Bücher der Reihe The Sisterhood of Independent Ladies

She didn't steal. She simply took what was rightfully hers-including his heart.Charles, Duke of Hasterton, admired and respected for his cunning business acumen both at home and abroad has an astounding secret. He is imaginary. But his brilliant twin sister Cecilia is quite real. She was born in Germany after her father died and taught to guard the title, wealth, and power like the rare stolen treasure that it is. After all, as a daughter, she could never inherit the dukedom legally.Cecilia and her mother cultivate the ruse of the fictional duke quite nicely. Everybody who is anybody in London believes His Grace resides with them at their stunning residence in Germany. Their acquaintances in Germany believe the pretend peer is always in London or traveling the world over. But when Cecilia's mother falls victim to a grave illness and begs to visit her beloved London one last time, even though it's risky, Cecilia can't refuse her. But her mother can't travel alone, and Cecilia refuses to entertain superficial men pining for nothing more than her dowry. So, she poses as her mother's companion to ensure their elaborate farce remains safe. While everyone is told Lady Cecilia remained in Germany because of frail health, Miss Celia Bening, companion to the dowager duchess, enjoys the freedom to handle whatever arises-or at least, she tries.Lord Elias Raines might be the second son of a duke and the youngest solicitor in his law office, but he's proven himself so capable and talented that when his mentor dies, he's promoted to partner and assigned to the rich, influential clients cared for by the man who taught him everything he knows. Well, almost everything. His dearly departed advisor failed to mention some of the peculiarities in the Duke of Hasterton's file. Elias's requests for the duke to review the oddities have, so far, gone unanswered. Luckily enough, he discovers the duke's mother is in London. While decorum demands he wait for answers from the duke, he can't refrain from digging deeper when the dowager duchess requests he draw up her will with a suspiciously generous endowment for her companion, the lovely Miss Cecilia, an intriguing woman who drives him mad with desire.Delightful, passionate, and at times heartbreaking, a merry chase is had by all until a lifetime of secrets explodes. Elias must make a choice-help Cecilia devise a plan to protect the world she and her mother so carefully crafted or end their illegal scheme and escort them both to the prison.Only one can win: his profession or his heart-until a third option too terrible to imagine rears its ugly head and makes the choice for them both.The Sisterhood of Independent LadiesBook 1 - To Steal a DukeBook 2 - To Steal a MarquessBook 3 - To Steal an Earl

She returned to England to put him in his place-not to put herself in his bed.Alec Douglas, Duke of Lionwraith, a war hero betrayed on the home front while he was away at battle, trusts no one and prefers his solitude. But when his sister begs for help because she is ruined, he vows to make the man responsible pay. When the vile rakehell proves impossible to find, Alec isn't swayed. He can just as easily destroy his enemy with a subtler attack. The Marquess of Ardsmere's business provides the best wines and rarest imports to the finest houses in all the realm-but by the time Alec is finished, West Belgium International will cease to exist.But the despicable marquess can't be the ruination of Alec's sister, because the man does not exist. However, Lady Francis, better known as Frannie and sometimes as the Marchioness of Ardsmere, is quite real. Born in Belgium after a terrible accident killed her father, Frannie was introduced to the world as the family's ward rather than an Ardsmere daughter, and a fake Ardsmere son was fabricated for her to marry to keep the wealth, lands, and privileges of the title away from a heartless cousin. The ruse has served quite well, but now some quarrelsome duke threatens everything because his lightskirt sister tossed her reputation to the wind and ridiculously named the pretend marquess responsible.Frannie is not about to lose her lucrative empire or expose herself as a fraud. There's naught to be done but assume her usual role as the imaginary marquess's wife and put the deplorable duke in his place. However, when she meets Alec's sweet, trusting sister, she can't bring herself to finish the poor girl off or take down her handsome brother. Cursing her soft-heartedness, Frannie agrees to help Alec. Not just because he's a tempting challenge she can't resist, but also because his sister is kindness itself.While tracking down the real foe responsible, Alec and Frannie come together in a complicated dance that not only risks riches and reputations but also their hearts. Frannie's life of lies has always provided everything she needs-except love. What's she to do when the man who steals her heart despises anything that isn't true?What do a skillful liar and a man drowning in bitterness have in common? Loneliness and pent-up passion. An exciting combination until secrets are revealed and everything falls apart.The Sisterhood of Independent LadiesBook 1 - To Steal a DukeBook 2 - To Steal a MarquessBook 3 - To Steal an Earl