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New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Erica Ridley is sharing an exclusive bonus epilogue to her heartwarming 12 Dukes of Christmas regency romance series!
If you are new to the 12 Dukes of Christmas, start with Once Upon a Duke – FREE this holiday season at all retailers!
The 12 Dukes of Christmas is a series of heartwarming Regency romps nestled in a picturesque snow-covered village. After all, nothing heats up a winter night quite like finding oneself in the arms of a duke!
PLEASE NOTE that this exclusive Yuletide second epilogue CONTAINS SPOILERS for The Duke’s Bride, The Duke’s Embrace, and The Duke’s Desire.
If you are new to the 12 Dukes of Christmas, start with Once Upon a Duke – FREE this holiday season at all retailers!
The 12 Dukes of Christmas is a series of heartwarming Regency romps nestled in a picturesque snow-covered village. After all, nothing heats up a winter night quite like finding oneself in the arms of a duke!
***
PLEASE NOTE that this exclusive Yuletide second epilogue CONTAINS SPOILERS for The Duke’s Bride, The Duke’s Embrace, and The Duke’s Desire.
A Very le Duc Christmas
Bonus Epilogue
December 1815
Cressmouth
“It’s Uncle Lucien and Aunt Meg,” Frederick shouted over his shoulder.
“And the baby!” Annie yelled, bouncing on her toes to peek at the tiny bundle wrapped in Lucien’s arms. “Can I hold her?”
“She’s three months old,” Meg told her gently.
Annie clapped her hands together. “Does that mean yes?”
“It means no,” Désirée said with a laugh, shooing the twins away so she could welcome Lucien and Meg properly.
“Come in, come in. We’ve a wonderful fire waiting for you.” Jack embraced Meg and patted Lucien on the shoulder. “We’ve also been enjoying the wine you sent.”
Desiree’s eyes shone. “Is it really from our vineyard?”
“It is indeed.” Lucien grinned at her in anticipation. He could not wait for his siblings and their families to come visit and see for themselves. “When do you think you might make the trip?”
“Well…” Jack and Désirée exchanged a glance. “We’ve just bought a petite maison in Margaux.”
Joy flooded Lucien’s heart.
Meg clapped her hands together. “That’s less than hour from us!”
Désirée nodded. “We thought we’d book passage on the same ship as you, if you think you can handle the twins for an entire voyage.”
“Amélie will be eight months old in April,” Jack teased. “By then, they’ll be ready to let someone else hold her.”
Lucien grunted. “Maybe.”
“Probably not,” Meg whispered. “Unless you’ve made mille-feuille. He’ll trade the baby for that.”
Désirée giggled. “He didn’t try to make it with the recipe I sent, did he?”
Lucien stared at his sister. “It wasn’t the real recipe?”
“Mine won’t be legendary if everyone can do it,” she protested. “I only changed one or two small things.”
“Hold the baby,” Lucien ordered Meg. “I have to enact vengeance upon my sister.”
“Before you do so…” Jack motioned toward two footmen entering the drawing room, one with a tray of mille-feuille and the other carrying two bottles of wine. “May I interest you in a small snack first?”
“You live,” Lucien mouthed toward Désirée. “For now.”
She grinned and scooped up the baby. “I’ll teach you the recipe, Amélie. Yes, I will. We’ll keep it a secret from your father, just to vex him.”
Lucien laced his fingers with Meg’s and stole a kiss just as a knock sounded upon the door.
He raised a brow toward his sister. “Are you expecting company?”
“Loads of it.” She grinned as the twins let out a distant squeal of delight.
“It’s Uncle Bastien and Aunt Eve!” Frederick hollered.
“And Aunt Jemima and Uncle Allan and the baby!” Annie shouted.
Meg’s eyes widened with surprise. “You invited my family, too?”
“We’re all family now,” Désirée explained. “Let the Duke of Nottingvale have his exclusive twelve-day house party all he likes. We are the charter members of the first annual Le Duc-Skeffington-Farrell extended family extravaganza. May our festivities last all winter long!”
Jack lifted his glass of wine. “I’ll drink to that.”
So would Lucien. He pressed a kiss to his wife’s hair and went to welcome the new arrivals.
He couldn’t wait to see what the future held.
Cressmouth
“It’s Uncle Lucien and Aunt Meg,” Frederick shouted over his shoulder.
“And the baby!” Annie yelled, bouncing on her toes to peek at the tiny bundle wrapped in Lucien’s arms. “Can I hold her?”
“She’s three months old,” Meg told her gently.
Annie clapped her hands together. “Does that mean yes?”
“It means no,” Désirée said with a laugh, shooing the twins away so she could welcome Lucien and Meg properly.
“Come in, come in. We’ve a wonderful fire waiting for you.” Jack embraced Meg and patted Lucien on the shoulder. “We’ve also been enjoying the wine you sent.”
Desiree’s eyes shone. “Is it really from our vineyard?”
“It is indeed.” Lucien grinned at her in anticipation. He could not wait for his siblings and their families to come visit and see for themselves. “When do you think you might make the trip?”
“Well…” Jack and Désirée exchanged a glance. “We’ve just bought a petite maison in Margaux.”
Joy flooded Lucien’s heart.
Meg clapped her hands together. “That’s less than hour from us!”
Désirée nodded. “We thought we’d book passage on the same ship as you, if you think you can handle the twins for an entire voyage.”
“Amélie will be eight months old in April,” Jack teased. “By then, they’ll be ready to let someone else hold her.”
Lucien grunted. “Maybe.”
“Probably not,” Meg whispered. “Unless you’ve made mille-feuille. He’ll trade the baby for that.”
Désirée giggled. “He didn’t try to make it with the recipe I sent, did he?”
Lucien stared at his sister. “It wasn’t the real recipe?”
“Mine won’t be legendary if everyone can do it,” she protested. “I only changed one or two small things.”
“Hold the baby,” Lucien ordered Meg. “I have to enact vengeance upon my sister.”
“Before you do so…” Jack motioned toward two footmen entering the drawing room, one with a tray of mille-feuille and the other carrying two bottles of wine. “May I interest you in a small snack first?”
“You live,” Lucien mouthed toward Désirée. “For now.”
She grinned and scooped up the baby. “I’ll teach you the recipe, Amélie. Yes, I will. We’ll keep it a secret from your father, just to vex him.”
Lucien laced his fingers with Meg’s and stole a kiss just as a knock sounded upon the door.
He raised a brow toward his sister. “Are you expecting company?”
“Loads of it.” She grinned as the twins let out a distant squeal of delight.
“It’s Uncle Bastien and Aunt Eve!” Frederick hollered.
“And Aunt Jemima and Uncle Allan and the baby!” Annie shouted.
Meg’s eyes widened with surprise. “You invited my family, too?”
“We’re all family now,” Désirée explained. “Let the Duke of Nottingvale have his exclusive twelve-day house party all he likes. We are the charter members of the first annual Le Duc-Skeffington-Farrell extended family extravaganza. May our festivities last all winter long!”
Jack lifted his glass of wine. “I’ll drink to that.”
So would Lucien. He pressed a kiss to his wife’s hair and went to welcome the new arrivals.
He couldn’t wait to see what the future held.
~ THE END ~
How did the legend of the 12 Dukes of Christmas begin?
Meg Church adores two things: life in a village of perennial Yuletide, and the freedom of being a spinster with no reputation to protect. Oh, very well, three things: She’s harbored a secret tendre for Christmas curmudgeon Lucien le Duc since the moment she first glimpsed him. But the sexy blacksmith won’t give her the time of day, much less a night of torrid passion.
Ever since Lucien le Duc was forced to flee his beloved France during the revolution, his all-consuming goal has been to recover not only his lost land and fortune, but also his rightful place among the French aristocracy. He would never be distracted by an English dairy maid’s sultry glances… or her soul-consuming kisses… or the temptation to turn one night into forever…
The 12 Dukes of Christmas is a series of heartwarming Regency romps nestled in a picturesque snow-covered village. Twelve delightful romances… and plenty of delicious dukes
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Merry Christmas
ReplyDeleteGreat family celebration!
ReplyDeleteI love read excerpts like that!
ReplyDeletethis was very sweet. thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteAdorable. Merry Christmas
ReplyDeleteCarol Luciano
Lucky4750 at aol dot com
Thanks for sharing the bonus epilogue. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeletesweet, and now I want mille-feuille
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas
ReplyDeleteI love reading about secret identities! Can’t wait to read. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteDukes and Christmas!😍 how can I not love em!
ReplyDeleteI loved this! Thank you so much for the chance, Erica:)
ReplyDeleteI love your books and thank you for your courage and integrity.
ReplyDelete