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Chapter 1

London, 1780

Theher

A surreptitiously behind her, but he most definitely was

She strolled carefully around the periston ballroo with feigned interest in her surroundings so that she ht study him further

Every covert glance took her breath away

In such a crush of people, another woman most likely would not have noted the avid interest It was far too easy to be overwhelhts, sounds, and s array of vibrant fabrics and frothy lacetheto be heard over an industrious orchestrathescents of various perfumes and burnt wax from the massive chandeliers

But Amelia was not like other wouard, her every movement watched with precision It was a unique sensation to be exa for anything else

However, she could say with some certainty that she had never been so closely scrutinized by a

For he was co, despite the distance between them and the concealment of the upper half of his face His form alone arrested her attention He stood tall and well proportioned, his garhs and broad shoulders

She reached a corner and turned, setting their respective positions at an angle A the opportunity to raise her aily colored ribbons that adorned the stick falling down her gloved ar hi his person It was only fair, in her opinion If he could enjoy an unhindered view, so could she

He was drenched in black, the only relief being his snohite stockings, cravat, and shirt And the mask So plain Unadorned by paint or feathers Secured to his head with black satin ribbon While the other gentlee of colors to attract attention, this ned to blend into the shadows To make hiht of hundreds of candles, his dark hair gleah it

And then there was his mouth

Aht of it His mouth was sin incarnate Sculpted by a master hand, the lips neither full nor thin, but fir chin, chiseled jaw, and swarthy skin A foreigner, perhaps She could only i to a woman’s equanimity, she suspected

But it was ued her It was the way he ait purposeful and yet seductive, his attention sharply focused He did not mince his steps or affect the veneer of boredom so esteemed by Society This man knehat he wanted and lacked the patience to pretend otherwise

At present it appeared that what he wanted was to follow her He watched Aaze so intensely hot, she felt it h the unpowdered strands of her hair and dance across her bared nape Felt it glide across her bared shoulders and down the length of her spine Coveting

She could not begin to guess how she had attracted his attention While she knew she was pretty enough, she was not any ohile lovely with its elaborate silver lace underskirts and delicate flowerson display And she was usually disregarded by those seeking a ro friendship with the popular Earl of Ware idely assu to the altar Albeit very slowly

So what did this man ith her? Why didn’t he approach her?

Amelia canted her body to face hi at hi at his would resu him to her She wanted to experience all the details of hine, the impact of proximity to his powerful frame

Then she wished to knohat he wanted A secreted froed often so that no emotional attach and anyone who ht care for her Because of this, she distrusted the unknown This man’s interest was an anomaly, and it needed to be explained

Her silent challenge caused a sudden, visible tension to grip his body He stared back, his eyes glittering fro istered because she was so focused on his response to her Guests walked past hiain His fists clenched along with his jaw She saw his chest expand with a deep breath—

—just as she was buhly from behind

“Excuse e”

Startled, her gaze turned to identify the offending individual and found a wiggedpuce satin She ed a brief smile, and swiftly returned her attention to the masked man

Who was gone

She blinked rapidly Gone Lifting to her tiptoes, Amelia frantically searched the sea of people He was tall and blessed with an i provided an additional means of identification, but she could not find him

Where did he go?

“Amelia”

The low, cultured drawl at her shoulder was dearly falance at the handsome man who drew abreast of her “Yes, my lord?”

“What are you looking for?” The Earl of Warehis neck in much the same fashion Any other man would have looked ridiculous, but not Ware It was i less than perfect froed head down

to his diamond-studded heels six feet below “Would it be toofor me?”

S sheepishly, Amelia abandoned her visual hunt and linked her ar a phantom”

“A phantoh the eyeholes of his painted hed at her Ware had two expressions—one of dangerous boredom and one of warm amuse the latter “Was this a frightening specter? Or so?”

“I a me”

“All men follow you, love,” he said with a faint curve to his lips “At the very least with their gazes, if not with their legs”

Aentle admonishment “You tease me”

“Not at all” He arched one arrogant brow “You often appear lost in a world of your owntoto slip inside her and join her”

The intilanced up at hihty man”

He laughed, and the guests around them stared So did she Merriment transformed the earl from the epitome of an ennui afflicted aristocrat to a vibrantly attractive man

Ware began to stroll, expertly carrying her along with hi row into the man he was today, watched him take his first steps into liaisons and the way relations oh none of his ina They saw only his exterior and thePerhaps he could have lived with that depth of interest, if he had not met her first But they had met, and become the closest of friends Now lesser connections displeased him He kept mistresses to relieve his physical needs, but he kept her close to see to his emotional ones

They would marry, she knew It was unspoken between them, yet understood Ware simply waited for the day when she would finally be ready to step beyond the boundaries of friendship and into his bed She loved hih she was not in love with him Amelia wished she could be; she wished it every day But she loved another, and while death had stolen him from her, her heart stayed true

“Where are your thoughts now?” Ware asked, his head tilting in acknowledg

“With you”

“Ah, lovely,” he purred, his eyes lit with pleasure “Tell ”

“I a married to you”