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She was sent for only when the end was near and assured Returning to her stepfather’s hohost of the wo along with their coffers
"Maria, ," her"Forgive me Welton was so kind after your father passed I-I did not see beyond the façade"
"Al will be Well, Mama," she had lied "Your health will improve and we can leave him"
"No You must--"
"Please do not say any ly strong for a woency "You must protect your sister from him He cares not at all that she is his own blood He will use her, as he has usedlike you She has none of the strength of your father’s blood"
She had stared at her e, Maria had learned s, but most of all she had learned that beneath Lord Welton’s incomparably handsoh," she breathed, the tears fall ing She spentto become a woman Welton could exploit But on her occasional visits, she watched the way the viscount belittled her mother with razor-sharp barbs The servants told her of raucous voices and pained screams Bruises Blood Bed rest for weeks after he left
Seven-year-old Amelia rehtened and alone No governess would stay long with them
"Yes, you are," Cecil e whispered, her lips white, her eyes red "When I go, I will give what strength I have to you You will feel me, my sweet Maria, and your father We will support you"
Those words were her only anchor in the years that fol owed
"Is she dead?" Welton had asked flatly when Maria ereen eyes held no emotion at all
"Yes" She waited with bated breath and shaking hands
"Make whatever arrange of her heavy silk skirts loud in the deathly silence of the house
"Maria" The soft drawl floated o her stepfather with new appreciation of his evil, absently noting the broad shoulders, tri Despite the coldness within hireen eyes, dark hair, and rakish smile ift for his black-as-sin soul
"Tel A late and do not have the tiht of the task ahead Added to the near-crippling pain of her mother’s loss, she almost sank to the floor, crushed beneath her stepfather’s heel But the strength her mother promised her stiffened her spine and lifted her chin
Welton laughed at her bravado "I knew you would be perfect Worth the trouble your ave me" She watched him turn on his heel and take the stairs to thehis wife completely
What could she say to her sister to ease the blow? Amelia had none of the happy memories that sustained Maria Now the child was orphaned, for her father ht as well have been dead for all the attention he paid to her
"Hel o, poppet," Maria greeted softly as she entered her sibling’s roo herself to absorb the i toward her
"Maria!"
Clutching her sister close, Maria moved theently with the pale blue of the da child in her arms and cried silent tears They had only each other now
"What e do?" Amelia asked in her precious voice
"Survive," Maria said quietly "And stay together I will protect you Never doubt that"
They fel asleep and when she woke, she found Aer to be productive in some manner, Maria rose to her feet She pushed the curtain aside and stepped out to the gal ery The two footmen who stood on either side to keep the ae," she said to one He hurried away
Then she was buently froht close to a hard body
"I beg your pardon," murmured a deliciously raspy voice so near to her ear she felt the vibration of it
The sound stil ed her, caught her breath and held it She stood un to awareness far more acute than usual One after another, impressions bombarded her--a hard chest at her back, a firm arm wrapped beneath her breasts, a hand at her waist, and the rich scent of bergamot rip upon her person tightened
"Unhand me," she said, her voice low and fil ed with coloved hand lifted to cup her throat, his touch heating the rubies that circled her neck until they burned call used fingertips touched her pulse, stroking it,it race He moved with utter confidence, no hesitation, as if he possessed the right to fondle her whenever and wherever he