Mastered by the Sea Marquis

MASTERED BY THE SEA MARQUIS THE MONSTERS BALL SJ SANDERS CONTENTS The High Tea 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 The High Tea Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 The High Tea Chapter 29 The High Tea Epilogue The High Tea Author’s Note Also by SJ Sanders About the Author ©2023 by Samantha Sanders All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without explicit permission granted in writing from the author. Editor: LY Publishing Cover Art: Dee J Holmes via Bad Unicorn Designs This book is a work of fiction intended for adult audiences only. Created with Vellum THE HIGH TEA Dear Reader, The July Ball has come around, and what a beautiful midsummer it is. The weather has been cooperative and fair, opportunities promising romance abound for those among the bete monde attending by invitation to Broadstone Manor. In celebration of the midsummer nights, this author has received word that the season shall be celebrated in theme with A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The ladies shall be the veritable blooms of the forests, or perhaps the coveted nymphs and fairies themselves, as they dance the night away upon the arm of the lords in attendance. Word has it that Lord Bishop’s American niece has been confirmed to attend. Sent abroad to escape some scandal, and with poor prospects ahead of her due to this, Lord Bishop presented his case and was granted permission for Miss Margaret Phillips to attend. I, for one, await to see what the indominable Miss Phillips shall make of Countess Stalbridge’s ball and if she will be able to win the devotion of a peer of the realm. The comely heiress is a fine match, but will it be enough to outweigh the stain on her reputation and attract a noble match? I have it on good authority that Lord Thrane Vaskanth of Sheradeen Depths has also sent word of his attendance. The Merselians have established important trade deals with the crown and so the imminent appearance of one at court is causing quite the stir. Though not truly part of the bête monde proper, Lord Vaskanth is, as are many of the nonhuman guests invited, a powerful lord and Marquis in his own right hailing from the warm water south of France. Word has it that he is intending to leave the ball with a bride to take back to his watery home. The hunt is afoot! What miss shall capture the Merselian’s eye? It shall all be a thrilling conquest to watch, and I shall eagerly report it back to you, my dear readers. Until next time, sip slowly and savor society’s foibles. Lady Grey CHAPTER 1 Dear Miss Margaret Phillips, At the bequest of your uncle sir Robert Bishop, the Baron of Westlap, your attendance is requested for the season. However, on account of your undisciplined rearing, fascination with the otherworldly, and ruined status for matrimonial union, Her Majesty is in agreement with your uncle but has deemed you of unsuitable prospects. With no offered dowry, and no reputation of worth, your attendance is hereby directed to The Monsters Ball. Cordially, Countess Violet Stalbridge “Well? It is too exciting, is it not, cousin?” Cecilia Bishop asked as she leaned in close with an eager smile. Wearing a simple linen morning gown in a pale lavender hue that was becoming of her pale coloring and a gleeful grin, the girl could have been mistaken as an elven miss straight from a fae court at that moment. Even the whimsical curtain of curls hanging from her updo framed a heart-shaped face of a sort of elvish character to it. Maggie’s eyebrows rose as she folded the paper and set the missive aside as she had done a dozen times since it arrived. She smoothed out the skirt of her yellow gown across her lap and frowned at the paper stretched out in front of her cousin with the latest gossip from the bête monde. “I cannot imagine what you mean. It seems like any other gossip paper, filled with the same nonsense except it’s all surrounding people I’ve never even heard of and a confusing mess of titles that make no sense to me. Am I to find it riveting?” At sixteen, Cecilia was growing into her beauty and yet still managed to make the most childish exaggerations as she puffed out her cheeks in exasperation. “You would think you have been living under a rock since you arrived. The bête monde is all everyone has been talking about for months now. And you have an invitation!” Maggie’s eyes cut to the missive still lying on the tea table where she’d abandoned it two days ago. It was another reminder of her family’s determination to marry her off and save their reputation. Unfortunately, she didn’t see how marrying a monster would do that. The illness that had transformed so many of the populace had not yet reached America last she heard, but everyone knew it was just a matter of time. Those areas infected also drew contact from various hidden species that could only be conjured by the most depraved and wicked of imagination. She was sure there were some particularly delightful monstrosities that could be found among them and admitted herself to be quite curious about how certain anatomies might fit together. The only hiccup in the plan was that she had no intention of marrying anyone! She wouldn’t be played a fool by any man again—monster or not! Experience had taught her a hard lesson that men were not to be trusted. But