Moonlight Masquerade Read online

  “Exquisite and Enchanting.”

  —Bookpage

  Uncover all the secrets of “the quaint, charming Southern town of Edilean” (RT Book Reviews) in these wonderful romances by New York Times bestselling author Jude Deveraux.

  Moonlight in the Morning

  “Deveraux delivers a modern romance addressing relatable relationship obstacles. . . . Tristan and Jecca’s chemistry jumps off the page.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “A masterful tale that centers on family, friendship, and love. . . . Sprinkled with equal parts sweetness, charm, and tender moments, Deveraux’s latest is a truly delightful read.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  “Lots of tender moments . . . with embers of realism throughout. . . . I eagerly await the second offering in the Edilean trilogy.”

  —Good Reads

  “An engaging, charming tale . . . with a surprising final twist.”

  —Genre Go Round

  Scarlet Nights

  “Deveraux brings to life the sort of sweet and spunky heroines who attract the muscular men her fans expect and enjoy. . . . Scarlet Nights will hook readers and leave them with a smile.”

  —Booklist

  “Readers will delight in immersing themselves in the comfortable world of Edilean. . . . Deveraux’s colorful cast and easy way with words shine.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “Deveraux is a master storyteller, and her books fairly shimmer with excitement and adventure, making her one of the most popular women’s fiction writers today. Scarlet Nights is no exception. With strong characters, down-home charm, and an intriguing story, fans will enjoy catching up with the folks from Edilean.”

  —Wichita Falls Times Record News

  Days of Gold

  “Deveraux has a sure hand evoking plucky heroines, dastardly villains, and irresistible heroes, as well as a well-rounded supporting cast. . . . The pace moves quickly and the romance sparks with enough voltage to keep readers turning pages.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  Lavender Morning

  “Sweet and salty characters . . . entertaining . . . one of her most fun and pleasing tales.”

  —Booklist

  “Quick dialogue, interesting settings, and plot twists.”

  —Deseret Morning News

  More bestselling sizzle from Jude Deveraux, whose novels are “just plain fun to read . . . she keeps readers on the edge of their seats.” (The Baton Rouge Advocate)

  The Scent of Jasmine

  “A delightful adventure romance. . . . [An] enchanting heroine and engaging hero. . . . This is a tale to read for the simple joy of a well-crafted romance.”

  —RT Book Reviews (4½ stars)

  Secrets

  “A sweet love story filled with twists and turns.”

  —Booklist

  “The deceptions will keep readers trying to guess the next plot twist.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  Someone to Love

  “Fabulous. . . . Fast-paced. . . . Delightful paranormal romantic suspense.”

  —Harriet Klausner

  Have you ever wanted to rewrite your past? Get swept away in the magic of

  The Summerhouse and Return to Summerhouse

  “Marvelously compelling. . . . Deeply satisfying.”

  —Houston Chronicle

  “Entertaining summer reading.”

  —The Port St. Lucie News

  “Deveraux is at the top of her game.”

  —Booklist

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  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Chapter Twenty-three

  About Jude Deveraux

  Prologue

  Edilean, Virginia

  “I quit!” Heather said. “I cannot take any more of that man’s bad temper.”

  She was in the outer office of Dr. Reede Aldredge’s medical clinic and she was talking to Alice and Betsy. Alice wanted to retire and she was nearly desperate for Heather, young, recently married, and new to Edilean, to take on her job. But Heather was having a difficult time adjusting to Dr. Reede’s sharp tongue. Betsy and Alice referring to it as his “perfectionism” wasn’t helping Heather to adjust. “He never says a pleasant word.”

  “But what he does say is usually right,” Alice said, her face encouraging.

  “Yes, but it’s the way he says it. Today I said, ‘Good morning,’ he says, ‘I’m inside so how would I know?’ And yesterday, he told Mrs. Casein that her only problem was that she ate too many of her husband’s pies.”

  Betsy and Alice just looked at her. Betsy was in her late forties and had lived in Edilean since she was six. She was glad she wasn’t a nurse as Heather was. Instead, she sat at the computer all day and answered the phone—and that kept her away from young Dr. Reede for most of the workday.

  Heather understood the looks the women were giving her. “I know, I know,” she said. “That’s true about the pies, but couldn’t he at least try to be diplomatic? Hasn’t he even heard of a bedside manner? Last week Sylvia Garland left here crying. He wasn’t at all sympathetic.”

  The two women again gave her a look.

  “What?!” Heather asked, exasperated. She’d moved to Edilean because her husband worked nearby and he said the small town would be a great place to raise kids. And Heather had been thrilled to get a nursing job so close to their new house. But that was three weeks ago and now she didn’t know if she could stay there. All this week she’d been saying she was going to quit.

  Betsy spoke first. “Everyone in town except her husband knows that Sylvia Garland isn’t going out with the girls on Thursday nights. She’s sleeping around—and Dr. Reede told her so.”

  “What business is that of his?”

  “Communicable diseases, I guess,” Alice said. “Besides, he’s used to working with people who have serious problems, like elephantiasis and leprosy.”

  Heather had heard about Dr. Reede’s work around the world, but she wasn’t going to be put off by that excuse. “If he thinks that small town illnesses are beneath him, why doesn’t he leave?”

  Yet again the women exchanged looks, then Alice spoke. “He tried to get other doctors to take over the practice for him.”

  “But doctors today want lots of money,” Betsy said. “And they don’t want to live in a tiny town and have to care for locals who talk too much, and tourists who get too many mosquito bites.”

  “Although he did enjoy that rescue last month,” Alice said. “He had to climb down the side of a cliff.”

  “Great!” Heather said. “If everyone jumped off the side of a mountain would that make him happy?”

  For a moment Alice and Betsy seemed to consider the idea. They too were worn out by Dr. Reede’s nev