I’m excited to share an extract from The Maid’s Masquerade by Catherine Tinley #blogtour #historicalfiction #historicalromance

Packet ship, mid-Atlantic, 1818

‘I wondered if I could perhaps…be you. Just for a short time.’

‘Be me, miss?’ Bewilderment flooded through Marguerite. ‘Whatever can you mean?’

‘I should like to work as a housemaid in Derbyshire—to fetch and carry, clean and mend. To do honest work with my hands and learn new things and not be a dashed heiress!’

‘But…but…’ Marguerite could not take it in. She herself had been forced by circumstances to give up her status as the daughter of a gentleman in order to become a servant. And now here was Miss Van Bergen, an heiress, choosing to do the same. It made no sense.

It was also impractical. ‘But Lord Linford will still expect you in London!’ Did Miss Van Bergen want a hunt for her all over England? For that was what Lord Linford would be forced to do, if she did not arrive. Even if she wrote to him, he would still do it, for young ladies were not permitted to have adventures.

‘Yes. This may sound nonsensical, but you look a little like me.’ She turned back to the mirror, meeting Marguerite’s eyes in the reflection.

Marguerite was confused. ‘We look very different, miss.’

‘Yes, but you have brown hair and blue eyes. You are a similar build to me too. The miniature that Lord Linford received was not very accurate.’

‘I…see…’ It was true. They were broadly similar and, while they could never be taken for twins, they might be sisters. And Miss Van Bergen’s accent was decidedly English, despite her having grown up in New York.

‘Besides, you will be in mourning for my—your—aunt. It is likely that you will see little of him—or anyone. You will simply rest, and not work, until I return.’

To rest, read and be a lady again, for just a few weeks…Lord! Am I actually considering this? Fear rushed through her at the very notion of attempting to carry off such an audacious scheme.

Would Linford recognise her? Marguerite thought not. She could barely remember his looks, and people generally saw what they expected to see. She would arrive as Miss Van Bergen, and it was likely he would simply accept her as Miss Van Bergen. As she imagined standing in front of him, anger coursed through her veins. What he had done was unforgivable. The least he deserved was a wealthy bride who did not want him.

Abruptly, she was fiercely glad that Miss Van Bergen was going to cause him trouble. She could only imagine his consternation when his heiress returned, and he realised he had been duped by a serving maid, a person of no consequence to him.

Revenge. The discomforts, worries and fears of the past four years abruptly came together in a fiery ball of rage within Marguerite. She had no desire to ruin him, as his callousness had ruined her. No, she was better than that. But here was an opportunity to cause him discomfort, at the very least. While she had no clear plan, there might be sport to be had, and perhaps it would lessen the grief within her. In some small way, Papa would be avenged for the man’s duplicity and callousness.

Here’s the blurb

An heiress and a maid swap places in brand-new duet The Heiress Switch

Undercover as the Earl’s fiancée

And to settle old scores…

Part of The Heiress Switch: On a transatlantic voyage, English maid Marguerite hatches a plan with an American heiress to temporarily trade places when they arrive in England. Forced into servitude, this is Marguerite’s chance to re-enter Society, and posing as the betrothed of Benedict, Earl of Linford—the man at fault for her circumstances—is the perfect opportunity for revenge! But her anger is soon replaced by an unsettling attraction. Still, Benedict caused her to lose everything once and she won’t lose her heart to him now—even when he reveals some unexpected truths…

Perfect for fans of:

Hidden identity

Enemies to lovers

Purchase Link

https://mybook.to/MaidsMasquerade

Meet the author

Catherine Tinley is an award-winning writer from County Down. She writes witty, heart warming Regency historical romance novels. She has won a coveted Rita® Award, two RoNA Awards, and the HOLT Medallion, and her books have been translated into ten languages. Two of her books have also been published as manga graphic novels. 

She also writes saga/women’s historical fiction as Seána Tinley.

After a career encompassing speech & language therapy, Sure Start, and managing a maternity hospital, she now works for a leading charity. She lives in County Down with her husband, children, cats, and dog, and can be reached via her website or on socials.

https://linktr.ee/CTinley