The Mammoth Book of Regency Romance

Little Miss Independent Julia Templeton

London, England

“There was a day not so very long ago that women were pining for Lord Drayton. Who would want him now?” Elizabeth Montgomery said, her voice hinting at amusement.

Adelaide Bruce, better known as Addy to her friends, resisted the urge to toss her punch in Elizabeth’s face. A newly formed acquaintance, Elizabeth didn’t realize the man she spoke of so flippantly and with such cruelty was Roan, Addy’s brother’s best friend, who had been severely injured in battle six months ago.

“He is ghastly, I tell you.”

Squaring her shoulders, Addy did her best to control her growing anger. “Miss Elizabeth, the man you speak of is a war hero … and a close family friend.”

Elizabeth looked down her long nose at Addy, her dark eyes narrowing. “Oh dear, I did not mean to strike a nerve, my pet. I am merely repeating what others have been saying since the Captain’s recent return.”

“You would do well not to listen to idle gossip, Miss Elizabeth. At the very least, Lord Drayton deserves your respect.”

The other woman pressed her lips together and sniffed. “I do respect the Captain, especially for his service to our country. However, there is no denying his appearance is rather … frightening.” Elizabeth gave a little shudder for good measure. “And to think a year ago he had been engaged to one of London’s most desirable debutantes. Everyone knows Sara Duggart’s sudden departure to America was no coincidence. A sick great-aunt, my eye.” Elizabeth cleared her throat and leaned closer to Addy. “I have heard she is newly engaged to a wealthy Virginian. What he lacks for in height, I understand he makes up for in looks.”

Elizabeth’s voice faded as Addy watched Roan — or Drayton, as most friends called him — enter the ballroom. Tall and broad-shouldered, Roan’s long hair curled at the collar of his Navy jacket. Even as a boy he had commanded attention with his nearly black locks and intense silver eyes. In profile he looked just as he always had — handsome, powerful, masculine — but when he turned, she saw the scar that had changed his life seemingly overnight. It was raised, a mottled red and purple, running from directly beneath his right eye, down the lower lid, over his cheek and down his neck, disappearing beneath the intricately tied cravat at his throat. She had heard the burn had ravaged his entire right arm and hand, to the point he’d nearly had to have the limb amputated.

She could feel the others turn away from his stare, doing anything so as not to make eye contact. Shame on them! What was wrong with them to treat him so? His striking beauty had always made her breathless, and now she felt the familiar stirring in her breast as those piercing eyes scanned the room.

Her brother Jack came up behind Roan and whispered something in his ear. The stern expression immediately fled Roan’s features and the wolfish smile she remembered well from her youth appeared, making her heart miss a beat.

Jack motioned her over and Adelaide felt a flutter of excitement ripple through her as she made her way through the throng of guests towards her brother and Roan.

It had been five long years since the last time she’d seen him. She’d been a girl then, just shy of her thirteenth year, and he a young man of three and twenty. How proud he had been to receive his commission to captain his own vessel in Her Majesty’s Royal Navy. Word of his bravery had quickly made the rounds of balls and soirées and, when he came home on leave for a short break last year, he had asked Sara to become his wife.

Everyone had been envious of the fair-haired, statuesque merchant’s daughter who had enchanted the rakishly handsome, wealthy lord and renowned Navy captain.

That is until word of his hideous appearance reached English shores. It was said Miss Duggart had immediately broken the engagement by way of a hastily written letter, which had left Roan shattered.

With anticipation tripping along her spine, Addy stopped in front of her brother and Roan.

Jack smiled. “Addy, how good of you to join us.”

Roan abruptly turned and Addy swallowed past the lump in her throat as she made a small curtsey. “Lord Drayton, what a pleasure it is to see you again. It has been far too long.”

His intense silver eyes held her hostage, and she shifted on her feet as he stared at her without blinking.

“Addy.” He said her name as though he could not quite believe it was her. “You have grown up in my absence.”

She’d always loved his voice. The rich timbre of his voice had not changed at all, and it made the fine hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

“I certainly hope I have changed. It has been five years, after all,” she said, pressing her lips together. To her surprise, his gaze shifted to her mouth, pausing until her brother cleared his throat.

Roan’s gaze abruptly ripped back to hers. “You have grown into a beautiful young woman, Addy.”

His words thrilled her beyond comprehension. “You have not changed at all,” she said, and nearly tripped on her words when she heard a gasp from nearby.

Heat rushed up her neck as she realized what it must sound like to others. To her, he had not changed. She did not see the scar that covered his cheek, jaw and neck … but rather, the face she had adored for a lifetime.

“I wish that were true,” he said warmly, and she shifted on her feet, wishing she could recant the words. She opened her mouth to explain herself, when Jack glanced beyond her shoulder and grinned.

“Ah, there you are, Seeton.”

Addy straightened her spine. Stephan Browning, Lord Seeton — her current suitor — bowed at the waist while lifting her gloved hand to his lips and kissing the air above her fingers.

“Miss Adelaide, I am so sorry I am late.” He squeezed her hand. “May I have the next dance?”

Stephan’s golden locks were swept off his forehead, and he wore a perfectly tailored, dark-grey suit that fitted his tall frame nicely. His blue eyes crinkled at the corners as his gaze shifted slowly from her to Roan. He forced a smile and quickly averted his eyes.

She bit back her disappointment in him.

“Well, will you dance with me, Miss Addy?” Stephan asked.

“Yes, of course. I look forward to it.”

Stephan nodded, and departed as quickly as he’d appeared, saying something about greeting his uncle.

“Lord Seeton is Addy’s beau,” Jack said with a wink.

Roan’s dark brows lifted in surprise. “You have a beau, Addy.”

The way he said her name made her blood run warm.

“He is not exactly a beau, as much as a friend.”

“Do not listen to her. She is being far too coy. Seeton is one of many suitors, I might add. Our little Addy is quite the toast of the ton this season. She had her coming out in June and the house has not been silent since.”

Addy could feel her blush deepen. “You exaggerate, Jack.”

“I wish I did,” Jack said glumly. “Addy, you have cast a spell on the young men of our fair city.”

“I can certainly understand why,” Roan said, and the compliment delighted her.

“Thank you, My Lord,” she said, biting her bottom lip. “I am so very glad you approve. I have always looked to Jack as a father, and you as—”

“An uncle,” Jack said with a slight smirk to his lips.

There was something in Roan’s eyes that made her pause. Could it be that he was finally seeing her for the young woman she was? How long had she hoped for such a day?

The music stopped and, as a new song began, she gave another curtsey. “It is wonderful to see you again, Roan. We have sorely missed you. I do so hope you will not be a stranger while you are in London.”

“Roan is returning to Oak Hill tomorrow,” Jack said, taking a sip of punch.

“You are leaving so soon?” she asked, trying to hide her disappointment but failing miserably.

Roan cleared his throat. “I was considering leaving.”

“Jack, you must talk him into staying with us for a while.”

“I have already invited him to stay, but Roan seems quite determined to leave us.”

“Perhaps I shall stay for a little white longer then,” Roan said abruptly.

Her heart nearly leaped from her chest, and she could not keep the grin from her lips. “I am so very glad. That is wonderful news!”

Roan could not believe the beauty standing before him was Addy Bruce. His best friend’s little sister had always been a mischievous, independent girl, who wore her hair in two braids on either side of her oval face, and had a hankering for getting into trouble. She always did exactly as she liked, never one for going with the crowd. Jack had often said that she was more like a little brother than a sister. He called her “Little Miss Independent”. The title suited her.

He couldn’t say that any longer. There was nothing masculine — or childlike, for that matter — about the woman standing before him. The plaits were gone and Addy’s auburn hair was worn in a simple chignon that complemented her fragile features. Her green eyes were extraordinary, framed by thick dark lashes, and held a wisdom that belied her eighteen years. Her body had filled out in all the right places, with full breasts, a tiny waist and slightly curved hips. And, dear God, her legs were long.

Even more astonishing than her transformation from tomboy to beautiful young debutante was the shock that she did not react to his wound like everyone else had. She had not so much as blinked or stared at the hated scar. There had been warmth and excitement in her gaze, and he felt completely overwhelmed by such a welcome.

As the musicians began playing a waltz, she glanced away. “I must meet Lord Seeton on the dance floor,” she said with a soft smile before excusing herself.

With his heart pumping like mad, he watched her walk off, staring at her slender back and the gentle sway of her hips as she made her way to the dance floor and the arms of her suitor.

“It’s hard to believe she’s our Addy, isn’t it?” Jack said, a hint of surprise in his words.

“Indeed,” Roan replied, pulling his gaze away with force, still trying to grasp the reality that the lovely creature now dancing with Lord Seeton was Adelaide Bruce. Addy, who as a child used to drive him crazy with her impulsive nature. His stomach clenched as he watched her move with such grace, her smile radiant as she stared up at her partner and laughed at something he said. The two were a striking young couple, and to Roan’s surprise, he was jealous.

“How long has he been calling on Addy?” Roan asked before he could stop himself.

“Nearly two months now, I’d say. I do believe he will be asking for her hand very, very soon.”

“Hideous.”

Roan heard a woman say the devastating word from nearby. When he turned to glance at her, the small group of women were watching him, but quickly looked away.

He clenched his fists, wincing at the pain that shot through his right hand as the skin pulled tight. It had taken a long time to adjust to his reflection, and he had become accustomed to expecting negative reactions from those he met — especially the opposite sex — but it certainly didn’t help matters when people were so cruel.

His life had taken an abrupt turn extremely quickly. His new life was in such contrast to the one he had led before the accident. Never had he been without feminine companionship, and now, his fiancée had left him and past mistresses would not return his correspondence. In a moment of weakness he had visited a brothel, and though the women smiled at him and batted their eyelashes, he could see their relief when he picked another. His paid companion had been amiable enough, but the experience had been less than gratifying and he had refrained from visiting another brothel since.

But, like any man, he wanted a wife and children. He had sowed his wild oats, and after long years at sea serving his country, he wanted to settle down and make a life for a family, preferably at Oak Hill, his country estate in Essex. Right next door to what was now Jack’s estate.

Memories flooded him of his younger years when he’d stayed with his grandparents at Oak Hill. How excited he’d been when Jack and his baby sister had come to live with their aunt and uncle. From the time Addy had started to walk she’d been precocious, but always a happy child who looked upon her brother with open adoration.

Roan cleared his throat. “So will you give your consent if he asks for Addy’s hand?”

“I believe so. I mean, he is from a good family, and only very recently came upon the title from a departed uncle who had no children of his own.”

“What do you know of him … aside from his peerage?”

“Well, he attended Oxford, and then spent the next four years touring Europe. He has an excellent reputation, and is not known to gamble or drink to excess. In all, I feel he is a good match for my sister.”

A newly titled lord who was young, rich, handsome, and with a sterling reputation — who could possibly compete with that? Especially a wounded war captain whose better days were far behind him.

The last strains of the waltz floated towards the high ceiling, and Seeton rested his hand on the small of Addy’s back. She looked up at her beau with flushed cheeks and a radiant smile, and Roan grit his teeth, trying hard to understand his tumultuous emotions.

“How about a brandy, old boy?”

“Of course.” He had never been a big drinker, but he felt inclined to imbibe now.

He followed Jack towards the door and was annoyed as he tracked Addy’s progress across the room. She was the consummate hostess: laughing, chatting, and Seeton beamed with pride.

The younger man finally detached himself from her and made his way across the room. Addy’s gaze fastened on Roan. She flashed that angelic smile, exposing deep dimples he had long forgotten about.

Scandalous thoughts raced through his mind as his gaze shifted to the sapphire necklace that curved to a point above the soft swell of her breasts. An image of what she might look like naked came to him, and he shook his head, horrified at where his thoughts had wandered.

Addy was his best friend’s little sister.

He should burn in hell.

He was enshrouded in the scent of jasmine as she came to a stop before him, her smile as bright as her eyes. “Dance with me, Roan,” she said, her hand reaching out to him. She had reached for his right hand — his wounded hand — and he nearly jerked away.

His hesitation must have been obvious, but she pressed her full lips together. “I am so sorry. Did I hurt—”

“No,” he said abruptly. “You did not hurt me, Addy.”

How could he tell her he had not been touched in so long, that it felt odd to feel a woman’s hand on him, especially the wounded part of him?

He could see the familiar hurt in her eyes, and he extended his good arm to her. “I would be delighted to dance with you.”

Her disappointment dissipated as she slid her hand around his elbow, holding tight, her breast brushing against his biceps. He swallowed hard and tried to keep his thoughts as holy as possible.

The dance was a waltz, and she smiled as he pulled her into his embrace. Her gaze was steady as she observed him. He watched her closely, looking for the disgust to show in her eyes. But it never came.

“You look happy,” he said.

“I am happy.”

“Lord Seeton is a good match for you.” He managed to say the words without sounding like a complete liar.

“We are not engaged,” she said, irritation lacing her voice. “I wish that everyone would not speak to us as though we were.”

“I didn’t mean—”

“I know you didn’t,” she said. Was it his imagination or had she stepped even closer?

“I only just returned from school three months ago and already my brother is anxious to be rid of me.”

Her words gave him hope. “You do not wish to marry?”

“Of course I do … one day. But I am still young. I have plenty of time to worry about marriage. I want to have fun, enjoy what little freedom I do have.”

Her words pleased him more than they should have.

“Perhaps while you’re staying with us, you could speak to Jack. Convince him that it is wise for me to wait to marry. Will you do that for me, Roan?”

“But what if Lord Seeton grows tired of waiting?”

Her green eyes stared deep into his, and he felt a lump form in his throat. His gaze slid to her tiny, tipped-up nose, to the full lips that were slightly open. Her tongue slipped out, sweeping across her lower lip and he swallowed a groan. “Stephan is extremely patient.”

He didn’t like the sound of that, and he wondered exactly what kind of “patience” she was referring to. He remembered being a man in his early twenties. He hadn’t been too keen on patience.

“I like your hair,” she said, completely changing the subject.

“Thank you.” He hadn’t cut it since his accident, using it as a shield to hide as much of his face as he could.

“You remind me of a pirate.”

His lips quirked and he couldn’t help but laugh at the whimsical smile she flashed. She’d always had an incredible imagination.

Her hand moved slightly and she touched a lock of his hair. “I wish I didn’t have gloves on,” she whispered.

His breath caught in his throat.

Did she not realize what she was doing to him? How her words affected him on every possible level? Her touch was like water to a thirsty man. It was all he could do not to turn his face towards that hand, to kiss her palm.

Her smile slowly faded as her eyes searched his. She lifted her face to his, her lips coming extremely close, and the music ended.

She blinked up at him, and then abruptly stepped away, but he had seen the look in her eyes, and recognized it for what it was … desire.

Staying with Jack and his sister had been a horrible idea. And now that Addy’s beau had made an appearance, it was all Roan could do not to pack up his things and leave.

And yet every time he made a move to do so, he could not help but think of Addy’s expression upon seeing him. The warmth in that smile and those beautiful green eyes. Eyes that, at the moment, were focused on Stephan as they played cards. The younger man set his winning hand over her hand, and her beautiful grin diminished.

Idiot. Didn’t he know he should always let the young woman win?

Apparently not, as he scooped up the handful of sweets — his “winnings” — and set them to the right of his brandy. The eighth brandy since dinner, not that Roan was counting.

What had Jack said just last night — that the boy had a stellar reputation? Not that Jack would know. He had been paying very little attention to the two all evening. If this was how he usually played chaperone, then chances were Stephan and Addy would be headed down the aisle sooner rather than later.

Seeton belched under his breath, and Roan grimaced. He had little tolerance for people who drank in excess. Having lived with a father who couldn’t hold his liquor, he knew the ugly sides of inebriation. She deserved better.

“Lord Drayton, will you join us?” Addy asked in a sweet voice.

Jack, who was deeply engrossed in his book, glanced up at Roan, the sides of his mouth lifting slightly.

“Come, Roan,” Addy urged. “We are only playing for sweets.”

She did have a point. “Very well, if you insist.”

Seeton sat up straighter and shuffled the cards while Roan made his way to the small table. He sat to Addy’s right, which meant his bad side was facing Stephan, who looked exceedingly uncomfortable as he slid the cards to Addy.

Looking pleased that he’d joined them, she shuffled the cards one final time and began dealing them each a hand. Seeton finished off his brandy and motioned for a footman to refill the glass. Addy, looking serious all of a sudden, set the remaining cards in the middle of the table.

Lord Seeton lifted his brandy to his lips and took a long drink. When he set it down, he glanced at Roan. “Lord Drayton, I have heard you lost your ship in battle. What a shame.”

“Yes, it was a shame.”

“Taken by surprise?”

“Actually, I was taken in by a traitor, a man I respected.” Little had Roan realized that the man, his first in command, was reporting back to the French. The frigate came out of nowhere, a thief in the night, taking him and his men by surprise.

Roan had looked into the eyes of his first in command before he’d slid his blade deep inside his black heart. Seconds later, he’d felt the cannon blast when an overzealous lieutenant had mistaken a wave of his arm for a signal to fire.

“Must have been quite a blow,” Stephan murmured, adjusting the cards in his hand.

“Stephan,” Addy said, looking aghast.

Seeton did his best to appear confused as to why she would be angry with him, but failed miserably. “I did not mean to offend you, Drayton. I merely meant that it had to be a horrific thing to live through. Is that how you were injured?”

Beneath the table Addy reached for Roan’s hand, squeezing it in silent support. It was the slightest of touches, ending as quickly as it started, but a gesture that touched him to the core. He cleared his throat. “Yes, as a matter of fact, I was injured in that blast. I am lucky to have survived the attack on my ship. Many of my men were not as fortunate.”

Seeton nodded as though he was interested, but Roan knew better.

The first game went relatively fast, with Addy winning. Stephan’s growing irritation was extremely obvious, and determination etched his brow as he lifted his cards for the next round.

Though Addy had slid her hand away from Roan’s, her stockinged toes brushed over his boot. He sucked in a breath. First she touched his hand and now his foot. Did she seek to comfort him, or was there another reason behind the gesture?

Stephan set his cards down triumphantly, his eyes bright, his smile wide. His cheeks were flushed, and Roan wondered if the alcohol wasn’t to blame. That, or the excitement of competition. Either way, it was a sad display.

Roan set his cards over Stephan’s and the smile faded from the other man’s lips.

Releasing a heavy sigh, Seeton pushed the winnings towards Roan and finished off his brandy. Roan handed the sweets to Addy, who positively beamed with delight.

Stephan pulled a kerchief from his waistcoat pocket and mopped at the perspiration at his brow. “It’s bloody hot in here. Adelaide, perhaps you would like to join me for a stroll about the gardens?”

“Not alone,” Jack said from his position near the door, and Roan smiled inwardly, glad to see that his friend wasn’t completely lax in his chaperoning duties.

“Do not pull yourself away from your novel,” Addy said with a smile, already standing. “Roan will accompany us.”

Roan buttoned his jacket and followed the young couple out the door. “We shall return shortly.”

Jack nodded, looking relieved he did not have to leave the comfort of his chair and his novel.

It was an amazing night, the moon full and bright, stars as far as the eye could see … and yet it paled in comparison to Addy. In the span of a few days he had come to realize that his feelings for his best friend’s sister had changed from doting big brother to something altogether different. Any man would be fortunate to have such a bride, and Roan felt himself disliking Seeton for the sole reason that he was well on his way to having what he himself would never have.

“Look at the moon,” Addy said, lifting her face to the sky.

Roan thought of the nights on his ship, and how enormous the sky was. During those times, he had imagined what his friends were up to in London, and knew that he would never change places with any of them, for there had been nowhere else he’d wanted to be.

He still had times when he missed the ship, the ocean and the camaraderie he’d shared with his men.

Addy’s laughter rang out, bringing him back to the present. Roan slowed his pace, watching the handsome young couple ahead of him, feeling far older than his twenty-eight years. His gaze lingered on Addy’s slender form, at the way the pale-green silk fell on her curves and accentuated her long legs.

Addy glanced over her shoulder and then stopped as she waited for Roan to catch up. She slid her hands up and down her arms. “I forgot my shawl,” she said with a shiver for good measure. “Lord Seeton, would you mind retrieving it for me? I believe I left it in the dining room, hanging over the chair.”

Stephan glanced at Roan, pressed his lips together, and gave a curt nod. “Of course. I’ll be right back.”

“Thank you,” she said, her tone sweet.

When he disappeared down the pathway, Roan turned to her with a smile. “I could have gone for it.”

“I wanted him to go.”

His pulse skittered. “Why?”

“Because all night I have wanted to do this,” she said, pulling him towards the high hedge, and wrapping her arms around his neck.

His mouth opened at the same time her lips covered his, and all thoughts evaporated as her sweet tongue swept into his mouth.

Her breasts were pressed flush against his chest. He couldn’t remember moving, and yet he had one hand flattened against the small of her back, the other at the nape of her neck. He deepened the kiss, and she moaned low in her throat.

A door opened and footsteps headed their way. He took a step back, his heart a roar in his ears. Sweet Jesus, what had just happened?

“I’ve wanted to do that since I was eight years old,” she said under her breath, making the blood in his veins boil. Every fragile detail of her perfection was outlined in the moon’s golden glow, and he had the insane urge to pull her back into his arms and kiss her until she couldn’t stand.

The heavy footfalls on the pathway behind him brought him out of his musings.

“Ah, here we are,” Seeton said, and Addy’s gaze shifted to beyond Roan’s right shoulder.

“Thank you,” she said, as he slid the shawl over her shoulders.

“You’re welcome, my dear,” Seeton said.

Roan gritted his teeth.

“Yes, that is much better,” Addy said with a husky quality to her voice. “I already feel warmer.”

Her eyes sparkled with mischief, reminding him of the girl she had once been and the seductive young woman she had become.

“I want to be alone with you,” Stephan whispered against Addy’s neck, the smell of brandy on his breath overpowering. His lips had brushed her ear and she took a quick step back. Just moments before she had thrown all caution to the wind and kissed Roan — and it had been wonderful.

She hadn’t even needed to coax him. No, his tongue had danced with her own, his lips firm, yet gentle, his hands running over her body. His fingers had slid into the hair at the nape of her neck, and she had been lost.

So lost in the moment she had not even heard Stephan return. It had been Roan who had stepped away, but he had been shaken. In fact, he was still shaken. She could see his hands trembling and she hid a smile.

He wanted her … just as she wanted him.

Already she could see the panic in his eyes. All she could hope was that he did not run away. That would ruin everything.

And her life would never be the same.

“Adelaide, did you hear me?” Seeton asked, sounding disturbed.

“Why do you wish to be alone?” she asked, even though she knew exactly what he had in mind. All the girls at Saint Francis’ School of Young Ladies talked about men’s secret desires. Sister Mary Catherine said to never trust any man, for they were truly wicked creatures.

Addy didn’t know about that. She trusted her brother, of course, and always felt protected when she was with him. Protected, the same way she felt with Roan. Aside from her brother, his was the opinion that meant the most.

“I wish a moment alone with you,” Stephan said under his breath, and Addy’s stomach tightened. Had Roan heard his request?

The way he straightened his shoulders said he just might have.

Slowing her pace, she was relieved when Roan quickly caught up to them. Stephan didn’t even try to hide his agitation as Roan joined them and they made their way to the end of the path, towards the veranda that led back into the house. She covered her mouth with her hand and forced a yawn. “It is getting late, Lord Seeton. Thank you for coming over this evening. I quite enjoyed our card game.”

“You are angry with me for not letting you win?” he asked, looking concerned that might very well be the case. “I would have given you the sweets, you know that, right?”

She frowned. “I am not angry. Why would you think such a thing?”

“The night is young and you wish me to leave.”

“It is nearly eleven, My Lord, and I did not sleep all that well last night.” This was not entirely a lie. She had tossed and turned until early morning when she fell into a fitful slumber.

“I did not realize you were keeping track of the time.”

“You know that is not what I mean, Stephan.”

His eyes softened at the use of his Christian name. He glanced over his shoulder at Roan, who had once again fallen behind, and she wondered if he was paying attention to the conversation.

“Let me at least bid goodnight to your brother,” Stephan said. She knew he wanted her to ask him to stay.

“Certainly.”

Jack looked up when they walked into the room, and she glanced over at Roan. He appeared pale, and had a difficult time making eye contact with her brother.

Did he feel guilty for kissing her? she wondered. What would Jack say if he knew the truth? He had been the only parent she’d had these past few years since Aunt Mildred passed away. He was not comfortable in the role, she could tell that much, especially since he seemed so keen to marry her off to Stephan.

Would he approve of Roan courting her, or would he be angry with them both?

She honestly didn’t know the answer. She felt Roan’s gaze on her and smiled, recalling the feel of his lips against hers, the stroke of his tongue as they kissed so passionately.

Heaven.

Stephan slid his hand over hers, his fingers tight. “May I call on you tomorrow?”

She forced a smile. “I must visit an old friend.”

“When will you return? Perhaps I can come by.”

“I do not know how long I will be. I hate to cut my visit short, considering it has been such a long time since last I saw her. Perhaps you could come by later in the week?”

“Of course. How inconsiderate of me.” Stephan glanced to something past her shoulder. “Thank you for your hospitality, Jack.”

Jack closed the book. “Thank you for coming. We shall see you next time.”

Stephan gave a curt nod in Roan’s direction. “Lord Drayton.”

Roan nodded. “Lord Seeton.”

She felt Stephan’s hand on her back as they walked from the room and, when he closed the door and they were alone, Stephan turned to her, taking both her hands within his.

“I care for you very deeply, Adelaide,” he said, his eyes intense as he stared at her. “I hope you feel as strongly about me.”

She breathed through her mouth in order not to take the full brunt of his stale breath. To her shock, he leaned in and kissed her.

Unlike the kiss she’d shared with Roan, this kiss lacked fire and intensity. Worse still, Stephan pressed a little too hard, his teeth biting into her top lip.

She took a step back, but it was too late. Roan had opened the door. He looked stunned to find them there.

Sweat poured down Roan’s face. Jack had always been a worthwhile fencing opponent, but Roan had not remembered him being so fluid with his rapier. Or perhaps his injuries had finally caught up to him, giving his friend the upper hand.

The skin pulled tight on his burned arm with each strike of Jack’s sword. Several times Jack had hesitated, and Roan had seen the indecision in his friend’s eyes. He was afraid of hurting him. The knowledge was sobering, to say the least.

“What happened during that walk last night? You left so abruptly afterwards,” Jack said, coming back with a half-hearted blow that made Roan want to roll his eyes. “Did Seeton say something to offend you? He is young, and quite often does not think before he speaks.”

That much was obvious.

Roan was having a difficult time thinking of anything other than Addy. He ran through every memory of their younger days, of the time since he had seen her again. From the first moment he had realized little Adelaide had grown into a stunning woman, to that heart-pounding kiss in the garden. The kiss had been so intensely gratifying that he’d been unable to sleep last night. Instead, he’d spent the hours tossing and turning, the slight pressure of the blankets against his heated loins too much to bear. Finally, he had fallen into a fitful slumber that ended with a nightmare of Addy marrying Stephan.

A nightmare that would soon be a reality.

Especially if they were kissing behind closed doors. And mere minutes after she’d kissed Roan in the gardens. If only he’d stayed put and remained in the parlour with Jack, he wouldn’t have seen it.

That kiss had been as effective as a punch to the gut.

Jealousy ate at his insides, which was ridiculous. Seeton was obviously the chosen one. Jack seemed content with his choice.

And why not? Lord Seeton was everything a young woman would desire in a mate.

“You don’t like him, do you, Roan?”

Good God, could his friend read minds now?

Roan cleared his throat. “I think he is a typical young English lord.”

“Meaning what, exactly?”

“Meaning he’s confident, self-assured, if not a bit selfish.”

Jack’s lips quirked.

“What?”

“Do you not recall how we were, Roan? We were all those things and more at the age of two and twenty. I am nearly thirty and the thought of marriage is only now starting to look appealing.” He brushed a hand through his hair. “I think the two suit, don’t you?”

“If you mean Seeton and Addy, I would say no, I do not think they suit at all.”

Jack lowered his sword. “Why ever not?”

“For one she is much too young to marry. She only just had her coming out. Are you really so anxious to be rid of her?”

His friend blinked as though he’d slapped him. “Of course not. Addy has spent the past few years at boarding school, so it has been refreshing to have her back home again. You know how it is with women though — if they do not marry soon after their introduction into society, then they’re put on the shelf.”

“She’s just turned eighteen, Jack.”

“She likes him.”

“Perhaps … as a friend. Did you not notice how anxious she was to be free of him last night?”

“She was tired. It was a long day.”

Roan counted to ten … twice. “I am certain you have her best interest at heart. Far be it from me to tell you who the best man for Addy would be.”

“Perhaps you wish to be in the running.”

He felt his cheeks turn a little warm. “She is … your sister.”

“Yes, I know,” Jack said with a wolfish grin. “I was only trying to get a rise out of you. Can you imagine you as my brother-in-law?” His eyes went wide, as though he were horrified at the thought. He lifted his rapier. “Come, enough of this marriage talk. On guard.”

Frustrated, Roan parried, and lunged away from the blade. He came back with a vengeance, his frustration of the last few days making him more aggressive than he would normally have been with his friend.

He had Jack up against the wall a second later, the blade inches from his throat.

He heard a gasp from behind him.

Both he and Jack turned to find Addy standing in the doorway. She was beautiful, dressed in a cream and blue print day dress with a low neckline that nicely displayed her full round breasts. Once again his thoughts went the way of the gutter.

Slowly he lowered the blade, and took a step away from Jack, whose brows were furrowed as he looked from Roan to Addy.

Addy’s gaze slid from Roan’s, down his neck, over his chest, and lower to the planes of his abdomen.

If her brother weren’t there, that look would get her more than she bargained for.

Addy’s thighs tightened as she stared at Roan. He had a powerful body; olive skin over muscle and sinew, which shifted with each movement. The high bones of his hips cut deep, as though pointing an arrow downwards. Realizing where she was staring, her eyes darted back to his face. His hair was tied back, allowing her to see the entire length of the burn that started beneath his right eye, covered the better part of his cheek, his neck and his arm. The last two fingers on his hand looked almost melded together.

She could only imagine the pain he had endured. Did his wounds still hurt? she wondered. Or was it the internal wounds that pained him more?

“Good morning, Addy. What are you up to today?” Jack asked, taking a seat and wiping his face with his shirt, which he had flung over a chair.

“I don’t know. What are the two of you doing?”

Jack frowned. “Well, I was considering going into London. Perhaps take a ride through the park.”

“Can I come?”

Roan set his blade aside and quickly donned his shirt. He didn’t make eye contact with her and she wondered what it was he was thinking. Had she shocked him with her kiss last night? Did he think her unseemly? Especially after catching her kissing Lord Seeton right after? Something in his expression said he was not entirely pleased with her. She desperately wanted to set things to rights.

“I don’t see why not. Perhaps Seeton would like to join us?”

Roan’s jaw clenched tight.

“He is busy today,” she blurted, wondering why her brother was so keen to have Stephan join them. “What do you say we all meet in the parlour at eleven o’clock sharp?”

“Very well,” Roan said, walking past her towards the door. How she yearned to reach out and touch him, to tell him exactly how she felt about him.

She watched Roan’s retreating back from the corner of her eye, liking the way the loose shirt hung on his wide shoulders. He looked like he had just come from a tryst, she realized, and her heart quickened, imagining him leaving her chamber after a night of passionate lovemaking.

Jack cleared his throat abruptly after Roan disappeared and Addy gave him her full attention.

“What are you playing at, Addy?”

Her stomach clenched into a tight knot. “What do you mean?”

“Roan is my friend.”

“He is my friend, too.”

Sliding his shirt on, Jack released a deep breath. “He is too old for you.”

“Father was fifteen years older than mother. There is only a ten-year age difference between me and Roan.”

“Oh dear God, you are serious.”

“Yes, I am.”

“Bloody hell,” he said, running a hand down his face. “I cannot believe this.”

She straightened her spine and lifted her chin a good inch. “I do not understand what is so difficult to comprehend. Roan is a good man. An exceptional man. And need I remind you that he is your best friend?”

“In this we agree, but he is … Roan.” He stared at her, yet she had the feeling he didn’t see her. “Has he touched you?”

The clock on the mantel seemed exceedingly loud all of the sudden. “We kissed.”

“Kissed?” He stood slowly and, shaking his head, walked past her. “I’ll kill him.”

Roan was intensely uncomfortable. Since his accident he rarely ventured out into society, and today was the first time he had walked the streets of London.

He felt the stares of the people they passed by, noticed the way many dropped their gaze when he made eye contact. He saw his own reflection in the mirror every morning, so he knew how startling his appearance was. He didn’t blame others for their morbid curiosity or astonished stares, but he did resent the way people he had considered friends before the accident now wanted nothing to do with him.

And now his best friend was angry with him. He had felt it from the moment Addy walked into the parlour. The way Jack had watched them both, his eyes shifting between them.

When they had met in the parlour, Jack had said very little, and even still, in London, he remained uncommonly quiet. However, Addy was not. She had been chattering throughout the entire ride, and seemed excited to be in the city. When she hesitated by a shop window where a beautiful scarlet gown was displayed, it had been all Roan could do not to walk in and buy it for her. Jack would hardly approve though.

The very thought that his friend found him unworthy to court Addy was gut-wrenching. He could offer just as much, if not more, than Lord Seeton. The young man had much to learn, and he was still so immature, where Roan had seen a good deal of the world, and understood the importance of surrounding oneself with people who were true friends

“Oh, I have heard of this place,” Addy said, stopping in front of an art studio. “I want a shadow portrait of all of us together. It will take but a few minutes.”

“I think it will take more than a few minutes, sister. Do you remember the portrait Aunt Mildred forced us to sit for just before you left for school?”

“But this is a silhouette. It takes very little time. Lady Kelly was telling me all about it at her ball. There is nowhere else we need to be, right?”

Jack glanced at Roan. He nodded, and Jack shrugged.

An older woman met them at the doorway.

“We would like a shade of the three of us,” Addy said, a wide smile on her face.

“How long will it take?” Jack asked, already looking impatient.

“Actually, it takes very little time for a shadow painting, sir. The sitting takes mere minutes, and the picture itself will be ready in an hour’s time.”

“Very well,” Jack agreed.

“Please, come in.” The woman motioned for them to follow her into a small parlour. She arranged three chairs in a row, placing Jack in the first, Addy in the middle, and then Roan in the last.

Next she closed the draperies and lit several large candles, placing the waxy pillars in front of a large screen.

The lady repositioned the lighting several times, and then took a seat on the opposite side of the screen. “Now please try to be as still as possible.”

Roan was left with no choice but to stare straight ahead at Addy’s beautiful auburn curls, the long swan-like neck, the slender shoulders. Gold hoop earrings hung from her ears. He wanted to buy her anything she desired … like the dress in the shopfront window. If she belonged to him, he would never stop spoiling her.

An image of her kissing Seeton came to him again, and he wished it far away.

“You on the left, quit fidgeting,” the woman said, and Addy laughed under her breath, which made Jack and Roan laugh, too.

He was glad they were there, glad that for a few minutes the tension had been lessened and that they were once again relaxed. Friends whom he trusted and loved more than life.

The entire ride home, Addy stared at the shadow portrait and smiled.

“We cut quite dashing figures, do we not, Roan?” Jack said, surprising him.

Roan looked at his friend, glad he was finally talking to him. “Lucky for them, they captured my good side,” he said cheerfully, and Jack grinned.

But Addy frowned at him. “Not everyone sees your scars, Roan. When I look at you, I see … you. The same Roan I have always known. The Roan who will always live here,” she said, placing a hand over her heart. “You are perfect just as you are. Do not let anyone ever make you feel differently.”

He stared at her, shocked by her declaration and sincerity.

Jack’s gaze shifted between them.

“Thank you, Addy,” Roan said, and she pressed her lips together before looking down at the picture again.

“A package for you, my lady. Where shall I put it?”

Addy, who had been sitting in the parlour drinking tea and watching the clock move excruciatingly slowly, looked at the large white box with its pink bow in both excitement and trepidation.

Setting her cup aside, she motioned to the spot beside her. “Right here, Nelly.”

Was this a gift from Seeton? Aside from flowers on their first meeting, he had not been prone to gift-giving, but then again, he seemed to have grown more affectionate since Roan arrived.

Addy slipped the ribbon from the box, and removed the lid. Her breath caught in her throat. It was the scarlet gown she had seen in the shopfront window yesterday.

“How lovely,” Nelly said, and Addy nodded in agreement, her throat tight with emotion. It could only be from one of two people.

“Here is the card,” Nelly said.

With trembling hands, she opened the envelope and pulled the card out. “To Addy … just for being you. Your friend always, Roan.”

Nelly sighed. “How very kind of Lord Drayton. What a lovely man he is.”

“Indeed, he is,” Addy replied, her heart nearly pounding out of her chest.

“He’s always looked upon you as a little sister, hasn’t he?”

“Yes, yes, he has.” But she didn’t want to be looked upon as his little sister any longer, but as someone who was far more important and dear to his heart.

“Have Lord Drayton and my brother returned from their ride yet?”

“No, not yet.”

“Good. Come, Nelly. I need your help.”

Roan and Jack arrived back at the manor and were surprised to find Seeton standing on the veranda, smoking. Seeing them, the younger man dropped the cheroot and crushed it beneath his heel.

“Have you been waiting long?” Jack asked.

“No, I only just arrived.”

“Is Addy not here?”

“Actually, I’ve come to speak with you, My Lord.”

Roan’s stomach clenched.

“Do come in,” Jack said, motioning for him to follow him into the house.

Roan promptly excused himself. He walked in long strides to his chamber, shut the door and closed his eyes.

Damn it!

At this moment, Stephan was asking for Addy’s hand and, knowing Jack, he would heartily agree to the match.

The wheels were set in motion and there was nothing Roan could do to change their course. After all, he was but a family friend. Stephan had been courting Addy for weeks while Roan had been convalescing at his home in Essex. He had no business to be as furious as he was … or so intensely jealous.

The younger man did not deserve her. Stephan had no idea how to make a woman like Addy happy.

Dearest Addy, with her love of the outdoors, her free spirit and outspoken nature.

And those lips — good Lord, those lips — lifting in that coy way, promising things she had no right to.

He removed his jacket and waistcoat, and tossed both items over the back of the chair. Reaching behind his head, he lifted his shirt, but stopped short upon hearing a knock at the door.

No doubt it was Jack, come to tell him the good news. Or perhaps he’d realized that Roan was worthy of Addy. He ran his hands through his hair and, with a steadying breath, opened the door.

Addy stood before him, dressed in the gown he had bought for her. The scarlet gown fitted her like a glove, the shade doing incredible justice to the colours of her eyes and hair.

“Beautiful,” he said on a whisper, his gaze wandering down the length of her and back up again.

She was absolutely breathtaking, the kind of woman any man would be proud to call his wife.

“Thank you so much, Roan. I cannot believe your kindness,” she said, stepping into the room and shutting the door.

“It fits you beautifully.”

“Indeed, it’s perfect.” Her eyes shifted from his to his chest, reminding him that his shirt was open. He lifted his right hand and touched the scar at his neck. His skin was rough, puckered, a mixture of pink and purple — a gruesome sight for one so fair.

“Do not hide from me, Roan. Never from me,” she said, her hand covering his at his neck. Her fingers slid between his, and then she did the most extraordinary thing — she kissed his neck and the thick scar there.

“Addy,” he said her name on a groan.

She didn’t stop. She kissed his scarred cheek, his jaw, his throat, his shoulder, made a pathway of kisses all the way to the burn on his hand, and then she kissed each of his fingers. “You are the most beautiful man I have ever known, and will ever know, Roan. Don’t hide from the world. Don’t hide from me. You are not changed. If anything, you are a better man for the things you have suffered through, for now you have a greater understanding of what real trials are.”

Her words eliminated the last of his will power.

“Addy, we shouldn’t be alone.”

Her lips curved. “Why is that, Roan?”

“You know why,” he replied, his voice husky.

She lifted her face to his, their breath mingling.

He should put her at arm’s length. He knew that. Everything within him told him to do so and, yet, he could not bring himself to deny her, not when she had bewitched him body and soul.

He reached for her with his injured hand, his thumb brushing over her soft lips. She didn’t pull away, did not flinch in the least. Instead, she smiled; her eyes warm and full of desire. A desire he understood all too well.

She turned her head the slightest bit, pressed her soft lips into his scarred palm … and he was lost.

He pulled her into his arms, held her close, felt the tears burn the backs of his eyes as he inhaled deeply of her scent, felt her arms come around him, holding him tight, embracing him. Comforting him.

“Adelaide!” The call came from downstairs.

“It’s Jack,” she whispered, a mixture of frustration and irritation in her voice.

“You had better see what he wants before he comes looking for you.”

“You are right,” she said, kissing him softly. “Thank you again for the gown. You didn’t have to.”

He smiled. “Yes, I did.”

Addy entered her brother’s study and was stunned to see Stephan standing there. Dressed in a tailored dove-grey suit, he looked the epitome of the English lord. His golden hair was swept off his forehead, the ends curling at his collar.

How very different he was from Roan in every way. His shoulders were not wide like Roan’s, nor were his features quite so fine.

“Lord Seeton, what a surprise.”

“Adelaide, you look absolutely stunning,” Stephan said, taking her hand in his and kissing it.

If Jack recognized the dress from the shop window, he wasn’t letting on. He folded his hands behind him. “Stephan would like a word with you … alone.”

Her stomach dropped to her toes. Oh dear, this was not good. “Oh?” she said, forcing a smile she did not feel.

“I shall give you two a moment alone together. I’ll be right outside.”

Her eyes widened, but Jack did not see her distress. Instead, he slipped out the door.

Stephan squared his shoulders and released a breath, treating her to a whiff of brandy. Good gracious, it was barely four in the afternoon and he smelled like he’d been drinking all day.

“Dearest, Adelaide, we have only known each other for a short time, but I feel as though it has been forever, and I feel we are well suited. Indeed, we are so very similar.”

Similar. In what way? They didn’t seem to like any of the same things.

“I asked your brother for his permission to marry you and he has agreed.”

She pressed her lips together, and couldn’t form a reply to save her life. The awkward silence continued as she struggled for something to say.

“Well, do you have an answer?”

Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she replied, “I just did not expect a proposal so soon.”

His eyes widened. “Are you refusing me?”

“No, I just … am surprised, that is all.”

“Take the evening to decide then, my dear,” Seeton said, the smile returning in force. “I am sure you will have a clear head come morning.”

A clear head? She could not be thinking more clearly.

The door opened abruptly and Roan stood there. He looked just as he had when she’d left him five minutes before — save that his shirt had been tucked into his breeches. But his hair was even more unruly, as though he had been running his fingers through it time and again.

“Lord Drayton?” Seeton said, his brows furrowing as he glanced from Roan to Jack, who appeared at Roan’s shoulder.

“I am afraid Addy can’t marry you,” Roan said matter-of-factly.

Seeton frowned and puffed out his chest. “Why is that?”

“Because I love her, and I want her to marry me.”

Addy’s heart soared to the heavens.

“Do not be ridiculous,” Stephan said, lifting his chin a good two inches.

Jack glanced at Stephan, his eyes narrowing. “Why is Lord Drayton asking for my sister’s hand ridiculous?”

“He is … scarred. What woman would want—”

“I would,” Addy said, rushing into Roan’s arms. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

She saw the surprise in Roan’s eyes, the intense relief. A relief she felt herself.

Stephan’s face turned bright red. “I cannot believe what I am hearing. Good God, Adelaide, you would have this … this monster for a husband over me?”

“Indeed, I would,” she replied.

“The two of you deserve each other.” Stephan whisked his hat off the desk and rushed out of the room.

“I’ll give you two a moment alone,” Jack said, clapping Roan on the back. “I can think of no one else I would rather lose her to than you.”

“Thank you, Jack,” Roan said, smiling as he turned to Addy. “My beautiful Little Miss Independent.”

Addy grinned, and cupped Roan’s face. “I love you, Roan. I always have, and I always will.”