life. The prospect of being under the same roof, within the same four walls, night after night, in a decent bed, with good food and warmth, regular companionship, was almost more than the men could fathom.
One of them dreamt of all the glory, the rewards to be had once this last great mission was complete and the final victory was won. Then everything he had ever lusted for would be his for the taking. Women, money, jewels, estates...
The other longed to be able to return to the estate where he had grown up without any shadows to mar his future. His name cleared, all the charges against him dropped, and any lingering doubts about his character and loyalties put to rest at last. And not just his name cleared, but his poor deceased father's as well.
He knew how lucky he had been ever since he had been arrested, had escaped, and been forced to flee his homeland. But he would not rest until he had got back everything he had lost, with interest.
Money he already had, jewels, an estate near Grenoble which he and his sister and her husband had inherited jointly a couple of months before. At least they had got to see their old uncle before he had died.
But he wanted his own home. And more than anything, he wanted his father back. And his wife and unborn child.
He tried to quash the thought, but the grief had already begun to grip his chest and squeeze like a vice. He forced his mind away from the guilt and pain, and scanned the aquamarine sea once more carefully. But he saw nothing.
Feeling winded by his recollection of his wife's death, he hovered just inside the concealed entrance to the cave, and rubbed his damp eyes for a moment.
He breathed in the crisp, clean sea air, and fought for composure as the torment engulfed him.
She had known the risks, just as he had. But she had been driven by her cause, had felt invincible, and had paid the price. Her and the child she had carried.
The recollection clutched at his heart like a fist milking the lifeblood out of him in long, agonizing spurts. He took a steadying breath, taste the salt of the sea and his own tears, and scanned the rapidly graying ocean once more while he cuffed his eyes with the backs of his sleeves.
As his vision cleared, he stiffened, and blinked. The sea was empty, but now a small figure appeared on the beach some distance away.
Normally neither man would have paid much attention, for there were often local people on the beach looking for mussels or gathering sea sticks to drag up the sand past the surf to leave there to dry. They would return several days later to glean them like so much kindling.
There weren't too many fishing coracles on this stretch of the beach, so it was a relatively quiet and secluded stretch of the Irish coastline, which was precisely why it had been chosen as the site of the planned French invasion.
There was some smuggling from here to France, but the Royal Navy had blockaded the French ports effectively for the past few years.
In any event, there were only one or two houses close enough to the shoreline for the moonrakers to hide their contraband, so that it really wasn't worth it in most cases to even try.
Most of the seven houses which made up the small hamlet of Ardmore were well away from the beach. The rutted roads were not the best for transporting heavy casks of brandy and other contraband goods.
Two spyglasses focused on the approaching figure. Both men adjusted their lenses to get a better look.
For she was certainly worth looking at. Worth possessing.
Long raven hair flowed over her shoulders, which were clad in a lovely white on white embroidered shawl. A straw sunbonnet protected her porcelain skin from the sun beating down.
Even though the full brim obscured most of her face, it was easy to see she was a beauty. She was elegant, tall, curvaceous, clad in a fine pale yellow muslin gown which was so light-weight as to be virtually see-through in the glow of the sun as the gown flattened against her lithe body body thanks to the gusting wind.
She could not be a local, each man guessed, for such pulchritude and refinement had seldom graced this isolated cove.
So which house had she come from? There were five to choose from according to each man's perspective, leaving out their own and the one of their colleague.
Each watcher began to try to work out the solution to the problem while she bent to remove her shoes and stockings.
Catching glimpses of her bare ankles and calves was more than they could bear. Each could feel his mouth go dry, his body harden with hot, urgent desire.
Then the lovely young woman ran down to the surf and began to kick and splash in the waves, her skirts up around her knees.
One man longed to go down from his cliff-edge eyrie and snatch her to him for a kiss. She was a lovely little filly, obviously high-spirited and the sporting type.
He could feel his loins tighten, his hands tremble with lust. Yes, to possess a treasure like that, especially if she turned out to be a sprightly young thing, would make this long tedious wait worthwhile.
The other man watched from his vantage point inside the secret cave. He focused his glass on her and saw her blue eyes, her rosy cheeks and velvety pink lips. Those were lips worth kissing. Full and sensual, soft and seductive. Oh, what he wouldn't give for one taste of that lusciously ripe mouth.
She was a lovely woman, lithe, spirited, and intelligent. He could tell from the spark in her eyes. For the first time since his wife had died, he felt desire burn in his loins, but told himself not to be foolish. Why would a woman like her ever take a second look at a man like him? Even if she did, she would hear his terrible family history soon enough, and flee in horror.
Against his better judgment, he slid open the concealing slab to the cave and stepped out to get a closer look at the gorgeous girl.
As he watched her sport and play in the surf, his heart hammered in his chest, a tell-tale surging of the blood which almost defied him to deny it.
Yes, to possess a rare woman like that, so chaste and pure, would be worth the risk. It might even make all the hell he had been through for the past few years worthwhile.
The man at the top of the cliff was so absorbed in watching the girl he never noticed the man standing on the beach below.
But he did see the storm approaching, the grey clouds scudding in suddenly from the west. Much as he wanted to go down and tumble the lissome wench, it would not do to be caught in the downpour. There would be too many questions if he did. So he raced back to his house, folding his spyglass as he ran.
The man near the cave saw the storm approaching as well, and the girl in the semi-transparent gown blissfully unaware of it. Should he warn her? Try to get her back safely to wherever it was she had come from? Or should he simply take shelter?
Or take shelter with her? a wicked voice inside his head tempted him.
No, he couldn't. Everything hinged on keeping this cave a secret. He simply could not expose its whereabouts to someone he knew nothing about, no matter how lovely she was.
He decided to leave it to Fate. The entrance was already open. If she found it herself, fine. If not, well, she would get drenched, poor thing, but that would be as far as it went.
He took one last look at the refined young beauty and reluctantly headed into the cavern. Thunder rumbled, lightning flashed, the clouds loured. Yet he still stared, until he saw her fall in the surf and get soaked.
The gown was now saturated, and clung to her every ample curve, making him groan as his loins flamed nearly out of control and the scent of sweet hot lust mingled with the salty brine of the sea cave.
But he had to get inside. There was still so much to do, even though he was sure now that they would not be coming. At least not today.
As the heavens opened and the rain poured down, he gave the beautiful young woman a last lingering look and lowered his head to duck down into the entrance to the cavern. Soaking wet she might get, but at least her life would be spared.
For if anyone discovered that she had stumbled upon this cave, she would be a dead woman...
The Scarred Heart
Book 2 of The Scars of the Heart Series
Book 5 of The Rakehell Regency Series
Sorcha MacMurrough
Setting: Ireland, 1812
Word Count=82,000 (approx 300 pages)
Rating: Quite Sensual
Price: $4.99 (US)

Reviews:
This is a remarkable novel, with a fascinating hero and heroine who meet in the most unusual manner, and light up the pages of this stunning historical romance.
The setting becomes a vivid character all of its own thanks to this talented author, as Elizabeth Eltham, one of the Rakehell set, tries to save Ireland and the home she loves from Napoleon's invading troops.
The hero Will is physically and emotionally scarred, and we eagerly follow him along on his path to true love and redemption. The secondary characters are fascinating in their own right, and make us eager for a sequel as soon as possible to this magical novel.
Evelyn Trimborn, Harlequin Hearts
An incredible book, with compelling characters, mystery, suspense, and some of the hottest love scenes I've ever read. I loved scarred hero Will and how he wins his true love Elizabeth, only to have her nearly snatched from him in a bizarre twist of fate. The author certainly knows how to keep the pages turning. I hated for it to come to an end, and all I can say is, I can't wait for the next books in the series. Pure magic from start to finish.
Jacinta Carey, The Starbuck Series
A beautiful historical romance, firmly set in the Napoleonic War and Regency period, with two unforgettable characters. This was a real page-turner I devoured in one sitting. One thing is for sure, the Rakehell characters are totally fascinating. I love the way Elizabeth develops in this series, and Will, the complex and wounded male lead, is able to sort through the clues of their past to build toward their happy if hard-won future.
The romance was very sensual, and the setting breaktaking and magical. Sexy and scintillating alternates with heart-rending and profoundly moving in this marvelous rollercoaster of love. The Scarred Heart is the kind of novel you continue thinking about long after you've finished, and one you will put on your keeper pile and look forward to reading again.
Annabelle Stevens, Love's Sweet Song
Amazon Review:
I adored this Regency, because we really are kept guessing throughout, both about the romance, and the sinister, suspenseful elements in the book, as the dark forces around the couple threaten to destroy them and all their Rakehell friends.
Elizabeth Eltham, an heiress, is wandering on the beach near one of her estates in Ireland she has recently come to visit, when a huge storm blows in off the ocean.
Two men are watching her. One is a traitor who supports Napoleon, and wants him to invade Ireland to free it from British oppression.
One is a loyal soldier doing his duty, securing a secret cache of weapons in a cave in the cliffs.
Elizabeth, seeking shelter from the storm, stumbles into the cave, and sets of a chain of events which could mean the salvation, or the death of them all.
That is all I am really going to say without giving the game away too much. (which is why I won't mention the name of the hero here).
What I will say is that the author does an incredible job of allowing us to see the world through her heroine's eyes as she falls in love with the shadowy stranger, and weeds out the many suitors all vying for her hand, while still also giving us enough details about the invasion plot to keep the suspense churning.
There are also some Gothic elements in the book too, dark caves, eerie castles, brooding storms, giving the book an eerie (if not quite supernatural) quality, with Elizabeth and her new found love battling against the dark forces against them.
The love scenes are first-rate, a sensual whirlwind that really swept me up in their affair. The secondary characters, the Rakehells, and her potential suitors, including the veterans of the area newly returned from the war, are a great backdrop to the book, especially her brother the Duke, their friends Vanessa and Clifford Stone, Stewart and Vevina, and the delighful Parks.
Elizabeth as a heroine is a revelation--she has gone from a meek 16 year old in The Missed Match, to all woman in The Miss Matched and now The Scarred Heart.
As for the hero, well, he is 100% Grade A pure sexy, principled, decent, heroic in the truest sense, for he will do anything for the family and friends he loves. His dark secrets (two BIG ones) nearly destroy any chance he has of being happy with his new-found and one true love, but together they work as a team to defeat their enemies. Their love really is magical on every level.

The Scarred Heart
Book 2 of The Scars of the Heart Series
Book 5 of The Rakehell Regency Series
Sorcha MacMurrough
Setting: Ireland, 1812
Word Count=82,000 (approx 300 pages)
Rating: Quite Sensual
Price: $4.99

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