An arrogant duke does the unthinkable-he falls in love with his mistress. She raced onto the green, desperate to stop a duel. In the melee, Jocelyn Dudley, Duke of Tresham, was shot. To his astonishment, Tresham found himself hiring the servant as his nurse. Jane Ingleby was far too bold for her own good. Her blue eyes were the sort a man could drown in-were it not for her impudence. She questioned his every move, breached his secrets, touched his soul. When he offered to set her up in his London town house, love was the last thing on his mind.... Jane tried to pretend it was strictly business, an arrangement she was forced to accept in order to conceal a dangerous secret. Surely there was nothing more perilous than being the lover of such a man. Yet as she got past his devilish facade and saw the noble heart within, she knew the greatest jeopardy of all, a passion that drove her to risk everything on one perfect month with the improper gentleman who thought love was for fools.

The dark, devastating stranger rode into the village fair and wagered twenty pounds at the throwing booth—for a chance to win the daisies in Viola Thornhill’s hair. The Gypsy fortune teller had warned: “Beware of a tall, dark, handsome stranger. He can destroy you—if you do not first snare his heart.” Recklessly Viola flirted, then danced with him around the Maypole. And then came his delicate, delicious kiss. Viola did not regret that she had let down her guard—until the next morning, when he appeared at her door to claim her beloved Pinewood Manor. Lord Ferdinand Dudley won her home in a game of cards! Viola hated him for trying to take everything, including her soul. She was mistress of Pinewood Manor. Yet Dudley refused to leave, even as his conscience rebelled at compromising this beautiful innocent whose only proof of ownership was a dead earl’s promise. Dudley held the deed, but at what cost? Each day under the same roof brought its share of temptation, intimacy, and guilt. But Viola knew it was a battle she could not afford to lose. Marriage was out of the question, and she would be no man’s mistress. Even as Dudley’s unnerving presence, his knowing smile, threatened to melt her resolve. Against his better judgment, Lord Ferdinand Dudley was beguiled. This maddening beauty had stirred him as no woman had before. And he was bound and determined to make her his own.

In anticipation of the enticing third book in the Mistress trilogy, The Secret Mistress, here are never-before-published scenes from More than a Mistress and No Man’s Mistress—plus Mary Balogh’s new epilogue for the series. JOCELYN AND JANE: Three new scenes—“The Proposal,” “The Wedding,” and “Return to Acton Park”—spark more fiery passion from charmingly arrogant Jocelyn and spirited Jane. FERDINAND AND VIOLA: Two unpublished scenes—“The Wedding” and “Home to Pinewood Manor”—prove once again that this unlikely but perfect couple is made for each other. THE REUNION: FIVE YEARS LATER:Enjoy a brand-new chapter that reunites readers with all three Dudley couples and their children and answers every fan’s biggest question: What happened after the last page was turned? The enchanting prequel to the Mistress series! Readers got to know madcap Angeline and straitlaced Edward through the romantic adventures of the Dudley brothers. But Angeline and Edward have their own story of passion to tell in The Secret Mistress.

In this enticing new romance ripe with sensuality and wit, "New York Times "bestselling author Mary Balogh proves that comfort is no match for passion when a stuffy gentleman becomes the object of desire of an adoring and spirited young woman. THE SECRET MISTRESS While Lady Angeline Dudley's pedigree dictates that she must land a titled gentleman, the irrepressible beauty secretly longs for a simple, ordinary suitor. No wild rakes like the men of her family, just a kind heart and good nature. So when Edward Ailsbury, the new Earl of Heyward, rescues her with unmatched civility from the advances of a scoundrel, Angeline thinks that she has found her true love. Persuading the earl is another matter entirely. Edward has his future neatly mapped out. He hopes to wed his steadfast companion, a woman who shares his values of loyalty, respect, and decorum. But arriving in London to take his seat in the House of Lords, he is derailed by Angeline, an exquisite bird of paradise seemingly devoted to sending his predictable life into chaos. From the brilliant hues of her fashion to her hoydenish antics, Angeline is the last woman on earth for Edward. And yet a stolen kiss in the moonlight awakens something deep and primal within him. Naturally, being a gentleman, he does the right thing after compromising a lady: He offers marriage. Angeline knows that Edward's proposal is born of duty, not love. But denying something so provocative and passionate is easier said than done. Deep down, Angeline believes that Edward's dedication to convention will melt behind closed doors, where sensuality and seduction play wicked games. For a proper wife by day can become a husband's secret mistress by night, when delicious desire rules.

From New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh come two classic tales of Regency-era romance, where scandalous liaisons kindle passions too powerful to conceal. MORE THAN A MISTRESS Hired to serve as nursemaid to the wounded Duke of Tresham, Jane Ingleby tries to pretend it’s strictly a business arrangement. Surely there could be nothing more perilous than being the lover of such a man. Yet when she gets past his devilish façade and sees the noble heart within, she knows the greatest jeopardy of all—a passion that drives her to risk everything on one perfect month with an improper gentleman who thinks that love is for fools. NO MAN’S MISTRESS Lord Ferdinand Dudley is accustomed to getting what he wants—until he tries to claim his rightful estate from the bewitching Lady Viola Thornhill. Refusing to cede him the home she calls her own—and unwilling to consider marriage—Viola knows that this is a battle she cannot afford to lose. Each day under the same roof brings its share of frustration—and temptation—as both sides in this contest of wills find their resolve melting in the heat of passion’s bright flame. From the Paperback edition.