1Flower Series (four friends)
Frank- When a Rose Blooms (Juliana). Juliana has always been in love with her guardian since the day she met him. But Frank has gotten married. This changes both their lives. Then his wife dies. Still Frank is not interested or so she thinks. So introduced to society Juliana has to face lots proposals she doesn't want. She accepts none of them much to the confusion of Frank and the disgruntlement of those offering for her. One man takes particular offense after offering for her a fifth time and she refuses yet again. Then the rumours start. Can Juliana face the harshness of London life with no-one to support her compared to the quietness of country life? Or is there really some one who will support her no matter what people say?
Cameron- A Crushed Petal (Portia). On a visit to his mother's family home in France Cameron, like always, runs into trouble when he is too lucky at the gaming tables. Seeking shelter and refuge in a summer house on the extremities of some ones home, he hides from those pursuing him. Portia too turns to the lonely little summer house for refuge- from her money obsessed mother and her controlling step father. Little does she expect to find a man hiding in there already? Nor does she expect him to offer her escape from the home she hates in such an unusual way; marriage. Will a marriage between two strangers succeed? And can they escape the people they are trying so hard to leave behind?
Jonnie- Amongst Fields of Daisies (Kathryn). Enjoying a peaceful stay back in his country home, Jonnie makes the most of his private time to spend it with his much prized horses. Riding through the fields he sees a young woman training a horse even he refused to buy because it was too wild. Trying to get closer to meet her, he spooks both her and the horse and they run away. Soon he becomes obsessed with trying to find this woman but he has no success. His sisters, trying to distract him introduce them to their friend Kathryn, but he is just not interested. Kathryn however has a secret. Will she muster the courage to tell the man she is growing to love when he seems to hate her and love another?
Ellis- By the Begonia (Madeline). Escape; that is what Ellis lives for. Outside in the darkness, cool air and away from the crowds of people that come, unfortunately, attached to a good party. He nurses his dark thoughts with a bottle of wine and by his favourite flower. Begonia- it literally means dark thoughts or beware, despite its beauty. It suited him and his angelic looks. But he is not the only one seeking escape. Madeline hates the crowds preferring to keep to herself and her close friends. The agony aunt in her sees the pain and darkness in Ellis when she meets him by the begonia and wants to help him. Ellis hates do-gooders and usually they stay clear of him. He is scary apparently and he doesn't care. But this fragile looking woman is stronger then she looks and will not stop until she has helped him. Will he let her?
Tree Series (four sisters)
Penelope- Beneath the Weeping Willow (Dylan) Penelope gave with every little bit of her heart. She loved soldier Richard Tyne with all her heart, despite her mother and brother banning her from seeing him. Then he dies and her heart breaks. Nothing can console her. Not her loving sisters, nor her brother and his caring wife, her best friend and their exuberantly happy little children. Art is the only thing she still finds joy in and she seeks refuge in it when ever she can get a moment alone. Down by the river she sits beneath the willows weeping her own tears and painting the flowing water. Dylan watches her from afar as he rides by each day growing more enchanted with this weeping beauty and what ever her tragic story is each time. But will he find the courage to speak to her? And can he help her mend her broken heart or see that her heart wasn't really broken at all?
Alexia- Up the Old Oak (Joshua) Alexia or Alex as she prefers, has always been an unruly tom boy, however much her sisters tried to stop her. It didn't help that her older brother had encouraged her when they were younger. Now he is serious and married and she is left to adventure on her own. Climbing up the old oak to see the view of her life long home that she loves, Alex startles a passing friend of Jonnie's who thinks she is stuck and tries to rescue her. He scolds her when they get down for climbing it in the first place, but she just laughs. This begins a fiery relationship between two strong minded people with very forthright views on what they should be allowed to do. Can love come from the flames or will it be burned to a cinder?
Bianca- Left at the Crooked Pine (Mitchell) Bianca has always been quiet shy never having the courage to be the tom-boy her sister is. But she dreams of adventure. Then she finds adventure where she least expects it. Staying with a friend of the family in their countryside home she learns of a highway man terrorising local wealthy families. Her sense of mystery is intrigued and one night she decides to see if he will try and rob her. He does but he gets more then he was bargaining for. What lady questions her robber? This begins a strange secret relationship between the pair. But her dashing highway man has more secrets than just his identity. Will it turn into a disaster or the adventure of a life time?
Tabitha- Sleeping Under a Walnut Tree (Liam). Visiting her sister Penelope and her husband in their quiet country home, Tabitha is enjoying a peaceful existence free from the bustling life of London and taking the time to catch up on her passion. Reading. Falling asleep under the walnut tree in the middle of the woods book in her lap, Tabitha is startled to wake up with someone sat next to her staring at her. "It's dangerous to sleep under a walnut tree you know?" he tells her and then leaves. She ponders over this mystery man but forgets him when she returns to London for the season and her life is filled with parties. But he has not forgotten her and he is closer to her then he seems. Is sleeping under a walnut the only thing that will put Tabitha in danger?
Characters
Lord Francis Carlyle (Frank) 7th Earl of Hunstanton- age 29, black hair tousled, icy blue eyes, 6"0, wife Rebecca (deceased), romantic at heart, strong sense of tradition
Juliana Lucas- age 23, brown-auburn hair wavy, green eyes, 5"7 (future children; girl- Rose and boy-Lucas), country girl at heart, kind and loving always helping others
Marquis Cameron Felix- half French, age 25, black curly hair, dark brown eyes, 6"0, playful likes to gamble, mischievous, trustworthy always keeps his promises but has never had any real responsibility, spoilt only child
Portia Walters- age 27, brown hair, cornflower blue eyes, 5"3 (future children; boy-?), hates her parents, trusting, likes to have fun but never had the opportunity too so comes across quite serious
Lord Jonathan Butler (Jonnie) 9th Duke of Ormonde- Irish, 4 sisters, age 28, brown hair with a red tint, blue eyes, 6"2, loves horses, family is very important, believes in love at first sight, hates people interfering in his personal life
Kathryn Gallentine- age 25, gold blonde hair, hazel eyes, 5"6 (future children; boy-?, girl-?, girl-?), loves horses, best friends with Jonnie's oldest sister Penelope, doesn't trust men
Lord Ellis Dexter 4th Earl of~- age 30, blonde hair, blue eyes, 6"3, secrets in his past, drinks and gambles a lot, but always wins and doesn't get drunk very easily, looks like an angel but doesn't act like one, thinks he hurts everyone, reads and studies a lot
Madeline East- age 27, black hair, purple eyes, 5"9 (future children; girl-?, boy-?, boy-?, girl-?), not a very social person has a close group of friends, agony aunt, likes to help others, considered too tall to be attractive so never had any suitors, reads a lot
Penelope Butler- age 28, strawberry blonde hair, blue eyes, 5"6, artist, gives from her heart a lot, very sensitive, a bit of a wuss
Dylan Lockwood- age 32, brown curly hair, brown eyes, 6"0, title undecided if at all, very hard working, rich through good business, can't stand snivelling women but intrigued by Penelope, sees a spark of fire in her
Alexia Butler (Alex)- age 24 (26), brown hair with a red tint, hazel eyes, 5"8, tomboy, cut of all her hair when her mother banned her from riding once, loves horses and the outdoors, believes women should be able to do whatever they want
Joshua Michaels- age 30, blonde hair (quiet long), blue eyes, 6"2, Earl of ? Scotland, loves the outdoors, horses, likes pretty dainty women, that do what they are told, likes to tell people what to do, friends with Jonnie, meets his match in Alexia
Bianca Butler- age 23 (27), blonde hair, hazel eyes, 5"7, quiet, likes to read, longs for adventure and true love, but not brave enough to be the tomboy her sister is, questions everything a philosopher
Mitchell James- age 31, black hair (wavy long), green eyes, 6"1, past and title unknown, highway man not for the riches but to teach snobs a lesson, likes to know the reasons for everything, a bit of a perfectionist, intrigued by things he doesn't understand including Bianca
Tabitha Butler- age 19 (23), red hair, brown eyes, 5"7, reads and writes a lot, hates parties and socialising never knowing what to say, wants to travel the world, believes in true love
Liam Hanley- age 29, brown-black hair, hazel eyes, 6"0, Duke of ?, reads and writes, published books of travelling, has gone around most of the know world, likes to party and socialise, a bit of a womaniser