Marriage by Fairytale

On her wedding day, Patricia Cotter, the widowed Lady of Pruett, signed a contract agreeing to the following: 1. She would never look at her husband's face. 2. She would never remove the sheets covering the mirrors. 3. She would never ask her husband about his past. In return for doing these things, she will have a secure place for her unborn child and her worries will be over. She has nothing to lose by agreeing to her husband's terms. Yes, she's heard the rumors about Mr. Stephen Bachman. He was said to have killed his first wife, though there is no proof condemning him of the crime. He is aloof and never leaves his manor. He is practically a prisoner in his own home. But as she gets to know him, she begins to believe her husband isn't the beast everyone's made him out to be. There just might be a gentleman worth loving beneath his hard exterior. The questions is, can she get him to let go of the past so he can open himself up to the possibility of a fairytale romance?

Lewis Cotter, the Earl of Pruett, has just inherited his title, and his first order of business is to find a wife. He never thought he would need to get married, but after the death of his older brother, it's up to him to secure the estate. While he has to marry for money, he doesn't want to marry just anyone. He wants a love match. But he doesn't even know where to begin in finding the perfect bride. And worse, he has a terrible time being romantic. He doesn't know the first thing about being a suitor. His friend offers the perfect solution to his problem. He'll host a masquerade ball and invite all of the available wealthy ladies in London to attend. Then, Lewis can meet them, and the masks will help Lewis overcome his shyness. Miss Marcy Shoemark hadn't originally planned to go to the ball. She's a lady's maid. She has no money to offer a prospective husband. But when she finds out the purpose of the masquerade ball is for Lewis to find a wife, she decides to attend it. She's been secretly in love with him, and this is the one chance she has to spend an evening with him as a lady, not as a servant who's out of his reach. To her surprise, she manages to get his attention. But sooner or later, the masquerade has to end, and she has to reveal the fact that she's only a servant. Will he still want to marry her once he discovers the truth? Or will he choose a wealthy lady who can secure his estate?

On her 21st birthday, Ophelia was due to marry her guardian. Only she didn't know it. Miss Ophelia Crowe has led an extremely sheltered life. After her parents died when she was five, she went to live at her guardian's country estate. She went on to live a life where everything was managed for her. From what she could wear to what activities she could do, each and every day had been carefully structured by the servants. The problem was, she didn't know who her guardian was... Until the morning of her 21st birthday when the maids present her to him looking more like a doll than a lady who would like to have a say in her future. And a doll is exactly the way he treats her. She comes to realize just how much he's structured her life so that she's been trained to be the kind of wife he wants. Well, she's decided she won't marry him. In a bold move, she runs off on a horse in the night in order to escape the fate everyone has set out for her ever since she was a child. All Vicar Julian Roskin wants is to lead a quiet life. He's caused enough trouble in the past. He doesn't need any more problems. But, late one night, his safe and predictable world is turned upside down when a beautiful young lady ends up on his doorstep in need of protection. Protection, in this case, will require him to marry her. Reason tells him not to do it. Nothing good can come from marriage to a lady he doesn't know anything about. But something about her demands he take her up on her offer. Dare he take the risk, or should he do everything he can to send her back? This is loosely inspired by the Little Red Riding Hood story.

A duke who has imprisoned himself in an attic for nine years is in need of a wife… Evander Meyrick, the Duke of Sutherton, has lived the past thirteen years under a curse. He didn't know just how bad the curse was until every lady he married died within a year of their wedding day. Now he has a step-daughter, Tabitha, who is ready for her first Season, and he longs to give her something he can't have for himself: a normal life. A spinster who thought her best years were behind her may find a second chance so long as the curse doesn't touch her… At thirty-four, Miss Viola Keane is well past her prime. Having gone through three failed Seasons, she had resigned herself to never knowing the joys of marriage and children. Instead, she focused her attention on her family. Shortly after her brother's death, however, she finds out her family doesn't have any money. When she learns that the Duke of Sutherton is offering a sizable sum of money to any lady who's willing to marry him, she jumps at the opportunity to become his wife. The notion of a curse doesn't scare her. She, after all, doesn't buy into such superstitious nonsense. But since her new husband and step-daughter are convinced the curse is real, she abides by the strange rules he lays out for her. He wasn't planning to fall in love again… Evander only intended to spend enough time with Viola to discuss her role as Tabitha's step-mother. But it's been a long time since he's had a meaningful conversation with another person, and something about her reminds him of what his life was like before the curse ruined his life. Dare he take the chance of opening himself up to her and potentially risk losing another wife, or should he keep his distance in order to keep her safe? *This is very loosely based off the Snow White fairy tale.

Most gentlemen wait to get married because they want time to enjoy being a bachelor before taking on the responsibilities of a married gentleman. Baldwin Darby, the Duke of Edmondstone, isn't one of them. The life of a rogue never appealed to him. He's wanted nothing more than to fall in love and live a quiet and uneventful life ever since he could remember. It wasn't by choice that he hasn't married yet. He's just not very comfortable around ladies, which makes the marriage mart difficult for him. So when his acquaintance mentions a sister at his country estate who is ready for marriage, he jumps at the chance for an arranged marriage. He's been told she is extremely shy and that it takes her time to open up around strangers, so he might find her a bit strange when he initially meets her. But this doesn't bother him. He's a patient gentleman and can give her time to get used to him. What he doesn't count on, however, is just how strange everything is when he gets to the country estate. She refuses to leave her section of the manor, she has to go to bed before it's dark, and she has an unusual fascination for monsters. Despite all of that, she is beautiful and possesses a sweet temperament. He wishes he could figure out a way to help her embrace a normal life. If he keeps pressing for her to have a normal life, he just might get his wish. But nothing will prepare him for the truth. *This is loosely based off the Rapunzel fairy tale.