The Mistress of Bannister
Stacy-Deanne & Venus Ray
(The Mistresses of Rose Lake)
Publication date: October 5th 2024
Genres: Adult, Historical Romance
The wealthy and powerful Edward Bannister III becomes obsessed with Gini, a stunning maid from Nigeria who rescues him from drowning. Gini too becomes captivated by the intoxicating businessman and spends days and nights praying she’ll see him again. But Gini is under the control of Brenden Marx, a cruel industrialist who brought her to America as his mistress so there is no way she could be with another man.
Despite this, Edward and Gini embark on a secret affair, unable to resist their intense love for each other. But when Marx discovers their relationship, he declares war on them both, promising to do whatever he can to keep them apart.
Tropes: interracial, age-gap, billionaire, triangle, small town, 19th Century, western
Goodreads / Amazon
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EXCERPT:
Gini watched from her window as Mr. Marx’s carriage pulled off the following afternoon. She hurried and got dressed, stole a horse from the stables, and rode out to Edward’s estate.
Larger and even more refined than Mr. Marx’s place, Edward’s estate was a sprawling property with well-manicured gardens, towering oak trees, and a grand entrance gate with golden bars.
Before Gini got off her horse, a middle-aged white woman with her high-collar dress tight around her pudgy body, popped out of the house and inquired about Gini’s identity.
The woman, Ms. Day, was polite on the surface, but she had that look in her eyes white people gave Negroes when they were pretending to be polite.
She had Gini wait out on the stoop until she got Edward’s approval to invite her in, and then came back a moment later with a timid smile.
“Come in, Miss Gini. Mr. Bannister is in the parlor doing his morning reading. But please, wipe your feet on the rug first.”
Wearing her blue bonnet with the mass of flowers on it, Gini titled her head forward in respect, wiped her feet on the outside rug and followed Ms. Day inside.
Gini’s eyes widened at the luxury before her.
Compared to Edward’s estate, Marx lived in squalor.
The carpet were so soft beneath her boots, it felt like walking on clouds.
Family portraits, landscape paintings and mirrors with gilded frames covered every inch of the elegant walls like a museum.
Edward sat in the parlor on a sofa embroidered in maroon velvet which matched the sweeping drapes and the deep brown of the walnut wood. “Gini.” Edward dropped his book and rushed to her, his embroidered blue vest snug on his muscular torso.
Gini rubbed his vest. “You match my dress.”
“That will be all, Ms. Day.”
The woman gave a curt nod and made her way out of the room, closing the double doors behind her.
“I apologize for stopping by unannounced, Edward, but I had to see you.”
He kissed Gini’s forehead. “Never apologize for seeing me. How did you get away from Marx?”
“He went to town to see his lawyer.” She swatted a gnat away. “To draw up the papers for your business deal.”
The weight of all the despair and hopelessness that Gini had been holding back since the previous night crashed down on her, and she sobbed.
“Good Lord, Gini, what on earth—” Edward pulled her into the safety of his arms. “Why are you crying, sweetheart?” He walked her over to the couch and sat beside her. “Did Marx do something? Tell me what’s wrong.”
Gini told him about Marx’s tirade from the night before but left out that he’d slapped her.
“I don’t understand. How did he know we’d been together?”
“Not to be obscene, sir, but he smelled you on me.”
Edward sighed, dropping his head. “Did he hurt you?”
She looked away, dabbing her eyes. “He said a lot of awful things. Things about you.”
“What things?’
“He said you were using me.” She sniffled, caressing her handkerchief. “That I was just a new toy and you’ll tire of me and throw me away. Oh, Edward, I don’t wanna believe that, but I need to hear it’s not true. God.” She closed her eyes, squeezing the handkerchief. “Is it true, Edward? Am I just something to play with until a rich, proper white lady you like comes along?”
“He told you I didn’t care about you? Look at me.” He turned her head toward him. “Gini, people don’t do things they don’t have to if they don’t care.”
She sniffed. “What?”
“Yesterday, I rode you all around Rose Lake because you said you wanted nothing more than to get out of that prison you’ve been living in.” He clasped his hands. “Now tell me, if I didn’t care about you… why would I do that? Why would I care about anything you wanted to do?”
Gini looked at the floor, feeling guilty for doubting him.
“I took you out yesterday to make you happy, but it was also for me.” He tapped his foot. “I did it, because nothing makes me happier than putting a smile on your face.”
A gentle tingling sensation spread through her body.
“I loved seeing how your face lit up when I showed you the church and the square. Even how excited you were at that damn saloon.” He chuckled. “Seeing you happy about things I take for granted it made me appreciate the little things in life. Gini, I didn’t know the meaning of life until I met you.”
“Oh, Edward.” She kissed his cheek. “I feel the same. Yesterday was the happiest day of my life and I didn’t want it to end.”
Author Bio:
USA TODAY FEATURED AUTHOR
Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Stacy-Deanne (Dee-Anne) is an award-winning author of romantic suspense, romantic thrillers, contemporary romance, historical romance, and erotica books featuring BWWM pairings. Her books have been bestsellers in stores worldwide including Amazon, Apple, and Barnes and Noble. Her work has been praised and reviewed in USA Today numerously. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree and is a 2011 and 2012 African-American Literary Award Nominee. She also is a winner of the Swirl Award (an award dedicated to authors of multicultural/interracial works).
Stacy is known for bringing versatile stories to her readers. With her, you never know what you're gonna get, which separates Stacy's work from the pack.
Stacy's books are full of passion, thrills, intriguing characters and so much emotion you can't get enough! If you want something different and unpredictable then definitely check out her work.
With Stacy every book is an adventure.
Stacy is a proud member of ALLi, the Alliance of Independent Authors.
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Venus Ray is a sweet, laid back black chick from the South. I have a great sense of humor and a lot of fantasies! I love writing quirky and entertaining stories focusing on black women and white men. As a black woman who loves white men and is a cheerleader of the BWWM lifestyle, it's a pleasure to share my stories with others who feel the same.
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Karen Charles transforms real-life
narratives into gripping fiction thrillers. Her novels intricately weave
the threads of truth into a tapestry of suspense, intrigue, and
riveting storytelling. An educator by profession, she is renowned for
her thriller “Fateful Connections,” which unfolds against the backdrop
of 9/11. “Blazing Upheaval” promises to deliver another chilling,
heart-pounding experience. Karen and her husband reside on the serene
shores of a beautiful bay in Washington, where she draws inspiration for
her compelling narratives. Explore her insights and musings on the
writer’s life through her blogs on “My Life As A Writer” at www.weaveofsuspense.com. 
