Page 15 (1/2)

Chapter 1

March 5, 1844 Albury House, Upper Grosvenor Street, London

Lord Frederick Kingsley Montgomery Brampton, seventh Marquess of Albury, walked into hisroo in an ar close to imminent demise

Not that Frederick had actually expected his mother to be at death’s door, yet every tiue surave decline, only to find her as robust as when he’d last seen her, relief ghosted through him; one day, he knew, the summons would be real

Today, however, as his htened and smiled “Ah, Frederick—you’ve come Yes, I know—I’ utterly wretched and faint yesterday, quite unable to lift , I awoke, and the faintness had passed”

“For which I must be thankful, Mama” His mother was still a handsome woman with her silvery hair confined beneath a lace cap and her tall figure elegantly and fashionably gowned Frederick bent and kissed her lined cheek, then nodded in greeting to the other occupant of the rootime companion, Mrs Emily Weston, as seated on the chaise beside his , E your customary rosy health”

That appeared to be the c

ase; Eht, her peaches-and-creaer than his mother’s fifty-six years, Emily had been the marchioness’s trusted friend and confidante for the past decade and more

Failing to hide an understanding smile, Emily inclined her head “Indeed, Frederick, I’aze returned to hisfor a shoe to fall

On following Elint of calculation in his mother’s eyes That she’d called him up for some purpose from his preferred abode of the marquessate’s principal seat, Brampton Hall in Surrey, wasn’t a surprise What that purpose was…

He sank into the wing chair on the other side of the hearth, fixed his ned tone, inquired, “What is it this time, Mama?”

His mother blinked her eyes wide “Whatever do you mean, dear boy?” With barely a pause, she went on, “Tellat Brampton?”

So, it’s to be like that, is it? Stifling a sigh, he replied hat patience he could muster; his mother would reveal her hand when she was ready and not before As it happened, he would have returned to town in a week’s ti to her summons hadn’t truly put him out

Histhe estate, the staff, and the tenants, then angled a look at Emily

E any particular musical text at the moment?”

Suppressing a frown, he answered; the question was guaranteed to distract him and pass the time—there were feeeks in the year when he wasn’t either studying or on the trail of some ancient musical text The history ofinterest since he’d left Eton Yet E prompted by his mother to ask such a question now, rather than, for instance, in the drawing roo hi room—presumably because the reason for her summons was about to manifest

Two ale, the butler, appeared and announced, “Lady Eustacia Cavanaugh has called, ale added, “My lord”

A single glance at his h to inform Frederick that Lady Eustacia was, indeed, the reason histo the capital

Her eyes lighting as if Lady Eustacia’s arrival was a delightful surprise, his ale”

Fortingale bowed and withdrew

Rising in anticipation of the lady’s entrance, Frederick shot his iven up all atteo Apparently not, yet if she thought time had eroded his defenses, she was destined to suffer comprehensive disappointment

Piqued over having been jockeyed into afor which he had absolutely no desire, with his teale opened it and ushered in…a vision

Lady Eustacia Cavanaugh ithout a doubt, the most vibrantly attractive lady Frederick had ever laid eyes on