Castles

"Did Colin tell you why it was canceled?"

"No, Princess, he didn't."

Valena let out a dramatic yawn and immediately begged her mistress's pardon. "I'm very weary tonight," she whispered.

"Of course you're weary," Alesandra said. "It's quite late and you've put in a full day's work, Valena. Go to bed now. Sleep well," she called out when the maid went hurrying out the doorway.

Alesandra fell asleep a few minutes later. She was so exhausted from the long week of taking care of Colin, she slept the night through. She awakened a little after eight the next morning and hurried to get ready. She wore a pale pink walking dress. Colin would approve of the garment for the square-cut neckline was very prim and proper.

Alesandra was downstairs a good twenty minutes before they were scheduled to leave. Colin didn't join her until a few minutes after ten. As soon as she spotted him coming down the stairs, she called out to him. "We're already late, Colin. Do hurry."

"There's been a change in plans, Alesandra," Colin explained. He winked at her when he passed her on his way into the dining room.

She chased after him. "What change in plans?"

"The meeting's been canceled."

"The meeting with Sir Richards or the meeting this afternoon? Valena said…"

Colin pulled the chair out and motioned for her to sit down at the dining room table. "Both meetings were canceled," he said.

"Would you care for chocolate or hot tea, Princess?" Flannaghan called out from the entrance.

"Tea, thank you. Colin, how did you find out the meeting was canceled? I've been waiting in the foyer and no messenger came to the door."

Colin didn't answer her. He sat down, picked up the newspaper, and started reading. Flannaghan appeared at his side with a basket of biscuits, which he placed in front of him.

Alesandra was both irritated and confused. "Exactly why did Sir Richards want a meeting? We both spoke to him last evening."

"Eat your breakfast, Alesandra."

"You aren't going to explain, are you?"

"No."

"Colin, it's impolite to be rude first thing in the morning."

He lowered the paper to grin at her. She realized then her statement had been foolish. "I mean to say, it's always impolite to be rude."

He disappeared behind his paper again. She drummed her fingertips on the tabletop. Raymond walked into the dining room then. Alesandra immediately motioned him to her side. "Did a messenger…"

Colin interrupted her. "Alesandra, are you challenging my word?"

"No," she answered. "I'm just trying to understand. Will you quit hiding behind that paper?"

"Are you always in such a foul mood in the morning?"

Alesandra gave up trying to have a decent conversation with the man. She ate half a biscuit and then excused herself from the table. Raymond gave her a sympathetic look when she walked past him.

Alesandra went back upstairs and worked on her correspondence the rest of the morning. She wrote a long letter to the mother superior, telling her all about her journey to England. She described her guardian and his family, and spent three full pages explaining how she had ended up living with Colin.

She was sealing the envelope closed when Stefan knocked on the door. "You're wanted downstairs, Princess Alesandra."

"Do we have company, Stefan?"

The guard shook his head, "We're going out. You'll need your cloak. The wind's up today."

"Where are we going?"

"To a meeting, Princess."

"On again, off again, on again," she remarked.

"Begging your pardon, Princess?"

Alesandra closed the lid to the inkwell, straightened the desk, and then stood up. "I was just complaining to myself," she admitted with a smile. "Is this meeting with Colin's father or with Sir Richards?"

"I'm not certain," Stefan admitted. "But Colin's waiting in the foyer and he seems impatient to get going."

Alesandra promised the guard she would be right down. Stefan bowed to her and then left the room. She hurried to brush her hair, then went to the wardrobe to fetch her cloak. She was walking out the doorway when she remembered her list. If they were going to the Duke of Williamshire's town house, she would certainly need the notecard, she decided, so that she could go over the names with her guardian and his wife. She hurried back over to the desk to get the list and tucked it into the pocket of her cloak.

Colin was waiting in the foyer. She paused at the landing to put her cloak over her arm.

"Colin? Are we going to see your father or Sir Richards?"

He didn't answer her. She hurried down the steps and then repeated her question.

"We're going to see Sir Richards," he explained.

"Why does he want to see us again so soon? He was just here last evening," she reminded him.

"He has his reasons."

Valena was standing with Stefan and Raymond near the entrance to the salon. She hurried forward to assist her mistress with her cloak.

Colin beat her to the task. He put the cloak around Alesandra's shoulders, took hold of her hand, and then walked outside, dragging her behind him. She had to run to keep up with his long-legged stride.

Raymond and Stefan followed behind. The two guards climbed up the rack to sit with the driver. Colin and Alesandra sat across from each other inside the carriage.

He locked the doors, then leaned back against the cushions and smiled at her.

"Why are you frowning?" he asked.

"Why are you acting so peculiar?"

"I don't like surprises."

"Do you see? That was a peculiar answer."

Colin stretched out his long legs. She adjusted her skirts and moved closer to the corner to give him more room.

"Do you know what Sir Richards wants to talk to us about?" she asked.

"We aren't going to see him," Colin explained.

"But you said…"

"I lied."

Her gasp made him smile. "You lied to me?"

She looked incredulous. He slowly nodded. "Yes, I lied to you."

"Why?"

Her outrage made him want to laugh. She was such a delight when she was riled. And, Lord, she was certainly riled now. Her cheeks were flushed with a blush, and if her shoulders got any straighter, he thought, her spine might snap.

"I'll explain later," he told her. "Quit your frown, brat. It's too fine a day to get upset."

She finally noticed how cheerful he was. "Why are you so happy?"

He shrugged his answer. She let out a sigh. The man was deliberately trying to confuse her, she decided. "Exactly where are we going, Colin?"

"To a meeting with the family to decide what to do…"

She finished his explanation for him. "With me?"

He nodded. Alesandra lowered her gaze to her lap, but not before Colin saw her expression. She looked crushed. Her feelings had been hurt, he knew, but he didn't know what he'd said to cause that reaction.

His voice was gruff when he said, "Now what's the matter with you?"

"Nothing's the matter."

"Don't lie to me."

"You lied to me."

"I said I'd explain later," he countered. He tried to keep the irritation out of his voice when he added, "Now explain why you're looking ready to weep."

"I'll explain later."

Colin leaned forward. He grabbed hold of her chin and forced her to look at him. "Don't turn my words back on me," he ordered.

She pushed his hand away. "Very well," she announced. "I was a little upset when I realized why you're so happy."

"Make sense, damn it."

The carriage came to a stop in front of the Duke of Williamshire's town house. Colin unlatched the door but kept his gaze on her. "Well?" he demanded.

She adjusted her cloak around her shoulders. "It makes perfect sense to me," she told him with a nod.

Raymond opened the door and held his hand out to assist her. She immediately stepped outside, then turned to frown at Colin. "You're happy because you're finally getting rid of me."

He opened his mouth to argue with her. She raised her hand in an unspoken command to keep silent. "You needn't worry, sir. I'm over my upset. Shall we go inside now?"

She was trying to be dignified. Colin wouldn't let her. He started laughing. She turned and hurried up the steps. Raymond and Stefan flanked her sides.

"You still look upset, brat."

The door was opened by the butler just as she whirled around to tell Colin what she thought of that rude remark. "If you call me a brat again, I swear I'll do something most undignified. I am not upset," she added in a voice that mocked that lie. "I just thought you and I had become friends. Yes, I did. You were becoming like a cousin to me and I…"

Colin leaned down until he was just an inch or so from her face. "I'm not your cousin," he snapped.

Colin's brother, Caine, took over the butler's duty and stood in the doorway, waiting for someone to notice him. He could only see the back of Princess Alesandra. She was a little thing and, he judged, quite courageous. Colin was towering over her, giving her his best glare, but she wasn't cowering away. She didn't seem to be at all intimidated.

"Everyone believes we're cousins," she snapped.

"I don't give a damn what everyone else thinks."

She took a deep breath. "This conversation is ridiculous. If you don't wish to be related to me, that's just fine."

"I'm not related to you."

"You don't have to shout, Colin."

"You're making me crazed, Alesandra."

"Good afternoon."

Caine fairly bellowed his greeting so he'd be heard. Alesandra was so startled by the interruption, she grabbed hold of Colin.

She was quick to recover. She pushed herself out of his arms and turned around. She tried to force a serene, dignified expression. The incredibly handsome man standing in the doorway had to be Colin's brother. Their smiles were almost identical. Caine's hair was a bit lighter in shade, however, and his eyes were an altogether different color. They were gray, and in her estimation not nearly as attractive as Colin's more-green-than-hazel color.

Alesandra tried to curtsy. Colin wouldn't let her. He grabbed hold of her arm and nudged her through the opening.

She pinched him to make him let go of her. A tug of war resulted when Colin tried to take her cloak. She kept slapping his hand away so she could retrieve her notecard from the pocket of the garment.

Caine stood behind his brother. His hands were clasped behind his back and he was desperately trying not to laugh. He hadn't seen his brother this rattled in a good long while.

Alesandra finally pulled the notecard free. "Now you may take my cloak, thank you."

Colin rolled his eyes heavenward. He tossed her cloak in Caine's direction. His brother caught the garment in midair just as Colin spotted the notecard clutched in Alesandra's hand. "Why in God's name did you bring that thing along?"

"I'm going to need it," she explained. "I simply don't understand your aversion to this list, Colin. Your hostility is most unreasonable."

She turned her attention to his brother. "You'll have to excuse your brother's rudeness. He's been ill."

Caine smiled. Colin shook his head. "You don't have to make excuses for me," he stated. "Caine, this is the woman you've been referring to as The Plague. Alesandra, meet my brother."

She again tried to curtsy and Colin again ruined it. She was just leaning forward to catch hold of her gown when Colin grabbed hold of her hand and started dragging her into the salon.

"Where's your wife, Caine?" Colin called over his shoulder.

"Upstairs with Mother," he answered.

Alesandra was tugging on Colin's hand, trying to get loose. "Why don't you just toss me on a chair and leave. You're obviously in a hurry to get rid of me."

"Which chair do you prefer?"

He finally let go of her. She took a step back and immediately bumped into Caine. She turned around, begged his forgiveness for her clumsiness, and then asked where his father was. She really wanted to speak to him as soon as possible, she explained.

Because she was looking so serious and worried, Caine didn't dare smile. Princess Alesandra was a pretty thing, he thought to himself. Her eyes were a brilliant shade of blue and the freckles on the bridge of her nose reminded him of his wife, Jade. She was actually very beautiful, he realized.

"Jenkins went upstairs to tell my father you're here, Princess Alesandra. Why don't you make yourself comfortable while you wait?"

She thought that was a splendid idea. Caine had obviously been given all the manners in the family. He was very solicitous and polite. It was a nice change from his brother.

Colin stood near the fireplace watching her. She ignored him. She hadn't paid any attention to the exterior of her guardian's town house, but she imagined it was just as grand as the interior. The salon was at least four times the size of Colin's. There were three settees placed in a half circle around the ivory-colored marble hearth. It was a lovely room filled with treasures the Duke of Williamshire had collected from around the world. Her gaze scanned the room, then came to rest on the gleaming object in the center of the mantel. She let out a gasp of pleasure. The replica in gold of her father's castle hadn't been misplaced after all. The reproduction of her childhood home was the size of a small brandy decanter and was exact in every detail to the real castle.

The look of joy on Alesandra's face took Colin's breath away. "Alesandra?" he asked, wondering what had caused that reaction.

She turned to smile at him. Then she hurried over to the mantel. Her hand trembled when she reached up and gently touched the side of one golden turret. "This is a replica of my home, Colin. It's called Stone Haven. I lived there with my mother and father."

"I thought your father gave up his kingdom when he married your mother," Colin remarked.

She nodded. "Yes, he did. He purchased Stone Haven before he married her. The general can't touch it, either. It's located in Austria and he won't have any jurisdiction there, even if he is able to take over the throne. The castle will continue to be safe."

"Who owns it now?" Caine asked.

She didn't answer him. He assumed she hadn't heard his question. He was as intrigued by the castle as Colin appeared to be. The two brothers flanked Alesandra's sides as they stared at the reproduction. "The detail is quite impressive," Caine remarked.

"My father gave it as a gift to your father," she explained. "He was playing a bit of trickery-good-hearted, of course-and I looked for the castle when I was staying at his country home, but I couldn't find it. I thought it had been lost. It pleases me to see it has a place of honor."

Colin was about to ask her what she'd meant by her remark that trickery had been involved when they were interrupted.

"Of course it has a place of honor," the Duke of Williamshire called out from the entrance. "Your father was my friend, Alesandra."

She turned at the sound of her guardian's voice and smiled in greeting. The Duke of Williamshire was a distinguished-looking man with silver-tipped hair and dark gray eyes. The sons had gotten their good looks from him, of course, and their height as well.

"Good afternoon, Father," Colin called out.

His father returned the greeting, then walked into the salon. He stopped in the center and opened his arms to Alesandra.

She didn't hesitate. She ran to him and threw herself into his arms. He hugged her tight and kissed the top of her head.

Colin and Caine shared a look of disbelief. They were astonished by their father's show of affection to his ward. The elderly man was usually very reserved, but he was treating Alesandra as though she were his long-lost daughter

"Has Colin been treating you well?"

"Yes, Uncle Henry."

"Uncle Henry?" Caine and Colin repeated the name at the same time.

Alesandra pulled away from her guardian and turned to glare at Colin. "Uncle Henry doesn't mind being related to me."

"But he isn't related to you," Colin stubbornly reminded her.

His father smiled. "I've asked her to call me Uncle," he explained. "Alesandra's part of our family now, son."

He turned to his ward then. "Sit down and we'll talk about this marriage business."

She hurried to do as he requested. She spotted her notecard on the floor and immediately went to fetch it. Colin waited until she was settled in the center of the brocaded settee and then went over and sat down next to her.

His bulk crowded her into the corner. Alesandra nudged his hard thigh away so she could collect her skirts from underneath him. "There are plenty of other seats available," she whispered so her Uncle Henry wouldn't hear her criticizing his son. "Do sit somewhere else, Cousin."

"If you call me cousin one more time I swear I'm going to throttle you," Colin threatened in a low growl. "And quit squirming."

"You're crowding her, son. Move over."

Colin didn't budge. His father frowned, then took his seat next to Caine on the larger settee facing Alesandra.

"How have you two been getting along?" his father asked.

"Colin was sick all week," Alesandra announced. "Am I moving in with you today, Uncle?"

"No." Colin's denial was abrupt-harsh, too.

His father frowned at his son before turning his gaze back to Alesandra. "Would you like to move in here?" he asked.

"I thought Colin wanted me to," she answered. Her confusion was apparent in her expression. "It seemed an imposition, having to look out for me. He's been acting very irritable today. I believe the cause is anxiety."

Colin rolled his eyes heavenward. "Let's get back to the main topic," he muttered.

His father ignored that command. "Colin's anxious?" he asked Alesandra.

"Yes, Uncle," she answered. She folded her hands together in her lap while she added, "He's anxious to get rid of me. So you can understand my confusion, can't you? A few minutes ago he was ready to toss me on the settee and leave, and now he's telling you I should stay with him."

"That is a contradiction," Caine interjected.

Colin leaned forward. He braced his elbows on his knees and stared at his father. "I don't believe it's a good idea to have her move anywhere just now. There was an incident outside the Opera House," he added with a nod.

Alesandra interrupted him by nudging him in his side. He turned back to look at her.

"You don't need to go into that," she whispered. "You'll only worry him."

"He needs to be worried," Colin told her. "If he's going to take over the responsibility of looking out for you, he'll have to understand what he's up against."

Colin didn't give her time to argue with him, but turned back to his father. He quickly explained what had happened, added a few pertinent details he'd gathered from his talk with Sir Richards, and ended with his opinion that the threats weren't going to stop until Alesandra was married.

"Or until the general has either won or lost his campaign for the throne," Caine interjected.

"Hell, that could take a year," Colin predicted with a scowl.

"Perhaps," his brother agreed. He turned to his father then and said, "I think Colin's right. Alesandra should continue to stay with him. He's more experienced in these matters and it would be less dangerous for you and Mother."

"Nonsense," his father countered. "I know a thing or two about protecting my family. I can handle any danger that comes my way. The gossip, however, is something we must address. Now that your mother and I are feeling fit again, Alesandra will have to move in with us. It isn't acceptable for an unattached man and woman to live together."

"It was the thing last week," Caine reminded his father.

"Because of our illness," his father replied. "Surely people will understand."

Colin was incredulous. He didn't know what to say to his father's naive belief. He turned to his brother for help in arguing his point against Alesandra moving and saw that Caine was just as incredulous.

"Have you heard any gossip?" his father asked Caine, frowning now over that worry.

Caine shook his head. Colin tried to hold on to his patience. "Father, gossip isn't the important issue here," he said. "You cannot equate the danger you would be placing your family in with a few whispered remarks. Of course people are talking. Alesandra and I don't care."

"I won't let you argue me out of my decision," his father stubbornly insisted. "You insult me if you believe I can't look out for my ward. I've taken care of a wife and six children all these years without a problem and I'm not about to stop now."

"But no one has wanted to kidnap Mother or…" Caine began.

"Enough," his father ordered. "The topic is closed." He softened his tone when he added, "Your mother was right when she said Alesandra should get married as soon as possible. That would put an end to all this nonsense."

Colin looked at Caine. "She has this damned list."

"I gave her that list, son."

Colin didn't know what to say to that.

"A list of what?" Caine asked.

"Must you explain to Caine?" she whispered. Her cheeks were turning pink with embarrassment. "He's already married."

"I know he's married," Colin replied with a grin.

Caine pretended he hadn't heard Alesandra's protest. "A list of what?" he asked his brother again.

"Men," Colin answered. "She and Father have made a list of suitable men to marry."

Caine didn't show any outward reaction to that explanation. He could tell from Alesandra's expression she was uncomfortable with the topic they were discussing. He decided to try to make her feel more at ease. "That sounds reasonable to me," he announced.

"Reasonable? It's barbaric," Colin told him.

Caine couldn't suppress his grin.

"This isn't amusing," Colin snapped.

"No," Caine agreed. "It isn't amusing."

"It's most serious, sir," Alesandra interjected with a nod.

Caine sat up a little straighter. "So the purpose of this meeting is to select a husband from the list? Have I got it straight in my mind?"

"Yes," Alesandra answered. "I wanted to interview the candidates last week, but Colin became ill and I was occupied nursing him back to health."

"You nursed him?" Caine asked with a smile.

She nodded. "Night and day," she said. "He needed me."

Colin was exasperated. "I did not need you."

She took exception to his gruff tone of voice. She leaned back against the settee. "You're a very unappreciative man," she whispered.

Colin ignored her remark. He nodded to Caine. "That reminds me," he said. "I wanted to thank you for your help. The ledgers haven't looked so organized in over a year."

"What ledgers?"

"The shipping ledgers," Colin explained. "I appreciated your help."

Caine shook his head. Alesandra nudged Colin to get his attention. "Couldn't we get back to the topic at hand? I would like to get this settled as soon as possible."

"I didn't touch your ledgers," Caine told his brother.

"Then who…?"

No one said a word for a long minute. Alesandra turned her attention to straightening the folds in her gown. Colin slowly turned to look at her.

"Did you hire Dreyson or someone else to work on my books?"

"Of course not. Your books are private. I wouldn't let an outsider look at them. Besides, no one was admitted while you were sick."

"Then who the hell did the work?"

"I did."

He shook his head. She nodded. "Don't jest with me, Alesandra. I'm not in the mood for it."

"I'm not jesting. I did do the work. I organized all of your logs, too, and filed them away."

"Who helped you?"

She was highly insulted by that question. "No one helped me. I'm very good with figures," she told him. "You have my permission to write to Mother Superior if you don't believe me. I made a second set of books for her so the banker would give her… Oh, dear, I probably shouldn't have mentioned that. Mother Superior called it a sin, but I didn't believe it was. It wasn't larceny, either. I only changed the numbers so she could get the loan."

Colin had an astonished expression on his face. She guessed he found her confession shameful. She quit trying to explain herself and took a deep breath. "As for your ledgers," she continued. "Transferring numbers and totaling your columns didn't require special training. It wasn't difficult, just tedius."

"And the percentages?" Colin asked, still not certain he believed her.

She shrugged. "Anyone with half a mind could figure out percentages."

He shook his head. "But you're a woman…"

He was going to add that he couldn't imagine where she'd gotten the training for book work, but she wouldn't let him finish.

"I knew that would come up," she cried out. "Just because I'm a woman, you assume I couldn't possibly understand anything but the latest fashions, isn't that right? Well, sir, you're in for a surprise. I don't give a twit about fashions."

Colin had never seen her this riled. Her eyes had turned into blue fire. He thought he might like to strangle her. But he'd kiss her first, he decided.

Caine came to her rescue. "And did the mother superior get her loan, Alesandra?"

"Yes, she did," Alesandra answered, her voice tinged with pride. "Mother didn't know the banker was looking at the second set of books, of course, or her vows would have forced her to confess. The nuns all follow very strict rules. She didn't find out until it was too late. She'd already spent the money on a new chapel. So it all worked out quite nicely."

Colin let out a snort. "I'll wager she was sorry to see you leave," he said dryly.

"Shall we get back to our reason for being here?" Caine suggested. He stood up and walked over to Alesandra. "May I have a look at your list, please?"

"Yes, of course."

Caine took the notecard and went back to his seat. "It isn't complete," Alesandra explained. "There are ten names on the list now, but if you want to add another one or two, please do so."

"I believe we should go ahead and start without Gweneth," her guardian announced. "Caine, read the first name and we'll put the man under discussion."

Caine unfolded the sheet of paper, scanned the contents, and then looked at his brother.

"Get started, son," his father insisted.

"The first name on the list is Colin," Caine announced, his gaze directed on his brother.

"Yes, but I've scratched him off," Alesandra explained. "Do you see the line through his name? Please go on to the names I haven't scratched through."

"Hold on," Caine said. "I want to know why he was marked off, Alesandra. Did you put his name on the list or did my father suggest Colin?"

"I gave her his name," his father answered. "She hadn't even met Colin when we started the list. I believed it would be a sound match, but now I can see it wouldn't wash. They aren't suitable for each other."

Caine was of the opposite opinion. The sparks flying between Alesandra and Colin were close to igniting, and each was desperately trying not to acknowledge the reason behind his or her frustration.

"How did you come to the conclusion they weren't suited?" Caine asked his father.

"Just look at the two of them together, son. It's plain for anyone to see. Alesandra's looking terribly uncomfortable and Colin hasn't quit frowning since he sat down. It's apparent they don't get along. And that, you see, is an important ingredient for a sound marriage."

"Could we get on with it, Caine?" asked Colin.

"Colin, do you have to be so irritable?" Alesandra asked.

He didn't answer her. She turned her attention to Caine. "He's been ill," she reminded his brother, using that as her excuse for Colin's surly mood.

"It's this topic," his father interjected with a frown in Colin's direction.

"If Colin agreed to marry you, Alesandra, would you have him?" Caine wanted to know.

"He has already declined," Alesandra explained. "And he wouldn't be acceptable anyway."

"Why not?" Caine asked.

"Will you let it go?" Colin demanded.

Caine ignored his brother's protest. So did Alesandra. She frowned while she thought about her answer. She didn't want to confuse Caine but she didn't want to have to go into a lengthy explanation either. "He isn't acceptable because he wouldn't touch my inheritance."

"Damned right I wouldn't touch it."

"There, do you understand now?"

Caine didn't understand anything. The look on his brother's face told him not to prod further, however. Colin looked ready to grab somebody's throat and Caine didn't want to be his victim.

"Isn't there a better way to handle this situation?" Caine asked then. "Alesandra should be allowed to take her time…"

"But there isn't time," his father interjected.

"I do thank you for your concern, Caine," Alesandra added.

"Go ahead, son. Read the second name on the list."

Caine gave up. The second name had also been crossed through. Caine moved to the third name. "Horton," he read. "The Earl of Wheaton."

"I met him once," his father announced. "He seemed like a decent chap to me."

Caine was nodding agreement when Colin started shaking his head. "What's wrong with him, Colin?" his brother asked.

"He's a drunk. He won't do."

"He's a drunk?" his father asked. "I never realized that about Horton. Cross him off, Caine," he added with a scowl. "I won't have her wed to a drunk."

"Thank you, Uncle Henry."

Colin could feel himself getting ready to explode. It took all he had to keep his temper under control. In truth, he didn't understand why he was so agitated. He had made the decision not to marry Alesandra, but, damn it all, the thought of anyone else touching her didn't sit well with him.

As though it were the most natural thing in the world to do, Colin leaned back against the cushions and put his arm around Alesandra's shoulders. She instinctively moved closer to him. He could feel her trembling, knew then she hated having to go through this ordeal as much as he did.

Caine was right. There had to be a better way.

His brother drew his attention when he read the next name. "Kingsford, the Earl of Lockwood."

"Gweneth suggested Kingsford," his father announced. "She was taken with his polite ways."

Colin shook his head. "He might be polite, but he's also got a reputation for his sadistic pleasures."

"Good God," his father muttered. "Sadistic pleasures, you say? Mark him off, Caine."

"Yes, Father," Caine agreed. He read the next name. "Williams, the Marquess of Coringham."

"I suggested him," his father explained. His voice reeked with fresh enthusiasm. "He's a fine fellow. I've known the family for years. Comes from good blood, Harry does."

Caine was having difficulty maintaining his serious expression. Colin was already shaking his head.

"Harry's a womanizer," Colin announced.

"I never realized that about Harry," his father muttered. "Gweneth and I need to get out more often. I'd pick up on these things if we mingled more with society. All right, then, he won't do. We aren't marrying her to a future adulterer."

Caine stared at Colin when he called out the next name on the list. "Johnson, the Earl of Wentzhill."

He hadn't gotten the man's full title out of his mouth before Colin started shaking his head.

And so it continued. Colin found something wrong with every man mentioned. By the time Caine had gotten to the last name on the list, the Duke of Williamshire was slumped in the corner of the settee, his hand to his forehead, looking thoroughly defeated. Caine could barely contain his amusement. His brother was having difficulty coming up with a suitable vice after Caine had read the last name, Morgan Atkins, the Earl of Oakmount, and Caine was dying to hear what he had to say about him.

"I've met Morgan," Alesandra announced. "He came to Colin's house to discuss a business matter. He seemed very nice."

Alesandra's voice lacked conviction. She was having trouble hiding her unhappiness now. She hated what was happening. She felt out of control of her future and her destiny. Just as horrible to her, she was beginning to feel like a charity case.

"I can't give you an opinion of Morgan," Caine remarked. "I've never met him."

"I've met him," his father said. "I liked him well enough. Perhaps we could invite him over for… Why in God's name are you shaking your head now, Colin?"

"Yes, brother," Caine interjected. "What's wrong with Morgan?",

Colin let out a sigh. He was having difficulty finding anything wrong with the man. Caine wasn't helping him concentrate. He started laughing.

"This isn't amusing," Colin snapped.

"Yes, it is," Caine contradicted. "Let's see now," he drawled out. "So far we've discarded nine possible candidates because of drunkenness, averice, gluttony, jealousy, perversion, greed, lust, and so on, and I'd really love to hear your reason for finding Morgan unsuitable. I believe you've used up all the seven deadly sins, Colin."

"What are you suggesting, Caine?" Colin demanded.

"You don't like any of them."

"Damned right I don't. I'm thinking of Alesandra's happiness. She's a princess. She deserves better."

That last remark told Caine everything he needed to know. He now understood why Colin was in such a foul mood. It was obvious to Caine that his brother wanted Alesandra, but in his mind he had decided he wasn't worthy enough. Oh, yes, that was it, Caine decided. Colin was the second son and therefore hadn't inherited land or title. His obsession with building an empire was all part of his quest to achieve recognition on his own. Caine was proud that his brother was an independent man, but, damn it all, that pride would force him to let Alesandra slip away.

Unless he was forced into marriage, of course.

"But what about Morgan?" his father asked again. "What's wrong with him?"

"Nothing," Colin snapped.

His father was beginning to smile when Colin added, "If Alesandra doesn't mind bowlegged children."

"For the love of…" His father slumped back against the cushions in defeat.

"Is Morgan bowlegged?" Caine asked Alesandra. He was feeling quite proud of himself. He'd been able to ask that question without even cracking a smile.

"I must confess I didn't notice his legs, but if Colin says he's bowlegged, then he must be. Will I have to have children?"

"Yes," Colin told her.

"He won't do then. I don't wish to have bowlegged children."

She turned to look up at Colin. "Is it a painful condition?" she asked him in a whisper.

"Yes," Colin lied.

The discussion continued for another hour. Caine and his father both took turns tossing out names of possible husbands and Colin found something wrong with every one of them.

Caine was thoroughly enjoying himself. He pulled the footrest over, stretched out, and propped his feet up so that he'd be more comfortable.

Colin was becoming more and more agitated. He'd removed his arm from Alesandra's shoulders and was now leaning forward with his elbows on his knees while he waited for his father to think of another candidate.

The longer the talk continued, the more upset Alesandra became. She hid behind her mask of serenity, but her hands were clutched into fists in her lap.

Just when she thought she couldn't stand to hear another name offered, Colin leaned back and covered her hands with one of his.

She didn't want his comfort, yet she clung to his hand.

"Alesandra, what do you want to do?"

Caine asked her that question. She was too embarrassed to tell him the truth, to admit that more than anything she wished she could marry a man she loved. She wanted the kind of marriage her parents had had, but that wasn't possible.

"I thought I wanted to become a nun, but Mother Superior wouldn't let me."

There were tears in her eyes and for that reason no one laughed. "And why wouldn't she let you?" Caine asked.

"I'm not Catholic," Alesandra explained. "It's an important requirement."

He did smile then. He simply couldn't help it. "You wouldn't have been happy as a nun," he predicted.

She wasn't particularly happy now, but she didn't believe it would be polite to mention that.

"Alesandra, why don't you go and find Gweneth," her guardian suggested. "You haven't met Jade yet, now have you? Go and introduce yourself to Caine's lovely wife."

She acted as though she'd just been given a reprieve. The look of relief on her face was there for all of them to see.

Alesandra had stood up before she realized she hadn't let go of Colin's hand yet. She quickly pulled away, and then left the room.

The three men stood up until she'd left the salon, then resumed their seats. Colin dragged the footrest over, propped his feet up, and leaned back.

"This is damned difficult for her," he muttered.

"Yes," his father agreed. "I wish there was time for her to adjust to her circumstances, but there isn't, Colin."

Caine decided to turn the topic. "I'm curious, Father," he remarked. "How did you meet Alesandra's father?"

"It was at Ashford's annual bash," his father explained. "Nathaniel and I took to one another right away. He was quite a man," he added with a nod.

"And so are you to take on responsibility for his daughter," Colin remarked.

His father's expression underwent a dramatic change. He looked terribly sad now. "No, you've got it all wrong," he said. "There is something neither one of you knows and I imagine now is the time for me to confess my sins. You're going to find out sooner or later."

The seriousness in their father's voice told both sons the matter was of grave importance. They gave him their full attention and waited for him to compose his thoughts.

Long minutes passed before he spoke again. "I got into trouble just after your mother died, Caine," he explained. "I hadn't met Gweneth yet and I had started drinking-quite heavily, as a matter of fact."

"You? But you never drink," Colin argued.

"I don't drink now," his father agreed. "I did back then. I gambled too. The debts, they piled up, of course, and I kept fooling myself into believing I would win back enough to cover my losses."

Colin and Caine were too astonished to say anything. They stared at their father as though he'd suddenly turned into a complete stranger.

"This is a difficult confession for me to make," he continued. "No father likes parading his sins in front of his sons."

"The past is over," Colin told him. "Let it go."

His father shook his head. "It isn't as simple as all that," he explained. "I want you to understand. I was almost ruined, you see, and would have been if it hadn't been for Alesandra's father. Everything I'd inherited and worked so hard to build was in the hands of the moneylenders as collateral against the loans. Yes, I would have been ruined."

"What happened then?" Caine asked when his father didn't continue.

"Nathaniel came to my rescue. I was at White's one minute and the next I remember I was back home. I was told I blacked out at the tables from too much drink. When I next opened my eyes, Nathaniel was standing over me, and, Lord, was he angry. I was so hung over all I wanted was to be left alone. He wouldn't leave, however. He threatened me too."

"What was his threat?" Caine asked. He was so surprised by his father's confession he leaned forward and clasped his hands together in expectation.

"He told me you were downstairs," his father said. "You were so young and impressionable and Nathaniel threatened to bring you up so you could see what your father had become. Needless to say, the threat sobered me up. I would rather have died than let you see me in such a humiliating condition."

No one said a word for several minutes. Caine didn't have any memory of his father's drinking days. "How old was I?" he asked.

"Almost five."

"If I was that young, I probably wouldn't have remembered if I had seen you drunk," he remarked.

"Nathaniel knew how much I loved you," his father said. "Oh, he was clever, all right. It was my darkest hour, my turning point as well."

"What was done about the debts?" Colin asked.

His father smiled. How like Colin to be the one to ask that question. His younger son was the most practical member of the family-the most disciplined, too.

"Nathaniel went to all the moneylenders. He purchased the notes. In less than one day, I was completely out of debt. He tried to give me the notes, but I refused his charity. I wouldn't let him tear them up either. I wanted him to hold on to them until I could repay. I even insisted he add interest."

"And has the debt been repaid?" Caine asked.

"No, it hasn't. Nathaniel took his wife back to Stone Haven. He gave me that beautiful treasure before he left," he said with a nod toward the castle perched on the mantel "Imagine that, giving me a gift after all he'd done. We kept current through letters, of course, and the next time he and his wife came to England, they had Alesandra with them. I tried to give him half of what I owed, but he wouldn't take it. It was damned awkward. Because he had acted so honorably with me, I couldn't ask him where the notes were. He died the following winter. Lord, I still mourn his passing. He was my dearest friend."

Both sons agreed. Nathaniel had been a good friend.

"Who holds the notes now?" Caine asked.

"That's the dilemma, son. I don't know."

"Have you asked Alesandra?" Colin wanted to know.

"No," his father answered. "I doubt she knows anything about the transaction. As her guardian, I have access to some of her accounts. Dreyson, her agent, takes care of investments, but I don't believe he knows anything about the notes either."

"Would you be able to repay the full amount if the notes and interest were called today?" Caine asked.

"Not all of it," his father replied. "But I'm in a strong financial position now. If the notes were called, I could borrow what I need. I don't want to give either one of you the impression I'm worried. Nathaniel was a methodical, careful man. He put the notes in a safe place. I'm just curious to know where they are."

"I'm curious, too," Caine agreed.

"The purpose of my confession is twofold," their father continued. "First, I want both of you to know the kind of man Alesandra's father was, and to understand the debt I owe him. Second, I want you to understand how I feel about his daughter. She's all alone in this world now and it is my duty to see she's protected from harm."

"It is our duty as well," Caine interjected.

Colin nodded agreement. The three men lapsed into silence again, each caught up in his own thoughts.

Colin tried to consider all the ramifications.

He had nothing to offer her. He had an empire to build, damn it, and there simply wasn't room or time for a wife.

She would drive him to distraction.

But there was the debt to be repaid, and all three of them were bound by honor to look out for Princess Alesandra.

His father was too old to take on the duty of keeping her safe. He didn't have the experience dealing with bastards either, Colin decided.

And then there was Caine. His older brother was busy running his own estates. He was married, too, and had his own family to consider.

There was only one son left.

Colin glanced up and noticed both his father and his brother were staring at him. He let out a loud sigh. They had known all along, of course, and were only waiting for him to come to the same conclusion.

"Hell, I'm going to have to marry her, aren't I?"

Chapter 7

Colin's father wanted to be the one to break the good news to Alesandra. Colin wouldn't let him. He thought he should be the one to tell her what had been decided.

"May I offer a word of advice, brother?" Caine asked.

He waited for Colin's nod, then said, "I don't believe you should tell her anything…"

His father wouldn't let him finish. "She'll have to know, Caine."

His son smiled. "Yes, of course she'll have to know," he agreed. "However, from my rather limited experience with women I've still been able to surmise that they don't like being told anything. Colin should ask her to marry him."

"Do it at the dinner table then," his father suggested.

Colin smiled. "I'll decide when and where," he announced.

"Will you promise me you'll have it settled before the night is over?" his father demanded. "I can't say a word until you've asked. And Gweneth will have to start work on the arrangements."

"Mother has already seen to everything," Colin replied.

His father stood up and rubbed his hands together. "I can't tell you how pleased I am, and I'm certain Alesandra's going to be thrilled."

Because his father was looking so proud of himself, neither Colin nor Caine reminded him that less than an hour ago he'd been against a marriage between his ward and his son. He'd believed they were completely unsuited to each other.

Caine wanted to have a private discussion with Colin but their mother came hurrying into the salon then, demanding everyone's attention.

The Duchess of Williamshire was a petite woman with blond curls and hazel-colored eyes. Her husband and sons towered over her. The years had been very kind to the lovely woman. She had very few wrinkles and only a hint of gray in her hair.

Gweneth was actually Caine's stepmother, but no one paid any attention to that distinction. She treated him as one of her own, and Caine had long ago accepted her as his mother.

"Jade and Alesandra will be down in just a moment. Do come into the dining room. Supper will get cold. Boys, give your mother a kiss. Heavens, you've lost some weight, Caine, haven't you? Colin, dear, how is your leg? Is it paining you?"

Her sons understood that their mother didn't really expect answers to her questions. They understood she liked to coddle, too, and put up with the show of motherly concern without even a hint of a reminder that they were both fully grown men now.

Gweneth was the only one who dared inquire about Colin's leg. Everyone else understood they were to ignore the affliction.

"Caine, Princess Alesandra is the most delightful young woman."

His wife made that remark as she came strolling into the salon. She paused on her way to her husband's side to give his father a kiss in greeting, then stopped again to kiss Colin on his cheek.

"Are you enchanted by Alesandra, Dolphin?" she asked Colin, using the nickname he'd earned from his days on the seas.

"Where is she?" Colin asked.

"In your father's library," Jade answered. Her green eyes sparkled with amusement. "She caught sight of all his books and almost swooned with joy. When I left her, she was looking through his journal on the latest shipping innovations."

Gweneth immediately turned to the butler and requested that he go upstairs and tell Alesandra dinner was waiting.

Jade linked her arm through her husband's. She was dying to ask him what had been decided at the family conference, but couldn't because Colin and their parents were standing so close.

Caine brushed his wife's deep red hair back over her shoulder and leaned down to kiss her.

"I believe we should go on in," Gweneth announced. She took her husband's arm and walked by his side out of the salon. Colin followed until Caine called out to him. "I want to talk to you in private later," he requested.

"There isn't anything to talk about," Colin countered. He could tell from his brother's expression he wanted to discuss Alesandra again.

"I believe there is," Caine countered.

"Do forgive me for interrupting," Jade said then. "But I've just come up with a wonderful suggestion for a suitable husband. Have you considered Johnson? You remember him, Colin. He's Lyon 's good friend," she reminded her brother-in-law.

"I remember him," Colin agreed.

"And?" Jade prodded when he didn't continue.

"I can tell you right now he won't do," Caine drawled out.

"Why not?" Jade asked. "I like him."

"So do I," Caine agreed. "But Colin will find something wrong with him. Besides, the matter has already been settled."

Caine shook his head at his wife when she started to protest, added a wink so her feelings wouldn't be injured, and then whispered, "Later," to let her know he would explain everything when they were alone.

Colin turned around and walked out of the salon. He didn't go into the dining room however, but started up the steps.

"Go ahead without us," he called down to Caine. "I must speak to Alesandra for a few minutes."

Colin didn't think it would take him any time at all to explain to Alesandra he was going to marry her. No, that announcement wouldn't take more than a minute. The rest of the time would be spent on expectations. His.

The library was down at the end of the long corridor. Alesandra was standing in front of the window, looking out. She held a thick book in her hands. She turned when Colin walked inside.

He shut the door behind him and then leaned against it. He frowned at her. She smiled at him.

"You are finished with your conference?" she asked.

"Yes."

"I see," she whispered when he didn't continue. She walked over to the desk and put the book down on the ink blotter. "What was decided?" she asked then, trying desperately to sound only mildly interested.

He started to tell her he was going to marry her, then took Caine's advice and put the decision into a question.

"Will you marry me, Alesandra?"

"No," she answered in a whisper. "But I do thank you for offering."

"After the wedding, you and I… what do you mean, no? I'm going to marry you, Alesandra. It's all been decided."

"No, you aren't going to marry me," she countered. "Quit frowning, Colin. You're off the hook. You asked and I turned you down. You can start breathing again."

"Alesandra…" he began in a warning tone of voice she completely ignored.

"I know exactly what happened downstairs after I left," she boasted. "Your father cleverly manipulated you into agreeing to have me. He told you about the gift my father gave him, didn't he?"

Colin smiled. Alesandra was really very astute. "Yes," he answered. "It wasn't a gift, however. It was a loan."

He moved away from the door and walked toward her. She immediately started backing away.

"It was a loan only in your father's eyes," she argued.

He shook his head. "Forget the loan," he ordered. "And start making sense. You need to get married, damn it, and I've agreed to become your husband. Why are you being so difficult?"

"Because you don't love me."

She'd blurted out that truth before she could stop herself. Colin looked astonished. She was so embarrassed now she wished she could open the window and leap out. That ridiculous notion made her want to scream. She really needed to get a better hold on her emotions, she told herself.

"What does love have to do with anything? Do you honestly believe any of the men on your list would love you? Hell, whomever you chose wouldn't even know you well enough to form an opinion…"

She interrupted him. "No, of course he wouldn't love me. I wouldn't want him to. It was going to be a purely financial arrangement. You, however, have made it perfectly clear you won't touch my funds. You told me you were determined to make it on your own, remember?"

"I remember."

"And have you changed your mind in the last five minutes?"

"No."

"There, do you finally understand? Since you have nothing to gain from marrying me, and since you don't love me, which would be the only other reason for marriage, then there really isn't any point to your noble sacrifice."

Colin leaned on the edge of the desk and stared at her. "Let me get this straight," he muttered. "You actually believed you could buy a husband?"

"Of course," she cried out in exasperation. "Women do it all the time."

"You aren't buying me."

He sounded furious. She let out a sigh and tried to hold on to her patience. "I know I'm not buying you," she agreed. "And that puts me in a weaker bargaining position. I can't allow that."

Colin felt like shaking some sense into her. "We're talking about marriage, not contracts for hire," he snapped. "Were you planning to sleep with your husband? What about children, Alesandra?"

He was asking her questions she didn't want to answer. "Perhaps… in time. Oh, I don't know," she whispered. "It doesn't concern you."

Colin suddenly moved. Before Alesandra had time to guess his intent, he pulled her into his arms.

He held her around her waist with one arm and forced her chin up with his other hand so she would look at him.

He thought he might want to shout at her, but then he saw the tears in her eyes and he forgot all about arguing with her. "I'm going to be touching you all the time," he announced in a gruff whisper.

"Why?"

He took exception to the fact that she looked so surprised. "Call it a benefit," he drawled out.

He probably would have only given her a chaste kiss to seal his commitment to wed her, but she goaded his temper again when she whispered her denial.

"Yes," he whispered back just seconds before his mouth descended to hers. The kiss was meant to gain her submission. It was hard, demanding, thorough. He felt her try to pull away with the first touch of his mouth on hers, but he ignored her struggle to get free by tightening his hold on her. He forced her mouth open by applying pressure on her chin with his hand, and then his tongue swept inside to rid her of her resistance.

The kiss wasn't at all gentle. But, Lord, it was hot. Alesandra didn't know if she struggled or not. She was having trouble thinking at all. Colin's mouth was so wonderfully thorough, she never wanted him to stop. Alesandra had never been kissed before and had therefore never experienced passion. She was overwhelmed by it now. Colin was certainly experienced, though. His mouth slanted over hers again and again while his tongue rubbed against hers in intimate love play.

Colin realized he should stop when he heard her sexy little whimper. He growled low in his throat and kissed her again. Damn, he wanted her. His hand brushed against the swell of her breast and the heat and fullness he felt under his hand through the material of her gown made him ache to make love to her.

He forced himself to pull away from her. Alesandra collapsed against him. She didn't realize she had her arms around his waist until he told her to let go.

She was so confused by what had just happened to her, she didn't know what to say or do. She tried to back away from him, but she was trembling so much she could barely get her legs to support her.

He knew he'd rattled her. The grin on his face was extremely telling-arrogant, too.

"That was my first kiss," she stammered out as an excuse for her sorry condition.

Colin couldn't resist. He pulled her back into his arms and kissed her again. "And that was your second," he whispered.

"Begging your pardon," Jenkins called out from the doorway. "The duchess is most insistent you join her in the dining room."

Alesandra jerked away from Colin. She acted as though she'd just been scorched by the sun. Her cheeks turned pink with embarrassment. She peeked around Colin to look at the butler. He smiled at her.

"We're coming, Jenkins," Colin called out. He kept his gaze on Alesandra, smiling over her embarrassment.

She tried to skirt her way around him. He took hold of her hand and wouldn't let go. "I'll make the announcement during dinner," he told her as he pulled her through the doorway.

"No," she countered. "Colin, your kisses haven't changed anything. I'm not going to marry you and ruin all your carefully laid plans."

"Alesandra, I always win. Understand me?"

She let out an unladylike snort. He squeezed her hand and started down the steps. She had to run to keep up with him.

"I dislike arrogant, think-they're-always-right men," she muttered.

"I do too," he agreed.

"I was referring to you." Lord, she felt like screaming. "I'm not marrying you."

"We'll see."

He wasn't going to give up. The man was sinfully stubborn. But then so was she, she reminded herself. Her guardian had given her his word she could choose her own husband and Colin's intimidating tactics didn't matter.

Dinner was a nerve-racking affair. Alesandra's stomach was tied in knots and she could barely swallow anything. She should have been hungry, but she wasn't. She kept waiting for Colin to say something, and was praying at the same time that he wouldn't open his mouth.

Jade drew her into conversation. "I understand the prince regent called on you," she remarked.

"Yes," Alesandra answered. "I wouldn't have allowed him entrance into Colin's home if I'd known he'd cheated Colin's partner out of an inheritance, however."

Jade smiled. "His partner is my brother," she said. She turned to the duchess to explain what they'd been talking about. "The prince regent was holding my brother's wife's inheritance while the fighting was going on between the families, but once it was all resolved, he decided to keep the gift for himself. It was a sizable sum."

"You really wouldn't have let the prince regent in?" Caine asked.

"No, I wouldn't have," Alesandra said again. "Why do you look so surprised? Colin's home is his castle. Only friends should be allowed inside."

Alesandra turned her attention to Jade and therefore missed the grin the two brothers shared. "Do you happen to know a lady named Victoria Perry?" she asked.

Jade shook her head. "The name isn't familiar to me. Why do you ask?"

"I'm worried about her," Alesandra confessed. She explained how she'd met Victoria and what she had learned since she'd last received a letter from her.

"My dear, I don't believe it's a good idea to pursue this further," the duchess announced. "Her mother must be heartbroken. It's cruel to dredge it all up again."

"Colin said the very same thing to me," Alesandra said. "Perhaps you are right. I should let the matter rest. I wish I could quit worrying about her."

The duchess turned the conversation then to the topic of her eldest daughter. This was Catherine's year for coming out and she was full of plans for her first ball.

Caine didn't say a word throughout the rest of the meal. He kept his gaze on his brother.

Colin wasn't giving anything away. His expression could have been carved in stone.

Alesandra actually began to relax a little when dessert was served and Colin still hadn't brought up the topic of marriage. She thought he'd probably had enough time to think the matter through. Yes, he'd come to his senses.

"Have you had time to talk to Alesandra, son?" the Duke of Williamshire asked.

"Yes," Colin replied. "We've decided…"

"Not to marry," she blurted out.

"What's this? Colin, I thought it had all been decided," his father protested.

"It has been decided," Colin agreed. He reached over and covered Alesandra's hand with his. "We're getting married. Alesandra has agreed to become my wife."

She started shaking her head in denial but no one seemed to be paying any attention to her.

"Congratulations," her guardian announced. "Gweneth, this calls for a toast."

"Don't you think Alesandra should agree first?" Jade asked just as her father-in-law started to stand up with his water glass in hand.

He sat back down. "Yes, of course," he replied.

"She'll marry me," Colin said, his voice hard, unbending.

She turned to him. "I won't let you make this noble sacrifice. You don't want to get married for another five years, remember? What about your schedule?"

She didn't wait for Colin to answer her question but turned her attention back to Uncle Henry. "I don't want to marry him, Uncle, and you did promise me I could choose."

Her guardian slowly nodded. "I did agree to let you select your husband. Was there a specific reason why you refused Colin?"

"He won't agree to a financial arrangement," she explained. "He wants other benefits."

"Benefits?" Caine asked, his curiosity pricked. "Such as?"

She started blushing. She looked at Colin, hoping he'd explain. He shook his head at her. "You started this, you finish it," he ordered.

The sparkle in his eyes indicated his amusement. She straightened her shoulders. "Very well," she announced. She couldn't quite look at Caine when she gave him her answer, however, and stared at the wall behind him. "Colin would demand… intimacy."

No one knew what to say to that confession. Her guardian looked thoroughly confused. He started to open his mouth to say something, then changed his mind.

"Aren't most marriages intimate?" Caine asked. "You are referring to the marriage bed, aren't you, Alesandra?"

"Yes."

"And?" he prodded.

"My marriage will not be intimate," she announced, her voice emphatic. She tried to change the subject by adding, "Colin didn't want to marry me until after he'd talked to his father. Now he's feeling honor bound. Clearly, he's marrying me out of duty."

Her guardian let out a sigh. "I did give you my word," he admitted. "If you don't want to marry Colin, I won't force you."

The duchess was fanning herself with her napkin. "Jade, dear, I believe you should be the one to have a private talk with Alesandra. You're younger and not as set in your ways as I am, and it should be a woman to discuss this topic I have in mind. Alesandra seems to harbor some fears about the… marriage bed… and I don't feel qualified to explain… that is…"

She couldn't finish her request. The duchess was violently fanning herself now and her face looked like it was on fire.

"Mother, you've had children. I believe that makes you very qualified," Colin told her.

Jade poked her husband in his side in a bid to get him to quit laughing.

"I believe Morgan Atkins will be suitable," Alesandra blurted out. "If he needs my inheritance, he'll agree to my terms, and I don't mind bowlegged children. No, I don't mind at all."

"If you aren't going to be intimate with your husband, how the hell are you going to have children?" Colin asked.

"I was thinking into the future," Alesandra stammered. She realized the contradictions in her argument but couldn't seem to think of a way to straighten it all out. Why would she want to be intimate with a man she didn't know? The very thought made her stomach twist.

"Jade, I believe you should have that talk with Alesandra directly after dinner," the duchess interjected.

"Yes, Mother," Jade agreed.

"Has anyone ever discussed the facts of marriage to you?" Caine asked.

Alesandra's blush was hot enough to scorch the tablecloth. "Yes, of course. Mother Superior told me everything I need to know. Could we please change this topic now?"

Her guardian took mercy on her. "So it's Morgan you've chosen?" he asked. He waited for her nod, then continued. "Very well. We'll invite him over for supper and take his measure."

"I'll want to talk to him too," Colin announced. "He'll need to know, of course."

"Know what?" his father inquired. Caine was already grinning. He knew his brother was up to something, but he couldn't imagine what it was. Only one thing was certain in Caine's mind. Colin had made the decision to marry Alesandra, and he wasn't going to let her get away now.

"Yes, son," his mother said. "What is it Morgan needs to know?"

"That Alesandra and I slept together." The duchess dropped her napkin and let out a little screech. Jade's mouth dropped open. Caine started laughing. The Duke of Williamshire had just taken a swallow of water when Colin made his announcement. He started choking.

Alesandra closed her eyes and fought the urge to scream. "You slept with her?" his father demanded in a strangled roar.

"Yes, sir," Colin answered. His voice was very pleasant, cheerful in fact. He seemed completely unaffected by his father's wrath. "Several times in fact."

"How could you deliberately…" Alesandra couldn't go on. She was so mortified, she couldn't seem to catch a thought long enough to speak it.

"How could I lie?" Colin asked her. "You know better. I never lie. We did sleep together, didn't we?" Everyone was staring at her now, waiting for her denial. "Yes," she whispered. "But we…"

"For the love of God," her guardian shouted. "Henry, calm yourself. You're going to make yourself ill," his wife advised when she saw how mottled his complexion was becoming. The duchess was once again frantically fanning herself with her napkin in an effort to remain composed.

Colin leaned back in his chair and let the sparks fly around him. He looked bored. Caine was thoroughly enjoying himself. Jade kept trying to make her husband take the matter more seriously by poking him in his ribs.

"Colin, have you nothing to say to straighten out this misconception?" Alesandra demanded in a near shout so she would be heard above Caine's laughter.

"Yes," Colin answered.

She sagged with relief and gratitude. The feeling was short-lived, however.

"If Morgan still wants you after I've explained how we spent the last week, he's a better man than I am."

"You don't have to tell him anything." Alesandra tried to control the anger in her voice. She didn't want to lose her dignity, but, Lord, Colin was making that difficult. Her composure was in shreds and her throat was aching with the need to shout.

"Oh, but I do have to explain the situation to Morgan," Colin said. "It's the only honorable thing to do. Isn't that right, Caine?"

"Absolutely right," Caine agreed. "It's the only honorable thing to do."

Caine turned to his wife then. "Sweetheart, I don't believe you'll need to have that private talk about the marriage bed with Alesandra after all."

Alesandra glared at Caine for that comment, because she could tell from his grin he was jesting.

"Dear God, what must Nathaniel be thinking? He's looking down from heaven and probably shaking his head in regret for leaving his daughter in my hands."

"Uncle Henry, my father wouldn't have any regrets," Alesandra announced. She was so furious with Colin for getting his own papa upset her voice crackled with tension. "Nothing sinful happened. I did go into his room and I did sleep with him, but only because he was so demanding and I became so weary…"

The Duke of Williamshire covered his forehead with his hands and let out a low groan. Alesandra knew she was making a mess out of her explanation and tried to start over. "I kept my clothes on," she blurted out. "And he…"

She was going to explain that Colin had been ill and had needed her help, but she was interrupted before she could finish.

"I wasn't wearing anything," Colin cheerfully informed his family.

"That's it," his father bellowed. His fist came down hard on the tabletop. The crystal goblets clattered together in reaction.

Alesandra jumped, then turned to glare at Colin. She'd never been this angry in all her life. Colin had deliberately twisted the truth to his advantage and now her guardian thought she was a trollop. She decided she wasn't going to sit there another second. She threw her napkin on the table and tried to leave. Colin caught her before she'd even pushed her chair back. He put his arm around her shoulders and hauled her into his side.

"You two are going to be married in exactly three days' time. Caine, you see to the special license. Colin, you keep silent about what happened. I won't have Alesandra's reputation in tatters because of your lust."

"Three days, Henry?" Gweneth asked. "The church is reserved for the Saturday after next. Couldn't you reconsider?"

Her husband shook his head. "Three days," he repeated. He noticed Colin had his arm around Alesandra's shoulders and added, "He can't keep his hands off her as it is."

"But, Henry…" his wife pleaded.

"My mind's set, Gweneth. You may invite a few close friends if you're wanting to, but that is the only concession I'll allow."

"No, Father," Colin said. "I don't want the news of the marriage to get out until it's over. It's safer for Alesandra that way."

His father nodded. "I'd forgotten," he admitted. "Yes, it would be safer. All right then, only the immediate family will be here."

He turned his full attention to Alesandra. "I want your agreement to wed Colin," he commanded. "And I want it now."

"Do you agree?" Colin asked.

He'd won and he knew it. She slowly nodded. Colin leaned down and kissed her. She was so startled by the show of affection she didn't pull away.

"That's quite enough of that," Henry snapped. "You won't be touching her again until you're married."

Alesandra turned to Colin. "You're going to regret marrying me."

He didn't seem overly worried about that possibility. He wouldn't have winked at her if he'd really been concerned. Jenkins appeared in the doorway. "Begging your pardon, your grace, but we have a visitor at the door. Sir Richards is requesting an immediate audience with your son, Colin."

"Show him into the salon, Jenkins," Colin called out. "Why would the director of security be wanting to see you?" his father demanded to know. "You told me you'd quit the department."

The worry in his voice confused Alesandra. She started to ask her guardian why he was so concerned, but just as she opened her mouth to say something, Colin tightened his hold on her shoulders. She turned to look at him. His expression didn't give anything away and she knew no one else at the table realized he was silently ordering her to remain quiet.

"After what happened to your leg, I can't imagine why you would continue working for the director," his mother interjected.

Colin tried to hold on to his patience. "The director had nothing to do with my injury."

"It was a long time ago," Jade reminded the duchess.

"By God, he's finished with that cloak-and-dagger business," his father announced.

Caine leaned forward, drawing Colin's attention. "Why exactly is Richards here?" he asked.

"I requested his help," Colin answered. "And he was also going to gather some information for me."

"Regarding?" Caine asked. "Alesandra."

Their father looked relieved. "Well, then, that's quite all right. Yes, Richards is just the man to ask about the general.

Shall we go into the salon and hear what he has to tell us?"

"We aren't going to be left out, Henry," his wife announced. She stood up to face her husband. "Come along, Jade. You, too, Alesandra. If the matter concerns one of us, it concerns all of us. Isn't that right, Henry?" Then she and the others left the room.

Colin let go of Alesandra. She stood up when he did. She caught hold of his hand before he could leave.

"Your father now believes I'm a trollop," she whispered. "I would appreciate it if you would set him straight."

Colin leaned down close to her ear. "I'll explain everything after we're married."

His warm breath sent a shiver of pleasure down her neck, making it difficult for her to concentrate. Up until an hour ago, when Colin had kissed her so passionately, she'd been desperately trying to think of him as a friend… or a cousin. She'd been lying to herself, of course, but, damn it all, it was working. Colin had turned the tables on her, though, when he'd touched her. Now, just standing so close to him made her heartbeat race. He smelled so wonderful, so masculine, and… Oh, Lord, she really needed to get hold of her thoughts. "You're a scoundrel, Colin."

"I like to think I am."

She gave up trying to make him angry. "Why don't you want your family to know you're working for…"

He wouldn't let her finish. His mouth covered hers in a quick, hard kiss. She let out a little sigh when he pulled back, then repeated her question. He kissed her again.

She finally got his message and quit her questions. "Will you explain after we're married?"

"Yes."

Jade walked back into the dining room. "Colin, I would like to speak to Alesandra in private. We'll be along in a minute." Alesandra waited until Colin had left the dining room, then went around the table to stand next to Jade. "Do you really dislike the idea of marrying Colin?"

"No," Alesandra answered. "And that, you see, is the problem."

"How is it a problem?"

"Colin's being forced into marrying me. He's acting out of duty. I can't control that."

"I don't understand," Jade remarked. Alesandra brushed her hair back over her shoulder in a nervous gesture. "I wanted to control the situation," she whispered. When it first became apparent I would have to get married, I was very angry inside. I felt so… powerless. It didn't seem fair. I finally came to terms with my circumstances, however, as soon as I began to think of the marriage as a business transaction and not a personal relationship. I decided that if I chose my husband and set my own terms, then it wouldn't matter if he loved me or not. It would be a business arrangement, nothing more."

"Colin won't agree to your terms, though, will he? I'm not surprised," Jade remarked. "He's an independent man. He's proud of the fact that he's making it on his own, without help from family or friends. He isn't going to be easy to control, but in time I believe you'll be happy about that. Have some faith in him, Alesandra. He'll take care of you." Yes, Alesandra thought to herself. Colin would take care of her.

And she would become a burden to him. He wasn't interested in her inheritance and in fact had made it perfectly clear he wouldn't touch it.

He wasn't impressed with her title, either. Being married to a princess was going to be a nuisance because he would have to suffer going to several important functions during the year. He'd have to mingle with the prince regent, and, Lord, she knew he'd hate that. Colin had rejected everything she had to offer. No, it wasn't a fair exchange.

Chapter 8

Sir Richards had just finished greeting everyone when Jade and Alesandra walked into the salon. The director turned to both ladies. He knew Jade, and after telling her how wonderful it was to see her again, he turned his full attention to Alesandra.

"Henry told me the good news. Congratulations, Princess. You've chosen a fine man."

Alesandra forced a smile. She thanked the director, agreed Colin was indeed a fine man, and asked him if he would be attending the wedding.

"Yes," Sir Richards replied. "I wouldn't miss it It's a pity it has to be kept a secret, but you understand well enough the reasons. Come and sit down now. I've some information you'll be interested in hearing."

Sir Richards ushered her over to one of the settees. Jade and Caine were seated across from her, and the duke and duchess took the third settee.

Colin stood alone in front of the hearth. He wasn't paying any attention to the director or his family. His back was turned to the gathering and he was intently studying the miniature on the mantel. Alesandra watched Colin as he lifted the castle to get a better look at it. The expression on Colin's face was masked, and she wondered what he was thinking.

The duchess was explaining her plans for the wedding. She was determined to make the intimate affair as lovely as possible. She was interrupted by her husband when he called out to Colin.

"Be careful with that, son. It's priceless to me."

Colin nodded but he didn't turn around. He had just noticed the tiny drawbridge latched with a delicate-looking chain. "This really is a piece of workmanship," he remarked as he gently pried the drawbridge away from the hook. The door immediately dropped down. Colin lifted the castle higher so that he could look inside.

Alesandra saw the surprised look in his eyes. He smiled, too. She smiled in reaction. He had just figured out the bit of trickery her father had played on his friend so many years ago.

Colin turned to Caine and motioned to him with a quick tilt of his head. Caine stood up and walked over to the mantel. Colin didn't say a word to his brother. He simply handed him the castle, then turned and walked over to sit next to Alesandra.

The duchess had only just warmed to her topic of the wedding plans. Both her husband and the director were patiently listening to her.

Caine suddenly let out a hoot of laughter. He drew everyone's attention, of course.

Caine turned to Alesandra. "Did you know about this?"

She nodded. "My mother told me the story."

"Later, when you're alone with Father, would you show him?" Caine asked.

"Yes, of course."

"Put that down," his father ordered. "It makes me nervous to see it handled. Do you have any idea of its value, Caine?"

His son laughed. "Yes, father, I understand its value." He closed the drawbridge and put the castle back where it belonged.

"Mother, I don't believe Sir Richards is interested in your plans for the wedding," Colin said. "He's been polite long enough. Let him get to his reason for calling."

Gweneth turned to the director. "Were you just being polite?"

"Of course he was, Gweneth," her husband told her. He softened his bluntness by patting his wife's hand.

Caine had returned to his seat next to his wife. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to his side. Alesandra noticed that both her guardian and his eldest son were very open in showing their affection for their wives. Caine was stroking his wife's arm in an absent-minded way and her uncle Henry hadn't let go of his wife's hand. Alesandra envied the loving couples. She knew it had been a true love match between her guardian and his wife, and from the way Jade and Caine looked at each other, she assumed they had also fallen in love before they were married.

She and Colin were another matter altogether. She wondered if he realized what he was giving up to marry her and almost asked him that question then and there.

Sir Richards saved her from embarrassing herself when he took the floor. "Colin asked me to assist him with a little experiment. He had reason to believe the lady's maid, Valena, was in a league with the ruffians trying to snatch the princess."

Alesandra was stunned by the director's explanation. She turned to Colin. "What reason would you have to distrust that sweet…"

He interrupted her. "Let him finish, Alesandra."

"Colin was correct," Sir Richards announced. He smiled at his host. "Both your sons have the best instincts I've ever come across in all my days working for the department."

Henry beamed with pleasure. "It's a trait I like to think they inherited from me," he remarked.

"Yes," Gweneth agreed. Her loyalty to her husband was absolute. "Henry's always been as cunning as a lion."

Colin tried not to smile. He believed his father was more like a lamb than a lion, but he didn't see that as a flaw. In truth, he envied his innocence. He'd lost his own years ago.

His father was a rare man indeed. He seemed to be immune to the darker side of life. Having heard his father's confession of the dark period he went through when he was a younger man made him all the more remarkable. The experience hadn't made him cynical. He wore his heart on his sleeve most of the time, and Colin knew that if there was any softness at all left in his own nature, it had come from his father.

"Now, then, as I was saying," the director continued. "Colin told the maid to inform the princess that there would be a meeting at my town house. He set the time for ten the following morning. Valena slipped out during the night to tell her companions. Colin had one of Alesandra's guards follow her. Right as rain the following morning, there they were, four in all, hiding in wait near my home to nab the princess."

"So there were four in all?" Colin asked. He wasn't at all surprised by the news. Alesandra was speechless. She had always believed she was a good judge of character but now admitted she'd certainly been off the mark with Valena. Alesandra's thoughts immediately turned to Victoria and she wondered if she'd been wrong about her, too.

"Good heavens, I hired Valena," the duchess blurted out. "She came to me and I should have thought that odd, but I was so pleased with her because she was born near Alesandra's father's home. I thought it would make our ward feel more comfortable to have a reminder of her past. Valena spoke the language, you see. I looked into her references, Henry. Yes, I did, but now I realize I should have been more thorough."

"No one's blaming you, Mother," Colin told her.

"Why didn't you tell me about your suspicions?" Alesandra asked Colin.

He was surprised by the question. "Because it was my problem to solve, not yours."

He looked like he believed what he'd just told her. Alesandra didn't know how to respond to that arrogant belief. "But how did you know? What made you suspicious?"

"The latch on one of the windows was unlocked an hour after Raymond had checked," he explained. "And someone had to alert the men that we would be attending the opera."

"The prince regent could have mentioned it to…"

Colin cut her off. "Yes, he could have," he agreed. "But he wouldn't have unlocked the window."

"Did you catch all of them?" Henry asked the director then.

"Yes, we did," Richards answered. "They're safely tucked away."

"I'll talk to them first thing tomorrow," Colin announced.

"May I go with you?" Alesandra asked.

"No."

Colin's voice suggested she not argue. His father supported his son's decision, too. "It's out of the question, Alesandra."

The discussion was over. Sir Richards took his leave a few minutes later. Colin accompanied the director to the door. Jade and Caine said their farewells at the same time. Both the duke and duchess walked to the door with them. Alesandra stood by the hearth, watching the way the family members talked and laughed with one another, and the sudden yearning to be a part of the loving, close-knit family fairly overwhelmed her. She shook her head against the possibility. Colin wasn't marrying her because he loved her. She mustn't forget that, she told herself.

The door closed behind Jade and Caine, and she realized then that Colin had already taken his leave.

He hadn't even bothered to say good-bye. Alesandra was so hurt by his rudeness, she turned around to stare at the mantel so her guardian wouldn't see the tears in her eyes.

Dignity and decorum, she silently chanted to herself. She would get through the wedding with her cloak of serenity tightly wrapped around her. If Colin was determined to be stupidly noble, then so be it.

The castle caught her attention and the anger she was trying to stir up over Colin's high-handed methods in gaming her agreement was all but forgotten. A wave of homesickness for her mother and father made her ache inside.

Dear God, she was miserable. She never should have left the convent-she realized that mistake now. She'd been safe there, and the memories of her mother were somehow far more comforting.

Alesandra took a deep breath in an attempt to stop the panic she could feel catching hold. She understood why she was so afraid. God help her, she was falling in love with the Dragon.

It was unacceptable to her. Colin would never know how she felt about him. She wasn't about to end up like a vine of ivy clinging to a man who didn't love her. She wouldn't hover, either, no matter how much she wanted to, and she would force herself to think of the marriage as nothing but an arrangement. Colin had his reasons for marrying her, foolish though they were, and in return for his name and protection she would leave him to his own agenda. She wouldn't interfere in any way with his schedule, and in return for her consideration he would leave her alone to follow her own destiny.

Alesandra mopped the tears from her eyes. She was feeling better now that she'd come up with a viable plan of action. She would request an audience with Colin tomorrow and tell him how she had worked it all out in her mind.

She would even allow for negotiating, but only on minor points, of course.

"Alesandra, your guards will bring your things over in just a little while."

Her guardian made that announcement as he walked back into the salon. She turned to thank him. Uncle Henry frowned when he saw the tears in her eyes.

"What's this?" he demanded. "Are you so unhappy over my choice for your husband that you…"

She shook her head. "I was looking at the castle and it made me a bit homesick."

He looked relieved. He walked over to stand next to her. "I believe I'll take that back to our country house. I don't like seeing it touched. Colin and Caine couldn't keep their hands off it, could they?" he added with a grin. "They can both be like bulls in a pen at times. I wouldn't want this treasure broken."

He turned to look at the miniature. "Do you know the story behind this gift?" he asked.

"My mother told me Father gave it to you," Alesandra answered.

"The castle was a gift," Uncle Henry explained. "But I was asking you if you'd been told about the loan your father gave me? You have every right to hear it, and to know how your father came to my aid."

His voice had gotten gruff with emotion. Alesandra shook her head. "It wasn't a loan, Uncle, and, yes, I did know what happened. Mother told me the story because she thought it clever and amusing the way he tricked you."

"Nathaniel tricked me? How?"

Alesandra turned and lifted the castle from the mantel, nodding when her guardian instinctively warned her to be careful. While he watched, she pried the drawbridge away from the latch, then handed the castle to him.

"They've been inside all the while," she explained, her voice a gentle whisper. "Have a look, Uncle Henry. The notes are there."

He couldn't seem to comprehend what she was telling him. He stared at her with a look of astonishment on his face.

"All these years…" His voice cracked with tension and his eyes turned quite misty.

"Father liked to get his way," Alesandra explained. "He insisted it was a gift and you insisted it was a loan. Mother told me you demanded notes be signed and father accommodated you. But he had the last laugh, Uncle, when he gave you the castle as a gift."

"With the notes."

She put her hand on his arm. "You hold the notes," she said. "And you must therefore accept that the debt has been repaid."

Her guardian held the castle up and looked inside. He spotted the folded pieces of paper immediately. "The debt will be repaid when you marry my son," he said.

He didn't have any idea how his words affected her. His attention was on the castle now, and he therefore missed the look on her face.

She turned around and walked out of the salon. She passed Aunt Gweneth in the foyer but didn't trust her voice enough to speak.

Gweneth hurried into the salon just as Alesandra ran up the steps. "Henry, what did you say to that child?" she demanded.

Henry motioned her over to his side. "Alesandra's fine, Gweneth. She's just feeling a little homesick, that's all. Let her have a few minutes alone. Look at this," he ordered then, his concentration turned back to the notes hidden inside the treasure.

Alesandra was forgotten for the moment. She was thankful no one followed her up the stairs. She went into her uncle Henry's study, closed the door behind her, and promptly burst into tears. She cried for at least twenty minutes and all because she was feeling so horribly sorry for herself. She knew she was being childish-pitiful, too-but she didn't care.

She didn't feel any better when she'd finished weeping. Her nerves were still frazzled with worry and confusion.

Dreyson arrived on the doorstep an hour later. She signed the papers he'd prepared and then listened to his long explanation regarding the transfer of her funds from her father's homeland to the Bank of England. The agent Dreyson had hired to make the transaction was having difficulty getting the money released, but Dreyson assured her it wasn't anything to worry about. It would just take time and patience.

Alesandra could barely concentrate on financial matters. She went to bed early that night and prayed for strength to get through the next three days.

Time didn't drag, however. Aunt Gweneth kept her busy with the preparations for the wedding. Unbeknownst to her husband or her family, Gweneth invited a few close friends to join in the celebration-thirty-eight, in fact-and there was so much to be done before the wedding she could barely keep up with her lists of duties. There were fresh flowers to be ordered for the tables inside, food to be prepared for the formal sit-down dinner she planned on serving everyone, and a gown to be sewn by the sour-dispositioned but incredibly creative Millicent Norton. The dressmaker and her three assistants had taken over one of the larger rooms on the third floor and were working around the clock with their needles and threads on the yards and yards of imported lace Millicent Norton had been hoarding for just such an occasion.

When Alesandra wasn't needed for fittings, she worked on the task Gweneth had assigned her-writing out the announcements. There were over two hundred names on her list. The envelopes had to be addressed too, of course, and Gweneth insisted they be ready to be sent out by messenger as soon as Colin and Alesandra were married.

Alesandra didn't understand the need for all the fuss. She believed only the immediate family, the minister, and Sir Richards would be attending. She asked her aunt why she was going to all the trouble and was told that it was the very least she could do to repay the goodness Alesandra's father had shown her family.

The day of the wedding finally arrived. The weather proved accommodating, much to Gweneth's delight. The garden could be used after all. The sun was bright and the temperature quite warm for spring. The guests wouldn't even need to wear cloaks, the duchess decided. She ordered the French doors opened and put the servants to work sweeping the stones clean.

The ceremony was scheduled for four o'clock in the afternoon. The flowers began arriving at noon. The parade of messengers seemed endless. Alesandra stayed in the dining room and out of everyone's way. Her Aunt Gweneth had really gone all out, she decided when she saw two huge vases of flowers being carried upstairs. She imagined the library was also going to be decorated. Perhaps Gweneth thought her husband might decide to entertain Sir Richards in the library.

Alesandra was just about to go up to her room to get ready for the ceremony, but she was waylaid from that duty when Colin's sisters arrived. The youngest, Marian Rose, was only ten years old, and so thrilled to be included in the party she could barely stand still. Marian had been a happy surprise to her parents for, almost four years after their third daughter had been born, they had believed Gweneth's childbearing years were over. The youngest was doted upon by her parents and her older brothers, of course, but she was kept from being completely spoiled by her sisters. Alison was fourteen years old, Jennifer was fifteen, and Catherine had just turned sixteen.

Alesandra liked all of Colin's sisters, but her favorite was Catherine. She was careful not to let the others know how she felt, fearing she would cause hurt feelings.

Catherine was such a delight. She was the complete opposite of Alesandra, and perhaps that was the reason she liked her so much. She admitted she envied Colin's sister. Catherine was outrageously outspoken. One never had to guess what she might be thinking. She told her every thought. She was very dramatic, too, and was constantly getting into mischief with her dearest friend, Lady Michelle Marie. Catherine never worried about restraint. Alesandra doubted she fully understood what dignity and decorum were, and she was the most wonderfully honest person Alesandra had ever known.

She was becoming a very pretty young lady, too. Catherine had dark blond hair and hazel-colored eyes. She was taller than Alesandra by a good two inches.

None of Colin's sisters had been given the reason why they were being called to London, and when their mother gathered them together and explained about the wedding, Catherine was the first to screech with delight. She threw herself into Alesandra's arms and hugged her tight

"Michelle Marie will probably try to kill you for ruining her plans," she cheerfully informed Alesandra. "She thinks she's going to marry Colin. She's planned it for years and years."

Gweneth shook her head in exasperation. "Colin's never even met your friend. Why in heaven's name would she believe he would marry her? She's your age, Catherine, and Colin's much too old for her. Why, he's almost twice her age."

Alison and Jennifer rushed forward to hug Alesandra, too. All three sisters clung to her and it was all Alesandra could do to keep her balance. They were all talking at once, of course. It was chaotic, and a little overwhelming for Alesandra.

There wasn't room for Marian Rose. She hung back, but not for long. She stomped her foot in a bid to get attention, and when that didn't work, she let out a bloodcurdling scream. Everyone immediately turned to see what was wrong, and Marian Rose used that opportunity to hurl herself at Alesandra.

Raymond and Stefan heard the scream and came running. Gweneth apologized for her daughter's behavior, told Marian Rose to hush, and then put the guards to work carrying up the extra crates of wineglasses from the cellar.

Raymond motioned to Alesandra. She excused herself from Colin's family and went over to him.

"The duchess keeps opening the French doors, Princess. We keep closing them. It isn't safe to have the back of the house unlocked. Could you please talk to her? Colin's going to be furious when he gets here and sees all the doors and windows open."

"I'll try to talk to her," Alesandra promised. "I doubt she'll listen. I guess we're going to have to have faith it will all go well. Just a few more hours and the worry will be over."

Raymond bowed to the princess. He wasn't about to sit back and hope things would go well. Both he and Stefan were ready to pull their hair out over the number of strangers stomping into the town house with flowers and trays and gifts. It had been almost impossible to keep count of who everyone was. Raymond went into the kitchen. He grabbed hold of a servant and ordered him to take a message to Colin. The duchess wouldn't listen to a guard, but she would certainly listen to her son.

Raymond didn't stop there. He went upstairs next to look for the Duke of Williamshire and alert him to the possible danger.

The time got away from Alesandra. Millicent Norton and her assistants came downstairs and waylaid her just as she was about to go up. The dressmaker explained that the wedding gown was hanging in front of the wardrobe in Alesandra's bedroom and that it was without a doubt the most exquisite dress she'd ever created. Alesandra was in full agreement. She spent a long while complimenting the dressmaker and longer still promising to take every care when she put on the delicate gown.

Gweneth came rushing into the foyer just as Millicent and her assistants left. "Good heavens, Alesandra. It's already three and you haven't begun to get ready. Have you had your bath yet?"

"Yes, Aunt."

"The girls are getting ready now," Gweneth told her. She took hold of Alesandra's hand and started up the steps. "Janet will be in to help you just as soon as she finishes braiding Marian Rose's hair. Is your stomach full of butterflies, Alesandra? I know you must be excited. You mustn't worry though. Everything's ready. It's going to be a beautiful wedding. Hurry now or you'll miss it."

The duchess laughed over her own jest. She gave Alesandra's hand an affectionate squeeze when she reached her bed chamber, then opened the door and went inside. Alesandra could hear Marian Rose begging the maid to let her hair loose and then Gweneth's command to sit still.

Alesandra's bedroom was the last along the corridor. She opened the door and went inside. She was in such a hurry now, she didn't pay attention to anything but getting out of her dress. The buttons were in the front, and she had them undone before she'd even pushed the door shut behind her. She stripped out of her clothes, washed from top to bottom again, and then put on her white cotton robe. She was just securing the belt around her waist when the door opened behind her. Alesandra assumed it was the maid coming in to assist her. She started to turn around, but was suddenly grabbed from behind. A hand clamped down over her mouth to silence the instinctive scream already gathering in her throat.

She heard the sound of the door being bolted and knew then that there were at least two men in the room with her.

It took all of her determination to remain calm. She forced herself not to struggle. She was terrified inside, but she wasn't going to let that interfere with her ability to think. She could become hysterical later, after she'd gotten away from the horrible men.

She would have to be patient, she told herself, and wait for her opportunity to get free. She wouldn't scream, no matter how strong the urge became. Colin's sisters would come running and, dear God, she didn't want any of them to get hurt.

Alesandra calmed down as soon as she settled on a plan of action. She would cooperate until she was well away from the town house. It would be safer for the family that way. Then she would fight, scream, and bite, to make them sorry they'd dared to touch her.

A knock sounded at the door. The infidel behind her tightened his hold. He ordered her in a whisper to tell whoever it was begging entrance to go away.

She nodded agreement before he removed his hand from her mouth. The second man unbolted the door. Alesandra got a good look at his face. He was a dark-haired man with heavy eyebrows and oily skin. The sinister expression on his face made her shiver with fear. From the look of him, she knew he wouldn't suffer any remorse about hurting anyone.

The man behind her waved a knife in front of her face and told her that if she called out a warning he would kill her.

She wasn't worried about that possibility, for she knew he was bluffing. The general needed a live bride, not a dead one. She thought about telling the horrid man she wasn't afraid about her own safety, then changed her mind. It would be more cunning not to argue. If they believed she was going to cooperate, they might let their guard down just a little.

Alesandra was allowed to open the door a few inches. Jade stood in the hallway, smiling at her.

"Goodness, Alesandra, you're not even dressed. Would you like me to help you?"

Alesandra shook her head. "I don't need any help, Catherine, but I thank you for offering. Why don't you go back downstairs and wait with your husband? I'm sure your Henry would like you to stand by his side while he greets the guests."

Jade's expression didn't change. She kept right on smiling until the door closed again. She heard the sound of the bolt sliding into place as she turned and ran down the hallway.

Colin had just walked into the foyer when Jade reached the landing above. Marian Rose came running in from the salon and threw herself at her older brother. He lifted her up, kissed her on the cheek, and then bent down to take Caine's daughter, Olivia, into his other arm. The four-year-old gave her uncle a wet kiss.

Jade came rushing down the stairs. Caine caught her at the bottom. "Slow down, sweetheart. You're going to break…"

The fear he saw in her eyes stopped him cold. "What's wrong?" he demanded.

"Alesandra called me Catherine."

Colin heard his sister-in-law's worried remark. He put the little girls down and walked forward. He noticed then that the French doors leading to the garden were wide open and scowled in reaction. Didn't his parents understand the need for caution?

"She was just confused," Caine suggested to his wife. "It's her wedding day and she's bound to be a little nervous."

Jade shook her head. She turned to explain to Colin. "Alesandra told me to go downstairs and stand with my husband, Henry. Someone's in that room with her. I'm sure of it. She was trying to warn me."

Colin was already moving toward the steps. "Have Raymond and Stefan stand guard below Alesandra's window outside," he ordered. "Caine, you take the back steps. They'll probably try to take her out that way."

He'd reached the landing before he'd finished his instructions, passed his mother and father as they started down the staircase, and continued on down the corridor.

He was deadly calm about what he was going to do. Rage burned inside him, but he wouldn't let that emotion overwhelm his judgment. Only after Alesandra was safe would he unleash his fury.

He reached her bedroom, quietly tested the door to make certain it was locked, then slammed his shoulder against the wood with all his might. The door splintered off its hinges, the bolt snapped, and what was left of the door flew into the bedroom.

Alesandra tried to shout a warning to Colin but she was silenced by her captor's hand over her mouth again.

The second man charged Colin with his knife in his hand. Colin moved so swiftly, his enemy didn't understand until it was too late that his knife had been snatched away. Colin didn't let go of his hand, however. He twisted it behind his back, then upward, until the shoulder bone had popped out of its socket. The man howled with pain. Colin didn't show him any mercy. He threw him headfirst into the wall next to the doorway.

Fury gave him the strength of four men. He was almost blind with his anger now, for Alesandra looked so damned frightened and the bastard had his hands all over her. The robe she wore had opened enough for him to realize she wasn't wearing anything underneath.

"Get your hands off my bride."

Colin roared that command and started forward. Alesandra's captor knew he was trapped. He waited until Colin was almost upon him, then threw Alesandra forward and tried to run out of the room.

In one quick motion Colin tossed Alesandra onto the bed and out of harm's way, then turned and grabbed her captor by his neck.

He thought about breaking the son-of-a-bitch's neck then and there, but Alesandra was watching him and, damn it all, he didn't want her any more frightened than she already was.

"There's a quicker way out than taking the steps," he announced.

Because his voice had sounded so calm and reasonable, Alesandra wasn't at all prepared for his next action. Colin literally picked up the man by the seat of his britches and threw him headfirst out the window.

It wasn't open. Glass sprayed the walls and floor, and a few of the wooden panes that weren't imbedded in the man's shoulders fell to the ledge.

Colin didn't even look winded. He muttered, "Hell," when he noticed the dust on his trousers, let out a sigh, and then turned back to her.

Alesandra didn't know what to think. Colin had been quite terrifying just a minute before, and now he was acting like nothing out of the ordinary had taken place.

Didn't he realize that he might have killed that man? Or did he realize and simply not care?

Alesandra was determined to find out for herself. She jumped off the bed and went running toward the window. Colin intercepted her before she could step on the broken glass with her bare feet. He dragged her back toward the bed, then roughly pulled her into his arms.

"Dear God, Colin, do you think you killed him?"

The raw fear in her voice made him regret the fact that she had witnessed the fight. She was too young and innocent to understand that some men were really better off in hell. The way she trembled in his arms told him she was afraid of him.

"No, I didn't kill him," he told her, his voice a gruff whisper. "I'm sure Raymond caught him."

Colin was proud of himself. He'd told the outrageous lie without laughing.

She couldn't believe he would think she would believe such nonsense. She could feel him shaking, knew he was still reacting to the upsetting fight, and decided to placate him.

"If you say so," she agreed. She let out a pent-up sigh and relaxed against him. "You forgot to open the window, didn't you?"

"Yes," he lied. "I forgot."

She peeked up to look over his shoulder. "You're certain Raymond caught him?"

He didn't hear the amusement in her voice. "Absolutely certain."

He tightened his hold on her and leaned down to kiss the top of her head.

"Did they hurt you?" he asked, his voice harsh with worry over that possibility.

She found comfort in his concern. "No," she whispered against his chest.

She caught a movement out of the corner of her eye and looked around Colin again. "The other one's crawling away."

"Caine's waiting for him," he answered. He leaned down to kiss her again. She turned her face up at the same time. The temptation was too great to resist. His mouth covered hers in a gentle caress, but it wasn't enough for him. He deepened the kiss, pleased he didn't have to force her mouth open for him. His tongue swept inside to mate with hers and a low, primitive growl sounded in the back of his throat.

The kiss consumed her. Because she was so inexperienced, she couldn't control her response to his magical touch. She couldn't get enough of the taste of him either, and, dear God, his scent-so clean, so wonderfully masculine-was extremely arousing.

Her uninhibited response was almost shattering to his own control. Colin knew it was time to stop. He tried to pull back, but Alesandra wouldn't cooperate with his noble plan. She wound her arms around his neck and tugged on his hair to get him to deepen the kiss again.

He let her have her way. She sighed into his mouth seconds before her tongue timidly rubbed against his. Colin felt his discipline slipping away. His mouth slanted over hers again and again with hard demand.

"Is everything… for the love of… save that for after the ceremony, Colin."

Caine's voice cut through the passionate haze surrounding Colin and Alesandra. He slowly pulled back. She took a little longer to recover her wits. Colin had to help her take her hands away from the back of his neck. He tightened the belt on her robe, too. She didn't take over the task, but watched as he adjusted her robe to hide every inch of her neck.

"You should get dressed now," he suggested in a whisper, smiling over the look of bemusement on her face. She still hadn't recovered from his touch, and that fact pleased the hell out of him.

"Didn't you hear me?" he asked when she didn't move.

She knew she had to get hold of herself. She took a step back, away from the cause of her befuddled condition. "Yes, I should get dressed," she agreed with a nod. She immediately contradicted herself by shaking her head. "I can't get dressed. They…"

"I'll be happy to help you," Jade volunteered. Colin's sister-in-law was frowning with worry and sympathy, "It won't take any time at all," she promised.

Alesandra turned and forced a smile. She was surprised to find both Caine and Jade standing only a few feet away. She hadn't heard either one of them come into the room.

Colin's kiss had blocked out the world, she decided, and, Lord, had they seen the way she'd been clinging to him? She blushed just thinking about that possibility.

She was suddenly so rattled she couldn't seem to think. There was something she wanted to say, but she couldn't remember what it was. She threaded her fingers through her hair in an absentminded gesture. The robe parted just a little with her movement. Colin immediately stepped forward to tug it back into place. He was acting like a possessive husband now. She might have thought that was an endearing action if he hadn't started frowning at her.

"You shouldn't be entertaining in your robe," he told her. "Didn't the nuns teach you anything?"

He wasn't jesting. She slapped his hand away from her throat and backed up another space. "Did you catch the man crawling down the steps?" she asked Caine. "Yes."

"Good," she whispered. "They came in with the flowers," she added with a nod. "I should have realized… when they carried the vases upstairs, but I…"

Everyone waited for her to finish her explanation. After a minute or two they realized she wasn't going to say anything more.

"What happened to the other one?" Caine asked.

"Colin threw him out the window."

"Raymond caught him," Colin said.

Caine almost laughed until his brother tilted his head toward Alesandra. He immediately nodded agreement over the ridiculous lie. "That's good to know."

"Could there be more waiting in one of the other rooms?" Alesandra asked.

Colin answered her. "No."

"Your guards have made a thorough check of the house." Caine made that comment in an attempt to ease her fear. "There aren't any others."

Jade drew her husband's attention when she let out a little gasp. He turned to her and saw the tears in her eyes. "What is it, sweetheart?" he asked in a whisper.

Jade pointed to the floor in front of the wardrobe. Caine turned, saw the wedding gown, and let out a low expletive.

Alesandra wasn't paying any attention to anyone but Colin. She'd only just decided that there was something different about him, but she couldn't seem to put her finger on what that might be.

"We're getting married in ten minutes, Alesandra. If you're still wearing that robe, you'll be wed in it. Caine, change jackets with me. I tore mine."

"I don't think it's a good idea to get married today," Alesandra whispered.

"Ten minutes," Colin repeated.

The set of his jaw told her he wasn't going to listen to reason. She still gave it one last try. "No," she announced, her expression mutinous.

He leaned down until he was just inches from her face. "Yes."

She let out a sigh. Then she nodded. Colin was so pleased she had finally decided to cooperate, he gave her a hard kiss. Then he turned and walked toward the doorway.

"They destroyed her wedding dress, Colin."

Jade gave him that news. Alesandra burst into tears. Everyone believed she was upset about the dress, of course, but that wasn't the real reason she was so distraught. She had just noticed what was different about Colin.

"You cut your hair."

The fury in her voice stunned Colin. He turned around, saw the tears streaming down her face, and immediately wanted to comfort her. As soon as he started toward her, she started backing away. He stopped so she would stand still. He didn't want her to accidentally step on a piece of glass. He didn't want her to panic, either, and she appeared ready to do just that.

Alesandra had gone through a hell of an ordeal and that, added to the usual wedding day jitters he assumed most brides experienced, was making her act unreasonable now.

Colin knew he would never get her downstairs and married until he helped her calm down first. He decided that if she wanted to talk about his hair now instead of focusing on the real issue upsetting her, he would let her.

"Yes," he. said, his voice as soothing as he could manage. "I cut my hair. Does that displease you?"

She nodded. "Oh, yes, it does displease me," she said, her voice shaking with her anger. "As a matter of fact, it makes me furious."

She could tell from his expression he didn't understand why she was so angry with him. He obviously didn't remember what he'd told her when she'd asked him why he wore his hair so long.

Freedom. Yes, that's what he'd told her. She remembered every word of his explanation. The shoulder-length hair reminded him that he was a free man.

Alesandra turned her attention to his feet. "Why aren't you wearing shackles, Colin?"

"What are you talking about?" Colin hadn't been able to keep his exasperation out of his voice.

"She's upset about the dress," Caine decided.

"Do stay out of this," Alesandra ordered.

Caine raised an eyebrow over that command. Alesandra was acting very like a princess now, and she was treating Caine like one of her subjects. He didn't dare smile, fearing his amusement would push her temper right over the edge. She looked furious, and miserable.

"Oh, Lord, look what you've made me do," she told Colin. She folded her arms in front of her and glared at him before turning to his brother. "Pray forgive me for snapping at you. I don't usually let anyone notice when I'm upset, but that man makes me forget Mother Superior's golden rules. I wouldn't be in such a state if he hadn't cut his hair."

"That man?" Caine repeated with a grin.

"What golden rules?" Jade asked, curious over that remark.

"Isn't the wedding dress the reason you're so upset?"

"Dignity and decorum," Alesandra explained to Jade before turning back to Colin. "No, it isn't really the dress," she announced. She took a deep breath and ordered herself to calm down. Colin couldn't help being such an insensitive clout, she supposed, and he was giving up his freedom. "Oh, never mind. Yes, of course I'm upset about the dress. Your mother's going to be most upset. She paid a fortune for that lace. It will break her heart if she finds out it was destroyed."

"Then you're worried about my mother's feelings?" Colin asked, trying to get to the heart of the issue.

"Didn't I just say I was? Colin, how can you smile at a time like this? I don't have anything to wear."

"Surely…"

She wouldn't let him finish. "Promise me you won't tell your mother," Alesandra demanded. "I want your word, Colin. It would ruin her wedding if she finds out."

"It's your wedding, Alesandra, not hers."

She didn't want to listen to reason. "Promise me."

Colin let out a sigh. "I won't tell her." He didn't add that his mother was damn well going to notice Alesandra wasn't wearing the gown. She was still too rattled to think about that, and he wasn't going to remind her.

She made Jade and Caine promise, too. Everyone's quick agreement calmed Alesandra. Colin had to shake his head over her bizarre behavior. He grabbed her by her shoulders, pulled her close, and kissed her. Then he let go of her and walked out of the room. His brother followed him.

"She seems a little nervous, doesn't she?" Colin remarked to Caine.

His brother burst into laughter. "I can't imagine why," he replied dryly. "Your bride has been mauled, nearly kidnapped by two of the ugliest bastards I've ever laid eyes on, and certainly terrorized. She has also made it perfectly clear she doesn't want to marry you, and her wedding dress was torn into shreds. No, I can't imagine why she would be nervous."

Colin's shoulders slumped. "It has been a difficult day," he muttered.

"It can only get better," Caine predicted. He hoped to God he was right.

Neither brother said another word until they reached the foyer. They exchanged jackets on the way down the stairs. The fit was almost exact, for Colin had filled out through his shoulders over the past few years and was now every bit as muscular as his brother.

Colin noticed the crowd gathered in the salon, started to go inside, then suddenly stopped and turned to Caine.

"You're wrong."

"It won't get better?"

Colin shook his head. "You said Alesandra didn't want to marry me. You're wrong. She does."

Caine smiled. "So you realize she's in love with you?"

He'd made that remark as a statement of fact, but Colin treated it as though it were a question. "No, she doesn't love me yet, but she will. In five years, after I've made my fortune, then she'll realize she didn't make a mistake."

Caine couldn't believe his brother could be so obtuse. "She already has a fortune, Colin. She needs…"

"To get married," Colin finished for him. "What are all those people doing here?"

The switch in topics was deliberate, of course. Colin didn't want to get into a heated discussion about Alesandra's motives now. He didn't particularly want to think about his own reasons for marrying her, either.

The ceremony took place an hour later. Colin stood with his brother in front of the minister. The wait for his bride was taking its toll on him, and it was a struggle to hold on to his composure. His own agitation was appalling to him, for he liked to believe that he was a man who was always in control. Nothing ever rattled him, he reminded himself. Hell, he admitted with a sigh, he was rattled now, and the feeling was so foreign to his nature he didn't know how to fight it. He blamed his lack of discipline on Alesandra. Until the day she came into his life, the mere idea of marrying made him blanch. Now, however, his agitation was for the opposite reason. He wanted to get the deed done before anything else could go wrong.

He could still lose her.

"For the love of God, Colin. This is a wedding, not a burial. Quit scowling."

Colin wasn't in the mood to accommodate his brother. His mind was occupied thinking about all the things that could still go wrong.

And then the Duke of Williamshire escorted Alesandra into the salon. She held on to his father, but Colin didn't give him any notice. His gaze was centered on his bride. The closer she came, the more his composure returned. A feeling of contentment rid him of his need to worry, and by the time she reached his side he wasn't scowling at all.

She was going to belong to him.

Alesandra was so nervous she was shaking. She wore an ivory-colored satin gown. The cut was simple, yet elegant. The neckline wasn't overly revealing, but it was still provocative. Alesandra wasn't wearing any jewels. She didn't carry flowers in her hands, and her hair wasn't confined with pins. The dark curls that gently swayed around her shoulders when she moved were all the adornment she needed.

Dear God, she pleased him. He smiled over her shyness. She wouldn't look at him, but kept her gaze downcast, even when her guardian kissed her cheek. She didn't want to let go of him, either. He had to pry her hand away and place it on Colin's arm.

The crowd of family and friends gathered around them. Alesandra almost bolted then and there. She felt trapped, overwhelmed, and terrified that both she and Colin were making a mistake. Her trembling increased until she could barely stand still, and she couldn't seem to catch a proper breath. Then Colin took her hand in his and tightened his hold on her. Odd, but his touch made her trembling ease a little.

Caine's four-year-old daughter helped Alesandra get rid of the rest of her fear. The little girl couldn't see what was going on and squirmed her way through the crowd to stand next to Alesandra. She pretended she didn't see her mother frantically shaking her head at her and reached up to take hold of Alesandra's hand.

The minister had just opened his book of prayers when he happened to glance down and see the child. He immediately coughed to cover his amusement.

Alesandra wasn't as disciplined. She took one look at the dark-haired, green-eyed imp and burst into laughter. Olivia had obviously been having the time of her life and whoever was suppose to be watching her hadn't done his duty. The child was a disaster. The lower part of her skirt was smudged with dirt, indicating she'd spent some of her time running in the garden, and there was another spot the color of the red punch the duchess planned to serve after the ceremony, indicating she'd gotten into the kitchen too. The sash was hanging down around her hips, but what made Alesandra completely lose her composure was Olivia's fat pink bow. It was precariously perched over her right eye, and while she smiled up at Alesandra, she kept trying to bat the thing back on top of her head.

Jade was probably having heart palpitations over Olivia's appearance. Caine bent down and tried to reach behind both Colin and Alesandra to grab hold of his daughter. She wiggled back and giggled with delight.

Alesandra took charge. She couldn't do anything about the smudges on Olivia's dress, but she could straighten her appearance. She pulled away from Colin's hold, retied Olivia's sash, then repinned the bow on top of her head. Olivia suffered through the minute of fussing, and when Alesandra finished, she took hold of her hand again.

She straightened back up and turned to the minister. She still wouldn't look at Colin, but she reached over and brushed her fingers against his. He took the hint and held her hand again.

She was in control now. Her voice barely shivered when she answered the minister's questions. She noticed that as soon as she agreed to become Colin's wife, he visibly relaxed. She looked up at him then and found him smiling at her. The sparkle in his eyes made her heart pound a bit quicker.

It was finally over. Colin gently turned her to face him and leaned down to kiss her. Everyone cheered, and Colin had only just brushed his mouth over hers when he was pounded on his back and pulled away to be congratulated.

He took Alesandra with him. He wasn't going to let her out of his sight… or his touch. He put his arm around her waist and pulled her up against his side.

Alesandra didn't remember much of the celebration that followed the ceremony. She felt as though she were walking around in a fog. Toasts were given before, during, and after the supper, but she couldn't remember anything that was said. She was surrounded by Colin's family and friends, and their immediate acceptance of her was both pleasing and overwhelming.

Sir Richards insisted on having a word with Colin and his brother in the library, but Colin kept putting him off. The director wouldn't be denied, however, and finally, after Alesandra promised to stay within sight of her guards, Colin agreed. He and Caine followed the director up the stairs. They had their conference and were back downstairs less than fifteen minutes later.

Colin found his bride in the salon. She was trying to listen to three different conversations at the same time. Marian Rose was demanding permission to go home with her, Catherine was asking her when she would see her again, and

Colin's father was telling anyone who would listen an amusing childhood story involving his sons.

Alesandra looked overwhelmed by it all. Colin decided it was time to take her home. She didn't argue with his decision and, in fact, seemed relieved.

It took twenty minutes to say thank you and farewell, and just when Colin's patience was all used up, they were in the carriage and on their way back to his town house.

The silence inside the carriage was a stark contrast to the chaos they'd just left. Colin stretched out his long legs, closed his eyes, and grinned.

He was thinking about the wedding night.

Alesandra sat across from him. Her posture was rigid and her hands were tightly folded together in her lap.

She was also thinking about their wedding night.

Colin opened his eyes and saw her frown. He noticed she was wringing her hands together, too.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, already guessing what that might be.

"Tonight…"

"Yes?"

"Are you going to insist I share your bed?"

"Yes."

Her shoulders slumped. The color left her face and, damn, she looked forlorn. He almost laughed. He caught himself in time, and he felt like a cad for finding any amusement at all in her distress. She was innocent, obviously frightened of the unknown, and it was his duty to help her get over her fear, not increase it.

He leaned forward and captured her hands in his. "It's going to be all right," he told her, his voice a husky whisper.

The look she gave him told him she didn't believe him. "Then you aren't interested in renegotiating?"

"Renegotiating what?"

"Your benefits."

He slowly shook his head. She pulled her hands away from him. "Alesandra, everything will be fine," he told her again.

"So you say," she countered in a bare whisper. "But I don't have any information to prove you're right. Do you happen to have any material on the subject I could read before going to bed?"

He leaned back, propped his leg against the opposite seat, and stared at her. To his credit, he didn't smile. "What kind of material?"

"I thought you might have a manual… or something," she explained. She was trying to stop herself from twisting her hands together so he wouldn't notice how nervous she was. "Just something that would explain what's going to happen," she added with a deliberate shrug. "I'm only mildly curious, you understand."

He understood she was completely terrified. He nodded so she would think he believed her lie, then asked in a casual tone of voice, "Didn't you say that the mother superior told you everything you needed to know?"

She didn't answer him for a long while. Colin patiently waited. Alesandra turned to look out the window. It was dark outside, but the moon was bright enough for her to recognize the street they were on and to realize they were almost home. She wasn't going to panic, she told herself. She was a fully grown woman and it was ridiculous to get so upset.

"Alesandra, answer me," Colin ordered.

She tried to hide her embarrassment and sound nonchalant when she finally explained. "Mother Superior did have a private talk with me, but now I realize she didn't give me sufficient information."

"Exactly what did she tell you?"

She didn't want to continue with this topic and was sorry she'd ever brought it up. "Oh, this and that," she whispered with a shrug.

Colin wouldn't let it go. "Exactly what this and that?"

The carriage came to a stop in front of his town house. She all but lunged for the latch. Colin grabbed her hand and held it. "You haven't answered me yet," he reminded her.

She stared at his hand on top of hers. It was at least twice the size of her own and, dear God, why hadn't she paid attention to his size before? She hadn't thought she'd be sharing his bed, she reminded herself. At least not for years and years, until she'd grown comfortable with the idea… and, Lord, how naive that ignorant belief was. Alesandra suddenly felt like a complete fool.

She really should have insisted on becoming a nun after all, she decided.

"Mother Superior said I wasn't suited for the holy order." She blurted that thought aloud, then let out a sigh. "I'm not humble enough. She told me so."

She was deliberately trying to turn the topic. Colin knew exactly what she was up to, of course. "And what did she tell you about the marriage bed?"

She turned her gaze back to his hand when she finally answered. "She said that a woman's body is like a temple. There, I've told it. Now will you let go of me? I wish to get out."

"Not yet," he countered. The tenderness in his voice cut through some of her embarrassment.

"You're going to make me tell it all, aren't you?"

He smiled over the disgruntled look on her face. "Yes," he agreed. "I'm going to make you tell it all."

"Colin, you probably haven't noticed, but this topic embarrasses me."

"I noticed."

She heard the thread of amusement in his voice but refused to look up at him, for she knew that if she saw him smiling, she would probably start in screaming.

"Are you embarrassed?" she asked.

"No."

She tried to pull her hand away from his again. He held tight. Lord, he was stubborn. She knew he wasn't going to let her out of the carriage until she explained.

"Men will want to worship there," she blurted out.

"Where?" he asked, his confusion obvious.

"At the temple," she told him in a near shout.

He didn't laugh. He let go of her hand and leaned back. His leg effectively blocked her exit in the event she still wanted to bolt. "I see," he replied. He kept his voice as neutral as possible, hoping his casual attitude would ease her distress.

The color had come back into her face with a vengeance. She looked like she was suffering from sunburn now. Colin found her innocence incredibly pleasing.

"What else did she tell you?" he asked.

"I mustn't let them."

"Worship?"

She nodded. "I mustn't let anyone touch me until I married. Then Mother Superior assured me it was all right because the result of the union was worthy and noble."

She glanced up to see how he was reacting to her explanation, noticed his incredulous expression, and thought he didn't quite understand. "A child is the worthy result."

"I gathered as much."

Alesandra sat back and turned her attention to straightening the folds in her gown. A long minute passed in silence before Colin spoke again. "She left out a few details, didn't she?"

"Yes," Alesandra whispered. She was relieved Colin finally understood her lack of knowledge. "If there was a book or a manual I could read…"

"I don't have anything on the topic in my study," he told her. "I don't even know if there is such a thing in print."

"But surely…"

"Oh, there are books around, but not the kind I would ever allow you to read," he said with a nod. "They aren't sold on the open market, either."

Colin reached over, flipped the latch up, and pushed the door open. He kept his gaze on his blushing bride all the while.

"What do you suggest I do?"

She asked her lap that question. He nudged her chin up and forced her to look at him. Her blue eyes were cloudy with worry. "I suggest you trust me."

It sounded more like an order than a suggestion to her. She decided she was going to have to trust him, however, for the simple reason that she didn't have any other options available to her. She gave him a quick nod. "All right then. I'll trust you."

Her immediate agreement pleased him. Colin understood why she wanted to know beforehand exactly what was going to happen. It was a way for Alesandra to gain control. The more she knew, the less afraid she would be.

It was usual and customary for a young lady to get the needed information from her mother, of course. At least, Colin thought that was how it worked. He assumed his mother had spoken to his sister Catherine about the marriage act. Regardless, Alesandra's mother had died before her daughter was old enough to need such knowledge.

And so one of the nuns had tried to take over the duty. "Exactly how old is this mother superior?" he asked.

"She looks eighty, but I imagine she's probably younger," Alesandra replied. "I never dared ask her. Why do you ask?"

"Never mind," he said. He turned the topic back to her worry. "Alesandra, I'm going to explain everything you need to know."

The tenderness in his voice felt like a soothing stroke against her cheek. "You will?"

"Yes," he promised almost absentmindedly. His mind was occupied trying to picture the ancient nun explaining the facts of life to Alesandra, using such descriptive words as temple and worship. Lord, he wished he'd been there to hear the private discussion.

Alesandra saw the sparkle in Colin's eyes and immediately jumped to the conclusion that her naivete amused him.

"I'm sorry I'm acting so… inexperienced."

"You are inexperienced," he gently reminded her.

"Yes, and I'm sorry."

Colin laughed. "I'm not," he told her.

"You'll really answer all my questions?" she asked, still not certain she believed him. "You won't leave anything out? I don't like surprises."

"I won't leave anything out."

She let out a sigh. She quit twisting the wrinkles in her gown, too. Colin's promise had just helped her regain control of her fear. She didn't even mind that he found her embarrassment amusing. He was going to give her the necessary information and that was all that counted. Her relief made her weak with gratitude.

"Well, then, it's going to be all right," she announced. "Shouldn't we get out of the carriage now?"

Colin agreed. He jumped out first, then turned to assist Alesandra. Both the guards were frowning with obvious concern for their princess. They wanted her under lock and key.

Flannaghan hovered in the doorway, waiting to greet his new mistress. He took her cloak from her, draped it over his arm, and then gave her his heartfelt congratulations.

"If you would like to go upstairs now I'll prepare your bathwater, Princess," he suggested.

The idea of a long hot bath after the stress-filled day appealed to her. It would be her second today, but Mother Superior had told her that cleanliness was next to godliness so she didn't feel at all decadent.

"Colin's going to have a talk with me in the study," she told Flannaghan. "I'll have my bath after."

"Have your bath first," Colin suggested. "I have some papers to look over."

It was a lie, of course. Colin didn't have any intention of working on his wedding night, but he thought a bath might help relax Alesandra, and she looked in need of the diversion.

It had been one hell of a wedding day for her, and even though she appeared to be a little less worried and a little more in control of her emotions now, he knew her nerves were still frayed.

"As you wish," Alesandra agreed. She turned to follow the butler up the steps. Colin was right behind her.

"Was it a beautiful wedding?" Flannaghan asked.

"Oh, yes," Alesandra answered, her voice filled with enthusiasm. "Everything went quite well. Didn't it, Colin?"

"You were almost kidnapped," he reminded her.

"Yes, but other than that, it was wonderful, wasn't it?"

"And terrorized."

"Yes, but.."

"They destroyed your wedding dress."

She stopped on the top step and whirled around to glare at him. She obviously didn't want to be reminded of those incidents.

"Every bride wishes to believe her wedding was perfect," she announced.

He winked at her. "Then it was perfect," he announced.

She smiled, satisfied.

Flannaghan waited until he and Alesandra were alone in her bedroom to nag the details out of her. Raymond and Stefan carried in additional buckets of hot, steaming water to fill the oval tub. The butler had thoughtfully unpacked her clothes and had placed a white gown and wrapper on her bed.

She took her time in the bath. The hot water relaxed her and helped ease the tension out of her shoulders. She washed her hair with the rose-scented soap, then sat by the hearth to dry it. Alesandra didn't worry about hurrying because she knew Colin was busy working and had probably already lost track of the time.

At least an hour had passed before she decided to interrupt him. Her hair was completely dry, but after she put on her robe, she took another ten minutes or so brushing the curls again. She was yawning every other minute. The hot bath, added to the heat radiating from the fire in the hearth, made her drowsy, and she didn't want to fall asleep during Colin's explanation.

She went down the hallway to the study. She knocked on the door, then walked inside. Colin wasn't at his desk. Alesandra wasn't certain if he'd gone into his bedroom or downstairs. She decided to wait in the study for him, assuming he would want to have his talk with her there, and went over to the desk to collect a sheet of paper. She was just reaching for the pen and inkwell when Colin appeared in the doorway to his bedroom.

The sight of him took her breath away. Colin had obviously just had a bath too, for his hair was still damp. He wasn't dressed, but wore only a pair of black pants. They weren't buttoned.

He had a powerful build. His skin was beautifully bronzed and the bulge of sinewy strength hiding under the sleek exterior reminded her of a panther. The roped muscles rolled ever so slightly when he moved. His chest was covered with a thick mat of dark curly hair that tapered to a V at his waist.

She didn't look any lower.

Colin leaned against the doorframe, folded his arms across his chest, and smiled at her. A faint blush stained her cheeks. She was folding and refolding the sheet of paper in her hands and desperately trying to act nonchalant, and he knew he was going to have to take it slow and easy with her in order to help her keep her fear at bay. It was going to be a difficult undertaking, because Colin had never taken a virgin to his bed before and the sight of Alesandra in her white gown and robe was already sending heat coursing through his body. He was getting aroused just looking at her. His gaze was centered on her mouth and he was thinking what he would like her to do to him with those sweet, full, pouting lips.

"Colin, what are you thinking?"

He didn't believe it would be a good idea to tell her the truth. "I was wondering what you're doing with that paper," he lied instead.

Her concentration had become so scattered from her nervousness she had to look down at her hands before she understood what he was asking her. "Notes," she blurted out with a quick nod.

He raised an eyebrow. "Notes?"

"Yes. I thought I would take notes during your explanation so I won't forget anything important. Is that all right, Colin?"

The worry in her voice cut through his amusement. "How very organized of you," he said.

She smiled. "Thank you. My father was the first to teach me how important it is to be organized. Then Mother Superior took over my training."

Dear God, she wished she could quit rambling.

"How old were you when your father died?"

"Eleven."

"Yet you remember…"

"Oh, yes, I remember everything he taught me," she replied. "It was my way of pleasing him, Colin, and I thoroughly enjoyed the time we spent together. It made him happy to talk about his business transactions and it made me happy to be included."

She'd turned the sheet of paper into a wrinkled ball. Colin doubted she was aware of what she'd just done. "I'll only write down key words," she promised.

He slowly shook his head. "You won't need to take notes," he assured her. "You're going to remember everything I tell you."

He was feeling damn proud of himself. The urge to laugh had almost overwhelmed him, but he'd been able to contain himself.

"All right then." She turned back to the desk, started to put the sheet of paper back, and only then realized the mess she'd made. She tossed it into the trash basket, then turned back to stare at him.

The warm glint in his eyes made her shiver with pleasure and that wonderful lopsided grin of his made her heartbeat become quite frantic. She took a deep breath and ordered herself to calm down.

Dear God, he was beautiful. Without realizing what she was doing, she blurted that thought aloud.

He laughed in reaction to her praise. His amusement didn't upset her, though, and she found herself smiling back. "For a dragon," she teased.

The way he was looking at her made her feel as though butterflies were gathering inside her stomach. She needed to give her hands something to do, she decided, and immediately folded them together. "Are we going to have our talk now?"

"First things first," he announced. "I just realized I didn't give you a proper wedding kiss."

"You didn't?"

He shook his head. Then he crooked his finger at her. She slowly walked across the room to stand directly in front of him.

"Are you going to kiss me now?" she asked, her voice a breathless whisper.

"Yeah."

He'd drawled out that admission. He slowly unfolded himself from the doorway to tower over her. She took an instinctive step back. She immediately stopped herself. She wasn't afraid of Colin, she reminded herself, and she really did want him to kiss her. She moved forward again. "I like the way you kiss me," she whispered.

"I know."

His grin was arrogant. He knew she was nervous, too. She didn't have any doubt about that. And he was enjoying her embarrassment, too.

"How do you know?" she asked, thinking to give him some clever reply once he answered.

"The way you respond to me tells me you like me to touch you."

She couldn't think of anything clever to say to that fact. In truth she was having trouble holding on to any thought. Colin was fully responsible for her condition, of course. The warmth in his gaze was making her stomach quiver.

She felt his hands on her waist, looked down, and watched him untie the belt to her robe. She tried to stop him, but before she'd even placed her hands on top of his, he was easing her robe off her shoulders.

"Why did you do that?"

"You look warm."

"Oh."

The robe dropped to the floor. Her gown was transparent enough for him to see the soft curves of her body. She tried to pull the folds of the garment close around the front of her. Colin didn't give her time to shield herself. He pulled her tight against him. "Put your arms around me, Alesandra. Hold me while I kiss you."

She wound her arms around his neck just as he leaned down and began to nibble on her lips. His tongue traced the inside of her lower lip, sending shivers down her spine. She tightened her hold and leaned up on tiptoes to try to deepen the kiss. Her breasts rubbed against his chest and she let out a broken sigh over the strange feeling of his skin against her. Her breasts suddenly felt heavy, tight, and her nipples hardened. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling, just strange and wonderful. She deliberately rubbed against him again, but ever so slightly so he wouldn't know what she was doing. She didn't want him to think she was bold. She wanted to be bold, though, for the heat from his hard body affected her like an aphrodisiac and she couldn't seem to get close enough to him.

He was driving her crazy teasing her lips with his tongue, his teeth. She couldn't put up with the gentle torment long. She tugged impatiently on his hair, telling him without words that she wanted more.

His mouth finally settled on top of hers in a gentle caress and his tongue eased inside to stroke hers. He acted as though he had all the time in the world. He was slow, deliberate, exerting only scant pressure as he nudged the fires of passion inside her.

Her soft moan told him how much she liked what he was doing to her. He pulled back, saw the passion in her eyes, knew it was mirrored in his own, and let out a low groan of his own. "So sweet," he whispered against her mouth. "Open up for me," he commanded in a rough whisper.

He didn't give her time to comply with that order but used his thumb to force her chin down. His tongue thrust inside, then retreated before penetrating again. She went all soft and willing on him, and that innocent response made him forget about going slow. He was suddenly so hungry for her he couldn't control his pace. His mouth became hard, demanding. The love play between their tongues-his bold, hers timid-made both of them shake with desire. She was too overwhelmed by the fire Colin was spreading inside her to be afraid of what was to come. She couldn't think, only react. She moved against him restlessly, unaware of what she was doing now, or what she was doing to him. Her fingers threaded through his hair, and his control almost snapped when she began to whimper and move so enticingly against his hard arousal. The kiss turned carnal, ravenous. Passion ignited into raw desire as his mouth slanted over hers with primal ownership. His hunger stroked her own.

The kiss seemed unending and yet over all too soon. When Colin pulled back, her mouth was rosy and wet from his touch. The taste of her was on his mouth now, but it wasn't enough for him.

She collapsed against his chest and tucked her face under his chin. Her breathing was choppy against his collarbone.

Colin lifted her into his arms and carried her into his room. He gently placed her in the center of his bed and then stood by the side, staring down at her. His hot gaze warmed her and made her shiver at the same time.

She felt drowsy from his kisses. Her mind cleared when he hooked his thumbs into the waistband of his pants and began to pull them off. She closed her eyes and tried to turn away from him. Colin was quicker than she was, however. He'd stripped out of his pants and joined her in the bed before she'd even made it to the other side.

He caught her by her nightgown. The fabric ripped when he pulled her back to him. She only had enough time to gasp before the gown was completely discarded and Colin was covering her with his body.

She became as rigid as a board. He gently pried her legs apart with his knee and then completely stretched out on top of her just the way he'd fantasized in his dreams since the moment he met her. His hard arousal pressed against the soft curls at the junction of her thighs, and it felt so damn good to him he let out a low growl of satisfaction.

Reality was better than fantasy, however, for he hadn't been able to imagine how incredibly soft and smooth her skin would feel against him. Her breasts were much fuller than he'd fantasized, and he hadn't been able to capture the intensity of his reaction to having her trembling underneath him. It was as close to heaven as he thought he'd ever be.

"Colin, shouldn't we have our talk now?"

He leaned up on his elbows to look at her. Worry was evident in her eyes; victory was evident in his.

"Absolutely." He cupped the sides of her face to hold her still, then kissed her long and hard.

He made her shiver with desire. She couldn't resist putting her arms around his waist to draw more of his warmth. Her toes curled against his legs and it suddenly wasn't enough to simply hold on to him. She needed to touch him, stroke him. Her hands moved up his back, then down the sides of his arms.

Her touch was as light as a butterfly's wings against his skin and yet it was the most erotic caress he'd ever received. He turned his attention to her neck. She turned her head ever so slightly to give him better access. His teeth gently tugged on her earlobe, sending jolts of pleasure cascading all the way down to her toes, and, dear God, his tongue was making it impossible to think.

She started moving with silent demand for more. Colin shifted his position and kissed a line down her throat. He moved lower and kissed the valley between her breasts. She smelled like roses and woman. It was a heady combination. Colin inhaled her sweet scent, then used his tongue to taste her.

He was taking entirely too many liberties with her body. She thought she would die if he stopped. His hands cupped her breasts and they immediately began to ache for more. She didn't understand the frustration building inside her. She felt as though she was made of seams and they were all splitting apart on her. Then Colin's tongue brushed across her nipple. She almost came off the bed. She cried out in fear and pleasure. The feeling was almost too intense to endure, yet it was exquisitely wonderful, too. Her hands dropped back to her sides and she grabbed fistfuls of the sheets in an attempt to anchor herself against the storm of emotions flooding her.

"Colin!"

His name came out with a sob and she began to writhe against him when he took her nipple into his mouth and began to suckle. He was driving her beyond control. His hands stroked her everywhere. She drew a deep, ragged breath and began to whimper. His mouth captured hers again just as his hand slid into the soft curls shielding her virginity. She tried to stop him, but he wouldn't be denied. His fingers slowly penetrated the tight, slick opening, then withdrew. The pad of his thumb rubbed against the very spot he knew would drive her wild.

He made love to her with his fingers until she was mindless to everything but finding fulfillment. Colin had never had a woman respond to him with such honesty. It made it impossible for him to hold on to his own discipline.

"Baby, you're so tight," he whispered, his own voice a harsh whisper.

She could barely concentrate on what he was telling her. "You're making me ache. Please…"

She didn't know what she wanted from him, only knew she would go mad if he didn't do something to ease the sweet torment.

He hoped to God she was ready for him. He pulled her hands away from the sheets and wrapped them around his neck. His knee nudged her thighs wider and then his hands slid under her hips to hold her close. The tip of his arousal was surrounded by her liquid heat. He slowly pressed inside her, paused when he felt the barrier of her virginity, and then tried to gently push past the obstacle. The barrier wouldn't give. Colin's jaw was clenched tight and his breathing was as ragged as though he'd just run a mile, for the pleasure was already so intense he could barely hold on to what little control he had left. He knew he was hurting her. She cried out against his mouth and tried to push him away at the same time.

He soothed her with honeyed words. "Sweetheart, it's going to be all right. The pain won't last long. Hold on to me. Oh, baby, don't move like that… not yet."

Trying to be gentle was only prolonging the pain for her… and it was killing him. His forehead was covered with perspiration and he knew he would go completely out of his mind if he didn't bury himself deep inside her.

He shifted his hold on her, lifted her hips, then thrust deep with one powerful surge. She cried out, her pain as intense now as his pleasure, and tried to push away from him again. His weight wouldn't allow any movement. His possession was complete and, dear God, she fit him like a second skin. He fought the urge to partially withdraw and then thrust back into her, for he wanted to give her time to adjust to him. Her nails scored his shoulderblades and he knew she was trying to get him to let her go. Colin tried to capture her mouth for another searing kiss, but she turned her head away from him. He kissed her ear instead, then her cheek, trying his damnedest to hold on to the remnants of his control long enough to rekindle the passion inside her. Tears streamed down her face and she let out a little broken sob.

"Sweetheart, don't cry. I'm sorry. God, I had to hurt you. It's going to get better in just a few minutes. You feel so damned good. Hold me, baby. Hold me."

The worry in his voice soothed her far more than his words. Pleasure warred with pain. She was so confused by the conflicting feelings, she didn't know what to do. She wanted him to stop and yet she wanted him to stay joined with her too. His breath was hot against her ear. Harsh, too. The sound excited her. She didn't understand what was happening to her. Her body was demanding release, but release from what? She didn't know. The urge to move was suddenly there, and every nerve inside her clamored in anticipation.

"I want to move." Her voice was a bare whisper of confusion.

Colin leaned up on his elbows to look at her. Her eyes shimmered with passion, but more important to him, she'd quit crying.

"I want to move, too. I want to pull out, then sink deep inside you again."

His voice was rough with emotion. She instinctively squeezed him tight. She decided to test just to make certain it really had gotten better. She'd felt as though he'd torn her apart a minute ago, but now the throbbing wasn't as intense, and when she moved restlessly against him, pain didn't result. The touch of splendor caught her by surprise.

"It's starting to feel… nice."

It was all the permission he needed. His control snapped. His mouth covered hers in a ravenous kiss. The hunger inside him raged out of control. He slowly withdrew from her, then thrust deep inside. The mating ritual consumed him, and when she tightened around him again and lifted her hips up to meet his thrusts, he buried his face against the side of her neck and let out a raw groan. The pressure building inside him was excruciatingly beautiful. Colin had never experienced anything like this before. Alesandra was like fire in his arms, and her wild, uninhibited response shook him to his very soul. She held nothing back, and that selfless act forced him to do the same. The bed squeaked in protest as he thrust inside her again and again. He was mindless to everything but giving both of them fulfillment.

It came upon them in a rush. She found her release first and when she instinctively squeezed him tight and arched against him, he gave in to his own orgasm.

It took her a long while to come back to reality. She clung to her husband and let the waves of blissful surrender wash over her. A part of her mind understood that as long as she was holding Colin, she was safe. She didn't have to worry about control. He would take care of her. Alesandra closed her eyes and let the wonder of their lovemaking consume her every thought.

She had never felt this safe, this free.

Colin was experiencing the opposite reaction. He was shaken by what had just happened to him, for he'd never allowed himself to completely abandon his control. Never. It scared the hell out of him. Her silky thighs had squeezed every thought out of his mind. She was the innocent, he experienced, and yet she'd been able to strip him of all his defenses. He hadn't been able to hold a part of himself back and toward the end, when they were both reaching for their fulfillment, he had been as much at her mercy as she at his-and, God help him, it had never been this good before. It scared the hell out of him.

For the first time in his life he felt vulnerable, trapped.

They were still joined together. Colin slowly withdrew before the feel of her made him hard again. He gritted his teeth against the pleasure that movement caused. He didn't have the strength to move away from her yet, but he knew his weight was probably crushing her. Her arms were wrapped around his neck. He reached up and gently pulled them away. He leaned down to kiss the base of her throat, felt her frantic heartbeat, and found arrogant male satisfaction then, for he realized she hadn't completely recovered either.

A minute later he rolled onto his back, away from her. He took a deep, shuddering breath and closed his eyes. The scent of their lovemaking permeated the air around them. The taste of her was still in his mouth and, God help him, he could feel himself getting hard again.

Alesandra finally roused herself from her thoughts and turned to him. She propped herself up on one elbow to look at him.

His scowl stunned her. "Colin?" she whispered. "Are you all right?"

He turned his head to look at her. Within a bare second, his expression changed. Colin wasn't about to let her see his vulnerability. He smiled at her and then reached over to brush the back of his hand against the side of her face. She leaned into his caress.

"I'm supposed to ask you if you're all right," he explained.

She looked more than all right to him. Her eyes were still shimmering with passion, her mouth looked swollen from his kisses, her hair was draped over one shoulder, and Colin thought she was the sexiest woman in the world.

"I hurt you, didn't I?"

She slowly nodded. She noticed he didn't seem overly worried about that fact. "I was…"

"Hot?"

She blushed. He laughed. Then he pulled her into his arms and let her hide her face against his chest. "It's a little late to become embarrassed, isn't it? Or have you forgotten how wild you were a few minutes ago?"

She hadn't forgotten. She blushed to the roots of her hair just thinking about her wanton reaction. His chest rumbled with amusement. She didn't mind that he was laughing at her. The most wonderful thing in the world had just happened to her and she wasn't going to let anything ruin it. A warm glow still surrounded her, making her feel both blissful and sleepy.

"I wasn't very dignified, was I?"

"Do you mean you weren't dignified when you begged me not to stop?"

He rubbed her backside in a lazy fashion while he waited for her answer.

"I did do that, didn't I?"

The wonder in her voice made him smile. "Yes," he drawled out. "You did."

She sighed. "It was nice, wasn't it?"

He laughed. "It was a whole lot better than nice."

Long minutes passed in silence. He broke the peaceful interlude when he let out a loud yawn.

"Colin? Did I… was I…"

She couldn't seem to finish her question. Her own vulnerability made her too timid to find out if she had been satisfactory.

He knew what she needed from him now. "Alesandra?"

The way he whispered her name felt like a caress. "Yes?"

"You were perfect."

"It's good of you to say so."

She relaxed against him and closed her eyes. The sound of his heartbeat mingled with his soft laughter soothed her. His one hand stroked her back and his other gently rubbed her neck. She was just drifting off to sleep when he called her name again.

"Hmm?"

"Would you like me to begin explaining now?"

He waited several minutes before he realized she'd fallen asleep. His fingers threaded through her hair and he shifted positions just a little so he could kiss the top of her head. "A woman's body is like a temple," he whispered.

He didn't expect an answer and didn't get one. He pulled the covers up, wrapped his arms around his bride, and closed his eyes.

His last thought before he drifted off to sleep made him smile. The nun really had been right when she'd told Alesandra men would want to worship. He sure as certain had.

~

He was neither mad nor out of control. He still had a conscience. He simply chose not to listen to it. Yes, he knew what he was doing was wrong. It still mattered to him, or at least it had mattered that first time. She had rejected him and had deserved to die. Rage had guided his hands, his dagger. He'd only wanted to kill her. He hadn't expected the rush, hadn't known how powerful he would feel, how invincible.

He could stop. He raised his glass and took a long drink. He would stop, he vowed.

His scarred boots were in the corner. He stared at them a long minute before making up his mind to throw them away tomorrow. There were flowers on the table… waiting… ready… taunting him.

He hurled the glass at the hearth. Glass splintered to the ground. He reached for the bottle while he chanted his promise.

He would stop.

Chapter 9

Alesandra awoke late the next morning. Colin had already left the bedroom. It was just as well because she didn't want him to see her pitiful condition. She was so stiff and sore, she groaned like an old woman when she got out of bed. And no wonder, she thought to herself when she saw the stains of blood on the sheets. No one had warned her that making love would cause her to bleed. She frowned with worry and irritation then, for it was a fact that no one had told her anything. Was it a usual occurrence to bleed? What if it wasn't usual at all? What if Colin had accidentally torn something that couldn't be repaired?

She tried not to panic and succeeded until she bathed. The tenderness and the additional blood on the washcloth frightened her, though. She was embarrassed, too. She didn't want Flannaghan to see the stains when he changed the sheets, so she stripped the bed herself.

Alesandra continued to fret while she dressed. She put on a pale blue dress and matching soft leather shoes. The gown had a white border along the square neckline and around the cuffs of the long sleeves. It was a very feminine dress and one of Alesandra's favorites. She brushed her hair until it crackled with curl, then went in search of her husband.

Their first encounter in the light of day after the intimacy they had shared the night before was going to be awkward for her and she wanted to get it over with as soon as possible. If she tried, she was certain she would be able to hide her embarrassment.

Colin was sitting at his desk in the study. The door facing the corridor was open. She stood in the entrance, debating whether she should interrupt him or not. He must have felt her gaze on him, however, because he suddenly looked up. He was still frowning with concentration over the letter he was reading, but his expression quickly changed. Tenderness came into his eyes when he smiled at her.

She thought she might have smiled back. She couldn't be certain. Dear Lord, was she ever going to become accustomed to having him around? He was such a handsome man. His shoulders seemed wider to her today, his hair appeared darker, his skin more bronzed. The white shirt he wore accentuated his appeal. It was a stark contrast to his coloring. Her gaze turned to his mouth and she was suddenly flooded with memories of how it had felt to be kissed by him… everywhere.

Alesandra hastily lowered her gaze to his chin. She wasn't about to let him know how embarrassed she was feeling. She would be dignified and sophisticated.

"Good morning, Colin." Her voice croaked like a frog. Her face felt as though it was on fire. Retreat seemed the only choice. She would try to face him later, when she was more in control. "I can see you're busy," she told him in a rush as she backed away. "I'll go on downstairs."

She turned and started to walk away. "Alesandra."

"Yes?"

"Come here."

She walked back to the entrance. Colin leaned back in his chair and crooked his finger at her. She straightened her shoulders, forced a smile, and walked inside. She stopped when she reached his desk. That wasn't good enough for him. He motioned her over to his side. She maintained her nonchalant attitude as she circled the desk. Colin was never going to know how awkward she was feeling.

He looked at her for a long minute. "Are you going to tell me what's the matter with you?"

Her shoulders slumped a little. "You're a difficult man to fool," she remarked.

He frowned. "Since you're never going to try to fool me, that fact isn't significant, is it?"

"No."

He waited another minute or two, and when she didn't explain, he asked her again. "Tell me what's bothering you."

She turned her gaze to the floor. "This is… awkward for me, seeing you after…"

"After what?"

"Last night."

A faint blush turned her cheeks pink. Colin found her reaction delightful-arousing, too. He pulled her onto his lap, then nudged her chin up and smiled at her. "And?" he prodded.

"In the light of day, the memory of what we did together makes me feel a little embarrassed."

"The memory makes me want you again."

Her eyes widened over his gruff confession. "But you can't."

"Sure I can," he told her cheerfully.

She shook her head. "I can't," she whispered.

He frowned. "Why can't you?"

Her blush felt as though it was burning her skin. "Isn't it enough that I tell you I can't?"

"Hell, no, it isn't enough."

She turned her gaze to her lap. "You're making this difficult," she remarked. "If my mother was here I could talk to her, but…"

She didn't continue. The sadness in her voice made him forget his irritation. She was worrying about something and he was determined to find out what it was. "You can talk to me," he said. "I'm your husband, remember? We shouldn't have any secrets between us. You liked making love," he added with a nod.

He sounded terribly arrogant to her. "Perhaps," she replied, just to prick his temper.

He let her see his exasperation. "Perhaps? You came apart in my arms," he whispered. The memory made his own voice harsh. "Have you forgotten so soon?"

"No. I haven't forgotten. Colin, you hurt me."

She blurted out that truth and waited for him to apologize. She would tell him about her injury then and he would understand why he couldn't touch her again.

"Baby, I know I hurt you."

The heat in his voice, so rough, so masculine, made her shiver. She shifted in his lap. He immediately grabbed hold of her hips to hold her still. She didn't have any idea what the conversation was doing to him, of course-having her sweet bottom rubbing so intimately against him made him hard with desire.

Alesandra wasn't embarrassed any longer. She was irritated because she had just realized her husband was callous in his attitudes. He didn't seem at all contrite.

The disgruntled look on her face made him smile. "Sweetheart," he began, his voice soothing now. "It won't hurt like that again."

She shook her head. She wouldn't look into his eyes and turned her gaze to his chin. "You don't understand," she whispered. "Something… happened."

"What happened?" he asked, holding on to his patience.

"I bled. It was on the sheets and I…"

He finally understood. Colin wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest. He had two purposes in mind. One, he wanted to hold her, and two, he didn't want her to see his smile. She might think he was laughing at her.

She didn't want his embrace at all, but he was much stronger than she was and much more determined. He was going to soothe her whether she wanted him to or not. When she finally gave in and relaxed against him, he let out a sigh and rubbed his chin against the top of her head. "And you thought something was wrong, didn't you? I should have explained. I'm sorry. You've been worrying for no reason."

The tenderness in his voice calmed her fear just a little. She still wasn't certain she believed him, though. "Are you telling me I was supposed to bleed?"

She sounded suspicious-and appalled at the very idea. Colin didn't laugh. "Yes," he announced. "You were supposed to bleed."

"But that's… barbaric."

He disagreed with that opinion. He told her he found it both pleasing and arousing, and she immediately announced that he was barbaric, too.

Alesandra had lived in a cocoon with the nuns. She'd arrived as a little girl and left as a woman. She hadn't been allowed to talk to anyone about the changes taking place in her body or talk about the feelings those changes evoked, and Colin counted himself blessed because her sensuality hadn't been destroyed or marred. The mother superior might not have wanted to talk about sex, but she hadn't filled Alesandra's head with a lot of frightening nonsense. The nun had elevated the marriage act, too, by using such euphemisms as temple and worship, and even noble and worthy, and because of her attitude, Alesandra hadn't believed it was degrading or foul.

His sweet bride was like a butterfly emerging from her isolated shelter. Her own sensuality and her passionate response probably scared the hell out of her.

"I'm fortunate the nuns didn't warp you by planting fears in your head," he remarked.

"Why would they?" she asked, clearly puzzled. "The wedding vows we took are sacred. It would have been a sin to mock the sacrament."

Colin was so pleased with her, he hugged her. He apologized again because she had fretted needlessly, and then explained in detail exactly why she was supposed to bleed. He didn't stop there. The mother superior had told Alesandra that a child was the noble and worthy result of the union. Colin explained exactly how conception occurred. He talked about the differences in their bodies while he rubbed her back in a lazy fashion. The spontaneous lecture lasted nearly twenty minutes. She'd been embarrassed when he began his explanation, but his matter-of-fact attitude soon helped her get over her shyness. She was extremely curious about his body and plied him with questions. He answered all of them.

She was vastly relieved when he'd finished. She leaned away from him, thinking to give him her thank you for explaining, but the warm glint in his eyes made her forget what she was about to say. She kissed him instead. "Did you honestly believe we would never…" She wouldn't let him finish. "I worried we couldn't."

"I want you now."

"I'm too tender," she whispered. "And you did just say it would take a few days to feel better."

"There are other ways to find fulfillment."

Her curiosity was pricked. "There are?" she asked in a breathless whisper.

He nodded. "Lots of ways."

The way he was staring at her made her restless with desire. A warm glow was forming in the pit of her stomach and she suddenly wanted to get a little closer to him. She put her arms around his neck, threaded her fingers through his hair, and smiled at him. "How many ways?"

"Hundreds," he exaggerated.

The way he was smiling at her told her he was teasing. She responded in kind. "Then I should probably take notes while you explain them to me. I wouldn't want to forget one or two."

He laughed. "Demonstration is more fun than taking notes."

"Begging your pardon, milord, but you have a visitor downstairs."

Alesandra almost jumped off Colin's lap when the sound of Flannaghan's voice reached her. Colin wouldn't let her go. He continued to look at his bride when he spoke to his servant. "Who is it?"

"Sir Richards."

"Damn."

"Don't you like him?" asked Alesandra. Colin let out a sigh. He lifted Alesandra off his lap and stood up. "Sure I like him," he replied. "The damn was because I know he won't be put off. I'll have to see him. Flannaghan, send him up."

The butler immediately left to fetch the director. Alesandra turned to leave. Colin grabbed her hand and pulled her back. He put his arms around her, leaned down, and gave her a long kiss. His mouth was hot, wet, demanding, and when he pulled back, she was trembling with desire. Her uninhibited response pleased him. "Later," he whispered before he let her go.

The dark promise in his eyes left no doubt as to what he was talking about. Alesandra didn't trust her voice yet, so she simply nodded her agreement. She turned and walked out of the study. Her hands shook when she brushed her hair back over her shoulders and she bumped into the wall when she turned to go back down the hallway. She let out a little sigh over her own sorry condition. AH the man had to do was look at her and her mind turned into lettuce. One kiss and she wilted in his arms.

It was a fanciful thought, she admitted, yet all too true. Perhaps, once the newness of having a husband had worn off, she would become accustomed to Colin. She certainly hoped so, for she didn't want to spend the rest of her life bumping into walls and walking around in a daze.

She didn't want to ever take him for granted either. That thought made her smile. Colin would never let her become lax. He was a demanding, lustful man, and if last night was any indication, she also had those same qualities.

Alesandra went back into Colin's bedroom and stood by one of the windows looking out. It was a glorious day and all because Colin wanted her. She must have been perfect last night, she thought to herself. It hadn't been idle praise on his part, or he wouldn't have wanted her so soon again today, would he?

Wanting and loving weren't the same. Alesandra understood that truth well enough. She thought of herself as a realist. Yes, Colin had married her because of duty. She couldn't change that fact. She couldn't make him love her either, of course, but she believed that in time his heart would belong to her. She had already become his friend, hadn't she?

It was going to be a good, strong marriage. Both of them had taken a vow in front of God and witnesses to live as husband and wife until death did they part. Colin was too honorable to break his commitment to her, and surely in the years to come he would learn to love her.

She was already falling in love with him. Alesandra immediately shook her head in denial. She wasn't ready to think about her own feelings.

Alesandra's own vulnerability frightened her. Marriage, she decided, was far more complex than she'd ever imagined.

"Princess Alesandra, will I disturb you if I put fresh sheets on the bed?"

She turned and smiled at Flannaghan. "I would be happy to help you."

He reacted as though she'd just called him a foul word. He looked appalled. She laughed. "I do know how to change sheets, Flannaghan."

"You've actually…"

He was too flabbergasted to continue. She found his behavior puzzling. "Where I lived before I came to England I was fully responsible for my clothes and my bedroom. If I wanted the luxury of clean sheets, I changed them."

"Who would demand such a thing from a princess?"

"The mother superior," she answered. "I lived in a convent," she explained. "And I wasn't given special treatment. I was happy not to be thought of as different."

Flannaghan nodded. "Now I understand why you're so unspoiled," he blurted out. "I-I meant that as a compliment," he added in a stammer.

"Thank you," she answered.

The butler hurried over to the bed and began to unfold the linens. "I've already put fresh sheets on your bed, Princess. I'll turn the covers down for you directly after dinner."

His explanation confused her. "Why would you go to the trouble? I thought I would sleep with my husband in his bed."

Flannaghan didn't notice the worry in her voice. He was busy with his task of tucking the bottom sheet into a perfect corner fold. "Milord told me you would be sleeping in your own room," he told her.

The half-given explanation confused her even more. She turned around and pretended to look out the window so Flannaghan wouldn't see her expression. She doubted she could keep the hurt from showing in her eyes.

"I see," she replied for lack of anything better to say. "Did Colin explain why?"

"No," Flannaghan answered. He straightened up and walked around to the other side of the bed. "In England, most of the husbands and wives sleep in separate quarters. It's just the way it's done here."

Alesandra started to feel a little better. Then Flannaghan continued with his explanation. "Of course, Colin's brother, Caine, doesn't follow that dictate. Sterns is the marquess's man. He's my uncle, too," he added with a note of pride in his voice. "He let it slip once that his employer and his wife never sleep apart."

She was instantly miserable again. Of course Caine and Jade slept in the same bed. They happened to love each other. She wagered the duke and duchess only shared one bedroom, too, for they, too, held great affection for each other.

Alesandra straightened her shoulders. She wasn't going to ask Colin why he didn't want her in his bed. She did have her pride, after all. The man was making it perfectly clear how he felt about their marriage. First he cut his hair and now he was going to make her sleep alone. So be it, she decided. She certainly wasn't going to have hurt feelings. No, of course not. It would be a bother having to share a bed. She didn't need his warmth during the night and she certainly wouldn't miss being held in his arms.

The lies weren't working. Alesandra finally quit trying to make herself feel better. She decided she needed to get busy so her mind would be better occupied.

Flannaghan finished making the bed. She followed him down the hall. The door to the study was closed. Alesandra waited until she was well past the entrance to ask the butler how long she thought Colin would be in conference.

"The director had a stack of papers with him," Flannaghan said. "I'd wager it will take a good hour before they're finished."

Flannaghan had miscalculated by several hours. It was well after two that afternoon when he carried the tray of food Cook had prepared up the stairs. He came back down and told Alesandra that the men were still pouring over the documents.

Dreyson was scheduled to call at three, and Alesandra was trying to hurry through the correspondence she and her husband had received that morning. There were over fifty letters of congratulations and almost as many invitations to sort through. Alesandra had divided the papers into stacks, then made lists for each. She gave Flannaghan the stack of invitations to decline while she penned another note to Neil Perry, pleading for him to give her just one hour of his time to discuss his sister.

"I must speak to milord about hiring you both a lady's maid and a full-time secretary," Flannaghan remarked.

"No," Alesandra countered. "I don't have need for either, unless you dislike helping me out now and again, Flannaghan, and your employer is busy building his company. He doesn't need the added expense."

The vehemence in her tone told the butler she would be pricked if he went behind her back. He nodded acceptance. "It is good of you to be so understanding about your husband's financial affairs. We won't be poor for long," he added with a smile.

They weren't poor now, Alesandra thought to herself. If Colin would take advantage of her own funds, of course, she qualified to herself. "Your employer is very stubborn," she whispered.

Flannaghan didn't know what had caused that remark. The knocker sounded at the door and he excused himself from the table immediately.

Morgan Atkins walked into the foyer. He spotted Alesandra in the dining room and turned to smile at her. "Congratulations, Princess. I just heard the news of your wedding. I hope you'll be very happy."

Alesandra started to stand up but Morgan motioned her to stay seated. He explained he was already late for a meeting with Colin and the director.

He really was a charming gentleman. He bowed low before turning to follow Flannaghan up the steps. She watched him until he disappeared from view, then shook her head. Colin had been wrong. Morgan Atkins wasn't the least bit bowlegged.

Another twenty minutes passed before Sir Richards and Morgan came downstairs together. They exchanged pleasantries with Alesandra and took their leave. Dreyson was given entrance just as the director and his new recruit left.

"I'm most alarmed, Princess," Dreyson announced as soon as he'd finished his greeting. "Is there someplace where we might have a bit of privacy?"

Raymond and Stefan were both standing in the foyer with Flannaghan. The guards always came running whenever a visitor wished entrance. Alesandra didn't believe their protection was necessary any longer, as she was married now and surely out of the general's reach, but she knew both guards would continue to do their duty until they were dismissed. She wasn't going to let them go, however, until she'd found suitable positions for them in London. Raymond and Stefan had let it be known they wanted to stay on in England, and she was determined to find a way to accommodate them. It was the very least she could do for such loyal men.

"Shall we go into the salon?" Alesandra suggested to the agent.

Dreyson nodded. He waited until the princess had walked past him, then turned to Flannaghan. "Is Sir Hallbrook at home today?" he asked.

Flannaghan nodded. Dreyson looked relieved. "Would you mind getting him for me? I believe he'll want to hear this distressing news."

The butler turned and hurried up the steps to see the task completed. Dreyson went inside the salon and sat down across from Alesandra.

"Your frown is very fierce," she said. She folded her hands in her lap and smiled at the agent. "Could the news be that terrible, sir?"

"I've come with two bits of bad news," Dreyson admitted. His voice sounded weary. "I'm sorry to have to bother you at all on your second day of marriage." He let out a sigh before continuing. "My contact has just informed me a substantial amount of your funds-in fact, all of the funds in the account back home-won't be released, Princess. It seems a general named Ivan has cleverly found a way to confiscate the near fortune."

Alesandra showed very little reaction to the news. She was mildly confused by his explanation. "I understood the money had already been transferred to the bank in Austria," she said. "Is that not correct?"

"Yes, it was transferred," Dreyson replied.

"General Ivan has no jurisdiction there."

"His tentacles are far-reaching, Princess."

"Has he actually taken the money out of the bank or frozen the account?"

"What difference does it make?"

"Please answer me and then I'll explain the reason behind my question."

"It was frozen. The bank won't let Ivan touch the money, but the officers have been intimidated by the unethical man and won't release the funds to England 's bank."

"That is a dilemma," Alesandra agreed.

"Dilemma? Princess, I would call it a disaster. Have you no idea how much money sits idle in that bank? Why, it's most of your fortune."

Dreyson looked in jeopardy of weeping. She tried to soothe him. "I still have quite enough to live a comfortable life," she reminded him. "Thanks to your sound investments, I'll never become a burden to anyone, least of all my husband. I am confused by this news, however. If the general believed I would marry him, why would he…"

"He knew you'd left the convent," Dreyson explained. "And I imagine he knew you were running away from him. He's out to punish you, Princess, for defying him."

"Revenge is always a nice motive."

Colin made that announcement from the entrance. Both Alesandra and Dreyson turned to look at him. The agent stood up. Colin turned, closed the doors behind him, and then walked over to take his place on the settee next to Alesandra. He motioned to Dreyson to sit down again.

"There isn't anything nice about revenge, Colin," Alesandra announced.

She turned her gaze back to the agent. "I believe I know how we might get the funds released. I shall write to Mother Superior and give her a note for the full amount. The bankers might very well be intimidated by the general, but they'll be quite terrified of the superior when she calls on them to collect. Oh, yes, I do believe that's just the ticket, Dreyson. Holy Cross needs the money. I don't."

Colin shook his head. "Your father worked hard to build up his estate. I don't want you to give it away."

"Why do I need it?" she countered.

Dreyson interjected the sum of money under discussion. Colin visibly blanched. Alesandra shrugged. "It will go to a worthy cause. My father would approve. Mother Superior and the other nuns took care of my mother while she was ill. They were very loving to her. Yes, father would approve. I'll write the letter and sign the note before you leave, Matthew."

Alesandra turned back to her husband. He still didn't look pleased by her decision, and she was thankful he wasn't going to argue about it.

"About the ship, Princess," Dreyson interjected. "They have agreed to your terms and arrival date."

"What ship?" Colin asked.

Alesandra hastened to turn the topic. "You said there was another bit of bad news, Matthew. What was it?"

"First he's going to explain about the ship," Colin insisted.

"It was supposed to be a surprise," she whispered.

"Alesandra?" Colin wouldn't be put off.

"When I was in your father's library, I happened to read about a wonderful new invention. It's called a steam vessel, Colin, and it can cross the Atlantic in just twenty-six days. Isn't that amazing," she added in a rush. "Why, my letter to the mother superior will take at least three months to reach her, perhaps longer."

Colin nodded. He was well aware of the new invention, of course. He and his partner had already discussed the possibility of purchasing one to add to their fleet. The cost was prohibitive, however, and the idea was put on hold.

"And you purchased one, is that it?" Colin's voice shook with anger. He didn't give his wife time to answer his question but turned his attention, and his scowl, to her agent. "Cancel the order," he commanded.

"You cannot mean it," Alesandra cried out, her distress apparent. She was suddenly so angry with Colin she wanted to kick him. The steam vessel would increase revenues considerably and he was just being stubborn because the money came from her inheritance.

"I do mean it," he snapped. He was furious with her now because he had been quite explicit when he'd told her he wouldn't touch her money and she had blatantly disregarded his decision.

The set of his jaw told her he wasn't going to listen to reason. She was about to tell Dreyson to cancel the order when the agent intervened.

"I'm having trouble understanding," he remarked. "Sir Hallbrook, are you telling me you're going to refuse her uncle Albert's wedding gift? I believe it is customary to receive gifts."

"Who is Uncle Albert?"

Colin asked Alesandra that question. She didn't know what to do. If she told him the truth, that Albert didn't exist, Dreyson would be insulted. He would probably refuse to do further business with her, too, and she certainly didn't want to jeopardize that relationship.

She didn't want to lie to her husband either.

Truth won out. "He isn't my uncle," she began.

Dreyson enthusiastically cut her off. "But he likes to believe he is," he interjected. "He's a friend of the family. Why, I've known him for years," he added as a boast. "And made a pretty profit from his investments, I might add. Albert handles some of your wife's funds, you see, and I believe he would be very offended if you didn't accept his gift."

Colin's gaze stayed on Alesandra. Her expression didn't tell him anything. She looked very serene. Her hands told a different story, however. They were clenched tight in her lap. Something wasn't quite right, but Colin couldn't put his finger on what that might be.

"Why haven't you mentioned this uncle Albert to me? And why wasn't he invited to the wedding?"

She was going to have to lie after all. The truth wasn't going to do anyone any good.

Alesandra could also see the mother superior shaking her head with displeasure. She forced herself to block the image. She would have plenty of time to feel guilty later.

"I thought I had mentioned Albert to you," she said. She looked at his chin while she gave that lie. "Albert wouldn't have come to the wedding. He never goes anywhere. He won't receive visitors either," she added with a nod.

"He's a recluse, you see," Dreyson interjected. "Alesandra's his only connection to the outside world. He doesn't have any family. Isn't that right, Princess? If your hesitation stems from the cost of his gift, rest assured. He can well afford it, Sir Hallbrook."

"You've known this man for years?" Colin asked Dreyson.

"Yes, of course."

Colin leaned back against the cushions. He knew he probably owed Alesandra an apology for jumping to the wrong conclusion. He decided he would get to that later, when they were alone.

"Convey my appreciation in your next letter," Colin told Alesandra.

"Then you accept…"

She stopped her question when Colin shook his head. "It was thoughtful of him, but much too extravagant. I-or, rather, we-cannot accept it. Suggest something else to him."

"Such as?"

Colin shrugged. "You'll think of something," he told her. "What was the other matter you wished to discuss?"

Dreyson became agitated. He started to explain, then suddenly stopped. While he threaded his fingers through his thinning gray hair, he cleared his throat. Then he started again. "A delicate situation has developed," he announced. "A nasty piece of business, I warn you."

"Yes?" Colin urged when the broker didn't immediately continue.

"Is either of you familiar with the Life Assurance Act of 1774?"

He didn't give Colin or Alesandra time to answer. "No one pays much attention to the ruling these days. It was passed such a long time ago."

"For what purpose?" Alesandra asked, wondering where in heaven's name this discussion was leading.

"A shameful practice was found out," Dreyson explained. "There were immoral men who would insure a life and then hire out the murder so they could collect the profit. Yes, it's shameful, but true, Princess."

"But what does this have-"

Colin interrupted her. "Give him time to explain, Alesandra."

She nodded. "Yes, of course," she whispered.

Dreyson turned his attention to Colin. "Not too many of the firms pay any attention to the Act anymore. It served its purpose, you see… for a time. However, it has just come to my attention that an insurance policy was taken out on your wife. The date was set at noon yesterday, and the sum is quite high."

Colin let out a low expletive. Alesandra leaned into his side. "Who would do such a thing? And why?"

"There are stipulations," Dreyson added with a nod. "And a time allowance as well."

"I heard that Napoleon's life was insured, but only for one month's time," Alesandra whispered. "And the Duke of Westminster insured his horse. Is that what you mean when you speak of a time allowance, Matthew?"

The broker nodded. "Yes, Princess. That is what I mean."

"Who underwrote this policy?" Colin demanded. The anger in his voice was barely controlled.

"Was it Lloyd's of London?" Alesandra asked.

"No," Matthew answered. "They're too reputable to become involved in a common wager. Morton and Sons underwrote the policy. They're the culprits, all right. They'll take any contract if the sum is high enough. I certainly don't deal with them," he added with a nod. "But a friend of mine does and he's the one who gave me the news. Thank the Lord I happened to run into him."

"Give me the particulars," Colin commanded. "What is the time limit?"

"One month."

"Who benefits if she dies?"

"The man who purchased the contract wishes anonymity" he answered.

"Can he do that?" Alesandra asked.

"Yes," Dreyson answered. "Your uncle Albert does the very same by using his initials and he wouldn't have to put those down if he didn't want to, Princess. The underwriters are sworn to secrecy."

The agent turned his attention back to Colin. "Thus far my friend and I haven't been able to find out who is behind this foul scheme. I'd wager, however, that it is the same scoundrel who blocked your wife's funds."

"General Ivan? It can't be," Alesandra argued. "Colin and I have been married only one day. He can't know yet."

"Precautions," Dreyson speculated.

Colin understood what the broker was trying to tell Alesandra. He put his arm around his wife, gave her an affectionate squeeze, and then said, "He probably gave orders to one of the men he sent after you. He's just having his fun, wife. He's a damned poor loser. He obviously knew you didn't want to marry him. You did run away in the dead of night."

"He's cruel-hearted, isn't he?"

Colin could think of at least a hundred better descriptions. "Yes, he is cruel," he agreed, just to please her.

"Matthew, did you mean it when you said Morton and Sons will issue any sort of policy?"

"Not policy, Princess, but contract," Dreyson corrected.

"What is the difference?"

"Your husband would insure his ship," he answered. "He would take out a policy to protect against disaster. A contract is another matter altogether. At least the type of voucher Morton and Sons issues is different," he added in a mutter. "It's nothing but a wager, but cloaked as insurance protection so it doesn't violate the Act of 1774. Now then, in answer to your question, yes, they will issue any sort of wager. I remember one in particular. Everyone in London was talking about it. The Marquess of Covingham's wife delivered him a son, and a contract was immediately taken out on the infant's life for one year. The amount was high and payable only if the infant died."