Chapter One

London

April, 1816

His entire body tightened as mellifluous feminine laughter rang through the air.

Desperately, he tried to ignore the sweet tingles that rippled through him at that melodious sound.

He simply didn’t have the time or the luxury to entertain such ridiculous feelings when he was here for serious business. One that might as well be a matter of life–or otherwise.

His heart skipped a beat as that thought crossed his mind, and he found himself sending a frantic prayer up above.

God, please, let her be safe. I’d do anything, give anything, just to have my sister back home again.

The truth was a part of him couldn’t help feeling foolish. What was he doing here? Spending precious time that he could not afford to lose, watching this lady’s every move when he could have been turning the whole of London upside down.

When he could be searching all the nooks and crannies of the countryside and making certain that whoever had dared to lay a finger on his sister would regret doing so for the rest of their life?

Of course, he knew all of these things. Still, for a strong reason, he also couldn’t shake off the belief that this was where he was meant to be.

That the woman in front of him, Lady Eleanor, had the answer to all of his questions. That she was the key to it all.

If he could just get her alone in a place she would be unable to run away from, he might be able to get the entire truth out of her.

So as foolish as this seemed to even him, as far as his instincts were concerned, this was the most efficient and effective way to find his sister. And if there was anything he’d learned in his twenty-eight years on earth, it was that his instincts never failed him.

His teeth ground together as her soft laughter twirled in the air once more. He refused to pay attention to how her jade eyes dazzled under the afternoon sun. Eyes that reminded him of the feline creatures she very much took after.

Tongue as sharp as claws, ever ready to scratch and draw blood. Eyes that never rested, remaining abreast of every occurrence within her line of sight and premises, and the perfect body, so slender and lithe, made it all too easy for her to slip out of all the troubles she reveled in creating.

And again, there were her sharp senses. He’d watched her long enough to know that they never failed her. He knew exactly how quickly the hairs on the back of her nape stood whenever the merest thing was amiss. He’d seen how her nose scrunched up in annoyance when a person she didn’t care for entered the room, even with her back turned to the door. Or how piqued she became if she was forced into a situation she wanted to avoid, such as a harmless dance with an insufferable Lord.

They had been moving in the same circles for quite some time now, and he had had more than ample opportunity to study her person.

In fact, it would appear that whenever he found himself in the same room with her, all he ever seemed capable of was staring. He watched her almost to the point of obsession sometimes. And they often ended up engaging in a war of words, which excited him more than he cared to admit.

He supposed he should be perturbed by that and that he knew so much about her when in truth, the only emotions she’d ever been able to make him feel ranged from exasperation to aggravation with the ever-annoying exhilaration thrown in.

Oh well, in the spirit of absolute honesty, there were other feelings that she aroused in him as well, but no amount of torture would make him admit that aloud. Not even Rosa had the ability to rile him so entirely.

However, those feelings explained why he continued to pay her all that attention when she continued to fan the flames of irritation inside of him, by simply being her petulant self who didn’t care much for society’s approval.

In any case, he was grateful that all the knowledge of her person was finally coming in handy.

Because he knew all these things about the lady, he’d been able to put together the perfect plan. One that would use her weaknesses, such as her undying love for children and inability to stand by and watch a soul being hurt, against her, whilst making sure that her strengths be made useless.

If he succeeded in besting her today, it would be a victory for him in more ways than one. He would have the boast of finally beating her at whatever game they’d been playing for the past few years.

And that would be quite the feat indeed, considering that nobody had ever been able to best the insufferable Lady Eleanor. Not even her own father, an Earl.

Then again, the Earl enabled her, didn’t he? He was so smitten with his daughter that he could not deny her anything or curb her excesses. No wonder she’d reached the age of four-and-twenty with no marriage prospects and evidently no willingness to even consider any.

Of course, it didn’t help that she now ran a seminary, where she taught young girls to become just as rebellious as herself.

It was quite unfortunate that Teresa seemed to have been lured into her clutches. And look where that had gotten her.

“Lady Eleanor! I certainly cannot possibly purchase this on your purse!” one of the young ladies who were with her cried, drawing him out of his thoughts.

“Oh, nonsense!” Lady Eleanor responded, brushing the protest aside with a wave of her hand. “You can, and you very well will. I insist, truly, it’s no trouble. It is your birthday tomorrow, after all. I shall never be able to forgive myself if I didn’t gift you with something worthy, considering how good a student you’ve been.”

The child who’d been objecting only a moment before, beamed now unmistakable joy filling her eyes. But there was something there as well, gratitude, admiration, adoration.

It tumbled his insides.

Of course, he would be lying if he said he could not see why his sister had been so besotted with her. She was a radical, after all, and women of her kind had an odd way of serving as an inspiration to those who wished desperately for something new, different, refreshing… contrarian.

Sadly, the little girls were much too young to realize that none of those things meant anything good, certainly not for ladies of their station.

Lady Eleanor could afford to be a rebel. Her father was beyond wealthy enough to satisfy her every whim, and he gave her much more freedom than any woman should have.

The young girls by her side, though, he was afraid weren’t so privileged. Their parents were not as liberal as the Earl, and neither did they have the luxury of letting their daughters remain unmarried for the rest of their lives.

When they attained full maturity, they would be required to marry, as was only right and proper for ladies.

By then, they would be too far gone, so imbibed with their teacher’s erroneous lessons, that they wouldn’t even know how to be good wives, submitting to their husbands’ will, and properly run their homes.

In the rare case that they succeeded at that, they would be much too unhappy, ever wishing for the life of freedom Lady Eleanor’s teachings had promised them. Foolish, wistful dreams that could never be had.

Or worst still, they might do something entirely stupid, just like his Teresa had done.

A small sigh slipped past his lips. If only he’d been more observant, perhaps, he would have been able to stop this from happening.

Alas, he’d failed his sister and, as such, his family.

The only thing keeping him sane was the hope that Teresa was safe. She had to be. Even though he did not have praise for Lady Eleanor, he had faith that she did not have one callous bone in her body.

Whatever had happened with Teresa, if she truly had any hand in it, he was almost entirely certain that his sister was not in any real danger.

His focus had to remain on finding and bringing her back home. Then, he would set his campaign into motion.

A campaign to ensure that Lady Eleanor never had the power to wield influence over any other child in England, or even the entire world if he could, ever again.

He would make certain every parent realized the risks they were trifling with, by letting someone like her instruct their daughters, even if she had an intelligent mind and kind heart, and if she never even charged a farthing for those lessons.

And when he was done doing so, he would watch her run with her tail between her legs out of London, never to return.

Ah, there we go…

He thought to himself as she finally moved away from the busy stalls to the less congested alleys.

His eyes left her then to search for the child he’d employed to help carry out his plans successfully.

He spotted the boy easily. The lad, who could not have seen past ten summers, was huddled in the corner he’d been assigned, evidently waiting for his master’s command.

The twinkle in those dusty gray eyes told him the child found this exhilarating and was thrilled by the thought of what he’d have to do.

Of course, he supposed that the handsome reward promised was more than enough reason for joy, as far as the child was concerned.

He raised his head slowly at the boy and brought it down. Then sticking his thumb in the air, he nodded again.

That was all the lad needed. He drew a few steps closer to the lady yet far enough to pull her away from her companions and the eyes of onlookers. But still within distance to be clearly heard, he threw himself to the ground and broke out in a strangled cry as he raised his knees to his chest and cradled it desperately.

Genuinely impressed by the impeccable performance, he watched in awe as the boy continued to cry and whimper. If he hadn’t known that it was all a show, part of the grand scheme, he would have fallen for it.

Before he could finish that thought, Lady Eleanor ran towards the poor lad, almost revealing her ankles underneath her madly swishing skirts as she made her way.

He sucked in his breath at the glimpse, hating that even the most insignificant thing about her elicited a reaction from him.

Alas, this was not insignificant, was it? She was running through the streets of London with her ankles nearly on display for anyone who cared to look. And heavens, what fine ankles they were!

He grounded his teeth again, forcing his fists to unclench lest he bruise his knuckles with the brick wall that had served as his refuge all this time.

Bloody hell! Did he have to be such a man at a time like this?

Thankfully, he had no time to ponder that question because Lady Eleanor finally arrived at the child’s side, exactly where he wanted her, and it was his time to strike, at long last.

He jumped into action, throwing one leg in front of the other in quick, quiet strides.

It took him all of ten to reach her side, and he was very well aware of the moment her senses finally swung to her rescue, but it was much too late.

For one of the first times ever, the lady wasn’t swift enough to slip away to safety as his left arm went around her and his right covered her mouth.

Trying to sound as sinister as possible, he breathed in her ear, “Don’t scream.”

Chapter Two

“It is an exceptionally fine day, do you not think?” Eleanor Warwick chirped as she and her company of three young ladies came to a stop in front of a jeweler.

“Oh it certainly is, Lady Eleanor,” Aurora responded, while the other two, Cecilia and Lois, nodded in agreement.

Eleanor’s lips deepened in a smile. “Now you see why I insisted on coming out today. Admittedly, it was a rather cold morning, but the skies were so blue, I knew it would not rain.”

“You are so full of wisdom and knowledge, my lady.” This was Lois.

Again, Eleanor beamed. Only this time, she also felt her cheeks grow warm. “Oh, you flatter me. I only commit myself to learning. Just as you have from the moment you agreed to join the seminary.”

Cecilia finally spoke. “We all know it is deserved praise, Lady Eleanor. The ton can say what they want about you, but no one can deny that you have many admirable qualities. And you are indeed wise. It is why we’re so grateful for the opportunity to be able to learn from you.”

“Speaking of qualities,” Aurora continued. “Can we speak about how gracious our fine lady is? But for her endless generosity, how would ladies of our status ever be able to learn to read and write? Thanks to her, almost every common family in London can boast of at least one learned daughter, if not two.”

Eleanor had no words to say, mostly because her throat was choked with emotions.

Of course, this kind of conversation was not new to her. People deemed it fitting to point out her kindness as often as they did her petulance. Nonetheless, she found that she could never grow accustomed to the former.

The latter, she wore like a badge of honor, with pride. As far as she was concerned, being an example of rebellion in London society attested more that she had a superior mind and more than enough sense.

She would never fail to recognize that she had her father, as well as the sound education he had given her, to thank for that. It was why she tried to give back as much as she could.

If anyone asked her, she would loudly declare that she believed it was time for a new wave of women. She’d grown bored of the ladies who seemed to only know how to smile, blush, or nod once they caught the attention of any gentleman they deemed suitable enough.

There needed to be more women who knew their own minds and weren’t afraid to speak them. Who wanted more out of life than marriage and children all while being under a man’s guidance and authority for as long as they lived.

First, a father, then a husband, then a son. That was the life of a woman. Heaven forbid she chose differently. She would be branded as unladylike and ostracized from society.

The only reason that had not yet been her plight was the power and wealth her father wielded. And, of course, the seminary.

Given this, she could not deny the privilege that her father’s influence gave her. It was why she was dedicated to using it well.

Many of these girls might never have the same kind of privilege, but at the very least, they would be made aware of other options, The sheer power in being able to decide for themselves, the course they wanted their lives to take, be it marriage, or otherwise.

If anyone asked her, that was her life’s true goal. To liberate as many young women as she could so that they would, in turn, liberate twice their number. Until such a time came when the world would be brimming with women who can be considered just as powerful and independent as men. Women with the right to choose and do all else that a man could do.

“Lady Eleanor?”

Aurora’s soft prodding pulled her out of her mind’s endless maze, and as she realized that she’d yet again wandered off, she broke into laughter.

“Forgive me,” she pleaded as she recovered. “I was woolgathering yet again.”

“A penny for those thoughts?” Cecilia teased, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Eleanor retorted, not missing a beat. “Well, as it would happen, I have no need for a penny. So, how about I give you this instead…”

She reached out then, picking up a delicate necklace that had caught her eyes the moment they stopped at the stall.

Cecilia gasped then, her awe evident. “Lady Eleanor! I certainly cannot possibly purchase this on your purse!” she cried.

“Oh, nonsense!” Eleanor responded, brushing the protest aside with a wave of her hand. “You can, and you very well will. I insist, truly, it’s no trouble. It is your birthday tomorrow, after all. I shall never be able to forgive myself if I didn’t gift you with something worthy, considering how good a student you’ve been.”

Cecilia, whom Eleanor considered to be most like her amongst the girls clamped her lips as her eyes brimmed with tears, and many more emotions that Eleanor recognized all too well.

The child was speechless, good. Like herself, it was not often that someone succeeded in achieving that feat, for Cecilia’s tongue was just as sharp as her wit.

“Thank you so much, my Lady. I do not know what to say.”

Eleanor simply patted her cheeks softly. “You’ve said plenty enough. Now, let’s have this carefully wrapped, shall we?”

Cecilia bobbed her head, and as such, it was settled.

Of course, she also purchased gifts for the other girls, although not as extravagant as Cecelia’s.

Soon enough, they were done with their shopping, and Eleanor was ready to have them return to the seminary. But to be sure they didn’t forget anything, she looked around once more.

They’d just gotten to the last stalls when she heard it. A strangled cry ripping through the air.

She froze, her heart almost ceasing to beat, as she bade herself not to fear the worst. Then, a moment passed, and she didn’t hear anything more.

She began to turn around then, the initial shock losing its hold on her. Straining her ears, she tried to listen more closely. That was when she heard it, a soft whimper.

Her stomach churned. There was no denying now that the cry indeed been that of a child.

Frantically, her eyes darted into every corner she could find hoping that she wouldn’t get to the child too late. It sounded like a boy, but it wasn’t often easy to tell with young children.

It is a boy, she thought to herself when her eyes finally settled on a small frame on the ground.

He was lying face-up, cradling his knees to his chest. Eleanor could not tell what could have happened, but from how restlessly he was writhing, she could tell that he was in much pain.

That was all she needed to get moving.

“Girls,” she called out to her students. “Stay here. If we need to bring the carriage around, I will signal you. I won’t be long. Wait for me.”

With those words, she ran as quickly as her legs could carry her.

He was farther away from her than she’d surmised, and worried that she wouldn’t get to him quickly enough, she hiked up her skirts and applied the freedom it gave her to her advantage.

She knew that if anyone saw her, they’d be horrified. Nonetheless, it would just be one more piece of gossip about her in the scandal sheets.

She’d lost count of how many times those sheets carried her name. If only she got a penny for each one, Lord knew she would have been able to extend the seminary’s scholarship offers to the countryside by now.

Finally, she reached the boy’s side, and immediately, she fell to her knees and began to reach for him.

“Where does it hurt?” she inquired, her voice heavy with all the concern she felt. “What happened? May I touch you?”

The child said nothing, he simply kept writhing in pain, so she chose to put what little medical knowledge she had to practice.

He had no bruises, so she didn’t think he’d been hit by a man or a coach; thank goodness for that. The more she examined him, the more glaring his hollowed eye sockets and neck bones became. His cheek was just as sunken, almost nonexistent.

That was when it occurred to her. Her heart twisted in a pang. The child must have doubled over from hunger and probably hurt his knees. Poor child. If her father wasn’t already tired of her bringing in strays, she would have taken every homeless, struggling child off the streets and given them the chance of a better life.

Alas, she was only one person, and there was only so much she could do.

“Are you hungry?”

The child’s eyes fluttered open then for the first time, and she was startled by the blinding glow of those gems. They were the strangest yet most beautiful color of topaz she’d ever seen. And she got so lost staring into them that she became even less aware of her surroundings.

“My apologies, m’lady,” the lad whispered. “You seem like a really nice lady, but I had to make money for bread, for me ma and me sick sister.”

Eleanor’s brow furrowed in confusion as she wondered what he was going on about. However, that confusion soon cleared as her senses kicked back into place.

She felt him before she heard his footsteps. Alas, it was too late. Just as she shot to her feet, ready to break into another run, she felt his arm go around her waist.

She didn’t have the chance to scream because his free hand covered her lips, rendering her helpless, if only for a moment.

She closed her eyes, bidding herself to stay calm as full realization dawned.

It’d been a trap, and she’d fallen for it. Considering all the effort and details, it was clear that the culprit had to be someone who knew her well.

It didn’t help that he felt awfully familiar as well. That his arm settled around her waist made her tingle rather than making her squirm in discomfort.

And what was that scent? It was the common tea wood scent that many gentlemen these days had, as though their valets used the same bathing herbs for all of them.

But there was something distinct about this man… something she recognized somehow.

And when he pressed into her so that he’d be close enough to whisper in her ear, it felt as though lightning fired through her nerves, setting every part of her on fire.

Who was this man, and what did he want from her?

“Don’t scream.”

A sharp retort stung her tongue, and she wished he hadn’t already made certain that she wouldn’t be able to do respond.

She tried to turn around, wondering if the girls could see what was happening, but she doubted it.

The child must have moved as she made her way over to a spot hidden from public view. She’d been too focused on helping him that she hadn’t even noticed. What a fool she’d been.

Calm down, Eleanor; take deep breaths. You’ve thought about what to do in situations like this. You can get out of this.

She didn’t know the strength of her attacker. Still, she was confident it would be reasonably easy to disarm him in their current position. For one, he would not assume a lady would be strong enough to fight him. He also wouldn’t be expecting her to attack.

With the element of surprise by her side, she might just make it out of this unharmed.

“Don’t even think of doing anything foolish,” the man whispered in her ear again.

It would appear he had the power to read minds as well.

Her kidnapper continued, “If you don’t want any harm to come to your students or our little friend here, I’ll suggest you do as I say and follow me quietly. If you cooperate, all of this will be over soon enough. You’ll be able to go back to your sweet Papa and I will get what I want from you.”

She bobbed her head in response, and she could swear she heard him sigh in relief. Almost as though he’d been worried she would refuse to cooperate indeed.

“Good,” he whispered again. “We’re in agreement then. Now, come with me.”

Eleanor knew she should be afraid, but for some reason, the more she heard this man speak, the more confident she became that he wasn’t going to hurt her, not truly.

But what could he possibly want from her? And why the hell did he feel so familiar?

She tried to rack her brain as they began to move, but that proved difficult, thanks to the strong arm he continued to hold her with. Who could he possibly be?

She was aware that very few people in London cared for her.  They were not civil enough to bother about hiding it, not that she minded. In fact, she much preferred it that they were so forthcoming with their dislike for her. She preferred it to those who smiled at her face and said vile things behind her back.

She was very much aware of the fact that she was not London’s darling. However, she never could have imagined that anyone would ever harm her. That they would ever attempt to physically accost her.

What could have been the driving force behind such a mad, ill-advised endeavor? Alas, she came up with no good reason at all.

Somehow, he managed to get them through the alley, although he did have to loosen the arm around her waist a little bit.

Just as Eleanor had suspected, carriage was waiting on the other side as they stepped out from the backstreet.

She smiled when she saw it, finally realizing who her assailant was.

Ah… indeed, she had been worried for nothing. The man who held her could not harm her. Not that he did not have the power to, that was another matter entirely.

No, he could not hurt her simply because he was too much of a gentleman for all his bravado.

For all the effort and detail he’d put into making sure he bested her, he’d forgotten to disguise his coach. Even her students wouldn’t be that foolish.

Who in their right senses brought along a carriage bearing their family crest to an abduction with a footman fully dressed in the family’s livery in tow?

She mentally shook her head, heaving a sigh.

To think that she’d always believed him to be one of the few gentlemen of her acquaintance who didn’t have straw for brains.

So good of him to finally prove her wrong.

Now, all she had to find out was why he was doing something so foolhardy to gain a private audience with her.

He could have just called upon her at the seminary or even her father’s townhouse in Mayfair. But no, here they were, he playing the scoundrel and she the damsel in distress.

How intriguing, she rolled her eyes.

Eventually, they reached the carriage, and the footman rushed to open the door. Still ensuring she could not see his face, he helped her onto the carriage as gently as possible and got in behind her.

Finally, as they sat face to face, she could now confirm her suspicions.

Sure enough, the person in front of her, with dazzling blue eyes, dark waves of hair, and a jaw that looked like it was carved of marble, was none other than the future Duke of Dorset. Lord William Evans.

“Evans,” she said with the sweetness of an unripe orange and just the correct level of sarcasm to reveal her non-surprise. “I didn’t know you were so given to theatrics. Then I suppose one never truly know another, do they?”

“Lady Eleanor,” he snarled in response, his face devoid of his usual smile that varied from condescending to aggravated depending on the emotions she managed to elicit from him. “Will you stay still, or do I have to put my cravat to use?”

Her eyes flew to his neck of their own volition, and that was when she realized that he’d indeed untied the neckpiece, leaving his neck and chest bare and revealing much more than she was comfortable with.

She averted her gaze, immediately chastising herself for the thoughts that had near filled her mind. She hated that her cheeks chose that moment to catch some of the heat from the humid day either or surely she was not blushing at Lord Evans.

“I’ll take that as an affirmative answer. Very wise.”

Swallowing hard, she stilled mind to regain composure. It was only when she trusted herself enough to speak without betraying her unease that she asked again.

“What is the meaning of all of this? I suppose you must have an excellent explanation?”

His response was a smirk as he rapped three times against the roof of the carriage.

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

Just then, the carriage lurched into motion, and Eleanor’s eyes widened.

For a brief moment, she wondered if she’d misjudged the situation and trusted in Lord Evans’ good character a little too much.

What if he was not the respectable gentleman, she’d always believed him to be, howbeit a famed rake.

What if he had other… hidden, dark… tendencies? What if she was actually in danger?

“Relax. I don’t have fangs. Neither do I have claws. I’m taking you to my bachelor apartments. That’s the only place I trust us to have any real privacy. I am in control, there as you cannot simply walk away without being seen, which would destroy your reputation. I have the power to keep you for as long as I desire until you give me what I want.”

“And what would that be?” Eleanor demanded as her fears settled.

He held her gaze then, saying nothing for a prolonged moment as he simply stared into her eyes.

Finally, just when she thought she’d have to gasp for air from being unable to breathe, he responded.

“I have a feeling you already know. And just so we’re clear, I intend to find out everything. Do not even think of lying to me. I promise you, it wouldn’t help you.”

Eleanor could tell that he meant every word, even though she did not fully understand what he was nattering on about. It was in the foreign hardness in his glare, the resolution in his voice, and the stiffness of his shoulders.

The moment confirmed to her that something had to be amiss with her. Because rather than feel worried at his threats, all she felt was excitement.

Good heavens. I’m indeed in trouble!

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