Wonderland By Night (Heroic Rogues Series)

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

Wonderland By Night

Copyright
© 2013 by Marie Higgins

Cover Design by Sheri
McGathy

Edition License Notes

This
ebook
is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This
ebook
may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.

In a world where freedom is questioned and everything is in turmoil, Lady Sarah Emiline Townshend needs to hide her identity for fear that mobs will kill her and her family after her uncle—a political leader—passed laws that the good citizens in Boston did not approve of.
 
Her father sends her to stay with some longtime friends of his in New Hampshire. But to stay safe, her maid must play Lady Sarah’s role…and Emiline will play Lady Sarah’s companion.
 
When Emiline meets a handsome man, she suddenly wants him to look at her as a woman—not as a servant. Protecting her life, however, is more important than confessing the truth.

Gabriel Lawrence’s pirate ship is almost captured and this time it was too close.
 
He and his crew need to hide for a few months in hopes that the Royal Navy will forget about them.
 
During his stay at his aunt and uncle’s in New Hampshire, he meets the niece of one of his enemies—Oliver Townshend.
 
Because she doesn’t know who Gabe is, he will become close to her to see if she knows any more of her uncle’s secrets. But the beauty of her companion, Miss Emmie, captures his attention, and her quirky personality keeps him wanting more. But her over-zealous nature for adventure places both of them in danger and he’s forced to play the honorable rogue.

How can he protect them both when an unknown spy is always one step ahead…and wants Gabe dead?

Dedication

I want to thank Melissa Lynne Blue, Mary Martinez, and Ella Quinn for helping me with this story. And what would I do without my friend, Veronica? You ladies are the greatest!

I also want to dedicate this story to my all-time favorite entertainer,
Engelbert
Humperdinck—King of Romance—for sharing his love songs.
 
I picked the title of one of his songs for this book, because the story fits the song perfectly! Thanks for being my inspiration!

Chapter One

Boston Massachusetts, 1767

Something was not right. Unrest flittered in Emiline Townshend’s stomach, prickling the hairs on the back of her neck as her carriage rocked to a halt outside her uncle’s two-story townhouse.

Curiosity, and determination to discover what was going on, enveloped her. She gave her hand to the footman as he helped her down from her carriage, and headed toward the front door. Several British soldiers stood guard near the white wrap-around porch as if they expected trouble at any moment. They eyed her warily until she walked closer, and then their postures relaxed a bit. She was used to being surrounded by some kind of political figure or a group of soldiers, but today’s display of guards greatly unnerved her.

After striding into the house, she tugged on the ties of her bonnet to loosen them. “Can someone explain to me why there are so many soldiers outside?” she asked as two of her uncle’s servants rushed by.

“My Lady Sarah.” The housekeeper scampered toward Emiline from the parlor. “Thank the Lord you are back, but you must make haste. There is no time to lose.”

Inwardly, Emiline cringed. Lately she’d been so sick of people using her first name instead of her middle name—Emiline—the very name her mother used to call her. But then again, she was visiting in the same country where her mother was born and raised…and died…so mayhap that was the reason Emiline had been so melancholy lately.

“I don’t understand why—” Emiline’s words were interrupted when the housekeeper hooked an arm around her elbow, whisking Emiline up the stairs toward her bedroom. As they passed by the first two guest-rooms, her uncle’s servants rushed around inside, shoving clothes into trunks.

Emiline glanced at Hester still pulling her along. Lines of worry etched on the older woman’s round face at the corner of her eyes and mouth. Sheen of moisture touched the servant’s forehead.

“Hester, I beg you, please tell me what is amiss. Why are there so many soldiers about?” Emiline glanced in another room and saw the same chaos.
 
“Why is everyone so panicked?”

As they reached Emiline’s room, Hester bustled in first, heading directly to the armoire. Already three trunks sat open on the bed. Emiline couldn’t understand why they needed to leave. She and her father had only arrived from London five days earlier. Her uncle couldn’t possibly want them out already.

“My lady, your family is in great danger. The new higher tax laws your uncle passed a fortnight ago have the citizens of Boston in an uproar. Both your father and uncle fear for your family’s life.”

Emiline slowly removed her bonnet as she tried to absorb the housekeeper’s words. Although she didn’t want anyone to know, she didn’t approve of these so-called laws
her uncle had created. In her opinion, he was only stirring up trouble. These citizens already hated Oliver Townshend. They didn’t need more reasons. “Pray, why would my father fear for
my
life, Hester?”

“Because you are staying with your uncle, my lady. Mobs are forming as we speak. They want to attack your uncle’s house and harm his family. They will do anything to put a stop to the laws he created.”

Terror climbed through Emiline’s body, clutching her heart. The good citizens of Boston wouldn’t punish her for being related. Would they? Then again, Uncle Oliver was her father’s brother, so people would definitely jump to the conclusion that they all shared the same belief.

Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she focused back on the housekeeper. “Are Father and I returning to London then?”

“Oh, no. The duke will stay here with your uncle and fight this thing through, but he’s sending you to Hampton, New Hampshire.”

“
What?
” Emiline shrieked. “Why there? I am quite certain I have never heard of that place.”

Hester took a gown from the armoire and with trembling hands, carefully folded it and laid it in the trunk. “Some friends of your father live there, Mr. and Mrs. Hampton. The town was named after their ancestors, I believe.”

Now Emiline recalled her father speaking of these people, but he hadn’t seen them for years—since before her mother died fifteen years ago. “Do they know I’m coming?” She moved to assist Hester.

“Yes, my lady. Just this morning your father sent a messenger with the note.”

Footsteps pounded on the floor down the hallway. Emiline swung toward the door just as her lady’s maid ran in to the room. Strands of her dark brown hair had escaped her mop cap and clung to her pale cheeks. She did a quick curtsy. “Lady Sarah, your father instructed me just now that we are to have you packed and on your way within the hour.”

Impossible!
There was no way they would have her packed that quickly. “Then there is no time to stand around and converse.” She marched to another armoire, swung open the doors and started yanking out gowns. “I shall help pack.” Glancing over her shoulder, she peered at her maid. “Anna, I suggest you start on those drawers in the corner.”

“Yes, my lady.”

To some servants, seeing Emiline packing her own trucks might seem out of character for the daughter—an only child—of a duke, but Emiline was different. As a child, her father hadn’t been a titled man and they could only afford a few servants, so Emiline learned to do things herself. Two years after her mother died and her father was given the title of duke when his grandfather passed on, Emiline had more servants than she needed. Having her father with a new title changed everything, it seemed. She missed doing things with him, just the two of them.

Sighing heavily, she recalled when they used to go sailing. He’d taught her everything about commanding a boat. How she had loved sailing, only because it made her feel so powerful—so in control of her own life. Her father even taught her how to ride a horse. She had entered many horse races as a child and won ribbons. As she grew to be a young lady, it was unheard of for a girl of her mature age to compete in horse races, which saddened her greatly. At that point in her life, her father had become more involved with parliament and his comrades, and didn’t find time for his daughter.

Heavier footsteps thudded up the hallway and stopped at the door. She knew who stood there before looking his way. Her father’s presence commanded attention no matter where he traveled or who he encountered.

Glancing over her shoulder, she met her father’s eyes. “I’m almost packed.”

Nodding, he looked at Hester. “Will you give me a private moment with my daughter?”

“Yes, Your Grace.” Hester curtsied and hurried out.

Anna turned to follow the other servant, but Emiline’s father touched her arm. “I would like for you to stay.”

“As you wish.” Anna curtsied, too.