Hi,
I’m pleased to announce the release of my historical romance, DANGEROUS INDENTURE. This full-length novel is set in Pennsylvania Colony and blends a sensual romance with mystery and suspense.
DANGEROUS INDENTURE
Indentured for five years… how long can Shauna resist her master’s son?
Desperate to escape her past in Ireland, Shauna Farrow signs on to become an indentured servant to Joshua Stewart, a wealthy man in Pennsylvania Colony. But a life of servitude quickly turns to drudgery, and Shauna’s hopes for starting over and creating a better life for herself are waning—until she meets her master’s roguish son, Ashton.
Ashton needs to redeem himself in his father’s eyes and earn the respect he has always longed for. Meeting Shauna turns his life around, and he sets out to win her heart. Torn between propriety and passion, Shauna struggles against her growing attraction to Ashton as long as she can.
But amidst their flirting, something dark stirs. Shauna soon discovers why no other servants wanted to work for the strange Stewart family.
Stewart House has an unsavory reputation: a previous servant died there under mysterious circumstances. When another servant goes missing in the middle of the night, Shauna is convinced that a member of the family is responsible.
Shauna’s investigation leads her close to the truth, and yet, she’s not sure who she can trust. Events take a deadly turn when she confronts the murderer and discovers the mystery of the Stewart family.
Will Shauna be rescued before time runs out, or will she meet with the same fate as the other servants?
The Excerpt:
Pennsylvania Colony, 1723
“You don’t wanna be goin’ to Stewart House. It’s got more haunts than the Tower of London.”
The carriage driver’s words echoed in Shauna’s mind as she stared at the two-story stone building. The house didn’t look haunted. Why had the driver tried to scare her with tales of murder and madness? She had come to the colonies to do a job, and she wasn’t about to be put off by a batch of superstitious nonsense.
She walked up the path to the front door, passing her trunk where the driver had dropped it in his haste to flee. She rapped with the brass knocker, waited a moment, then knocked again. There was no answer. Was anyone home? She didn’t fancy waiting outside all day.
The scent of cherry tobacco filled her nostrils as she opened the front door and stepped into a tiled entryway. “Hello? Anyone ’ere?”
Curious, she peeked into the parlor on her left. The room was decorated with a horsehair sofa, an assortment of chairs and tables, and a thick wool carpet. “Oh my,” she muttered. Was everyone in Pennsylvania Colony so well off?
A colorful painting of a garden filled with yellow roses drew her into the room. She admired the painting for a moment, then strolled around the parlor.
Upon closer inspection, she noticed cobwebs dangling from the ceiling’s open beams, a gray tinge to the lace curtains, and stains on the light blue carpet. She frowned. The coach driver had been right about one thing—the house needed a servant. She recalled the rest of his strange story.
“The Stewarts can’t keep servants, ya know. They tried to hire local girls, but folks in town know better than to let their daughters go there. Nobody stays at Stewart House after dark. Not after what happened to that Purdy girl.”
She hadn’t asked who “that Purdy girl” was, and she didn’t care. It was none of her business. Besides, even if the house was haunted, she had no choice but to stay.
“Who are you and what the devil are you doing in my parlor?” a deep voice thundered.
She whirled around. A tall man with dark hair and a heavy beard towered over her.
“I asked you a question. Who are you?”
“I’m the new servant. Me name’s Shauna Farrow.”
“You were supposed to be here three days ago. Where the hell have you been? I paid the driver a good bit to fetch you. He’d better have done his duty,” the man snapped. “I am your master, Joshua Stewart. You are not allowed to use the front door without permission. You are a servant. Use the servants’ entrance.”
“Aye, but you see—”
“Do not argue with me, girl. I own you. Address me as ‘sir’ or ‘Master Stewart.’ Understand?”
She nodded.
“Do you have your papers?”
“Aye, sir. They’re outside in me trunk.”
“Get them.”
She went into the foyer, then stopped. Was this a trick? She turned back. “Sir, pray I use the front door to fetch ’em? The driver—”
“Are you mocking me?”
“Nay, sir. I wanna be sure I’m doin’ the right thing. Me trunk’s at the edge of the walk,” she replied, forcing herself to sound meek. Joshua Stewart was a big bear of a man, and she didn’t want to make him angry.
He waved her off. “Hurry.”
She rushed outside and opened her battered brown trunk. Her indenture papers were stacked neatly on top of her clothes. She picked up the papers and paused. Having second thoughts now would do her no good; it was too late to turn back. As soon as she handed these documents over to Master Stewart, she would belong to him for five years. It already seemed like an eternity.
Part of her was tempted to march back inside and give her new “master” a piece of her mind, but she couldn’t. A fiery Irish temper and a loose tongue had caused her more problems than she could count. She didn’t need to start any new troubles here. As long as she lived at Stewart House, she would have to do as she was told. Besides, she had nowhere else to go.
Order your copy here:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PJVQ7XJ
All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/3JyROP
Like historical romances? Follow my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Historical-Romances-by-Kelli-A-Wilkins-1703805359922371/
Visit my website www.KelliWilkins.com and blog http://kelliwilkinsauthor.blogspot.com/ to learn more about all of my writings.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 19 romance novels, 5 non-fiction books, and 2 online writing courses. Her romances span many genres and heat levels, and she’s also been known to scare readers with her horror stories.
Her historical romance, Dangerous Indenture, was released in March 2019. This full-length novel is set in Pennsylvania Colony and blends a sensual romance with mystery and suspense.
She published the second half of her flash fiction series, Cupid’s Schemes, in early 2019. These two volumes of lighthearted mini-romances are perfect reads for a quick lunchtime escape or an after-work indulgence.
Kelli released her latest Teachable mini-course, Fiction Basics: Finding Ideas in February 2019. She authored Fiction Writing for Beginners through Teachable in 2018. These courses are perfect for anyone who wants to learn how to write. Visit: https://kelliwilkins.teachable.com/ for more details.
If you like horror fiction, don’t miss her latest novella, Nightmare in the North.
Kelli posts on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and Twitter: www.Twitter.com/KWilkinsauthor.
Visit her website www.KelliWilkins.com and blog http://kelliwilkinsauthor.blogspot.com/ to learn more about all of her writings.
CATCH UP WITH KELLI
Here’s a full list of where you can find Kelli on the web.
Website: http://www.KelliWilkins.com
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- About the Author
- Posts in the Past
Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 20+ romance novels, 7 non-fiction books, and 5 horror ebooks. Her romances span many genres and settings, and she likes to scare readers with her horror stories.
Her latest novel, “In Another World” was released in January 2022. This contemporary mystery/romance is set in the world of the paranormal.
She also released two horror shorts, “More Than I Bargained For” and “Silent Sentinel” in 2021.
In 2021, Kelli published “Journaling Every Week: 52 Topics to Get You Writing.” This fun and innovative guide to journaling is filled with hundreds of thought-provoking prompts designed to get you writing about your feelings and emotions.
Kelli posts on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and Twitter: www.Twitter.com/KWilkinsauthor.
Visit her website/blog www.KelliWilkins.com for a full title list and to find all her social media links.
