A Baron in Her Bed

A Baron
In Her Bed

Maggi Andersen

KNOX ROBINSON
PUBLISHING
London • New York

KNOX ROBINSON
PUBLISHING

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&

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Knox Robinson Publishing is a specialist, international publisher of historical fiction, historical romance and medieval fantasy.

Copyright © Maggi Andersen 2012

The right of Maggi Andersen to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by an means, without the prior permission in writing of Knox Robinson Publishing, or as expressly permitted by law, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reprographics rights organization. Enquiries concerning the reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the Rights Department, Knox Robinson Publishing, at the London address above.

You must not circulate this book in any other binding or cover and you must impose the same condition on any acquirer.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978-1-908483-34-8

Printed in the United States of America
and the United Kingdom.

First published by KRP in Great Britain in 2012.

First published by KRP in the United States in 2013.

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Also by Maggi Andersen

The Reluctant Marquess

Arcadia displays but a region of dreams;

What are visions like these
to the first kiss of love?

Lord
Byron

Chapter One

London, 1816

He had waited so long for this. With the bitter taste of disappointment in his mouth, Guy Truesdale stood on the lawn verge of Golden Square and studied number twelve across the road. The impressive size of the three-story townhouse was as he imagined, and the gardens in the square still well-ordered, but Soho was not as elegant as his father had described. It appeared to have changed considerably in the last thirty-five years, and the aristocracy of his father’s time had since moved on to more salubrious areas. In those days a fashionable countess had lived next door and had given lavish balls and dinner parties. Now the townhouse next door to his appeared to be a warehouse for musical instruments. The swell of an Italian aria emanated from an open window, sung by a tenor accompanied by the harpsichord and violin.

The door of his townhouse, which was still leased, opened to display peeling wallpaper and scuffed tiles as two men emerged. They crossed the road and bowed to him before they walked away across the square.

Glad the rain had held off, Guy made his way back to his hotel. Tomorrow, he would leave London for Digswell. Perhaps what he found in the country might please him more. Any hope that his father’s loving descriptions of England would make him feel less a stranger, faded, as he walked through streets which were completely foreign to him. He straightened his shoulders. He’d come here to claim his inheritance, and claim it he would. There was no returning to France now.

Dusk turned to evening, hastening his footsteps. He decided on a shortcut and hurried down a shadowy laneway which, by his calculations, would lead into a main thoroughfare.

He was halfway along it when the sound of running feet, made him spin around. Two men appeared out of the gloom and advanced towards him.

Guy moved back until his shoulder brushed the wall. “What is it you want?”

When neither of the men answered, cold sweat gathered on his brow. His glance flicked ahead to where the laneway joined a busy road. “
Répondez-moi
,
” he demanded. His throat tightened in fear.

“’e’s the one all right,” one of them murmured. They separated and each took a menacing step closer, blocking off any avenues of escape.

The moon sailed above the narrow gap between the buildings and shone on the knife held by one of the footpads.

Guy drew his swordstick. “Back away.”

At the sight of it, they stepped back apace, hesitated, and stood regarding him.

A feint might work. When he had them off guard he would run for it. He moved away from the wall and drew circles in the air with his sword. “Come on, you want to fight? I’m willing.”

“’e can’t take both of us,” the tallest of the two said.

“Yer, but he could run one of us through,” the other replied. “And we weren’t paid enough for that.”

“Shut up, you fool.”

Surprised, Guy stilled, his heart thudding in his ears. “Who paid you?”

“Say nothin’,” the tall man warned. He then whispered something to his companion.

He watched them, his swordstick at the ready. Did they mean to kill him?

As the taller man raised his arm to throw the knife, Guy lunged to the left. A pistol shot blasted through the confined space, rattling the nearby windows, and the knife clattered to the ground.

The tall man shrieked. “I’ve been shot.”

“Hey, you there!” Highlighted by the light from the street behind him, a caped figure strode towards them from the main thoroughfare, a pistol in each hand, one smoking. “Next time I’ll aim to kill.”

The injured man snatched up his knife and the pair scuttled back the way they’d come.

As their footsteps faded into the night, the gentleman tucked the pistols into the pockets of his multi-caped greatcoat. He walked towards Guy. “I saw them follow you. I’m sorry I didn’t get here faster, but I turned the corner and wasn’t sure which way you went.”

With a swell of gratitude, Guy sheathed his sword, shelved his suspicion, and bowed. ”I am indebted to you, monsieur, one obviously needs to be well armed in London.”

“It is wise to be on your guard; footpads will tackle an unarmed man.”

Guy clutched his cane. He had been armed, and it had not deterred them.

“We’d best get out of this dark place.” The man led the way towards the lit street. “New to London? I don’t advise you to walk alone around these parts.”

“
Oui
. I arrived from France this morning.”

“You can’t think much of us, an attempted robbery on your first day.”

“There was more to it than a robbery.” Guy studied his rescuer. He was of a similar age to himself, mid-thirties.

The big fair-haired man raised his brows. “The war might be over, but not all of the English can forgive and forget.”

A grim smile tugged at Guy’s mouth. “I’m sure that’s so, my friend.” He remembered the footpad’s words
‒
he’s the one
. It was him they were after. Who would want him dead here in England?

“Where are my manners?” His rescuer held out his hand. ”John Haldane, Earl of Strathairn.”

Guy shook his hand. “Guy Truesdale.”

The earl’s brows met in a perplexed frown. “Truesdale? Why, that means you’re a…”

Guy nodded. “Fortescue,
oui
.”

“A relative of the baron?”

“I am Baron Fortescue.”

“Why this is grand news! Your father and mine were close friends.” John frowned. “But this means, of course, that your father is dead. I’m sorry. Not by the guillotine one would hope.”

“Not directly.” They crossed the road. Under the circle of light from an oil lamp, Guy gazed into John’s smiling eyes. “I am indebted to you. I hope to repay you should we meet again.”

John slapped him on the back. “Nonsense, Fortescue. Where do you stay?”

When Guy told him, John said, “Not one of our best hostelries. You must come home with me.”

“I couldn’t presume . . .”

“Not another word. Father, if he still lived, would have been justifiably angry if I failed to offer you hospitality. We reside in Berkley Square and have plenty of room. Feel free to stay as long as you wish. I’ll send a servant around for your luggage.”

“
Merci
. I plan to travel to the country in a day or two.”

“Your seat is to the north, Hertfordshire I believe.”

Guy nodded. “It borders Sherradspark Wood in Digswell.”

An empty hackney turned the corner, and Strathairn stepped into the road to hail it. As the jarvie pulled up the horse, Strathairn gave directions and whipped open the door.

Guy settled on the squabs beside him.
“Je suis dans votre dette
,” he said with warmth. “You are most
généreuse
.”

“In my debt?” Strathairn dismissed the sentiment with a wave of his hand. “Nonsense, Baron. It’s been my pleasure. But once my sisters get a look at you, I may change my mind.”

Guy frowned. “I’m not sure of your meaning.” He had always been proud of being half English, but since he arrived in England, he’d felt terribly French.

“My dear fellow. If you aren’t used to ladies fighting over you, you soon will be.”

Guy shook his head.

With the thrill of expectation, Horatia took out the clothes hidden in the back of the clothespress. The maids had finished their work and gone downstairs, she would not be disturbed.

She removed her morning gown and donned the buckskin breeches. They slipped over her thighs like a second skin, hugging her derrière and hips. Men were lucky to have clothes that offered so much freedom. But then, they had much more freedom than women to enjoy. She pulled the cotton shirt over her head and shrugged into the grey wool coat, the loose cut disguising her breasts without the need of binding. A black ribbon secured her chestnut hair in a queue and the knitted green scarf around her neck and chin concealed her throat.

The shabby square-cut wide-brimmed black hat, rifled from the back of her father’s armoire, shadowed her face. Horatia stared at her reflection, and her heart beat faster. Only her brown eyes beneath straight dark brows were familiar. Glad for once that nature had given her a tall boyish figure, she sat to pull on the boots.

She had discovered the men’s clothes in a cupboard after they moved into the house. Although she had meant to give them to the church, something had made her try them on. The change in how the clothes made her feel was remarkable.

An exhilarating sense of independence stole over her, a rebellious, guilty pleasure. No longer did Miss Horatia Cavendish, spinster daughter of Colonel Cavendish, appear before her in the glass. She’d been replaced by a young man, able to go anywhere unaccompanied. She must still be careful, for they lived a mere few miles from the village, and a stranger in these parts stood out like a cuckoo in a dovecote.

Horatia’s father planned to stay the night in London and would be gone until tomorrow. Since he’d retired from the army, he had developed an intense interest in his finances and often visited his solicitor. She hated to deceive him, but every time he was away from home, she could not resist donning the clothes to ride his stallion, The General. After Father had refused her Aunt Emily’s invitation to chaperone her for a London season, Horatia had felt so stifled it had become imperative to have a secret life of her own.

With the riding crop tucked under her arm, she left by the servant’s door and walked to the stables. She held a finger to her lips and the groom, Simon, chuckled. “Looks like snow, Miss Horatia.” The big fair-haired man went to fetch The General from his box. Horatia trusted Simon with her secret. She would trust him with her life if it should come to that.

Simon led the chestnut out and put her father’s saddle on him. The General whinnied and dug at the ground with a hoof, eager for a canter. Horatia patted his nose. “You don’t mind a bit of snow, do you, fellow?”

“The General will be glad of some exercise, and knowing you ride like the very devil, I daresay you’ll return before the weather turns.”

She grinned. “I’ll be back in time for tea, Simon. Rest assured.”