She moved as far from the bed as she could manage. Not that it would make any difference to Steyne, but it made her feel better. She snatched up the Chinese vase from the mantel, tested its weight. Too delicate to do any damage and probably priceless into the bargain. She set it down again.
But the tall, dark-haired figure who entered was not Lord Steyne.
It was his cousin, her former fiancé. Marcus Westruther, Earl of Beckenham.
He stood there for what seemed an age, silhouetted against the doorway. She couldn’t see his features clearly in the shadows but she didn’t have to. They were as sharp and clear in her mind’s eye as they had ever been in the flesh.
For several moments, the shock of seeing him again suspended her faculties. Her lips parted but no sound came out.
Emotion flooded her chest, a swirling mass of reactions that could not be separated into constituent parts. The strength of it made her light-headed.
What could she say to him? She’d avoided a meeting between them for years, and now, to see him in such fantastical circumstances … Could anything be more disastrous?
Ought she simply tell him the real reason she was here?
Could she trust him? Instinct told her yes. But why on earth should he help her, even if she told him her troubles? He’d washed his hands of her years ago.
She’d rejected him as a husband, dealt a severe blow to his pride. As far as Beckenham was concerned, there could not be a more unforgivable crime than that. Particularly for a man who prized honor and loyalty above all other qualities.
So she waited in the silence. She would follow his lead. He was the injured party, after all.
Her awareness of him was so heightened that the mere tilt of his head as he studied her made her heart zing about her chest like a firework. She heard nothing but her own breathing. The unruly hitch in it seemed to echo in the silence.
He moved into the room, then closed the door. “I hear you’ve been looking for me.”
His deep voice resonated through her body, stirring the embers of a fire that had long lain dormant. Yes, but never in my wildest dreams did I think you’d be here.
She didn’t answer. Oh, God, it was awful and humiliating and … and wonderful to see him. She hadn’t laid eyes on him since that dreadful night when she’d released him from the engagement. Almost by tacit agreement, she’d lived in Town while he’d largely kept to his estate. She’d heard he’d attended Lady Cecily Westruther’s come-out ball in London last season, but of course she hadn’t been invited to that auspicious event. Most pointedly not invited.
And now here he was, with her. In a quiet bedchamber in the midst of a raucous, licentious party. But it didn’t feel as if they stood in any kind of oasis here. It felt like the eye of a storm.
Her mouth dried as he reached up a hand to loosen his cravat, flick it open, and pull the long strip of linen from around his throat. Then he walked over to the washstand, where a pitcher of water and a basin stood as if ready for guests.
“Take your clothes off,” he said to her over his shoulder. “I’ll be with you in a moment.”
Also by Christina Brooke
Heiress in Love
Mad About the Earl
A Duchess to Remember
Praise for Christina Brooke’s Ministry of Marriage series
A DUCHESS TO REMEMBER
“Christina Brooke is a bright new star.”
—RT Book Reviews
“A Duchess to Remember surpasses all expectations, leaving you longing for the next installment.”
—Fresh Fiction
“A delightful, attention-grabbing, sweetly romantic historical read you won’t want to miss.”
—Night Owl Romance
“This is a two-night, preferably one, book. Cecily and Rand’s romance is a fun, deceptive, quickstep of a dance.”
—Romance Reviews Today
MAD ABOUT THE EARL
“A true historical gem.”
—Romance Junkies
“[A] version of Beauty and the Beast … that readers will take to their hearts.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Captivating!”
—Night Owl Romance
“A sweet and sexy romance.”
—Dear Author
HEIRESS IN LOVE
“Each scene is more sensual and passionate than the last.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Riveting tale of life, loss, convenience, and heart-wrenching love! Superbly written!”
—Fresh Fiction
“With this delightful debut Brooke demonstrates her ability for creating a charming cast of characters who are the perfect players in the first of the Ministry of Marriage series. Marriage-of-convenience fans will rejoice and take pleasure in this enchanting read.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Clever, lush, and lovely—an amazing debut!”
—Suzanne Enoch, New York Times bestselling author
“A delightful confection of secrets and seduction, Heiress in Love will have readers craving more!”
—Tracy Anne Warren
“One of the most compelling heroes I’ve read in years.”
—Anna Campbell
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Christina Brooke is a former lawyer who staged a brilliant escape from the corporate world and landed squarely in Regency England. She lives in Australia with her husband, two sons, and an ancient Great Dane cross called Monty. Christina loves travel, window-shopping in antique stores, pink champagne, and fine Swiss chocolate. She especially loves hearing from readers. You can find Christine on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, or “at home” on www.christina-brooke.com.
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
LONDON’S LAST TRUE SCOUNDREL
Copyright © 2013 by Christina Brooke.
Excerpt from The Greatest Lover Ever copyright © 2013 by Christina Brooke.
All rights reserved.
For information address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
www.stmartins.com
eISBN: 9781466822269
St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition / July 2013
St. Martin’s Paperbacks are published by St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
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