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Prologue

London, April 1770

“Are you worried I’ll ravish the woe? I admit to a preference for s in reeable and decidedly less coins or other men’s wives”

Sharp gray eyes lifted froany desk “Ravish, Westfield?” The deep voice was rife with exasperation “Be serious, nment is very important to me”

Marcus Ashford, seventh Earl of Westfield, lost the wicked shts and released a deep breath “And you must be aware that it is equally important to me”

Nicholas, Lord Eldridge, sat back in his chair, placed his elbows on the arers He was a tall and sinewy man with a weathered face that had seen tooabout hi superfluous, fro to his physical build He presented an intihfare as a backdrop The result was deliberate and highly effective

“As a matter of fact, until this raphy skills I never considered you would volunteer to e the case”

Marcus e was head of the elite band of agents whose sole purpose was to investigate and hunt down known pirates and s under the auspices of His Majesty’s Royal Navy, Eldridge wielded an inordinate anment, Marcus would have little say

But he would not be refused Not in this

He tightened his jaw “I will not allow you to assign soer, I will be the one to ensure her safety”

Eldridge raked hiaze “Why such passionate interest? After what transpired between you, I’m surprised you would wish to be in close contact with her Your motive eludes me”

“I have no ulterior motive” At least not one he would share “Despite our past, I’ve no desire to see her harmed”

“Her actions dragged you into a scandal that lasted for ood show,wounds, perhaps?”

Re still as a statue, Marcus kept his face i resentment His pain was his own and deeply personal He disliked being asked about it “Do you thinkmy personal life from my professional one?”

Eldridge sighed and shook his head “Very well I won’t pry”

“And you won’t refuse me?”

“You are the best ave me pause, but if you are corant her request for reassignment, if it comes to that”

Nodding, Marcus hid his relief Elizabeth would never ask for another agent; her pride wouldn’t permit it

Eldridge began to tap his fingertips together “The journal Lady Hawthorne received was addressed to her late husband and is written in code If the book was involved in his death” He paused “Viscount Hawthorne was investigating Christopher St John when he met his reward”

Marcus stilled at the naed to apprehend more than St John, and his en were the iency “If Lord Hawthorne kept a journal of his assignments and St John were to acquire the inforht of the pirate anywhere near Elizabeth

“Exactly,” Eldridge agreed “In fact, Lady Hawthorne has already been contacted about the book since it was brought to o For her safety and ours, it should be removed from her care immediately, but that’s impossible at the moment She was instructed to personally deliver the journal, hence the need for our protection”

“Of course”

Eldridge slid a folder across the desk “Here is the inforathered so far Lady Hawthorne will apprise you of the rest during the Moreland ball”

Collecting the particulars of the assignment, Marcus stood and took his leave Once in the hallway, he allowed a grim smile of satisfaction to curve his lips

He’d been only days away fro h the , it worked to his advantage,it impossible for her to avoid hio she would not be pleased with his new appearance in her life But she wouldn’t turn to Eldridge either, of that he was certain

Soon, very soon, all that she had once promised and then denied him would finally be his

Chapter 1

Marcus found Elizabeth before he even set foot in the Moreland ballroom In fact, he was trapped on the staircase as iht a ith him He was oblivious to those who vied for his attention, arrested by a brief glimpse of her

She was even lovelier than before How that was possible he couldn’t say She had always been exquisite Perhaps absence had row fonder

A derisive smile curved his lips Obviously, Elizabeth did not return the senti her again to show on his face In return, she lifted her chin and looked away

A deliberate snub

The cut direct, exactly administered but unable to draw blood She had already inflicted the rievous lace

ration years ago,hiard with ease Nothing could alter their fate, however she ht wish it otherwise

For years now he’d served as an agent to the crown, and in that time he had led a life that would rival the stories written in any sensational novel He’d fought nued more than any man’s fair share of cannon fire In the process, he had lost three of his own ships and sunk a half dozen others before he’d been forced to reland by the demands of his title And yet the sudden fiery lick of awareness along his nerve endings only ever happened when he was in the same room as Elizabeth

Avery James, his partner, stepped around him when it became obvious he was rooted to the spot “There is Viscountess Hawthorne, my lord,” he pointed out with an al to the right, on the edge of the dance floor, in the violet silk gown She is—”

“I knoho she is”

Avery looked at him in surprise “I was unaware that you were acquainted”

Marcus’s lips, knoidely for their ability to charm women breathless, curved in blatant anticipation “Lady Hawthorne and I areold friends”

“I see,” Avery murmured, with a frown that said he didn’t at all