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Chapter One

Grace Eversleigh had been the coer Duchess of Wyndham for five years, and in that tis about her erace's stern, exacting, and haughty exterior did not beat a heart of gold

Which was not to say that the offending organ was black Her grace the dowager Duchess of Wyndham could never be called completely evil Nor was she cruel, spiteful, or even entirely usta Elizabeth Candida Debenhahter of a duke, she had iven birth to another Her sister was now a member of a minor royal family in some central European country whose name Grace could never quite pronounce, and her brother owned er was concerned, the world was a stratified place, with a hierarchy as clear as it was rigid

Wyndhams, and especially Wyndhams who used to be Debenhams, sat firmly at the top

And as such, the dowager expected certain behavior and deference to be paid She was rarely kind, she did not tolerate stupidity, and her coht say they were never given at all, but Grace had, precisely twice, borne witness to a curt but honest "well done" - not that anyone believed her when she mentioned it later )

But the dowager had saved Grace from an impossible situation, and for that she would always possess Grace's gratitude, respect, andaround the fact that the dowager was so less than cheerful, and so, as they rode hoant and well-sprung coach gliding effortlessly across the ht-dark roads, Grace could not help but be relieved that her employer was fast asleep

It had been a lovely night, truly, and Grace knew she should not be so uncharitable Upon arrival, the dowager had immediately retired to her seat of honor with her cronies, and Grace had not been required to attend to her Instead, she had danced and laughed with all of her old friends, she had drunk three glasses of punch, she had poked fun at Tho endeavor; he was the current duke and certainly needed a bit less obsequiousness in his life But most of all she had smiled She had smiled so well and so often that her cheeks hurt

The pure and unexpected joy of the evening had left her body hurin into the darkness, listening to the soft snore of the dowager as they made their way home

Grace closed her eyes, even though she did not think herself sleepy There was soe She was riding backwards - she always did - and the rhyth her drowsy It was strange Her eyes were tired, even though the rest of her was not But perhaps a nap would not be such a rave, she would be required to aid the dowager with -

Crack!

Grace sat up straight, glancing over at her employer, who, miraculously, had not awakened What was that sound? Had someone -

Crack!

This ti to a halt so swiftly that the dowager, as facing front as usual, was jerked off her seat

Grace immediately dropped to her knees next to her e around her

"What the devil?" the dowager snapped, but fell silent when she caught Grace's expression

"Gunshots," Grace whispered

The dowager's lips pursed tightly, and then she yanked off her emerald necklace and thrust it at Grace

"Hide this," she ordered

"Me?" Grace practically squeaked, but she shoved the jewels under a cushion all the same And all she could think was that she would dearly like to susta Wyndhaer was too cheap to hand over her jewels -

The door renched open

"Stand and deliver!"

Grace froze, still crouched on the floor next to the dowager Slowly, she lifted her head to the doorway, but all she could see was the silvery end of a gun, round and , and pointed at her forehead

"Ladies," caain, and this time it was a bit different, almost polite The speaker then stepped forward out of the shadows, and with a graceful motion swept his arm in an arc to usher them out "The pleasure of your company, if you will," he murmured

Grace felt her eyes dart back and forth - an exercise in futility, to be sure, as there was clearly no avenue of escape She turned to the dowager, expecting to find her spitting with fury, but instead she had gone white It was then that Grace realized she was shaking

The dowager was shaking

Both of them were

The highwayainst the door frame He sue How Grace could see all of that when half of his face was covered with his s about hi

He was strong

And he was dangerously lethal

"Ma'ae "I think we should do as he says "

"I do love a sensible woain Just a quirk this ti little lift at the corner of his h, and his chare Grace's fear

And then he extended his other ar at a house party

As if he were a country gentleman, about to inquire about the weather

"May I be of assistance?" he murmured

Grace shook her head frantically She could not touch him She did not knohy, precisely, but she knew in her bones that it would be utter disaster to put her hand in his

"Very well," he said with a sh "Ladies today are so very capable It breaksa secret "No one likes to feel superfluous "

Grace just stared at him

"Renderedback to allow them to exit "It happens all the time Really, I shouldn't be allowed near the ladies I have such a vexing effect on you "

He was mad That was the only explanation Grace didn't care how pretty his un

"Although," he mused, his weapon rock steady even as his words seeh the air,

"so of all "

Thoht The Duke of Wyndhaiven narace, Miss Grace, your grace - had no patience for chitchat of any sort

"Ma'aer's arm

The dowager did not say a word, nor did she nod, but she took Grace's hand and allowed herself to be helped down froe

"Ah, now that iswidely now "What good fortune is ht I'd be greeted by a crusty old gentleman "

Grace stepped to the side, keeping her eyes trained on his face He did not look like a criminal, or rather, her idea of a cri, and if he was not recently washed, well, she could not smell it

"Or perhaps one of those dreadful young toads, stuffed into a waistcoat two sizes too sainst his chin "You know the sort, don't you?" he asked Grace

"Red face, drinks too much, thinks too little "

/>And to her great surprise, Grace found herself nodding

"I thought you would," he replied "They're rather thick on the ground, sadly "

Grace blinked and just stood there, watching his mouth It was the only bit of hi the upper portion of his face But his lips were so full of movement, so perfectly formed and expressive, that she al And

"Ah, well," he said, with the sah of ennui Grace had seen Thoe the subject "I'm sure you ladies realize that this isn't a social call " His eyes flicked toward Grace, and he let loose a devilish smile "Not entirely "

Grace's lips parted

His eyes - what she could see of therew heavy-lidded and seductive

"I do enjoybusiness and pleasure," he murmured "It's not often an option, ith all those portly young gentle the roads "

She knew she should gasp, or even spit forth a protest, but the highwayman's voice was so smooth, like the fine brandy she was occasionally offered at Belgrave There was a very slight lilt to it, too, attesting to a childhood spent far from Lincolnshire, and Grace felt herself sway, as if she could fall forward, lightly, softly, and land somewhere else Far, far from here

Quick as a flash his hand was at her elbow, steadying her "You're not going to swoon, are you?" he asked, his fingers offering just the right amount of pressure to keep her on her feet

Without letting her go

Grace shook her head "No," she said softly

"You have my heartfelt thanks for that," he replied "It would be lovely to catch you, but I'd have to drop un, and we couldn't have that, could we?" He turned to the dowager with a chuckle "And don't you go thinking about it I would be more than happy to catch you as well, but I don't believe either of you would wish to leave e of the firearms "

It was only then that Grace realized there were three other men Of course there had to be - he could not have orchestrated this by hi to remain in the shadows

And she had not been able to take her eyes off their leader

"Has our driver been har of his welfare

Neither he nor the footht

"Nothing that a spot of love and tenderness won't cure," the highwayman assured her "Is he married?"

What was he talking about? "I - I don't think so," Grace replied

"Send him to the public house, then There is a rather buxo ladies " He chuckled "Warm broth, then, and perhaps a cold compress And then after that, a day off to find that spot of love and tenderness The other fellow, by the way" - he flicked his head toward a nearby cluster of trees - "is over there Perfectly unharhter than he prefers "

Grace flushed, and she turned to the dowager, a down for such lewd talk But the dowager was still as pale as sheets, and she was staring at the thief as if she'd seen a ghost

"Ma'a her hand It was cold and clammy And limp Utterly limp