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Prologue

Once upon a ti home after many years of war Trimp tramp! Trimp tramp! Trimp tramp! sounded their boots as theyneither to the left nor right For so they had been taught to et the ritual of many years The wars and battles were over, but I do not know if our soldiers had won or lost them, and maybe it does not matter Their clothes were tattered, their boots more holes than leather, and not one of the soldiers journeyed home the same man as had left it

By and by, they came to a crossroads, and here they halted to consider their choices One road led to the west, the way straight and well paved One road trailed to the east into a dark and secret forest And one road pointed north, where the shadows of lonely mountains lay

"Well, fellows," the tallest soldier said at last, taking off his hat and scratching his head, "shall we toss a coin?"

"Nay," said the soldier to his right "My way lies there" And he bid his co back as he disappeared into the dark forest

"I aestured to thein the distance

"And as for , "I will take this easy road, for such has always been my choice But what of you?" he asked the last soldier "What road will you take?"

"Ah, hed "I believe there is a pebble in uing me these many miles" He suited action to word and found a nearby boulder to rest against

The tall soldier clapped his hat back on his head "Then it is decided"

The re soldiers shook hands cordially and went their separate ways But what adventures befell them and whether their travels led them safely home I cannot tell you, for this is not their story This is the tale of that first soldier, the one alked away into the dark forest

His name was Iron Heart

--froot his nah his limbs and face, and indeed all the rest of his body, were exactly like every other man created by God, his heart was not It was made fro, brave, and steadfast

--from Iron Heart

LONDON, ENGLAND

SEPTEMBER 1764

"They say he ran away" Mrs Conrad leaned close to iossip

Lady Elanced over the rientleuar in a room full of tabby cats: raw, vital, and not quite civilized Definitely not a man she would associate with cowardice Emeline wondered what his name was as she thanked the Lord for his appearance Mrs Conrad’s afternoon salon had been paralyzingly dull until he had sauntered in

"He ran away froiment in the colonies," Mrs Conrad continued breathlessly, "back in fifty-eight Shameful, isn’t it?"

Emeline turned and arched an eyebrow at her hostess She held Mrs Conrad’s gaze and saw the exact moment when the silly woman remembered Mrs Conrad’s already pink complexion deepened to a shade of beet that really didn’t become her at all

"That isII--" her hostess staot when one accepted an invitation frohest circles of society It was Ehed and took pity "He’s in the arratefully "Oh, no Not anymore At least I don’t believe so"

"Ah," Emeline said, and tried to think of another subject

The roo on the ceiling overhead depicting Hades pursuing Persephone The goddess looked particularly vacuous, s doeetly on the asseod of the underworld, even if he did have bright pink cheeks in this portrayal

Elove, sat on a settee nearby, conversing with young Lord Sily Lord Siht thousand pounds a year and a lovely house near Oxford That alliance would be very suitable, and since Jane’s older sister, Eliza, had already accepted the hand of Mr Ha into place quite neatly They always did, of course, when E lady into society, but it was pleasing to have one’s expectations fulfilled nevertheless

Or it should be Eht herself and s a bit out of sorts, which was ridiculous Her world was perfect Absolutely perfect

Eer only to find his dark gaze fixed on her His eyes crinkled ever so slightly at the corners as if he was aht be her Hastily she looked away again Awful man He was obviously aware that every lady in the room had noticed hi, evidently in an atte business in the Colonies I believe he’s in London on business; that’s what Mr Conrad says, anyway And he’s as rich as Croesus, although you’d never guess it froain after this infor was plain indeed--black coat and brown-and-black-patterned waistcoat All in all, a conservative wardrobe until one caings They were artered just below the knees with red, white, and black striped sashes The leggings split in the front over the shoes with brightly embroidered flaps that fell to either side of his feet And his shoes were the strangest of all, for they had no heels He see a type of slipperor e froer was quite tall He had brown hair, and as far as she could tell from halfway across the rooreen They were heavy-lidded and intelligent She suppressed a shiver Intelligent e

His arainst the wall, and his gaze was interested As if they were the exotic ones, not he His nose was long, with a bump in the middle; his complexion dark, as if he’d lately come from some exotic shore The bones of his face were raw and proressively masculine way that was nevertheless perversely attractive His mouth, in contrast, ide and almost soft, with a sensuous inverted dent in the lower lip It was the erous ain "Who is he?"

Mrs Conrad stared "Don’t you know?"

"No"

Her hostess was delighted "Why,about hiht or so He’s not quite acceptable, because of the" Mrs Conrad met Emeline’s eyes and hastily cut short what she’d been about to say "Anyway Even with all his wealth, not everyone is happy to meet him"