An Ocean Away from her Earl

An Ocean Away from her Earl A REGENCY ROMANCE NOVEL ALICE KIRKS Copyright © 2023 by Alice Kirks All Rights Reserved. This book may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the publisher. In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. Table of Contents Table of Contents An Ocean Away from her Earl Introduction Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter 42 Chapter 43 Epilogue From Dowager to Duchess Introduction Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Sign up for my mailing list to be notified of hot new releases and get my latest Full-Length Novel “The Dashing Lord of Her Heart” (available only to my subscribers) for FREE! Click the link or enter it into your browser http://alicekirks.com/elizabeth An Ocean Away from her Earl Introduction The only thing Lady Jane Arlen hopes for when she embarks on her first Season, is that Lord Michael Riley, her secret love, asks for her hand. When he finally declares himself, Jane cannot imagine any greater happiness. However, this happiness is short-lived when her intended is suddenly called away to business in America… What will happen when Jane is persuaded to accept another man's proposal right before her long-lost love returns? When Michael Riley is needed in America right after he confesses his feelings to Jane, his entire world is shattered. To make matters worse, when he eventually returns home, he finds out that Jane is to be engaged to someone else. Will this be the end of Michael’s chance at happiness? Could he overcome his pain and convince Jane to choose love over duty? Jane and Michael have found the love of a lifetime, but with Jane’s impending engagement and her mother's conniving schemes, their future together seems like a hopeless dream. Will Jane have the courage to defy her mother's wishes and fight for her true love? Or will they both be left with broken hearts and a future of regret? Prologue July 1806 Michael Riley looked out over the crystalline lake, pushing up his tan angler's hat with its wide, flimsy brim to get a better view of Jane. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the scent of sun-soaked earth, freshly cut grass and water. His twelve-year-old charge was walking on a narrow arched bridge that spanned the narrowest part of the lake, about thirty metres in length. It was one of her favourite haunts, especially since she hated fishing. Jane Arlen, daughter of Viscount Geoffrey Arlen, had been in his life since he could remember. He had been there to greet her a few days after her birth and had developed a special place for her in his heart over the years. She seemed to sense his eyes on her, and she turned around and waved at him in her usual cheerful manner. At least, it was her usual way with him. She was a shy girl, introspective and thoughtful. Jane took a long while to warm up to strangers, but with him, she was warm and confident—his closest friend in the world. For a girl, anyway. At eighteen, he was starting to wonder if he was spending too much time with Jane. It was true that they had been friends for nearly all his life, but he was at an entirely different place in life now. Indeed, with his last few weeks of university, he had started to ponder if it was time to begin looking for a wife. How would Jane react to such news? He turned his attention back to the water as his pole tugged down in his hand. He gave a whoop of excitement and threw his hat to the side, reeling slowly but steadily as he drew the fish to the surface. "Must be a big one!" he yelled over the water. He continued fighting with the fish, taking his time so the line would not break. All of a sudden, he heard a crash in the distance and a giant splash soon thereafter. Fish forgotten, he looked out over the water to see that Jane was no longer on her perch on the bridge. His heart froze as he saw a gaping hole in the railing, and Jane was nowhere to be seen. "God, no," he prayed. He dropped his fishing pole and ran around the lake's edge toward the bridge. "Jane!" he cried, his voice hoarse with worry. "She cannot swim!" he said to himself, searching the surface of the water frantically. He stripped off his vest and rolled up his sleeves as he started up the arched bridge. Finally, Jane resurfaced, her strangled, gurgling cries sending a shock of lighting through his limbs. He burst into action, diving into the water just a few feet from her. He kicked with all his might. He had to dive even further down when he got to the place where he had last seen her, for the weight of her waterlogged skirts dragged her down to the lake's murky depths. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pushed off the bottom of the sandy lakebed, using powerful kicks to get her back to the surface as quickly as possible. He gasped when they reached the surface. "Jane!" he called again, for she was limp in his arms. He struggled