Chapter 1

1

M iss Felicity McGovern was far too old for childish games.

At least, that was what her chaperone Mrs. Bishop would say if she could see Felicity now.

Felicity took a bit of her apple and wrapped her arm around the tree trunk. Shifting her weight to find her balance on the solid limb, she settled in to wait.

Wait for what? She wasn’t entirely sure.

She took another bite and the crunch of the crisp apple seemed as loud as a gunshot in the otherwise quiet garden.

Her great uncle was to receive a visitor today, and this was a man she had a particular interest in. Of course, she might not be able to hear a thing, and it was more likely than not that what she did hear would be tedious.

But the chance of hearing or seeing anything of interest outside her great uncle’s home was better than the certain boredom that awaited her inside.

It was only by sheer good fortune she’d managed to slip away from Mrs. Bishop undetected earlier this morning and she had no intention of returning anytime soon. But as her great uncle’s estate was bordered on both sides with nearly identical townhomes and the garden was her only escape, her options during this brief window of freedom…

Well, they were limited.

But then she’d recalled the visitor meant to arrive today. And so she’d resorted to her favorite pastime—climbing trees. Or anything, really. Her mother used to say she was forever underfoot as a child. But she really meant was that Felicity was always…overhead. Hiding on the staircase to watch dinner party guests arrive or peering over the balustrade to watch the ball guests dance…

Or sitting in a tree watching visitors come and go, as the case may be.

This tree in particular had always been her preferred spot, particularly on warm spring days when her uncle would leave the windows open and sometimes—though rarely—she could overhear his conversations.

Of course, this was not always a good thing. More often than not, the visits were of a business nature and not exactly thrilling to listen to as a child. And then there was that time she’d overheard her own father practically begging Uncle Edward to take Felicity off his hands.

It had been a humbling moment, to be certain. Though not exactly shocking. As their only daughter—and an unexpected, unwanted one at that—Felicity’s role within her immediate family had always been clear.

She was to marry. Preferably someone with a title. Didn’t matter who, really, just so long as he helped her wealthy merchant father achieve another foothold amongst the ton .

They had connections already. Great Uncle Edward, for example. He was a baronet, and well respected in good society. And it was for that reason Felicity had been rather unceremoniously dumped upon him over the years.

This year she’d been left with him for…well, she wasn’t certain how long. However long it took for her to do as she was told— for once , her mother would mutter—and make a decent match.

A breeze shook the branches around her, making the leaves dance as sunlight filtered through the canopy above. She tipped her head back and smiled. She hoped she’d heard correctly that the visitor was expected today. But even if he didn’t show, she was glad she’d decided to camp out up here. It had been too long since she’d been out here when the sun was up.

And then, at last, the visitor arrived. She recognized Mr. Everson straight away. Nice fellow, she supposed, but she did not like him. Unlike her friends, Felicity had never understood the notion that one must like someone simply because that person was nice.

Certainly, all of her friends could be considered nice. But nice meant nothing. Anyone could be nice. And a pleasant demeanor often hid the most vile of hearts.

No, those she truly admired—and then, by extension, befriended—they were nice, yes. But they were also kind. They were generous and caring and good.

While Mr. Everson…

Well, she did not know him well enough to say if he was good . But like that apple she’d once bitten into that had been rotting from the inside out, she was nearly certain she smelled something foul beneath his sweet exterior.

She only caught a glimpse of his handsome features and dapper clothes before he disappeared inside, and soon enough she heard her great uncle’s familiar, curt tones.

For the record, her great uncle was a pleasant enough man. If she were allowed to continue with her fruit metaphor, she’d describe her Uncle Edward as far from rotten. He might have unpleasant dark marks on the outside, but scratch away that surface level and he was surprisingly sweet.

Mr. Everson’s voice was distinctly different from Uncle Edward’s. His was all smooth, ingratiating tones compared to her uncle’s sharp staccato retorts. It was an interesting melody they formed, but it would have been far more interesting if she could make out any actual words.

After a while she stopped trying, and instead let her gaze drift and her mind wander.

It didn’t wander terribly far. It remained firmly in the present, here in London. Because while she’d been doing her best to ignore the impending threat of marriage, it was getting ever more difficult. The topic was all any of her friends wished to discuss these days.

Not that she could blame them. Meg and Jane both had weddings to plan, and Ann wouldn’t be far behind. Her sweet redheaded friend was even now considering two offers. Felicity had a suspicion who would win, but she’d been doing her utmost to keep her mouth shut so Ann could see what was right in front of her face on her own.

Felicity heaved a sigh. She was delighted for her friends. Truly. But she couldn’t help feeling just a little despondent when she considered that come this time next year she’d be all alone.

This Season had only been bearable because at every social event she and her friends had found a place well out of view—as was befitting a cluster of wallflowers.

But next year…

She pursed her lips. Well, by next year she’d be married off as well, wouldn’t she? No matter what. Her father had already made it clear that if she didn’t make a match on her own this Season, he’d make one for her.

Her nose scrunched and her next bite of apple was another loud snap.

She supposed it was time to take matters in hand. It was an odious task, to be certain, but she’d far rather choose her own future than let her father have the only say.

Her sigh was nearly as loud as the crunch of her apple.

She might well have spent the remainder of the afternoon wallowing over her prospects, but fortunately a distraction arrived at her uncle’s doorstep in the form of…

She straightened. Lord Albright? What was he doing here?

One of Ann’s two potential suitors, and by all accounts a good chap. Nice, yes—that went without saying. Albright was renowned for his easy smile and his laid back charm. So yes, nice and all that…but good too.

Which was why Felicity almost felt sorry that he’d never win Ann’s hand. They’d make a good match if Ann’s heart hadn’t been stolen by a Marquess.

Felicity leaned forward as Albright approached the house. His easy smile was nowhere to be seen and he was eyeing the door with a fixedness that was most alarming.

He seemed to be considering his options as he hesitated.

Where he chose to pause happened to be just beneath the tree, and Felicity hesitated and considered as well. Should she announce herself?

She winced at the thought. She’d never had much concern for propriety, much to her mother’s great distress. But even she understood that to be found sitting in a tree was…unconventional.

She waited too long, because then he was moving even closer to the tree. So close, he was right beneath her, and now she hesitated to announce herself because…

Well, two reasons. One, she’d give him quite a start. And two, if he looked up now he’d have quite the view.

She quietly tucked her skirt even tighter between her legs and resigned herself to wait.

Perhaps he’d just wanted a respite from the sunshine. The shade from this tree was rather lovely. But he didn’t rest against the trunk or remove his handkerchief to wipe his brow.

No, he seemed to be attempting to blend into the shadows while getting ever closer to her uncle’s open window.

Felicity’s eyes narrowed as she stared down at this supposedly good man Albright.

What was he about?

Why was he eavesdropping on her uncle?

Not that she could judge, really, when she’d been doing the same. But still. He was her uncle, not his. And it was hardly her fault she’d been driven to tears with boredom.

Seconds passed, then minutes. Her curiosity rose with every passing heartbeat, and no amount of staring down at Albright’s full head of hair helped her to discern anything…

Other than the fact that he really did have an excellent head of hair. Her balding father would be jealous.

When it became clear that Albright was in no hurry to move, Felicity’s curiosity won out over reason. Sadly for Felicity’s parents, this was most often the case for her.

Without entirely thinking through the consequences, Felicity allowed impatience to drive her over the edge.

Literally.

She leapt off the limb and landed on her feet…right in front of Albright.

He jumped back with a gasp that might have been funny if it hadn’t been accompanied by a fighting stance. For one terrifying moment, Felicity was certain she was about to experience her first facer.

But Albright froze with his arm drawn back, his hand still clenched in a fist. His eyes narrowed and then widened as shock and disbelief raced across his features. “Miss McGovern?!”

His outburst sent the birds in the limbs overhead flying and as one Felicity and Albright turned to the open window.

When no head popped out and the melody of gentlemen’s voices continued uninterrupted, Felicity let out a breath of relief.

Only to realize that Albright had done the same.

“What are you doing out here?” she asked.

At the same time, he said, “Where on earth did you come from?”

She answered first with a simple gesture upward. He followed her movement and eyed the tree limb. Then he eyed her as though she were a strange object never seen by man before.

Sadly for everyone, Felicity was well used to this look. She gave him approximately three seconds to come to grips with the fact that she’d been sitting in a tree. Directly above him. Watching him.

Embarrassment had heat rushing to her cheeks but she ignored it. Curiosity was still burning bright and her embarrassment quickly faded. “What are you doing out here?” she asked again.

“I might ask you the same,” he shot back.

And there. There was that easy smile everyone knew him for. And it was a charming smile. Genuine too.

But it wasn’t the whole story. It was what he wanted people to see. This much she’d understood ever since they’d first met.

An easy smile was the surest way to distract people from looking any further. But that only made her want to look closer. Over the past few months of their brief acquaintance, that was precisely what she’d done.

And so, she was hardly fooled now.

He adopted a casual, lazy stance as if they’d just encountered one another on a stroll through Hyde Park. “Do you often sit in trees, Miss McGovern?”

“Please don’t call me that,” she said. “It’s Felicity.”

Miss McGovern only reminded her of her parents and her duties and all the things she spent large swaths of time attempting to forget.

“Do you often sit in trees, Felicity ?”

“Yes. Do you often eavesdrop on my uncle while he’s conducting business, Lord Albright?”

He had the good grace to wince. “I was not eavesdropping.”

She didn’t bother to argue. They both knew he was. “What I’d like to know is, are you here spying on my uncle…or Mr. Everson?”

The flicker in his eyes was brief. But again, Felicity had learned to look past his smiles and so she caught it. “Ah. Mr. Everson then. I thought so.”

His brows drew down. “Pardon?”

But she did not pardon. Her mind was racing now that she’d confirmed her hunch. “Does this have something to do with that smuggling business on Jane’s property?”

He gaped at her, and satisfaction coiled in her like a snake.

She didn’t relish being underestimated, but it was awfully amusing whenever it occurred. “Oh come now, Albright. You can trust me. Jane told me all about it, so I know that you’re conducting an investig?—”

“Eeep.” The squeak occurred because Albright had surprised the life out of her by clapping a hand over her mouth.

Regret filled his eyes but he didn’t move his hand, and Felicity was absurdly aware of the fact that a man was touching her. Not harshly. If she wanted to pull away, she could. But she found herself curious to see where this would go so she held still and met his gaze.

She was keenly attuned to the rough calluses against her soft skin, and of the scent of leather and a spicy cologne that filled her nostrils.

“Pardon me.” He dropped his hand quickly. “My apologies. I…” He cleared his throat and darted a glance toward the open window. “This is not a fit conversation for a lady, and certainly not here.”

Right. By that she understood—it was not safe to speak here. And judging by the fact that those inside were likely just as capable of hearing what went on outside the window…

She supposed he had a point. But the change in him was remarkable. The affable, easygoing young baron she’d come to know had been replaced by another man she’d never met. This one was far more serious, and almost…

Well, not dangerous. She wasn’t scared of him by any means. But he definitely had an air of danger about him, and that was just plain thrilling.

No one in Felicity’s acquaintance ever had so much as a whiff of intrigue about them. Except for Jane’s run-in with those smugglers, of course, but both Jane and her fiancé the Earl of Marlin had seemed all too pleased to hand the matter over to Albright and pretend it never happened.

She’d known in a sort of theoretical way that he’d continued investigating the matter. But it wasn’t until just now that she truly believed it. Her heart picked up its pace and questions filled her mind.

Oh, she had so many questions.

But she studied Albright, watching the way his jaw hardened and his dark eyes glinted with resolve…

She knew enough about stubbornness to know that as far as he was concerned, the conversation had just ended.

“I must ask that you do not mention my presence here today.” His tone was so stiff it took everything in her not to laugh. She pressed her lips together but nodded as solemnly as she could.

He gave a short jerk of his chin. “I assure you, I mean your uncle no harm.”

Oh, how she wanted to laugh. “I believe you.”

Surprise flickered in his eyes. Possibly because she was so gamely going along with him.

But that just meant he did not know her.

If he did, he’d know that Felicity McGovern did not give up so easily, and was never deterred. Not when there was intrigue underfoot and an adventure to be had.

She smiled sweetly as he made excuses and watched his back as he slipped through the front gate.

Only then did she give in to the urge to grin, a laugh slipping out as she fetched the apple she’d dropped and headed toward the house.

Did he actually think she’d let this drop simply because he’d asked her to? Because it ‘wasn’t fit for a lady’? She laughed as she tossed the half eaten apple in the air and caught it. “Oh, poor Albright. He really doesn’t know me at all.”