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"Where is she?"

"On the way to Essex, my lord"

Marcus froze Ravensend Seat of her late godfather, the Duke of Ravensend

Elizabeth was running Darabbed his packed valise, and turned to Paul who stood in the doorway of the study "I will be in Essex"

"Is everything all right?" Paul asked

"It will be shortly"

Within moments, Marcus was on the road

The wheels of the Westfield travel coach crunched through the gravel on the final approach to Ravensend Manor before reaching the cobblestones that lined the circular driveway The e e beyond

Marcus stepped doearily and ordered hisaway froe where the guesthouse and Elizabeth waited He’d

The sh the kitchen He closed the door quietly, shutting out the rhythmic roar of the waves that battered the coast just a few yards away Making his way through the house in darkness, Marcus checked every bedroo his valise on the floor by the door, Marcus undressed silently and crawled into the bed next to her She stirred at the feel of his cold skin beside hers

"Marcus," she murmured, still fast asleep She spooned into his chest, unconsciously sharing her warled against her Her trust while sleeping was telling She had beco the short duration of their affair

He was still furious with her for running away, but his relief in finding her well and out of danger was foreh this tore’s mind, or hers

Exhausted by worry, he buried his face in the sweetly scented curve of her shoulder and fell asleep

Elizabeth woke and burrowed deeper into the war to consciousness, she stretched out fully, her legs brushing along Marcus’s hair-dusted calf

With a sudden flare of awareness, she sat upright and shot a startled glance at the pillow beside her Marcus slept peacefully on his sto his muscular back exposed

She jumped out of the bed as if it were on fire

His eyes opened sleepily, his lips curving in a languid sered surprise to be of no danger

Grabbing her clothes, Elizabeth retreated to the next roo how he’d found her so quickly She’d deliberately avoided any of her own fas so that it would be difficult, if not impossible to locate her But Marcus had found her before even a day had passed

Furious and flustered at finding him in her bed, Elizabeth left the house and made her way to the roped path on the cliffs that led to the beach below

She picked her way carefully down the somewhat steep and rocky decline The cliff rose so view in favor of studying the ground at her feet She didn’t mind the concentration it took Instead she relished the temporary distraction fro the beach, she dropped onto the daed her knees to her chest She prayed for the sound of the waves lapping on the beach to soothe her

She vividly recalled the first moment she’d laid eyes on Marcus Ashford, then the Viscount Sefton She reht in her throat and how hot her skin had suddenly beco and heart rate had quickened until she thought she ular reactions She had felt the when he had smiled at her, all sleep-tousled masculine beauty

She couldn’t live like that, couldn’t see how anyone could live consumed by a lust that seemed insatiable Unschooled as she was, she hadn’t known a body could crave the touch of another the way it did food or air Now, finally, she understood an inkling of the hunger her father must feel every day Without herfor so that could appease the e her head, Elizabeth closed her eyes and rested her cheek against her knees

Why couldn’t Marcus simply stay away?

Marcus paused on the ss The bite of the saltyair was sharp He wondered if Elizabeth had collected a wrap before venturing out To say she’d looked horrified to discover hi her as he did, he suspected she’d run out without forethought

Where the devil had she gone?

"She’s gone down to the beach, Westfield," careet the Duke of Ravensend

"Your Grace" He dipped his head in a bow "It was my intent to present myself this morn and explain my presence I trust you don’t find my stay an imposition"

The duke led a black stallion by the reins and cae, His Grace being the youngest after four older sisters, but Marcus was nearly a head taller "Of course not It’s been too long since we last exchanged words Walk with me"

Unable to refuse, Marcus reluctantly left the shadow of the guesthouse

"Watch the horse," the duke cautioned "He’s a biter"

Heeding the warning, Marcus took the opposite side "How fares Lady Ravensend?" he asked as they fell into step He cast a longing glace over his shoulder at the roped path that led to the beach

"Better than you I thought you wiser than to chase more abuse But I concede the appeal Lady Hawthorne remains one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever had the fortune to cross paths with I fancied her rimly, Marcus kicked a pebble out of his path

"I wonder who she’ll take up with once she’s finished with you? Hodgeha one, I’estured to his horse

Marcus grit his teeth "Stanton is a friend in the chastest sense of the word and Hodgehae her"

"And you can?"

"Better than any other man"

"You should marry her then Or perhaps that’s your intent Either you or soe once before"

"She has no wish to ain"

"She will," Ravensend said with a confident nod "She has no children When she’s of the mind, she’ll pick soe, William, and now Ravensend He’d be damned if another individual meddled in his affairs "Pardon me, Your Grace"

He spun on the heel of his boot and made rapid strides toward the roped walk He would put a stop to all their intrusions once and for all

Elizabeth prowled the coastline restlessly, picking up s the way She tossed the miserably Willia to teach her how to skip rocks Although she’d never acquired the skill, the repetitive swing of her ar waves and the cries of seagulls--brought her a hts

"A calm surface is required, love," came the deeply luxurious voice behind her