“What does anyone in my place want? You have already given me wealth and position, and I am rather dashing, for which I am eternally grateful,” he said in an off-hand way. It seemed kind of insincere to me. The man was obviously trying to butter me up. “But when all is said and done . . .” He heaved a forlorn—and entirely unbelievable—sigh. “I’m simply a man—”

“An imaginary man.”

He ignored me. “A man looking for the one woman who will make his life complete. A man longing for love and all the joy it will bring for the rest of my days.” His voice rose in a theatrical manner. “I am nothing more than a man in search of a happy ending.”

Oh yeah, right. “Hasn’t your tendency toward sarcasm gotten you into trouble before?”

“I’m not being sarcastic. Overly dramatic perhaps, but I am being completely honest. And you well know it.” He flashed that wicked, irresistible smile I had written for him. “And don’t you think you’ve put me through enough? Don’t you think being—in the parlance of your time period—dumped by three different women has earned an ending better than we shall see? We shall see indeed,” he added under his breath.

“Well, we shall,” I said defensively. “I mean we will.”

He sniffed. “I deserve better.”

“Maybe. I don’t know.” I thought for a moment. “I admit, you were a good secondary character.”

“I was brilliant.”

“But they don’t always turn out to be good heroes,” I warned.

“I’m confident you can count on me.”

“I’ll think about it, okay?” I do hate to commit too quickly to a figment of my imagination.

“That will have to do, I suppose.” Again, he aimed his killer smile at me. “For the moment.”

I managed a weak smile of my own. I knew the man wasn’t going to leave me alone until I gave him what he wanted. And I knew he’d win in the end. What can I say? I’m a sucker for a perfect hero, or rather a hero who thinks he’s perfect.

But I will make him earn that happy ending. It won’t be easy for either of us. And along the way (in the first of the Millworth Manor series), he’ll learn The Importance of Being Wicked.

And so, I suspect, will I.



Best wishes,


Victoria

In this dazzling new novel, #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Alexander welcomes you to Millworth Manor, a delightful English country estate where love is always perfectly at home....


For Winfield Elliott, Viscount Stillwell, finding a prospective bride always seemed easy. Perhaps too easy. With three broken engagements to his name, Win is the subject of endless gossip. Yet his current mission is quite noble: to hire a company to repair his family’s fire-damaged country house. Nothing disreputable in that—until the firm’s representative turns out to be a very desirable widow.


Lady Miranda Garret expected a man of Win’s reputation to be flirtatious, even charming. But the awkward truth is that she finds him thoroughly irresistible. While Miranda resides at Millworth to oversee the work, Win occupies her days, her dreams . . . and soon, her bed. For the first time, the wicked Win has fallen in love. And what began as a scandalous proposition may yet become a very different proposal....



Please turn the page for an exciting sneak peek of


Victoria Alexander’s


THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING WICKED,


coming in February 2013!

Prologue