Chapter 1

One

One month later…

R estlessness rolled over Athena in waves… She'd had her mother's journal for weeks now and she still hadn't read one page. She was surprised that neither of her sisters had asked for it yet. Were they not eager to read it too? More importantly why hadn't she devoured every word her mother had written already? Why was she so terrified to start reading?

Because once she finished it, she'd no longer have something to look forward to from her mother… She hadn't wanted to admit that to herself. Perhaps it was time to let that go and open the journal. Not here though… She couldn't stay inside another moment longer.

"Why are you pacing, sister dear?" Maeve asked as she entered the sitting room. "The last time you fretted, you were so afraid father wouldn't let you buy that horse you favored."

She did love that horse… "True," Athena answered. "But I had good reason. Hades has a terrible temperament with the grooms. I feared father wouldn't allow me to ride him. Even though he's a complete sweetheart."

Maeve rolled her eyes. "That horse is a nuisance."

"Don't be a grump," Athena told her sister. "He has excellent taste and loves me."

"And he hates me," Maeve said. "We're identical twins. How can he even tell us apart?"

"Perhaps he's noticed your dimple is on the other cheek." Athena shrugged and barely held back a grin. "Or that you're horrid with horses. Looks aren't everything."

"I don't even want to know what you are implying." Her sister sat down on the settee and leaned back against it. "Tell me what troubles you now. We both know it is not about that wretched horse."

Should she tell her sister why she'd been pacing? Would Maeve even understand? She probably would. Neither of them had even had a chance to know their mother, and while Isla had two years with her, she couldn't remember anything. They all had a hole in their lives that would never be filled. That journal might give them something, but it couldn't replace their mother. "I am considering going for a ride."

"You're deflecting," Maeve said. "That's all right. You don't have to tell me." She tapped her head. "I bet I already know what is going on inside that head of yours."

"You can certainly try." Athena sighed. "But you've never been very good at reading my mind." They had always been, and always would be, outsiders. They had a bond that went beyond being just sisters. They had always been able to read each other's emotions, but telepathy was not in their wheelhouse.

"You're correct, of course," Maeve agreed. "But in this I think I am right." She leaned over and tapped the journal Athena had set on a nearby table. "This is what's troubling you. Did you read something disturbing that mother wrote?" She sat back up and met Athena's gaze. "Is that why you're pacing?"

Athena shook her head. "I haven't read anything yet."

Her sister gasped. "You've had it a month," her sister exclaimed. "Why the blazes not?'

Perhaps her sister didn't understand as she thought she might… "Because…" How the hell did she explain it? "Once I finish it…"

"There won't be anything else left," Maeve supplied, then nodded. "I do understand. I just hadn't considered it because it isn't my time with the journal. Perhaps when I do have it, I will take my time as well."

She should never have doubted her sister. Maeve had always understood her, even when others didn't. They had gone to finishing school for a year, but only one. Not because they wouldn't have benefitted from extra learning, but because the other students were horrid. They had begged their father to let them return home and have tutors instead. With their ancestry, many looked at them as less than they were. It didn't matter that their father was an earl. Society only considered that their mother was an American, and not even one they deemed acceptable. Money had nothing to do with it either. Her mother's family had made their fortune in shipping and other merchant endeavors. They were far wealthier than their father's family had ever been. They had, and always would be, outsiders. Which was why Isla had given up on the idea of marriage and resigned herself to spinsterhood. That may very well be Athena's and Maeve's paths as well. But they wanted to at least try before giving in.

"I do think I am going to go for that ride," Athena said, then picked up the journal. "Perhaps I'll find a nice sunny location to start reading."

Maeve grinned. "Hades will be pleased to see you. He may be a beast, but he is yours."

"That he is," Athena agreed. Her horse was one devilish monster. The breeder hadn't thought he would be appropriate for a woman rider, and honestly, a normal lady would have been too tame for a horse as large as Hades. Athena did not ride sidesaddle. She had riding breeches designed for her so she could be astride her horse as he galloped through the fields. Skirts only got in the way… "And he needs exercise daily. I ought to see to that at the very least."

"Well, you enjoy your ride." Maeve stood. "And I'll go to my studio. I am working on a spectacular landscape. When it's finished, I think it'll make a nice gift."

"For who?" Athena asked.

"I don't know yet," Maeve answered honestly. "I just know it is meant for someone. Perhaps I have not met who it is intended for yet." Her sister had a faraway look on her face, as if she was seeing some distant future. She shook her head and then met Athena's gaze. "Either way, I'll show it to you once I've finished. Go for your ride now. We both have things to do."

Athena laughed and exited the sitting room. Her sister was rude, but that did not make her wrong. They both did have their tasks, and she was going to see to hers…

Roman James, the Earl of Kendal, rode along his friend the Duke of Thornridge's property. He'd come to the duke's country house because he had needed time to recuperate from his injuries during Waterloo, but hadn't wanted to return to his own home. His mother would have had a fit if she'd realized how close Roman had come to dying. His injuries had been grave, and it had taken him months to recover enough to travel, then he'd settled in at Thornridge Castle. He'd been there for three months now, and he should return home soon, but he couldn't bring himself to leave. While he had been in his sick bed, he'd learned of his older brother's death.

That had been more of a shock than he'd wanted to admit…

Roman was never meant to be the earl. He'd been all right with his lot in life. He'd become a soldier and had intended to live his life as one. His brother Cassius was the perfect son. Their father had groomed him to take over the title and practically ignored Roman. In fact, Roman preferred when he did ignore him. His life was much easier that way. For him, it was a blessing when their father died suddenly. It had freed him from what little constraints he'd had in his life. Cassius had encouraged him to purchase his commission.

But neither of them had expected Cassius would die in a similar way as their father… They both had taken ill suddenly, and succumbed to that illness. Then Roman had almost died, too. Thankfully, he still breathed, but that was labored. Something his mother wouldn't fail to notice. Hence his sojourn with the Duke of Thornridge, his oldest friend. He hadn't even told his mother he had returned to England. It was best to wait until he was more himself. Each day he breathed a little easier and winced less with pain. His side ached whenever he took too deep of a breath and his thigh itched with pain where he'd been slashed clear to the bone.

Today was one of the better days. He'd felt decent enough that a ride didn't seem impossible. It didn't mean he was free from pain, only that it was more bearable. Maybe one day he'd be able to move without feeling slices of agony ripping through him, but it was yet to happen. He sighed and pulled on the reins. He needed a slight break to catch his breath. Roman closed his eyes and sucked in a bit of air, then released it. When he opened his eyes, he thought he might be seeing things.

A blur raced by him. Roman would swear it was a woman on one of the largest horses he'd ever seen. Her black hair was loose and flowing down in waves, whipping in the wind as she urged her horse on. What surprised him the most was her clothing. Had she been wearing breeches? He blinked several times before his muddled thoughts caught up to him. Roman had to know more about her. He flipped the rein and urged the horse to a gallop. That was perhaps more than his battered body could bear, but he couldn't find any reason to care as he settled in for the horse's breakneck speed.

She had quite the head start on him, but he was determined to locate her. Luckily for him she had slowed down by a nearby pond. Her horse stopped by the pond and she slid off her saddle, then tied the reins to a nearby post. How often had she come to this pond? It was on Thornridge's land, and he wondered if the duke knew he had a regular trespasser. He'd wandered enough of the ducal estate to have become familiar with the landscape.

Roman slowed his own horse to a walk. He didn't want to startle the girl. She was pulling a blanket out of one of her saddlebags along with a small sack. A meal perhaps? She laid the blanket down and then reached into the sack. She presented something from within it to her horse as she stroked his mane.

He moved closer and he could hear her mumbling something, but the words were not decipherable. Roman cleared his throat, and it startled her, then the horse in succession. She lifted her hand to her chest. "Sir," she said in a scolding tone. "You should not sneak up on a person. It's quite rude."

Roman held back a smile. "My apologies," he told her. "That was not my intention."

She lifted her brow. "And what exactly are your intentions?" Her glare was enough to flay a man. It was too bad she didn't realize it wouldn't take much to completely do him in or she might not be so hard on him. Her gorgeous mouth was full, but clearly, she would not be inviting him to kiss her. That in itself was a pity. "Or do you even know what you hope to gain by accosting me?"

"Now that's going a bit far, don't you think?" It was his turn to lift a brow. "It is quite difficult to accost anyone when one hasn't even had time to dismount." Though to be fair, he'd done his fair share of damage to some soldiers in the war from atop his horse. He had been in the Cavalry, after all. But she did not know that, and he didn't have a saber or weapon of any kind on his person.

"I suppose that is true." She narrowed his gaze. "You do not appear to have ill intentions, yet as we have not been introduced, how am I to know what you seek from me?"

She was so bloody lovely it ached to look at her. Her dark hair gleamed, and he longed to stroke his fingers through those thick tresses. Why had she left it unbound for her ride? And he'd already studied those lips of hers… Her eyes were an eerie ice-blue that seemed to pierce right through him. He had to know more about her. "I am Lord Kendal," he said. "I'm visiting His Grace, the Duke of Thornridge. It is his land you're riding over."

The woman smiled at him. "Is it?" Her lips twitched a little. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, my lord." She picked up her blanket and folded it neatly and replaced it in her saddlebag along with her little sack. "Then I suppose I should return to my family's land. I would hate to trespass." With liquid grace, she hopped back onto her saddle. He was amazed at her skill, and a little dumbstruck at the view of her rear in those breeches. Women should never wear breeches. It was enough to make a man lose his mind.

"You're leaving," he said when she pulled her horse's reins firmly into her hands.

"Yes," she said. "Isn't that why you approached me? To warn me of my trespass upon the duke's land?"

"No," he told her. "I really don't give a damn why you're here."

Her lips twitched. "That is good to know, my lord." Her eyes seemed to dance with mischief. "Perhaps we will meet again someday." She nodded at him. "Until then," she began. "Enjoy your stay at the duke's estate. I hear he's a beast of a man and hard to be around. I'd hate to be his guest."

She flicked the reins, and her horse galloped away. It wasn't until she was out of sight that he realized he'd never gained her name. He'd been a bloody idiot. But that didn't matter. She was Thornridge's neighbor. How many beautiful women could possibly live on the estate next to the duke's?