VIscount Besieged (36 page)

A remark which
caused Roborough to seize her mouth in a very fever of
passion.

‘
If
you only knew the torture you have put me through,’ he
groaned.

‘
You
can’t have suffered more than I,’ retorted Isadora. ‘I thought I
had utterly alienated you by the horrid things I said. It did not
seem possible that your affections could ever animate towards
me—especially after that dreadful quarrel in the library at
Pusay.’

‘
Oh,
don’t speak of that. I left you in a mood of murderous rage, but
barely had I shaken the dust of Pusay from my carriage wheels than
I realised that I had fallen hopelessly in love with you,
Isadora.’

‘
What, even then? But you never showed by the slightest hint
that you felt that way about me.’

‘
No,
because I thought I had ruined any chance I might have had of
attaching you. Nothing, I believed, would serve to eradicate your
ill opinion of me. Even when you knew the truth, I could not begin
to suppose that you had changed towards me.’ He hugged her tight.
‘I am not even going to ask you when you began to care.’

When his hold
relaxed, Isadora’s brown eyes were moist as she looked up at him.
‘I didn’t know it then, but I think it was the very first time you
smiled at me—for I find the way your eyes crinkle at the corners
quite irresistible.’

Roborough,
unable to help himself, did smile then. Sure enough, the corners of
his eyes crinkled and the tingling warmth that Isadora had always
felt—and which she only now recognised for what it was—swept
through her.

She drew a
breath of deepest satisfaction. ‘You may plague me beyond bearing,
but that teasing look will ever redeem you.’

‘
And
you, my adorable Isadora, will undoubtedly drive me into an early
grave. But I shall die the happier for having taken to wife a
female that will bedazzle Society with her acting
skills.’

Light flooded
across Isadora’s face. ‘You will not mind it if I perform in
public?’

‘
I
shall take delight in showing you off—in your very own theatre. I
shall build one especially for you just as soon as I have recovered
the family fortunes.’

‘
Well, you may easily do that now,’ Isadora said eagerly, ‘for
you need not provide me with either a dowry or settlements.’ She
gasped, reminded of the ramifications of her own plot. ‘Great
heavens, I used just that argument to persuade Syderstone that you
were importuning me to marry you.’

‘
Did
you indeed?’ he responded drily. ‘Pray don’t ever hesitate to
vilify my character any time it seems to you expedient to do
so.’

‘
I
won’t,’ Isadora promised.

‘
If I
could stop kissing you for one moment,’ Roborough told her
ominously, suiting the action to the word, ‘I should certainly slap
you instead, you vile female.’

‘
Not
if you don’t wish me to scratch your eyes out,’ she retorted. Then
she frowned. ‘But what of Syderstone? What are we to do about
him?’

‘
You
may leave Syderstone to me,’ he said grimly. ‘When I have finished
with him he will dare neither to utter a word in your disparagement
nor to importune me for his debt—which I shall choose when to
pay.’

‘
Yes,
but he will have discovered my absence by now, and perhaps he may
search for me.’

‘
Let
him do so. He won’t find you. Besides, after we are married, I will
be searching for him. And he won’t care for that
,
I promise
you.’

He almost ground
his teeth as he spoke and Isadora thrilled to the possessive
intensity she sensed within him. How he must love her. She lifted a
hand to touch her fingers to his cheek, her heart melting as she
smiled.

‘
You
will tell him, I hope, that your scheme to entrap me has succeeded?
After all, he imagines you wish to marry me for convenience
only.’

‘
Which I do, of course. Marrying you is much cheaper than
throwing you on to the marriage mart. In fact, that is the real
reason why I did not offer for you. You might have refused me. By
ordering you to marry me, on the other hand—’

‘
Roborough, you are abominable,’ interrupted Isadora, on a
gurgle of mirth, ‘and I hate you.’

‘
I
know,’ he said, the warmth crinkling at his eyes, ‘and I shall be
at pains to ensure you never cease to care for me in just that
way.’

If you enjoyed
this story, and you have the time and the inclination, a review
would be very much appreciated. Thank you!

ABOUT THE
AUTHOR

Elizabeth Bailey
grew up in the open
spaces and tropical atmosphere of colonial Africa, one of four
siblings with distinctly unconventional parents. Reading and drama
were inculcated from an early age and both have borne adult fruit
in acting, directing and writing. Elizabeth returned to the England
of Mary Quant and geometric hair, and ended a brief secretarial
career by landing in drama school and thence treading the boards.
In her thirties, Elizabeth discovered her true métier as a writer
and fulfilled an early addiction to Georgette Heyer by launching
into historical romance. It took the proverbial lengthy
apprenticeship before Harlequin Mills & Boon accepted her first
novel, but they have overall published 18 of her novels.

Elizabeth’s writing swerved in a new
direction with the publication of the first two in a Georgian
historical crime series, THE GILDED SHROUD and THE DEATHLY PORTENT,
published by Berkley Books (Penguin US). But since she still loves
writing romance, Elizabeth is delighted with the opportunity to
publish her work independently.

More to be found at:

Follow Elizabeth Bailey on
twitter @lizbwrites or on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.bailey.391

ALSO BY ELIZABETH
BAILEY

and available in digital
format

Mademoiselle at Arms

Threatened
with a pistol by the young lady discovered in a deserted mansion,
Major Gerald Alderley is intrigued. Who is the beautiful intruder?
Why does she disguise herself as a nun? Her accent is French, yet
Mademoiselle insists she is English.
Set on unravelling the mystery, Gerald begins a relentless pursuit
- to the indignation of Mademoiselle. With her life in danger from
the villainous Valade, Gerald has his work cut out. Because
Mademoiselle, engaged in a desperate battle to prove her identity,
believes she is well able to take care of herself and is determined
not to be rescued.

TRAILER:
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The Conqueror’s
Dilemma

The last thing William
Westerham needs is his carefully maintained position in Society
endangered by the allure of a pair of impish eyes. Particularly
when they belong to a girl perched precariously on the edge of
social disaster. Can the Conqueror afford to recognise Miss Tiffany
Felton, whose chaperon is a creature beyond acceptance?

Wholly at sea among the
unfamiliar rules of convention, Tiffany is torn between gratitude
for the Conqueror’s help and distress at his crushing rejection.
Can the social barriers be breached? Or is Tiffany doomed to yearn
hopelessly for what can never be?

TRAILER:
http://animoto.com/play/1EC6GylJicjgcui70d18xQ

A Lady in Name

On discovering she is
the love child of a peer of the realm, Lucy Graydene, bereft and
grieving, sets out to confront Lord Pennington with the result of
his misdeeds. She finds instead his autocratic heir, Stefan
Ankerville, and is dragged willy-nilly into the new earl’s
unconventional family. Lucy is driven to battle for her
independence while she struggles against the venom of the
half-sister she never knew she had.

When the secrets of
Lucy’s past begin to unravel, she is reluctantly obliged to rely on
Stefan’s help. Can Lucy overcome a dangerous attraction to the
earl, with whom an alliance is impossible? Or is there a faint hope
of happiness in the hidden truth of her origins?

TRAILER:
http://animoto.com/play/AExiOCdosINEjG2JgimuUA

Sweet Sacrifice

(originally published by
Mills & Boon Limited)

When the Earl of Sothern
is set upon by a young lad in the early hours, it takes minutes for
him to realise that his assailant is in fact a girl of gentle
birth. Intrigued, and hoping to find out why Clementina has run
away, Jake puts her in the care of his grandmother.

While glad of the earl’s
protection, Clementina dare not trust this dangerous rake with her
secrets, until a chance encounter drives her into flight, and
straight into the hands of her enemies. Will Jake’s dramatic rescue
settle the matter, or will it all end in tears?

TRAILER:
http://animoto.com/play/ZFVDUaEqONq866wiK8x0hQ

Hidden Flame

(originally published by
Mills & Boon Limited)

Seeking shelter from a
violent storm, Benedict Beckenham assists a woman as embarrassed in
circumstance as he is himself. Weeks later, on visiting his
godmother, he is astonished to find the damsel in distress in
residence.

For her part, Theda is
dismayed by the rise of passion between them which threatens to
jeopardise her precarious position as companion to a dying woman.
But when a shocking inheritance blasts their friendship apart,
Theda is forced to confront the ghosts of her past.

Will the blistering
scandals of yesteryear keep Theda and Benedict forever divided? Or
will the flame of love triumph?

TRAILER:
http://animoto.com/play/DJydJ5r1Lq9EmHS2CV8N0A

Friday Dreaming

(originally published by
Mills & Boon Limited)

Bookish Friday
Edborough’s secret dream looks set to come true when childhood
friend, the gorgeous Nicolas Weare, proposes—if only he was
behaving like a man in love. All too soon, Friday’s worst fears are
confirmed when she finds Nick has been forced into the betrothal to
stop him marrying the beautiful but ineligible Hermione.

Caught between love and
loyalty, Friday ends the engagement, leaving Nick to realise the
value of what he’s lost just as he discovers Hermione’s true worth.
But with the lines joining love and hate beginning to blur, has
Nick’s change of heart come too late?

TRAILER:
http://animoto.com/play/H1rKLTXkgvPWD2wYL4YQlQ

An Angel’s Touch

(Originally published by
Mills & Boon Limited)

Outspoken Verity
Lambourn berates the mentor of two lost children, having no idea
that the lame young man with the vibrant black eyes is the widowed
Henry, Marquis of Salmesbury. When she knocks him flying in
Tunbridge Wells, Verity realises she has not been able to get him
out of her mind.

Tumbling towards a
promising future, Verity must confront the shadows of Henry’s
tragic past. Matters come to a head when the children are
kidnapped, but it takes a threat to Henry himself to test the
strength of Verity’s love and the truth of a gypsy’s prophecy.

TRAILER:
http://animoto.com/play/rJA90kzsF9R8SW1Xe8fxow

Fated Folly

When youthful Clare
Carradale beards the ogre in his den, she is instantly smitten with
Sir Rupert Wolverley’s raw and powerful attraction. In an attempt
to prevent her brother eloping with Sir Rupert’s niece, Clare is
herself compromised. She must either marry his young cousin, Lord
Ashendon, whom she detests, or Rupert himself.

Can Clare’s hopes of a
radiant future be realised in this uneven and improbable match?
Both Fate and Ashendon conspire against her. But Clare’s true
battle lies in overcoming Rupert’s inner demons, if she is to save
her marriage and win through to a promise of happiness.

TRAILER:
https://animoto.com/play/5HJfgXwNE750bwrsYHMPzg

Seventh
Heaven

Septimus Berowne, poet,
does not expect to succumb to the charms of wealthy Lady Louisa
Shittlehope, although his brothers are eager to court her. Hampered
by the shocking Berowne reputation, Septimus struggles to stop
Louisa embroiling herself in his family’s affairs and keep her safe
from his dissolute brother Quintus.

But the tribulations of
the Berowne girls capture Louisa’s warm heart and she cannot help
but interfere. Quintus strikes, involving Louisa and the Berownes
in a madcap chase to rescue her love-struck ward. Will they be in
time? Can Louisa brave Society’s disapproval to snatch at the
promise of happiness?

TRAILER:
https://animoto.com/play/wEdC11De0n4GEmG2Jy5f0A

Just
Deserts

A stormy
encounter in the park sets Baron Chiddingly firmly against the
newly arrived heiress from India. But Miss Winsford in company is
charming, and his friend Fitz is enchanted by her unconventional
manners. A startling revelation at the lady’s come-out ball changes
everything.

Chiddingly
hopes to fund his search for a racing champion, but his pursuit of
Penelope Winsford is hampered by the wild antics of her horse-mad
sister Persephone. When his new stallion is endangered, there is
hell to pay, and not only for the horse!

Is there any
way through the ensuing disastrous tangle?

TRAILER:
https://animoto.com/play/BfAmepdkq81BprqOM9JxgQ

A Fragile Mask

Visiting
friends in Tunbridge Wells, Denzell Hawkeridge is struck by the
warmth of a beautiful girl playing with children in the snow. But
when he meets the mysterious Verena Chaceley, she is as cold as a
statue. Provoked into flirting, Denzell cannot judge his success in
pricking through the mask.