Beginning
her arranged marriage as a timid, untried miss, Lady Hannah
DeLacey grows into her position as Marchioness of Darlington
with aplomb and a great deal of spine she hadn't previously been
aware of. Never having been called upon to exercise her
considerable intellect or her natural leadership abilities,
Hannah surprises herself constantly with her ability to overcome
personal loss, baseless fear and other trials as she navigates
the aristocratic maze that is now her life.
David
Strongbow begins his journey into true manhood with the handicap
of being the by-blow of a peer who has scarcely paid him a
moment's attention beyond educating him. David has sunk low in
his self-pity and estimates himself worthy of deception. He
therefore accepts the role his father offers him, deceitful and
immoral though it is—and likely illegal—in the hopes of gaining
a financial foothold in life that will present a fresh start.
The
Marquis of Darlington is a man unaccustomed to having his wishes
thwarted, however, when he finds himself without an heir, he
must do some creative maneuvering in order to continue the
ancient lineage of his family. In doing so, he succeeds only in
nearly ruining the lives of those he loves.
Mary
Strongbow, the woman who holds the heart of the marquis, has
long since given up on the haughty and selfish peer, hoping only
to have some time with her son occasionally. When she realizes,
however, what the marquis is up to, Mary takes measures of her own. She
will do her best to prevent him ruining anyone else's life the
way he ruined hers.
Hannah paced the distance across her vast chamber to the window
and back again to her bed. Her night rail hung about her slender
frame like a billowing tent, hiding what few womanly curves she
possessed.
Stopping before the Cheval mirror, she stared at her image,
seeing a woman she hardly recognized. Rather pallid of
complexion as a rule, her rapid heartbeat had caused a flush to
come into her cheeks. Her amber eyes appeared wild and her lips
swollen where she had bitten them in her trepidation as she'd
paced.
A mane of light brown hair hung down her back in a long braid,
swinging against her hips as she turned round and headed once
more toward the window. She had been pacing like this for the
better part of twenty minutes and was so nervous that she
thought she might expire with her agitation.
Hearing a step on the runner
outside her door, she quickly extinguished the oil lamp at her
bedside, plunging the room into total darkness. Hannah
dove under the covers,
calling a timid assent to enter when there was a scratching at
the door.
The portal swung wide, and for a
moment she saw—backlit by the candles flickering in the sconce
on the corridor wall—the silhouette of a very large man,
shoulders wide, legs thick with muscle. Then the door closed
with a loud click of the latch and a long silence ensued while
he stood in the darkness, likely getting his bearings.
His footsteps sounded at last as
he approached the bed. Hannah lay rigid with fright, her pulse
fluttering. She listened to the rustling noises as he divested
himself of his clothing, her body jerking involuntarily as his
boots thudded against the floorboards.
The swish of cloth as he pulled
his shirt over his head and tossed it where the boots had fallen
drove her anxiety higher. That he would be without clothing had
not occurred to her and now she faced at last that which she'd
avoided contemplating.
She could tell from his breathing
that he stood next to her. She scooted to the far side of the
bed and pulled the covers close under her chin, shivering—a
chill washing over her body that had nothing to do with the
coolness of the night.
The bed dipped under his weight
and the coverlet left her for a moment as he lifted it and slid
beneath. When he shifted to face her, Hannah mentally shrank
from the touch he would surely bestow upon her person. Then his
hand, large but gentle, came in contact with her face, and he
moved it softly over her mouth and nose, then down her neck,
where he stopped as the fabric of her gown met his touch.
