Lord Hawkridge's Secret. ANNE ASHLEY
Emily raised her eyes and looked about the room for that tall, well-remembered figure.
She didn’t immediately perceive him standing amidst a group of gentlemen in the far corner of the room.
It was only when he turned his head and she received the full impact of an unwavering gaze from all-too-perceptive gray eyes that she realized that the gentleman immaculately attired in a long-tailed black coat, which emphasized the breadth of superb masculine shoulders, and tight-fitting trousers, which did little to hide the muscular shapeliness of long legs, was none other than the being who continued to plague her dreams all too frequently even after all these years.
“Oh, dear God! He’s coming over,” she muttered. “Why couldn’t the wretched creature have allowed me at least a few minutes in order to compose myself?”
“Hello, Em,” he responded in a deep, throaty tone that was no less appealing than the smile he bestowed upon her….
Lord Hawkridge’s Secret
Harlequin® Historical
Author Note
My story is set in what many of you consider to be the most romantic period in our history—the Regency. First and foremost, Lord Hawkridge’s Secret is a love story. However, for those of you who enjoy a mystery to solve, this book also contains a strong intrigue element. Its endearing heroine is spirited, its hero is charming and its sinister villain is utterly loathsome—in other words the story contains something that will, hopefully, appeal to a wide range of tastes.
I hope you enjoy it!
LORDHAWKRIDGE’S SECRET
ANNE ASHLEY
TORONTO • NEW YORK • LONDON
AMSTERDAM • PARIS • SYDNEY • HAMBURG STOCKHOLM • ATHENS • TOKYO • MILAN • MADRID PRAGUE • WARSAW • BUDAPEST • AUCKLAND
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ANNE ASHLEY
was born and educated in Leicester. She lived for a long time in Scotland, but now lives in the West Country with two cats, her two sons and her husband, who has a wonderful and very necessary sense of humor. When not pounding away at the keys of her word processor, she likes to relax in her garden, which she has opened to the public on more than one occasion in aid of the village church funds.
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter One
Miss Emily Stapleton cast a glance at her silent companion, seated beside her in the curricle, before fixing what one languishing dolt in Brighton the previous summer had been overheard to describe as deep pools of sheer enchantment on the road ahead.
Tooling herself about the countryside had swiftly become one of her favourite pastimes, especially since the long and dreary winter months had given way to what was betraying every sign of becoming a very fine spring. All in all, she decided, experiencing a feeling of smug satisfaction, life at the moment was exceedingly pleasant, free from cares.
Her decision to remove to Dorsetshire and live with her paternal grandfather had undoubtedly been a heart-rending one to make, and one, moreover, of which her beloved late mother would have staunchly disapproved, but even so Emily had never regretted the choice she had made. After all, the alternative had been unthinkable, and a subject upon which, even after almost half a decade, she still found it distressing to dwell.
By dint of long practice, she once again succeeded in thrusting the painful memory to the back of her mind as she cast a further glance, brimful of mischief this time, at her companion. ‘You’re very quiet, Sarah. Not nervous, I trust, at being driven about by a female? Even my watchdog,’ she added, deliberately raising her voice for the benefit of the small, stocky individual perched on the back, ‘is secretly impressed with my ability, although he stubbornly refuses to admit to it of course.’
Jonas Finn’s deep grunt in response made Sarah chuckle, something which she tended to do far more frequently whenever in the company of her closest friend. ‘I’m not in the least nervous,’ she assured her, ‘and I’m enjoying the experience very much. I would have come out with you long before now if I hadn’t been so busy with all the arrangements for the party next week.’
Exercising masterly self-control, Emily managed to refrain from comment, even though there was much she would dearly have liked to say, and possibly would if there wasn’t a noticeable improvement in her companion’s day-to-day existence in the very near future.
One of the things that had very much increased her enjoyment