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knees, still holding her hand. She crawled closer to the edge of

the bed to look down at him.

«It’s not certain, but Mistress Goody is very experienced.»

«I know, she was at my birth.» Was that his voice, that thin,

reedy piping sound? He licked his lips. «How the hell are we

going to manage, Jane?»

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She yanked on his hand until he got back on his feet and then

wrapped her arms around him. «I don’t know.» He looked down

at her and realized he had the opportunity denied to his father—

to make things right, to turn his life around and make Jane and

his children proud of him.

«Jane, I know I don’t deserve your trust, but will you trust me

anyway?»

She studied him carefully and then nodded. «I’ll try.»

«Then I swear to you that I’ll do everything in my power to

protect you and our children from harm.»

«I know that.»

He climbed onto the bed with her and held her close. Things

were far from perfect. He’d have to work hard to regain her trust

and to sort out the complications that were bound to occur in

their far-from-orthodox love life. But for the first time in his life,

he truly believed they could be happy. If he allowed himself to be

happy, if he allowed himself to love. He took a deep breath.

«I love you, Jane.»

«I always knew that.» She turned her head to look at him, her

expression serious. «Now you just have to show me.»

Something strange happened to his voice and he had to clear

his throat several times. «That will be my pleasure.»

«And mine too, I hope.»

He rolled her over onto her back and leaned over her, took

his time undressing her and told her she looked as beautiful as

ever. He kissed her soft mouth until he’d mastered the absurd

feeling that he might be about to cry. Minshoms never cried. Jane

kissed him back and he positioned himself between her thighs

and slid home.

He paused to blow out the candle beside the bed before he

started to move inside her. If by chance his emotions did

overwhelm him, and he feared they might, Jane would never

notice in the darkness. And even if she did, she’d understand,

and he’d deny it completely. He smiled as she walked her feet up

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the backs of his thighs to keep him close. And that was exactly

why she was the only woman he had ever wanted.

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Can’t get enough of Kate Pearce and her House of Pleasure series? Then

please turn the page for an exciting sneak peek of the next sizzling

installment,

SIMPLY FORBIDDEN!

Knowles House, England, 1822

«Why on earth did you invite him, Christian?» Lisette

Delornay-Ross nudged her twins arm and nodded at the corner

of the sunny breakfast room where Major Lord Gabriel Swan-

field read the newspaper and continued to ignore everyone

around him.

«I didn’t invite him.» Christian poured himself more coffee.

«Philip did.»

Lisette leaned her elbows on the table and contemplated her

brother. «But he’s nowhere near Father’s age, so how do they

know each other?»

«I’ve no idea. Why don’t you stop bothering me and go and

ask Lord Swanfield?»

«Because he’ll stare at me as if I’m a worm and then give me a

one-word answer that tells me nothing.»

«I take it you’ve already met him then?» Christian smiled. «Is

he really that unforthcoming?»

«When I was introduced to him last night he barely bothered

to say a word to me.» Lisette stood up. «Perhaps I’ll go and ask

Father. He’ll probably tell me the truth.»

Christian leaned back in his chair to study her, his blond hair

catching the light, his long elegant body shown to advantage in

his brown coat and black breeches. «The real question is—why

are you so interested in Lord Swanfield?»

«Because I hate being ignored?»

«That’s certainly true, but there are plenty of other gentlemen

here this week eager to flirt with you. Why not go and bother one

of them?»

Lisette frowned. «Don’t you like him, Christian?»

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«As if you would pay any attention to me if I did.» Christian

shrugged. «He doesn’t mix much in society. In truth, I know very

little about him.»

«But what you do know of him, you don’t like?» «Don’t start,

Lis.» He sighed. «As I said, if you really want to be nosey, go and

talk to the poor man.»

«Perhaps I will.»

Determined not to be shown up by her brother, Lisette

marched across to where Lord Swanfield sat hidden behind his

newspaper and cleared her throat. He lowered the paper the

merest inch and studied her over the top of it.

«Yes?»

Lisette gave him her sweetest smile. «I just wanted to wish you

good morning, my lord. We’ve scarcely had a chance to speak

since your arrival.»

The paper came down another three inches, allowing her to

look into his eyes. Up close, they were a very dark blue and

fringed with long lashes.

«And you are?»

Good lord, the man didn’t even remember being introduced

to her last night! Lisette kept smiling. «I’m Miss Ross, Lord Philip

Knowles’s eldest daughter. I’m acting as my father’s hostess this

weekend.»

«Ah. A pleasure, ma’am.» His fingers twitched on the

newspaper as if he intended to flip it back up and dismiss her,

but Lisette was quicker. If he intended to be short with her, she

could definitely be a little forward.

«I was wondering what brought you here on this particular

weekend to Knowles House. I don’t remember your name being

on the guest list.» She smiled graciously. «Not that you aren’t

welcome, of course.»

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His dark brows drew together. «I’m looking for some horses.

Your father told me to come down anytime I liked. I didn’t

realize all this nonsense would be going on.»

«Or else you wouldn’t have come.»

He met her gaze properly for the first time, a hint of wary

surprise in his. «Exactly.»

Beneath the careful upper-class cadences of his voice there

was a slight northern burr which deepened his tone and made it

rougher and far more interesting.

«Well, I’m sorry that we are spoiling your quiet weekend in the

countryside.»

«Thank you.»

He was either incapable of detecting her sarcasm or really

quite rude. She couldn’t decide which, but both attitudes annoyed

her. «You think us frivolous and unworthy of your interest, my

lord?»

He started to fold the paper and she caught sight of the deep

parallel scars on his left cheek that disappeared below his high

collar. «I didn’t say that.»

«But you obviously think so. I don’t believe you’ve spoken a

single word to anyone since you walked into this room.»

He raised in eyebrows. «I’ve spoken to you.»

She stared at him for a long moment as she struggled to

control her tongue. «I suppose you have. Are you going out with

the shooting party this morning?»

A shudder of something that looked like revulsion passed

over his face. «No, Miss Ross, I’m not.»

«Then would you like to join me and some of the other ladies

in a walk around the estate?» She wasn’t quite sure why she made

the offer when he was being so objectionable, but she refused to

be defeated by any man.

«Unfortunately, I’m already engaged. Your father has found

someone to show me around the stables.»

«Which is why you came here in the first place.»

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Kate Pearce

«Indeed.»

He stood up and dropped the newspaper onto the table. She

found she had to look up at him, which was unnerving. She’d

only viewed him from above last night when her father brought

him into the great hall. At five feet eight, she was tall for a

woman, but he topped her by at least five inches. He was as lean

and elegant as a greyhound, his shoulders accentuated by the

confines of his black coat, his long thighs encased in clinging

buckskin. He inclined his head the merest inch.

«Good morning, Miss Ross.»

She dropped him a quick curtsey. «Good morning, my lord.»

He nodded and strolled away, stopped to talk to one of the

footmen positioned by the door and was directed on his way.

«Well.» Lisette huffed as her half-sister, Emily, and her friends

came up beside her. «What an incredibly rude man.»

«What did he say to you?» Emily inquired, her face flushed

and her blue eyes eager.

«He said that he didn’t want to be here, and that he’d only

come to look at a horse.»

«He didn’t!»

Lisette smiled at her younger sister’s indignant expression.

«He most certainly did. I suspect he wishes us all to the devil.»

Emily’s two friends giggled and whispered at Lisette’s

language and she reminded herself to be more careful. At

eighteen, Emily’s prospects for an excellent marriage were much

on her mind. Lisette didn’t want to spoil anything for Emily by

drawing the ton’s attention to her less than reputable half-sister.

«I wonder if he will attend the ball on Friday.»

Lisette sighed at the hopeful gleam in Emily’s eyes. What was

it about dark-haired brooding men that sent all the young girls

into a flutter? In her experience, good-looking men did not make

good husbands or lovers, being far too concerned with

themselves to care about a woman’s feelings.

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«I’m not sure if he’ll be staying the full week, Emily. Once he’s

decided on a horse, he’ll probably be off.»

«Oh.» There was a wealth of regret in Emily’s response that

Lisette tried to ignore. She was very fond of her sister but also

frequently amazed at the differences between them. Emily had

been protected by her father all her life, whereas Lisette had only

met him three years ago. Emily’s safe romantic view of the world

had never been Lisette’s and never would.

«If he does stay, I’m sure he’ll dance with you.» Lisette patted

Emily’s shoulder. «He can hardly say no.» She paused to consider

her own words. «Well, he probably could, but I’m sure Father

could persuade him to change his mind.»

Emily pouted. «But I don’t want him to ask me out of duty. I

want him to ask me because he can’t bear not to dance with me.

He is an earl, Lisette!»

Lisette struggled not to smile. «Then make yourself pleasant to

him over the next few days, and I’m sure he’ll come around and

ask you to dance. Why wouldn’t he?»

«He’d probably rather ask you. What man wouldn’t?» Emily

looked glum.

Lisette chuckled remembering the complete lack of interest in

Lord Swanfield’s rather fine eyes. «After the way he just spoke to

me, I doubt that.»

Emily grabbed her hand. «Oh, shall we have a wager to see

who can get him to ask us to dance first? Wouldn’t that be fun,

Lisette?»

«But I don’t want him to dance with me.»

«Then you’ll let me win, won’t you?» Emily smiled at her

companions and the three of them disappeared into the garden,

still whispering and giggling.

Lisette smiled fondly at Emily and went to talk to the other

guests. The house party wasn’t large and was mainly for Emily’s

benefit as she was going up to London for the Season later in the

year. Philip had decided to introduce Emily to some of the other

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girls who were making their curtsey to the Polite World so that

she would feel more comfortable during her debut.

«Well?»

Lisette stopped at the table to look at Christian who was

grinning up at her. «Well what?»

«Did Lord Swanfield tell you why he was here?»

«He did, thank you.» She made as to go past him and he

caught her hand.

«Don’t tell me—he’s looking for a wife.»

«How amusing, Christian. However did you guess?»

His hazel eyes narrowed. «He’s not after Emily, is he?»

Lisette disengaged herself from his grasp. «Of course not,

although she seems to have developed quite a tender for him.»

«But he’s only been here for a few hours!»

«That’s all it takes, brother mine—think of Romeo and Juliet.»

Christian laughed. «And think how happily that ended.» He

reclaimed Lisette’s hand and walked with her to the door and

into the shadowed hallway beyond. «You weren’t as silly as Emily

when you were eighteen.»

«Thank goodness. But there was scarcely an opportunity for

me to be silly in a convent-run orphanage was there?»

«That’s true, but when we moved to live with Maman you

certainly made up for it.»

There was an edge to Christian’s words that made Lisette

pause. «What is that supposed to mean?»

«You’ve gained a reputation, sister mine, a reputation that

won’t help Emily at all.»

Lisette stopped walking completely. «Are you suggesting I’m

too ‘fast’ to associate with my own half-sister?»

He regarded her steadily, his long body aligned with hers as he