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Prologue

England, 1819

He was a real lady killer

The foolish wo stalked, never guessed her secret admirer's real intent

He believed he killed her with kindness He was proud of that acco eating away at hihts of torture aroused hie He was a ratification, and the chit certainly deserved to die, yet he'd still shown true co

She had, after all, died slimpsed one quick spasm of terror in her con eyes before it was over He crooned to her then, like any goodher hear the sound of his co her, and he didn't stop his song of sy was finished and he knew she couldn't hear him

He hadn't been without ently turned her face away froh, with relief because it was finally over, and with satisfaction because it had gone so very well, but he didn't dare make a sound now, for soht that such undignified behavior would make him seem more monster than man, and he certainly wasn't a monster No, no, he didn't hate women, he admired them—most anyway—and to those he considered redeemable, he was neither cruel nor heartless

He was terribly clever though There wasn't any sha, but from start to finish he had been able to predict her every reaction Granted, her own vanity had helped hiht of herself as worldly—a dangerousfor the likes of her

There had been sweet irony in his choice of weapons He had planned to use his dagger to kill her He wanted to feel the blade sink deep inside her, craved the feel of her hot blood as it poured over his hands each time he slammed the knife into her soft, smooth skin Carve the fowl, carve the fowl The coiven in to his desire, however, for he was still stronger than his inner voice, and on the spur of the er at all The diarabbed hold of the expensive trinket and used it to squeeze the life out of her He thought the weapon was most appropriate Women liked trinkets, this onethe necklace with her, but just as he was about to pour the cluathered froed his inclination and put the necklace in his pocket

He walked away frolance He felt no reuilt She'd served him well and noas content

A thick round He didn't notice the lime powder on his boots until he had reached the tons were probably ruined Nothing was going to bleh all his burdens had been lifted away But there was nificent euphoria he'd experienced when he had his hands on her… Oh, yes, this one was even better than the last

She'd ain rosy with choices for such a strong, virile man

He kneould feed on the low began to ebb, he would go hunting again

Chapter 1

Mother Superior Mary Felicity had always believed in miracles, but in all of her sixty-seven years on this sweet earth, she had never actually witnessed one until the frigid day in February of 1820 when the letter arrived froland

At first the mother superior had been afraid to believe the blessed news, for she feared it was trickery on the devil's part to get her hopes up and then dash them later, but after she had dutifully answered the missive and received a second confirmation with the Duke of Williaift for what it truly was

A miracle

They were finally going to get rid of the hellion The ood neith the other nuns the followingthey celebrated with duck soup and freshly baked black bread Sister Rachael was positively giddy and had to be ad vespers

The hellion—or, rather, Princess Alesandra—was called into theafternoon While she was being given the news of her departure fros

The h-backed chair behind a wide desk as scarred and old as she was The nun absentered the heavy wooden beads of her rosary, hooked to the side of her black habit, while she waited for her charge to react to the announcement

Princess Alesandra was stunned by the news She gripped her hands together in a nervous gesture and kept her head bowed so the mother superior wouldn't see the tears in her eyes

"Do sit down, Alesandra I don't wish to talk to the top of your head"

"As you wish, Mother" She sat on the very edge of the hard chair, straightened her posture to please the superior, and then clasped her hands together in her lap

"What do you think of this news?" the mother superior asked

"It was the fire, wasn't it, Mother? You still haven't forgiven me that mishap"

"Nonsense," the htlessness over a o"

"Was it Sister Rachael who convinced you to send me away? I did tell her how sorry I was, and her face isn't nearly as green anymore"

The mother superior shook her head She frowned, too, for Alesandra was inadvertently getting her all riled up over the reminders of some of her antics

"Why you believed that vile paste would re However, Sister Rachael did agree to the experiment She doesn't blame you… overlywould only be considered a venial sin in God's eyes "Alesandra, I didn't write to your guardian requesting your leave He wrote to me Here is the Duke of Willia you the truth"

Alesandra's hand shook when she reached for thethe letter back to her superior

"You can see the urgency, can't you? This General Ivan your guardianhim?"

Alesandra shook her head "We visited father's ho I don't re him Why in heaven's name would he want to marry me?"

"Your guardian understands the general's motives," the ertips "Your father's subjects haven't forgotten you You're still their beloved princess The general has a notion that if he dom with the support of the masses It's a clever plan"

"But I don't wish to marry him," Alesandra whispered

"And neither does your guardian wish it," the superior said "He believes the general won't take no for an answer, however, and will take you by force if necessary to insure his success That is why the Duke of Willialand"

"I don't want to leave here, Mother I really don't"