Charlotte's Control, page 1
Table of Contents
Excerpt
Praise for Maggie Sims
Also by Maggie Sims
Title Page
Copyright
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Epilogue
Acknowledgments & References
About the Author
A young rake soon to inherit an impoverished estate…a lonely widow unable to produce an heir…a love they must forsake.
“Mistress, I’ve made it quite clear that I wish to learn from you. I believe you wish to teach me as well. I—you…”
He blushes beautifully. She sat back, interested to see where he would go with this line of thought, content to let him stammer, while she attempted to keep her libido from finding the nearest set of restraints—those curtain ties would work—and having her way with him.
He arched a brow at her recline, realizing her intent. “You know of what I speak, Mistress. I was thinking that for every five words I teach you in Latin, you could teach me something. It would not be possible to learn the whole language this summer, but I think at that rate you’d make significant progress.”
She was impressed that he’d already planned his approach and was ready to barter. However, she thrived on dickering and refused to make this easy. “And, just to be clear, what would I teach you?”
“Mistress.” He sighed out, sounding exasperated.
“William, if you cannot say it, then I daresay you are not ready to learn it.” She grinned.
PRAISE FOR
Maggie Sims
“Sexy, witty, emotionally rich writing and incredible heat make Maggie Sims a must read! She leaves readers—and her characters—desperate for more! Fierce, fearless heroines are her specialty!”
~ Tracy Sumner, USA Today Bestselling Author of The Duchess Society series
~*~
“In Sophia’s Schooling, Maggie Sims strikes a perfect balance of proper manners and delicious
perversity. Her characters are deftly sketched, and the flavors of sex and punishment are sure to excite even the most discerning of kinky-historical readers.”
~ Annabel Joseph, NYT and USA Today bestselling author of The Properly Spanked series
~*~
“Penelope’s Passion is…a wonderful story of forbidden romance from two people in very different life circumstances just trying to do the right thing for both themselves and their families…readers who like an extra spicy historical romance will not want to miss out!”
~ Golden Angel, USA Today Bestselling Authorof the Bridal Discipline series
Also by Maggie Sims
The School of Enlightenment Series
Roslynn’s Rebellion (prequel novella)
Sophia’s Schooling (Book 1)
Penelope’s Passion (Book 2)
Althea’s Awakening (Book 3)
Beth’s Behavior (Book 4)
Spin-offs
Helen’s House
Ann’s Angel (a Christmas short story)
Charlotte’s Control
by
Maggie Sims
The Control Series
Book One
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
Charlotte’s Control
COPYRIGHT © 2024 by Maggie Sims, LLC
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
No Generative AI Training Use.
For avoidance of doubt, Author reserves all rights, and there are no rights to reproduce and/or otherwise use the Work in any manner for purposes of training artificial intelligence technologies to generate text, including without limitation, technologies that are capable of generating works in the same style or genre as the Work, unless the Author’s specific and express permission to do so is given in writing. Nor does anyone have the right to sublicense others to reproduce and/or otherwise use the Work in any manner for purposes of training artificial intelligence technologies to generate text without Author’s specific and express permission.
Trade Paperback ISBN 979-8-89044-405-9
Digital ISBN 979-8-89044-406-6
Cover by Lisa Dawn MacDonald
Chapter One
William Stanton, heir to the Earl of Harrington, guffawed at his cousin Percy’s latest tale of late-night antics. The group of young men occupied the corner of William’s first ball. At nine-and-ten, just home from his second year at Oxford, he was an unusual sight at formal events. He’d hoped to have until he reached his majority before giving in to the formalities of society.
From the corner of his eye, he caught a few heads turning toward them at the loud laugh. Their small group was drawing attention from the row of seated matrons against the ballroom wall. Still chuckling, he turned his head and froze, gaping.
Standing alone, an iceberg with the sea of ball-goers flowing around her, was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. A cliché perhaps, but undeniable. Unlike the married ladies in chairs, who leaned toward each other to gossip, or the twittering nests of girls new to the marriage mart, this creature was solitary and serene. Her plum-colored ballgown stated that she was married, but she appeared closer to his age than that of those lining the room. The honey curls pinned high on her head gleamed with youthful lustre, unlike the gray streaking most of the mamas’ heads.
She was also staring back at him, her expression unreadable.
His mouth was still open from the laughter he had stopped mid-breath, and he snapped it closed, straightening an inch and squaring his shoulders. He pivoted to face her fully, even as one of the other young men in the group nudged him.
She arched a brow before breaking eye contact and turning to peruse the dance floor.
Percy’s friend, whom he had met an hour ago, asked, “Who’s the lady? Do you know her?”
“Not yet. Who d’you think could introduce me?”
“I’ve no idea. Our host, I suppose.”
He had just been introduced to the earl whose home they occupied that evening, so he could not waltz up and ask about a woman who could be a duchess for all he knew. Disheartened, William turned back to the group of young, mostly-idle aristocrats in his cousin’s set. Balls held no appeal to him. He’d rather be out with his childhood friends than making small talk with strangers, and he was years away from hunting for a wife at such events.
He had planned only to gain introductions to a few members of the House of Lords who Percy knew, lingering just long enough to do his duty. Thanks to his father’s irresponsibleness, he was trailing his cousin around, learning the politics of an earldom for the remaining weeks of the Parliamentary Session instead of the usual post-matriculation activities like a Grand Tour or frequenting gaming hells like most young aristocratic men. He was lucky his mother had salvaged enough funds to get him through the next year to graduate Oxford.
At some point, he would need to think of marriage, if for no other reason than to replenish the family coffers. But after a mere hour at one ball, he’d become bored with the vapid misses in pastel. They simpered and primped, opening and closing their fans and peeking at him in some mating ritual he neither cared about nor understood. Until he’d spied this paragon of poise.
The goddess who stood apart did not flutter or flit, nor did she whisper to a companion behind a fan. Composed and confident in her solitude, she held herself apart and observed. What must she make of the yapping pile of earls-in-the-making he lingered with? Did she see them the way he viewed the girls his age?
Only she could answer that question. He broke away from his circle and strode through the crowded room toward where he’d last seen her, determined to forego propriety and introduce himself.
Spying a flash of purple skirts disappear around a tall couple who’d just arrived, he maneuvered in that direction. A simpering miss, apparently feeling quite daring or the effects of the champagne, stepped into his path and fanned herself like it was an Olympic sport.
He sidestepped. She matched it. Sighing, he bowed. “I beg your pardon, miss. I was looking for a friend, if you’ll excuse me.”
Turning, he found a different path
Gritting his teeth, he returned to Percy to learn his duties for the future. He’d ask his cousin about her tomorrow, or his friend South would have ideas. South was always creative at circumventing society’s rules.
* * * *
William woke early the next morning, as was his routine. Throwing clothes on without a cravat or jacket, he made his way to the library to meet with his mother for an hour before breakfast. Entering just after him, hair a shade lighter than his due to gray streaking the gold, she stood almost as tall as him. They shared the same long, lean build and not-easily-ruffled demeanor, unlike his sister, Emily, who was younger by three years and took after her father in creativity and temper.
William contemplated his mystery woman’s age. It was likely midway between Emily’s and his mother’s, but just as his mother did not look her age, mystery woman’s appearance left a wide margin for error.
His mother grabbed some documents from her desk and moved to the seating area, the rust cushions and curtains offset by touches of yellow, a thick patterned rug with similar colors beneath them.
“Mama, what do we need to accomplish today?”
“Who did you and Percy meet last night at the ball and the club?”
He and his cousin had headed to White’s after the ball, to discuss the bills currently under review in the House of Lords. An off-night for Parliament was most often used for squiring wives, sisters, or daughters to a ball—or looking for a wife depending on one’s situation—followed by political machinations at White’s, one of several private men’s clubs favored by Peers of the Realm.
William ran through the members he had spoken to, and the topics covered.
When he had arrived home last week from university for the summer break, he’d been looking forward to continuing to learn the earldom bit by bit and spending evenings with his closest friends. Instead, his mother had pulled him into the library, brackets around her mouth indicating her worry. “William, I have had to step in and keep an eye on things. Funds are tight. We have enough to get you through university, but I need your help in maintaining the business of the earldom, please.”
His father’s over-indulgence in drink had been apparent to everyone for a long time, but he had not realized it had become that out of control. In the blink of an eye, his summer plans were forgotten. His concern was for his mother and family, as well as the dozens of servants and tenants who relied on the earldom for rent and food. “Mama, you know if you need me here, I’ll stay. I can finish Oxford later, or read the books in my own time.”
She hugged him. “I know you would, my son, but I do not want that for you. And there is a limited amount any of us can do with your father still the earl.”
He nodded. “But how will you manage when I’m away? Summer break is less than two months.”
“Percy is three-and-twenty, if you recall. He’s been managing his own household for two years, and before that was learning in preparation to manage it. He stops by and helps me. We review whatever paperwork we can before Fred awakes. Then we review the most important items with him at breakfast, before he leaves for his club. And just between us, I’ve had to sign for your father on a few things. Even if he was asked, he would not recall whether he’d signed something or not.” Her eyes shuttered and the grooves around her mouth became more pronounced.
“Mama. I wish you had more things in your life that made you happy.” He’d make it all go away for her if he could. After their initial conversation about expediting his learning, he’d noticed how tired she’d looked. Before, she’d just been mama. Now she was his business partner and his responsibility as much as he was hers.
“My boy, you make me happy.” Her smile chased the tired look away, at least for a moment. “Knowing you’ll finish university and be ready to take your place in the world thrills me. I see so much strength and compassion in you. You are already a gentleman I am proud of.”
Her words strengthened his resolve to alleviate her burden as much as he could. “Right, then. How can I help?”
Thus began the summer of shadowing his mother and his cousin to safeguard what he could of the earldom and its coffers, while other young men his age learned from their fathers. His father was lucky he was not around much. Once William saw the shambles of the family ledgers due to mismanagement and poor investment, his ever-growing anger might have gotten the better of him.
This morning, his mother’s question about who they’d met brought back his Plum Lady in a rush. He needed to find time to discover her name and station.
“William? Are you quite all right?”
Coming back to the present with a start, he shook his head. “Sorry, Mama. Did you ask me something?”
“Did you meet the Earl of Peterborough?”
“I do not believe so.” He ran through the names and faces to whom his cousin had introduced him. “Shall I send him a note asking if he’d be willing to meet me at White’s one morning?”
“That should work.” She nodded. “As I mentioned, I have heard his politics align with ours, despite Peterborough having quite different industries up north. But tread carefully. Consider taking Percy, as he has more experience in these matters.”
As usual, his mother’s request came more like a demand. He was accustomed to it, and did not mind. She was more intelligent than many of the men he knew and was juggling her role as a countess with having to be Merlin to his father’s sotted King Arthur. William’s strength of character came from her. Stifling a sneer for his father’s weakness, he wrote the requested note, specifying morning to avoid his father as the man rarely rose before noon, and William avoided interactions with him as much as possible. When Percy arrived, he’d bring up the subject of the gorgeous mystery woman.
* * * *
Percy hadn’t known who Plum Lady was, either. Frustrated, William sped through his work and granted himself a reprieve to spend time with his two closest friends. He’d met South and Nate at boarding school.
The day was gray but dry as he strolled the few blocks to Luke Lynwood’s family townhome, also in Mayfair. Luke—or South, as they’d dubbed him in opposition to the title he’d one day inherit—was heir to the Earl of Northumberland. From South’s, they grabbed a hack to get to Nate’s forge.
Nathaniel Follett neither lived nor worked in Mayfair. Nate had not been a student; rather he’d been the son of the other boys’ housemaster.
The students surmised that he’d know how to have the most fun in the area, as well as how to circumvent house rules and not get caught. The three quickly grew close. William helped Nate with his last years of studies before apprenticing to learn a trade, and Nate helped them “borrow” boats to row on the town’s lake, among other activities to expend some of their youthful energy.
The unlikely trio had been separated the past two winters with William and South attending Oxford, while Nate journeyed to London to pursue an apprenticeship as a blacksmith. Now South was in London for a fortnight before his father planned to adjourn the family to their country seat, giving the three a limited time to reunite.
While the other two had been at university, Nate had formed a partnership with Robert and Beth Orford to make leather and metal accessories for sexual play. The income from that allowed him to need only one year of apprenticeship before saving enough to open his own shop. The smith Nate apprenticed with had used a play on his last name and his hobby—crafting intricate items like nipple screws—and dubbed him Folly. Despite his teasing, he’d been very supportive of Nate’s growth, introducing him to the Orfords and helping him strike out on his own.
The smithy was located in Soho, located just to the east of Mayfair. The neighborhood included a mix of businesses, immigrants, and working class folks who lived above their storefronts, as Nate did. Aristocratic visitors were infrequent but not unheard of, given the goods and services offered there.
