Lady Calpurnia (Callie) Hartwell

## Back Cover Description

Lady Calpurnia Hartwell has always followed the rules, rules that have left her unmarried—and more than a little unsatisfied. And so she's vowed to break the rules and live the life of pleasure she's been missing.

## Early Life

Calpurnia is born the second child of the Earl and Countess of Allendale. She has an older brother named Benedick and a younger sister named Marianna. Her mother named her children after Shakespearean characters but Calpurnia prefers to be called Callie.

## Love By Numbers

### Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake

#### Prologue - 1813

At age 17 Calpurnia is in her first London season and it is a disaster. Callie believes that she is lacking in beauty and laments that no one suitable ever asks her to dance. She feels like she has failed in the expectations that her parents had for her to make a good match. She has a brief encounter with Ralston who tells her that she is an empress (hence her namesake) and she should behave that way. She immediately becomes smitten with him but after following him into the gardens, she finds him in the arms of another woman.

#### Chapter Two - 1823

Ten years later and Callie has become a proper, well behaved spinster. Her younger sister Mariana has made the match of the season right after her debut and is engaged to the young, handsome James Talbott, Duke of Rivington. Their mother is overjoyed since her oldest two children, Benedick and Callie have not come close to marriage. Callie convinces their mother to slow down and host a small, intimate dinner party to celebrate the engagement.

At the dinner party, her Aunt Beatrice comments on Callie's lack of marital prospects and she escapes to her brother's study before she starts crying. Benedick is in the study and teases his sister for hiding but then talks to her about how she is living life with too much care for her reputation. He makes her start listing all the things she would do if she didn't have a care for her reputation. Inspired by the conversation, Callie writes down a list of nine things she wants to do.

When Callie tries to quietly exit the study she realizes she almost interrupted a private moment between Mari and the James. She is shocked at the intimacy she overhears so doesn't make her presence known so she listens as her sister worries about her and hears them discussing her spinster fate and how she is welcome at Rivington's country estate. Though their conversation is well intentioned, she is hurt to realize they think she is passive. She decides then and there to go out and pursue an item on her list.

#### Chapter Three

A hackney takes her to Ralston House and after much internal debate, she approaches the front door and is immediately ushered inside when she knocks. She keeps her hood up as a butler escorts her to Ralston's rooms where he is playing piano and doesn't look up when she enters. Ralston can't see her face across the room and assumes she is his former paramour Nastasia and callously dismisses her.

Enraged by the way he is speaking to her, Callie speaks and he realizes his mistake but he doesn't recognize her. She admonishes him for the way he addressed her and goes to leave but he swiftly crosses the room to shut the door and keep her from leaving without telling him who he is. He recognizes her after she tells him they've met before and he expresses he never would have guessed she would be his midnight visitor.

Losing her nerve, she tries to leave and asks him to forget but he assures her he can't do that and asks her how she came to be there. He doesn't believe the story she tells and she finally admits that she came to ask him to kiss her. He is stunned and she explains that he was an obvious choice as he is a notorious rake. He agrees to the kiss if she will agree to make sure his half sister Juliana is successfully introduced to society. Callie agrees but adds another favor he will owe her in the future.

Ralston leans in to kiss her and she jumps back when their lips touch. She thanks him and goes to leave but he tells her that isn't the kiss she came for. He then kisses her passionately and tells her "Kisses should not leave you satisfied. They should leave you wanting."

### Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord

Callie is now the Marchioness of Ralston and she is hosting a ball for her sister-in-law Juliana to keep her in the public eye. She helps her brother-in-law's new wife Isabel surprise her husband Nick at the ball with a new gown.

### Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart

Callie hosts a dinner party to thank the Duke of Leighton for rescuing Juliana. She also intends to invite several eligible bachelors to introduce to her sister-in-law. Callie even suggests that Juliana might be interested in her brother, Benedick.

At a dress fitting, Callie reveals that she and Ralston are expecting their first child.