Kindle
$6.99
Available instantly
Audible Logo Audiobook
$0.00
with membership trial
Hardcover
$19.00
Paperback
$13.97
Kindle Price: $6.99

Save $2.00 (22%)

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Audiobook Price: $11.57

Save: $8.83 (76%)

Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

Buy for others

Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group.
Learn more

Buying and sending eBooks to others

  1. Select quantity
  2. Buy and send eBooks
  3. Recipients can read on any device

These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. Redemption links and eBooks cannot be resold.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs

Follow the author

Marion Chesney
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

His Lordship's Pleasure (The Regency Intrigue Series) Kindle Edition

by M. C. Beaton (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 out of 5 stars 402
See all formats and editions
A widow in reduced circumstances makes a desperate offer—and discovers romance and danger—in a suspenseful tale by a New York Times–bestselling author.
 
Annabelle Carruthers could only dream of being kissed by a man as dashing as Lord Darkwood. Instead, she remained locked in misery, married to a rakish drunk who gambled their lives into financial and social ruin. But his sudden death—and rumors of spies and treachery—only made matters worse.
 
Burdened with gambling debts, Annabelle feared she was on her way to the poorhouse. The only solution she could see was to offer herself up as mistress to the mysterious Lord Darkwood. Darkwood, however, was too much of a gentleman to take advantage of a lady such as Annabelle. Still, he was quite interested in rumors of her husband’s espionage—a curiosity that would soon place them both in grave danger . . .
 
This tale of love and intrigue in Regency England, originally published under the name Marion Chesney, comes from the beloved bestselling author of the Hamish Macbeth and Agatha Raisin mystery series.
Previous page
  1. Book 5 of 8
    The Regency Intrigue Series
  2. Print length
    165 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    RosettaBooks
  6. Publication date
    September 12, 2011
  7. File size
    3549 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
Next page
Next 4 for you in this series See full series
Total Price: $28.96
By clicking on the above button, you agree to Amazon's Kindle Store Terms of Use
More like His Lordship's Pleasure (The Regency Intrigue Series)
Page 1 of 1Start overPage 1 of 1
Previous page
  11. Minerva (The Six Sisters Series)
    Kindle Edition
    $6.99
  12. Polly (The Ladies In Love Series)
    Kindle Edition
    $6.99
Next page
Loading...

Editorial Reviews

Review

Nobody writes Jane Austen like Marion Chesney...[She] gets it right every time.

-- "Detroit Free Press, praise for the author"

Chesney is a romance writer who deftly blends humor and adventure...[sustaining] her devoted audience to the last gasp.

-- "Booklist, praise for the author"

About the Author

M. C. Beaton (aka Marion Chesney) has won international acclaim for her bestselling Hamish Macbeth mysteries and the Agatha Raisin mystery series. She is also the author of more than one hundred romance titles and a series of romantic suspense novels, the Edwardian Mystery series. Born in Scotland, she now divides her time between Paris and the English Cotswolds.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07H16X4FT
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ RosettaBooks (September 12, 2011)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 12, 2011
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3549 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 165 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 402

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Marion Chesney

Marion Chesney

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Marion Chesney is known primarily for the more than 100 historical romance novels she has published under her own name and under several pseudonyms: Helen Crampton, Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, and Charlotte Ward. But M.C. Beaton is the pseudonym she reserves for her mystery novels.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
402 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Joan
5.0 out of 5 stars Another winner
Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2023
Verified Purchase
Clever plotting and superb craftsmanship made this novel a pleasure to read. I enjoyed every word of this book and recommend it to all who read of historical romance.
Helpful
 Report
coltsfoot85
4.0 out of 5 stars Better than most
Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2013
Verified Purchase
It's similar to many of Chesney's other books. That doesn't bother me. I read romances for the "take me away from all this" they offer. I liked it because it continued the story of Emma.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Pauline Yu Wikoff
5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging and Engrossing
Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2023
Verified Purchase
As always MC Beat on is at her finest with this romantic and humorous account of love between an earl and an attractive widow. Add in the kind hearted aunt and some good friends, a few gossips and a mystery in between and you won't be able to put the book down .
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Phaedra Whitlock
3.0 out of 5 stars Ok I guess
Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2021
Verified Purchase
Characters not very interesting and hardly interact with each other but the conspiracy sub plot was not bad.

The idea of the book was good but lackluster in execution.
Helpful
 Report
Hellsie15
5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful
Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2019
Verified Purchase
This story is a clean, amusing and wonderful Historical Romance. It is charming per usual for MC Beaton. Read all the books she has written and you won’t be disappointed. Try all her Hamish Macbeth series. Her Agatha Raisin video series was annoying to me. Some of her characters are often unconventional such as Miss Davenant and her poor friends.
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely story!
Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2021
Verified Purchase
Short & sweet! Writing is captivating all characters, protagonists, side characters villains charmingly described! Love her writing when I read novels from anyone else now I'm disappointed!
Helpful
 Report
anonymous
4.0 out of 5 stars Good, but not a keeper
Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2016
Occasionally repetitive, which is not typical of Beaton/Chesney - we hear over and over and over about Annabelle's husband's gambling, about Darkwood's intentions (or non-intentions) towards Annabelle, etc...consequently, parts of the book move a bit slowly. There's some intrigue, a little romance and the requisite HEA. This is the second book in an unofficial trilogy about three best friends in terrible marriages. The first book is "The Scandalous Lady Wright" and the third book is "Her Grace's Passion." Good to read once, but not a keeper.
Helpful
 Report
suekar
5.0 out of 5 stars Chesney 9
Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2014
Verified Purchase
Old stories written by dead authors, new stories written by authors still alive, can be just as good to read today as they were when written. Reading about Regency England is my favorite time period to enjoy. I picked this story because the author's style of storytelling matches my reading interest level. An easy story for an easy read.
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Carol
5.0 out of 5 stars A lovely romp
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 8, 2024
Verified Purchase
Poor Annabelle lives with her drunk, wastrel husband in genteel poverty. Married young she accepts her miserable life as her lot. She encounters Darkwood, her noble neighbour who immediately offends her by offering charity.
Fast forward and Annabelle is a widow, homeless with no-one to help her. This book is so very readable, a true Beaton tale. The journey leading both these characters towards their fate is very satisfying and can be read as a stand alone book despite past characters featuring in the story. Highly recommended.
Report
Damaskcat
4.0 out of 5 stars His Lordship's Pleasure
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 11, 2015
Verified Purchase
Annabelle Carruthers is trapped in a loveless marriage to a gambler who has almost exhausted their resources. When the handsome Lord Darkwood returns to his estates after a long absence he is curious about Annabelle and tries to help her but she is too proud to accept his help with her bills.

Then her husband dies when their house is burned down and it begins to look as though maybe Annabelle can make a fresh start. However Guy's debts were greater than she feared and she finds herself homeless and penniless and she offers herself to Lord Darkwood as his mistress. What happens when her late husband's illegal activities threaten to involve both of them in some life threatening situations makes for exciting and entertaining reading.

I found I was turning the pages faster and faster as I neared the end of this book as I wanted to make sure everything worked out all right in the end. This is romance mixed with adventure and danger and sometimes that is just what you need to read to escape from the mundane everyday world. I liked Annabelle as a character and Lord Darkwood has more depth to him than many romantic heroes.
One person found this helpful
 Report
Soosie
5.0 out of 5 stars Very enjoyable read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 7, 2015
Verified Purchase
I really enjoy all of MC Beaton's books. Having gone through all the Hamish Macbeth (on Audible as well!) and Agatha Raisin I decided to start on her Regency and Edwardian novels. Yes, there are quite a few typos but nothing to detract from the storyline. I like a bit of escapism and these books fit the bill.
Report
bitzy
5.0 out of 5 stars His LordshipsPleasure
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 17, 2014
Verified Purchase
this is a very good story but it is part of six books in the series and I have read them all
having said that its still a very good book and I recommend it
Report
Marshall Lord
3.0 out of 5 stars Second in a mini-series about three regency ladies
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 28, 2009
Verified Purchase
This is the middle story in a mini-series of three regency romance novels about three friends who at the start of the stories are unhappily married to cruel or worthless husbands.

I would describe them as three linked self-contained novels rather than a trilogy because each novel can be read on its own; the heroine of each is a very minor character in the books about the others.

The three heroines and their books are:

1) Lady Emma Wright - " The Scandalous Lady Wright "
2) Mrs Annabelle Carruthers - this book, "His Lordship's Pleasure"
3) Matilda, Duchess of Hadshire - " Her Grace's Passion (A Regency Romance) "

Any Marion Chesney fans with exceptionally good memories may also spot the odd reference to characters in one or two of her other romances of the period such as " Those Endearing Young Charms "

As you may gather from the fact that the central characters start out as unhappy wives rather than innocent maidens, the plotlines are a little darker than the average regency romance.

The heroine of this book, Annabelle Carruthers, is married to a drunk and gambler who is unable to stay solvent for five minutes before he drinks or gambles away any money which either of them have. Unknown to her, he has also been associating with French spies.

Her husband's death, apparently in an accident is no relief from her sufferings, because she is left penniless and at the mercy of ruthless creditors.

Unable to turn to her friends Emma and Matilda, because the first is out of the country on her honeymoon and the other has been forbidden to see Annabelle by her husband the duke, a desperate Annabelle offers herself to a wealthy nobleman who had shown her some compassion.

The result is not what anyone had expected - and there are sinister players taking an interest in Annabelle ...

The author is a prolific writer under both her pen-names: as Marion Chesney she has published a large number of romances, many of which like this one are set in the Regency period, but as M.C. Beaton she has also written a number of detective/mystery stories such as the "Agatha Raisin" series.

This is the weakest of the three stories in this series and is not one of the author's best romances: but it's not entirely lacking in charm or entertainment value. Despite the rather silly claim to the contrary by the publishers, this is definately not in the same league as Georgette Heyer, let alone Jane Austen. But if you're just looking for a little light read it is more than OK.
6 people found this helpful
 Report
Report an issue

Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report