Gothic Romance
By L.V. Lloyd
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About this ebook
It was pitch black outside, the only light came from the lantern at the front of the coach, bobbing crazily over the road. Wild gusts of wind threatened to tip them over every so often and the coachman gripped the reins even more tightly, swearing under his breath. Rain beat frantically against the windows as Jonathan peered out, hoping to catch a glimpse of Castle Blackstone, the place that would be his home for the next six years...
When Jonathan Winters accepts a post as tutor to the only son of Lord D’Anvers, he looks forward to sharing his love of learning with his young pupil. Not even arriving at Castle Blackstone in the middle of a thunderstorm can dampen his enthusiasm, nor the fact that the wing above his head is forbidden.
Absorbed with Evelyn’s education, Jonathan is completely unprepared to find himself the object of Lord D’Anvers’ attentions.
Until D’Anvers kisses him...
A Gay Historical Romance
L.V. Lloyd
After thirty years of working with the unemployed, coping with threats, tears and broken lives (and these were only from fellow staff), LV Lloyd decided it was time to make her escape. And what better place to go than the world of m/m romance? She started writing Dangerous Tension, her first ebook, years ago, but put it aside due to work and family commitments.In 2012, she dusted off the foolscap pages stored under her bed, finished the story and turned it into a book. Since then, she has written six more ebooks in the Aurigan Space Saga series, and numerous short stories. Pirate is the sixth book in the series.LV Lloyd lives in Adelaide, Australia, with her family and two cats. In her spare time she enjoys fishing and visiting the many local wineries.Author of:Dangerous TensionRough Play - a FREE novella which is a prequel to His Guilty Secret.His Guilty SecretLunar Affair - (also available in paperback)Untouchable - (also available in paperback)Pirate - (also available in paperback)TimeLabs Inc - sci-f short storiesGothic Romance - regency romanceNight Traveller - new releaseAll can be read as stand-alone stories, although Rough Play and His Guilty Secret share some of the same charactersMy stories all have some m x m action but only Night Traveller is 18+ rated.SPECIAL OFFER - Rough Play and Dangerous Tension now available for FREE
Read more from L.V. Lloyd
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Gothic Romance - L.V. Lloyd
Gothic Romance
by
L.V. Lloyd
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader.
All rights reserved by the author, L.V. Lloyd, any unauthorised distribution or selling of this ebook constitutes an infringement of copyright.
Copyright © 2016 L.V. Lloyd
Amazon Edition
This story is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
Acknowledgements
Cover by EJ Kellan Premade Covers
www.premadecoversbyejkellan.weebly.com
A big thank you to EJ for the wonderful cover.
Thanks to Atlas-Skye and Dayo Abedawo
for your assistance with editing.
Any errors are, of course, my own.
Chapter One
Night had fallen early due to the storm. It was pitch black outside, the only light came from the lantern at the front of the coach, bobbing crazily over the road. Wild gusts of wind threatened to tip them over every so often and the coachman gripped the reins even more tightly, swearing under his breath. Rain beat frantically against the windows, and Jonathan let the curtain fall, wondering how much further they had to go.
He pulled the rug tighter around his knees, grateful that he had not ridden, as he had originally intended.
You can’t turn up to your new job on horseback, Master Jonathan!
Ellen had scolded. Not when his lordship has offered to send his coach for you.
Ellen stood in front of him, arms crossed in disapproval. She had been his nurse when he was a child, and although he was now the ripe old age of twenty four, she still tended to treat him as her charge. Even though Ellen was his landlady, having married Joe Higgins, the innkeeper, Jonathan still felt the tug of that early obedience.
I suppose not,
he’d agreed reluctantly.
Jonathan was glad now, that he had listened to her advice. He sat back against the cushions inside the coach. He might as well get as comfortable as he could, worrying wasn’t going to make the journey any shorter. He let his mind wander, wondering what sort of man his employer might be. He had yet to meet him. His interview for the position had been conducted by his lordship’s man of business, Mr Griffin, which in itself had been rather odd, come to think of it. One would have thought Sebastian, Lord D’Anvers, would have wished to meet in person, the man who was going to tutor his son.
Although, from what Mr Griffin had said, Evelyn was a sickly child, unable to participate in the sports and outdoor activities considered essential for an English lad. Jonathan knew some fathers would take this as a personal affront, his own father for example had never understood his preference for study over sport. I didn’t send you to Oxford to have you spend all day with your nose in a book!
he had said, full of indignation. You’re there to make a name for yourself, make friends—important friends—men who hunt and box, who can drive to an inch, shoot the heart out of an ace of spades!
Jonathan smiled wryly. Quite what good his father thought those accomplishments were going to do him, he had no idea. None of them were likely to earn him a living.
He enjoyed riding, but he was no bruising rider to hounds, nor could he take the fly off a horse’s ear with the tip of his whip. No, in fact it was his despised studies which had earned him the position as tutor. Latin, mathematics, the classics; they were all essential knowledge for a modern boy, even if he was only twelve. He looked forward to introducing Evelyn to the academic world he loved; he hoped he would find the boy eager to learn, bored with being confined to his room for most of the time.
The coach came to a sudden halt and Jonathan peered out of the window. It seemed they had come to a gatehouse. A man, bent over under a heavy coat, hurried out into the rain and opened the gate. The coach picked up speed again, and Jonathan remained at the window, waiting to catch a glimpse of Castle Blackstone, the place that would be his home for the next six years.
He could see trees lining the drive, black and wet in the night, and then the coach came out into a broad expanse of lawn and Jonathan could see the castle for the first time. As if orchestrated specifically for him, a dagger of lightning split the air, illuminating the building which loomed over him, turrets and gables thrusting into the dark sky. The building appeared to be in total darkness, except for one window high up in a turret which glowed with golden light. He thought he saw a figure outlined there for a second, peering down at him, before the light went out.
Chapter Two
Cracckkk! Lightning split the sky just as the coach drew to a halt in front of the building, lighting up the facade and the ivy which was encroaching on one side. Stone steps led the way up to a portico, and Jonathan could see the heavy wooden door shut tightly against the night. A bleak enough welcome, thought Jonathan, as he peered out of the coach. Then the door opened and yellow light spilled forth.
Jonathan gathered his bags together while a footman opened the carriage door, struggling to hold it against the wind.
Mr Winter?
The man spoke with a heavy accent.
Yes,
answered Jonathan with a brief smile.
Can I take your bags, sir?
No, I’ve got them. But there’s a trunk on the back,
he told the servant.
Leave it with me, sir. The master’s waiting for you inside.
Jonathan hurried up the steps, blinking in the rain, to where the door stood, held open by an elderly butler. He went inside with a nod of acknowledgement, looked in vain for a mat to wipe his boots on, then gazed around in search of Lord D’Anvers.
He found himself in the vestibule, a room whose main purpose appeared to be the display of a wide staircase rising in one imposing flight to a half landing, where it branched out to the left and right. Large wooden doors studded with iron were placed on either side of the vestibule, one closed and the other open, leading into what had most likely been the Great Hall in an earlier period. At any rate, Jonathan caught a glimpse of a huge fireplace inside, large enough to hold half a tree trunk. Despite the stormy night though, the fireplace appeared to be cold and empty. Jonathan shivered, suddenly aware of a draught whispering around his neck.
Where was Lord D’Anvers?
A faint sound caught his attention and he glanced upward at the marble staircase in front of him. A