Christi Caldwell - A Matchmaker for a Marquess

By
Christi Caldwell

A Matchmaker for a Marquess

Copyright 2019 by Christi Caldwell

EPUB Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any electronic or mechanical meansexcept in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviewswithout written permission.

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

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Heart of a Duke

In Need of a DukePrequel Novella

For Love of the Duke

More than a Duke

The Love of a Rogue

Loved by a Duke

To Love a Lord

The Heart of a Scoundrel

To Wed His Christmas Lady

To Trust a Rogue

The Lure of a Rake

To Woo a Widow

To Redeem a Rake

One Winter with a Baron

To Enchant a Wicked Duke

Beguiled by a Baron

To Tempt a Scoundrel

The Heart of a Scandal

In Need of a KnightPrequel Novella

Schooling the Duke

A Ladys Guide to a Gentlemans Heart

A Matchmaker for a Marquess

Lords of Honor

Seduced by a Ladys Heart

Captivated by a Ladys Charm

Rescued by a Ladys Love

Tempted by a Ladys Smile

Courting Poppy Tidemore

Scandalous Seasons

Forever Betrothed, Never the Bride

Never Courted, Suddenly Wed

Always Proper, Suddenly Scandalous

Always a Rogue, Forever Her Love

A Marquess for Christmas

Once a Wallflower, at Last His Love

Sinful Brides

The Rogues Wager

The Scoundrels Honor

The Ladys Guard

The Heiresss Deception

The Wicked Wallflowers

The Hellion

The Vixen

The Governess

The Bluestocking

The Spitfire

The Theodosia Sword

Only For His Lady

Only For Her Honor

Only For Their Love

Danby

A Season of Hope

Winning a Ladys Heart

The Brethren

The Spy Who Seduced Her

The Lady Who Loved Him

The Rogue Who Rescued Her

Brethren of the Lords

My Lady of Deception

Her Duke of Secrets

A Regency Duet

Rogues Rush In

Memoir: Non-Fiction

Uninterrupted Joy

To Riley

Ill never forget the first time you played soccer. You were not so very excited about the game of soccer itself. During practice, in the middle of the field, you dropped to all fours and opted to play your own game insteadthat of horsey for a little friend.

I laughed from the sidelines as children kicking soccer balls navigated around you, as you galloped about.

On that sunny, happy day, Meredith and Barrys story was born.

Thank you for the memory. And thank you for being such a special, clever, nurturing, loving, spirited girl.

I love you.

Berkshire, England

1811

F our had always been Meredith Durants special number.

Shed entered the world in the early morn hour of four oclock on the fourth day of the fourth month.

Shed had four best friends in the world when a girl was fortunate if she had but one person in whom she could confide.

And it had taken just four days for Merediths life to fall apart.

She stared blankly at the collection of valises packed and positioned neatly alongside the door, ready to be carted off tomorrow morn. And four valises were all it had taken to stuff all the things shed accumulated in her nearly twenty-year existence.

Her lips twisted up in a painful smile at the recurrence of that damned number.

Perhaps it was the shock of being turned out after shed spent her entire life at Berkshire Estates. Or perhaps it was the abrupt and unexpected sacking of her father, the Duke of Gayles loyal man-of-affairs. But there was nothing more than an absolute numbness to her and Papas impending departure.

Though, in fairness, the numbed state had begun four days ago with the arrival of the letter that had broken her heart and made a mockery of the time shed spent loving and mooning over a worthless cad whod never truly had honorable intentions where she was concerned.

Where did I put it? Where did I put it? Her fathers mutterings as he flew between the small rooms of their cottagenay, the Duke of Gayles cottagemanaged to penetrate Merediths misery and proved a welcome distraction.

Dusting at her cheeks, she quit her place at the window and joined her father. What are you looking for, Papa? she asked in the same gentling tones the head stable master and her former sweetheart had used when talking to the most fractious mares.

Alas, her father continued to mumble to himself, a man in a trance.

Ive left them somewhere. My letters. The letters. Where did I put them?

The letters. As in the Duke of Gayles letters of reference.

A healthy fury pumped through her chest at the thought of the duke. A man whod been like a second father to her and whod so easily replaced his friend with a younger man-of-affairs. Have you checked? Her voice faded off as she pulled open the center drawer of his desk.

Meredith collapsed into the empty chair. Balled pages stained with ink filled the narrow space. Papa, she chided gently. Hed forever been meticulous with his work. Hed instilled in Meredith the essentiality of proper organization and keeping ones papers tidy.

Her father, however, gave no indication hed heard her. Instead, he continued his frenetic movements, darting around the cottage and talking to himself. In short, the greying, stoop-shouldered figure was a shadow of his former self.

Her mouth tightened. But then, that was the effect of this place on a person.

Berkshire, this country estate that had once been a place of joy, had changed. It had been altered by the people who dwelled here, their unkindness replacing the warmth and love and sense of family

Her lips twisted again, and she caught the grimace reflected in her fathers silver inkpot.

Unkindness, she muttered to herself.

Is that what you call removing a trusted friend and man-of-affairs from a post hes held for more than two decades?

Is that what you call the stable hand professing his love, vowing to marry you upon his return from fighting Boneys forces and then instead penning you a note to share that hes had a change of heart? That his heart, in fact, belongs to another young woman hes met in his time away?

Her lower lip quivered, and tears filled her eyes, blurring her fathers sloppy work space. She yanked out drawer after drawer, sifting through piles of stained and wrinkled pages.

There was something safer in focusing on the sorry state of her fathers belongings than the splintering of her heart. How could you have so horribly neglected your work? she asked sharply as her father stopped at her shoulder.

Papa frantically wrung his hands. Afraid Ive been more distracted than usual.