Hot Historicals Bundle with An Invitation to Sin, The Naked Baron, When His Kiss Is Wicked, & Mastering the Marquess

by Jo Beverley

  He smiled at her, and Juliette felt her heart flutter erratically. How peculiar! She had never met a man who made her heart race before. Nor had she ever expected to. At least not here at Devon House.

  But she had always held out a vain hope. All through the Season last year, when her Uncle Randall had forced her and Colette to find husbands, every man she had met had bored her to tears. While Colette had been fortunate enough to fall in love with the wealthy Lucien Sinclair, the Earl of Waverly, and rescue the family from financial ruin and save the family bookshop, Juliette had had a more difficult time. Aside from becoming fast friends with Jeffrey Eddington, she had not met a single gentleman who held her interest for more than a minute. To be completely honest with herself, she knew she scared the trousers off most of the men and she took a perverse delight in doing just that. All she had to do was say something even remotely opinionated and they did not k now what to do with her. Despite her behavior, most of them became besotted with her anyway, declaring their love in the most embarrassing manner. The rest saw her as a challenge, something that they could tame or subdue. Juliette despaired of ever meeting a man who lived up to her expectations. Not even her darling Jeffrey.

  No. She needed to leave London.

  Not that her life in London was at all terrible. Leaving was something she simply had to do. She had harbored this unappeased restlessness inside of her for as long as she could remember and she felt smothered. If she didn’t get away from London, away from the tightly bound rules of society, even away from her family as much as she loved them, she knew she would go mad. Stark, raving mad.

  Now she found herself on a ship captained by a man she barely knew. What would Harrison Fleming do when he discovered her? Would he be angry with her? Most likely. Would he punish her somehow? Perhaps, but she doubted it. Most men were full of bluster but would never lay a finger on her. Would he immediately turn the ship around and drag her back in humiliation to face Colette and Lucien? She could bear almost anything rather than that. She had come so far. She could not return now. All she had to do was remain undetected for a day or two. Aware that Captain Fleming had a schedule to keep and needed to arrive in New York before the end of the month, she doubted he would lose valuable time by sailing back to London simply to return her.

  At least Juliette fervently hoped he would not.

  She presumed he would be forced to keep her until they arrived in America with a plan to send her back on another ship, but by then she would have arranged to stay with her friend Christina. It was a good plan. In fact, it was the most daring she had ever come up with.

  She sighed heavily, wondering how long she would have to remain in this squalid hole, but she would stay there a month if she had to. If that was what it took to get her to New York, she would gladly do it. Her legs were slowly falling asleep and her lower back was beginning to ache. She managed to lean the satchel behind her as a sort of makeshift cushion for her back. That helped a bit. There being nothing else to do, sitting there in the dark, she closed her eyes. Allowing the gentle sway of the ship to lull her, she drifted asleep.

  Suddenly the door flung open with a clatter. Surprised by the unexpected intrusion, Juliette screamed shrilly, covering her mouth with her hand in a belated attempt to silence herself. She could not be found yet. It was too soon! Filled with bitter disappointment, and admittedly fear, she glanced up at the person responsible for ruining her hiding place.

  A young man, his face awash with disbelief, stood in the dim lantern light of the passageway, startled speechless by her presence in the storage room. They stared mutely at each other for a moment before he recovered his senses. With a disapproving frown, he cried, “Hey now there, lad! We don’t allow stow-aways on board the Sea Minx.”

  He obviously referred to Juliette’s disguise. Having sweet-talked one of the storter stable boys from Devon House into giving her his old clothes, she had donned trousers, a shirt, and a tweed cap. She thought she looked quite passable. And wearing trousers was most freeing, making her feel even more reckless and independent. No wonder men wore them! This sailor naturally assumed she was a boy. Juliette did not dare to move.

  “You’ll have to come with me to see the captain.” The young man grabbed Juliette’s arm and yanked her roughly to her feet. As she stumbled into the passageway and the light fell across her face, he shouted, “Bloody hell!” He snatched the cap off her head, and her long dark hair fell in soft waves to her waist. “You’re a girl!” He stepped back from her in astonishment, his eyes round.

  “Of course, I’m a girl, you simpleton,” she snapped at him, irritated that she should be found out so soon by this mere slip of a boy. Her entire plan was ruined. All her dreams now destroyed. She would never get to New York. Harrison Fleming would surely to take her back to Devon House this very night for they couldn’t be more than an hour or two out to sea by now.

  “Wait until the captain sees you,” he whispered, shaking his head.

  Reaching down to grab her tapestry-embroidered satchel, she thought to herself, “Yes, just wait until the captain sees me.” Juliette cringed inwardly at the thought of facing him. There was no help for it. Besides, he was merely a man. Like all the other men she had ever known. She could handle him easily enough. There wasn’t a man yet that she hadn’t. She squared her shoulders and followed the young sailor down the narrow passageway toward the captain’s cabin.

  The door opened into a gorgeous anteroom with wood-paneled walls and gilt-framed maps. A round table with six leather-backed chairs dominated the room. Another door opened partially to reveal the captain’s private quarters. She could see a large bed within. Her eyes flashed back quickly to the oak desk, behind which stood Captain Harrison Fleming.

  “I found a stow away aboard, Captain. A girl. She was hiding in the storage room,” the sailor explained.

  Ignoring her rapidly beating heart, she stared up at the imposing figure who was in charge of the Sea Minx and, unintentionally, Juliette’s fate.

  “Thank you for bringing our unexpected visitor to my attention,” Captain Fleming said with an even-toned voice, although his intent sea colored eyes never left Juliette’s face. “You may leave us now.”

  As the young boy respectfully nodded his head and quit the room, Juliette was left alone with Captain Fleming for the first time. She had been in his company on many occasions during the past few weeks while he visited London, but never alone. Each time she had thought him quiet and somewhat disinterested in her, which had been surprising. Every man she had ever met could not seem to help but lavish her with attention, even the painfully shy ones. Now it seemed that the aloof Captain Fleming was finally giving her his undivided attention. And that made her uncharacteristically nervous.

  He continued to stare at her. His stormy gray eyes, with startlingly long lashes, bored into her. She waited in silence, a strange tingling sensation building within her.

  Juliette suddenly came to the realization that he was made of sterner stuff than she was accustomed to seeing in most men. He had the bearing of a pirate and beneath his cool surface he seemed to possess a sense of tightly leashed desire as if he kept this emotions on a close rein. With a high forehead, aquiline nose and rakish mouth, he exuded a rugged, very masculine handsomeness. He was quite taller than average, with broad shoulders, sun-streaked hair and gray eyes. His bronzed skin declared boldly that he spent much of his days out of doors. Yet for all his commanding presence, there was nothing aristocratic about him.

  “Well, Juliette, it seems you have created quite the situation on my ship.”

  She raised one eyebrow at him for stating the obvious while noting he had dispensed with any formality by not addressing her as Miss Hamilton. Being that she had brazenly stowed away, she supposed the need for propriety had passed.

  “I merely wish to go to New York to visit a friend.”

  “Why didn’t you simply ask me to take you?”

  Most men she knew would be beside themselves by now, yet
Captain Fleming seemed remarkably calm at her presence. That impressed her. “My family would never allow me to go. In fact, my mother expressly forbade my going to New York.”

  “Ahh, I see.” He nodded his head, crossing his arms across his broad chest.

  His white shirt was partially unbuttoned and Juliette could not help but notice the bare expanse of tanned skin. She swallowed and forced herself to focus on his face. But that also was dangerous. He was a very handsome man. Yes, he was. Definitely.

  “I should take you home directly.”

  “I wish you wouldn’t,” she managed to respond. If he took her back now, she would die of disappointment.

  “Your family must be sick with worry by now.”

  Once again guilt surged within her at the thought of leaving her sisters in such a manner. But truly, she had no other recourse. “I wrote them a letter, explaining what I was doing and asking them not to worry about me. They won’t find it until the morning when I don’t appear at breakfast.”

  “Well, you have thought of almost everything.”

  She challenged him. “Almost?”

  “Everything except one.”

  They stood in tense silence, regarding each other with undisguised wariness. Her heart hammered erratically in her chest. Oh, she had definitely underestimated Captain Fleming. Of course he would never harm her. He was a friend of her brother-in-law and had been a guest in their house. Still, a strange sense of nervousness engulfed her at his masculine presence and she trembled. Odd, she had never felt nervous with a man before.

  Stepping from behind the desk, Captain Fleming moved closer to her and she sucked in her breath at his nearness. He loomed over her and the mysterious scent of him made her weak-kneed.

  “It seems you did not consider me in your little plan to flee to New York,” he breathed. He leaned in closer to her face.

  Unconsciously she inched away from him. He pressed closer, his intense gray eyes on her, his lips hovering near her cheek. The heat of his breath made her shiver and his whispered words left her speechless. She had backed up against the table and could retreat no farther. She had no choice but to face him.

  “You did not factor me into your plan, Juliette.”

  She stared helplessly at him. This handsome sea captain who held her fate in his hands. This man who embodied all the adventurousness she harbored in her soul. He was close enough to kiss her and for a wild, panicked moment Juliette hoped he would.

  His whispered words brushed her lips, causing her to stop breathing altogether.

  “Or what I plan to do with you.”

  About the Author

  Kaitlin O’Riley fell in love with historical romance novels when she was just fourteen years old, and shortly thereafter she began writing her own stories in spiral notebooks. Fortunately for her, none of those early efforts survive today. She is still an avid reader and can often be found curled up on a sofa with a book in her hands. Kaitlin grew up in New Jersey, but now she lives in sunny Southern California, where she is busy writing her next book. Please visit her on the web at www.KaitlinORiley.com.

  Mastering The Marquess

  Vanessa Kelly

  DESIRED BY THE MARQUESS

  “Please forgive me,” Meredith said. “I know how inappropriate it is for me to indulge in such strong displays of emotion.”

  Silverton laughed softly. “Ah, Miss Burnley,” he murmured, his voice whispering like silk across her skin, “sometimes a strong display of emotion is precisely what the situation calls for.”

  He closed the distance between them and slid a hand up her arm to caress the bare skin of her shoulder. Tiny shocks sparkled along the path traced by his fingers. Meredith looked up into his eyes, and this time she did gasp, completely undone by what she saw in them.

  He looked ready to devour her, his gaze so incredibly fiery as it roamed over her face that her dazed mind imagined it might actually leave a mark on her flesh. She no longer harbored any doubts that he wanted her, and he wanted her very badly….

  This book is dedicated to my husband,

  Randy,

  and my father,

  Phil.

  They are the finest men I know.

  Many thanks to the three wonderful women

  who first read my book:

  Anne, Barb, and Kate.

  Many thanks to my sister,

  Patricia,

  who is always there for me.

  Many thanks to my friends and mentors in ORWA,

  especially Teresa, Elizabeth, and Ellen.

  Many thanks to my agent,

  Margaret Hart,

  and my editor,

  John Scognamiglio,

  for getting me on the path.

  And special thanks to Julianne MacLean,

  who pointed me in the right direction

  in the first place.

  Last but not least,

  a bushel full of thanks to

  my angel posse.

  You know who you are.

  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

  Chapter Twenty Four

  Chapter Twenty Five

  Chapter Twenty Six

  Chapter Twenty Seven

  Chapter Twenty Eight

  Chapter Twenty Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Epilogue

  Prologue

  Wiltshire, 1815

  Meredith Burnley hated spring. All the bad things in her life happened to her on beautiful April days like this.

  She stood on the edge of a dirt path, staring at bluebells that swirled into the dense woods encircling her family’s manor house. Sunshine peeked through the overhanging branches, sparking a patchwork of blue petals and young green grass into a living mosaic of light-dappled color.

  It really was lovely, she thought gloomily.

  With a resolute sigh, she thrust painful memories into the dark corners of her mind and resumed her brisk pace through the trees, wanting to return to the house before Annabel awoke from her afternoon nap.

  Her half sister’s mysterious ailment had returned with a vengeance these last few months. Although Annabel had seemed much improved last year, a strange decline had now taken hold, in spite of treatment by a specialist, Dr. Leeds, from Bristol. Meredith couldn’t understand it, and anxiety for her sister shadowed every waking moment.

  She emerged from under the ancient copper beeches, catching sight of the pale stone gables of the Jacobean manor that had been her home since she was a little girl. Swallow Hill had been a welcome and necessary refuge for as long as she could remember.

  But as she approached the house, Meredith drew in a startled breath at the sight of a groomsman leading a curricle and pair away from the front door. They were not expecting visitors, and only the doctor ever called without notice. She lengthened her stride, cutting across the lawn in her hurry to reach the front steps. The old fear clutched at her heart—had Annabel taken a turn for the worse?

  The soles of her half boots rang on the shallow marble steps as Meredith dashed through the oak doors standing open to the warm April weather. The stooped figure of her butler emerged from a doorway at the back of the entrance hall, his wrinkled face creased in a benevolent smile.

  “Good afternoon, miss,” said Creed. “How was your walk to the village?” />
  “My walk was fine.” Meredith yanked her gloves off, tossing them onto a side table by the door as she struggled to repress her impatience with the elderly retainer. “Do we have visitors, Creed?”

  “Yes, miss. Your cousin, Mr. Jacob Burnley, has just arrived from Bristol.”

  “My cousin!” She frowned, slowly untying the ribbons of her bonnet. “Aunt Nora didn’t mention he was due for a visit.”

  “No, Miss Burnley, she did not.”

  Meredith turned on her heel at the sound of the drawing room door opening behind her. Jacob Burnley sauntered out, still dressed in his caped greatcoat and boots.

  “Well, little cousin,” he drawled, “it’s been months since I’ve seen you. Why you bury yourself in the country all the time when you could come to Bristol for a bit of fun is beyond me.”

  Meredith greeted him with a smile. “Jacob, how are you?”

  She extended her hand but was stunned when he grabbed her shoulders and yanked her to his chest, lowering his head as if to kiss her on the mouth. Meredith shied away, feeling his moist lips press against her face. He laughed softly as her cheeks flared with heat.

  “Come now, Cousin,” he murmured in a low voice. “You don’t have to be so squeamish. Aren’t you happy to see me?”

  She pushed herself out of his arms. “Of course I am, but that doesn’t mean you have to maul away at me, Jacob!”

  Something ugly flashed across his face, surprising her.

  “Pardon me, Merry,” Jacob said. “It’s been quite a long time, and I’d forgotten what a very fine woman you are.” His eyes raked over her figure with a look she had never seen before.