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“Fine,” he responded, but hiswho the father of this child could be The way Katherine flirted and fawned over every man she reat deal of tihim to jealousy…

He crushed the letter in his hand “Damn her!”

“Did you say so, m’lord?”

He hadn’t realized he’d spoken out loud But he didn’t bother to explain They were already passing through the black-iron filigree gate and charging up the drive to Black With any luck, the servants would still be at church and he’d have the chance to speak to his wife alone Katherine had mentioned that she had “taken to her bed lest she risk the well-being of their child”

The irony of her being so careful, after what he believed she’d done to little Jeremy, made his muscles bunch Heaven help him He was finished, he proet a divorce, no matter the consequences to either of them He would not live with her another day Or maybe once the baby was born, he’d have her committed to Bedlam

Ju out the moment the horses came to a stop, he ran into the house and shouted her name

Chapter 1

Creswell, England

February 1840

So to reach the spot just beneath her left breast that itched so mercilessly, but the layers of her shift, corset and wool dress nullified the efforts of her fingers

Perched on a ladder propped against the shelves of her lanced around the eh the front s It was early yet No carts or carriages rumbled past

Plunging one hand down the neck of her dress, she closed her eyes and scratched Ahhh… blessed relief!

The bell tinkled over the door Rachel’s eyelids flew open to find aup at her with asmile on his lips Only it wasn’t just any h Rachel had never seen hinized hiht come to call His solicitor had visited her thrice already

Her scalp tingled with apprehension and embarrassment as she extricated her hand from inside her bodice

“I’m sorry to interrupt, Miss McTavish” His voice was a deep baritone, thicker and richer than honey “I can see you are quite busy, but I think you knohy I am here”

Ignoring the subtle taunt, Rachel descended the ladder, half-wishing she could stay where she ell out of his reach She felt like a bird unwisely abandoning the safety of its cage to flit about the nose of a cat

But she knew the relative security of the ladder was an illusion The earl was nothing like his small, bespectacled solicitor, in looks or in manner, and would not be so easily routed