Prologue

Lady Tabitha’s breath gave a small hitch, her pulse jumping as Cassius closed the door to the parlour. She reached behind and curled her fingers over the edge of an ornately carved rosewood table. Cassius, the Earl of Fatherton, strode towards her.

He cut a handsome figure framed only by the shadows and silvery moonlight streaming through the windows. She drank in the sight of him with her eyes—the golden curls that framed his handsome face, sly blue eyes, chiselled jaw …

Her face grew hot. She forced an easy smile, trying to feign nonchalance despite the maelstrom of heat and excitement stirring in her chest. His body was a work of art. He had broad shoulders that tapered to a trim waist that most men would envy, and Tabitha knew that no padding was involved to achieve his impressive physique—not with this man.

“At last,” Cassius said. “I feared we would never be able to sneak away unnoticed.”

Tabitha’s lips curved into a small smile. “So impatient. There have been only three dances thus far. The night is yet young.”

“Each song felt like an eternity to me,” Cassius replied.

“Really? So long?”

He placed a hand on each side of her and smiled. Cassius was near enough that she smelled his cologne. The soft, intoxicating scent of Bay Rum filled her senses with every breath.

“You look so lovely tonight,” he continued. “When I saw you across the room—your blonde hair threaded with those little blue flowers and your white gown—I was certain that I was gazing on the goddess Aphrodite.”

Tabitha’s toes curled in her shoes. “And are you Ares come to greet me?”

“If you like,” he murmured. “I will be whoever brings you the most pleasure, My Lady.”

Cassius raised a hand, the gesture nearly reverent. He caressed the base of her neck, the feather-light touch sending lightning curving down the path of Tabitha’s spine. Her fingers tightened around the edge of the table. She heard the faint rustling of fabric as his pants brushed against her gown.

“I should like to kiss you,” he murmured, his breath coming in a hot puff of air against her neck.

“Please.”

Their lips met, and Tabitha wrapped her arms around Cassius’s neck. With a strong arm, Cassius ensnared her waist and pulled her flush against him. Tabitha moaned into his mouth, savouring the scent and feeling of him. “I love you,” he whispered, trailing kisses from her jaw to her throat. “I love you so much. You are perfect.”

“I am not perfect,” she replied, her protestation coming in a nearly breathless rasp. “You praise me too highly.”

He chuckled, his lips a hairsbreadth above her clavicle. “No, my praise is well-deserved,” he whispered. “I can scarcely wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“I know,” Tabitha whispered, curling her fingers in his hair. “I feel the same way. I have wanted a love match my entire life and am so lucky to have found you.”

She gazed earnestly at him with her soft, grey eyes. He kissed her jaw. “We are going to be married soon, so it is no sin to have a more amorous congress.”

The muscles in Tabitha’s stomach tightened. She should not agree to that. Even appearing together unchaperoned and in a darkened parlour was enough to ruin a young lady’s reputation. Kissing was more scandalous, but Tabitha was willing to chance a few stolen kisses in the dark. She and Cassius had snuck away several times.

They had yet to be caught, but to Tabitha, it seemed inevitable that someone would catch them in a compromising position. She should not have let Cassius take her into the dark and empty parlour. It was unwise.

However, Tabitha could not deny the fissure of excitement that she felt all the way in her core when she and Cassius had their dalliances. His presence was intoxicating, and Tabitha found herself drawn to him despite the danger her reputation might suffer. His hands settled on her waist, then drifted lower.

“Wait!” she gasped against his mouth.

His lips pressed against her shoulder, and Tabitha’s whole body went rigid at the feeling of his lips on her bare skin. “Why wait?” he murmured. “It is apparent that you enjoy my affections. I can bring you pleasure greater than any that you have ever before experienced.”

A lump lodged in Tabitha’s throat. She uncurled her fingers from the edge of the table and tried to slip around it. Cassius moved with her, his hands roaming over her back, her waist, her shoulders—

The back of her knees struck something hard, and Tabitha fell backwards onto a settee, but Cassius did not cease his hot kisses even then. He straddled her waist and kissed her throat. His fingers fumbled with the sleeves of her gown, and Tabitha’s heart beat so fiercely that its echo reverberated inside her head. This was too much and too fast.

He pulled down the bodice of her gown, revealing her stays and chemise. Tabitha curled her fingers over his shoulders as he leaned over her. He was so large and strong, and his weight against her body felt right. But everything was muddled together, the war of whether to relent or resist waging violently in Tabitha’s mind. At last, something within her seemed to break. She planted her palms against Cassius’s chest and pushed him back.

“Wait!” she gasped. “We—we cannot do this. We will be married, but we are not wed yet.”

Her chest heaved, and her breasts strained against her stays. Cool air rushed over her bare skin, warring with the heat building in her core.

“It will only be another week,” Cassius said. “No one will ever need to know about this indiscretion. I love you so much, Tabitha, that I cannot bear to be apart from you for another minute. Trust me, and I will make you so happy tonight. And you will make me so happy. Is that not what you want?”

“Of course, it is.” Her breath came in an uneven shudder of air. “More than anything, I want us both to be happy, but—but this …”

She became aware of the hardness pressed against her stomach. Tabitha had heard of such things before. Although her maidenhood was still intact, she knew well what transpired between a husband and wife on their wedding night. It was an amorous congress.

Cassius lowered his head to her breasts, trailing hot kisses against her chest. Tabitha shook her head and twisted beneath him. “We must wait,” she said. “It pains me to say it, but we must. We—”

The door opened, and laughter and music flittered into the room. Tabitha froze, her body going rigid beneath Cassius. “Oh!”

Cassius sat upright, his legs straddling Tabitha’s waist. Her heartbeat quickened, and she hastened to bring some order to her appearance. Tabitha pulled at her dress, but Cassius’s weight kept the fabric pinned in place, making it difficult to push the sleeves onto her shoulders once again.

“What are you doing here?” Cassius asked, his voice ringing with authority.

Something fell to the ground, accompanied by a peal of anxious laughter. A man stumbled drunkenly, silhouetted against the wall. Tabitha wilted against the settee, trying to hide herself. The room was dark, with furniture between them and the door. Maybe their visitor would not see them.

But Cassius had just spoken. What if their unexpected visitor had recognized his voice?

Cold dread traced the path of Tabitha’s spine, her mind whirling with what would happen if she were recognized. Even if she and Cassius were a love match and intended to be wed, they were not married yet. They were not even engaged yet; Cassius had told her he wanted a long romantic courtship and a special proposal. There would be a scandal if the ton learned about what they were doing and had almost done.

“Is that you, Fatherton?”

The drunk man stumbled and fell into the table. He laughed sheepishly and held out his hands for balance.

“Leave!” Cassius snapped.

“Fine! Apologies for interrupting you! Have an enjoyable evening, Fatherton. Lady Victoria.”

Lady Victoria?

Tabitha frowned, her mind racing. She knew Lady Victoria—very distantly. The pair seldom spoke, but they had sometimes attended the same soirees and balls. Their drunken visitor stumbled from the room, shutting the door with far more force than necessary behind him. The sound reverberated through the room.

“Ashmont,” Cassius said, sounding vexed. “He always arrives at the worst moments.”

Tabitha shifted beneath Cassius, managing to free herself from beneath him. “Lady Victoria,” she said tightly. “Why would he assume that I am Lady Victoria?”

“Well, he was obviously just mistaken,” Cassius said.

Tabitha awkwardly managed to slip over the side of the settee. She stumbled to her feet and tried futilely to return some order to her gown. Cassius remained on the settee, staring at her with a startled expression.

“You are lying,” Tabitha said.

She was not normally so forward, but when those words left her mouth, she heard and believed the truth ringing in them. That drunken lord—Ashmont, Cassius had said—would have no reason to suspect that she was Lady Victoria unless Cassius and Lady Victoria had been involved with one another.

“Why did he assume I was Lady Victoria?”

Cassius flashed her a bright smile. “My dearest Tabitha, he was a drunk man! I am surprised he even recognized me.”

Tabitha shook her head. She wanted to believe him. Desperately wanted to believe him. But when she searched her heart, she could not manage it. “No!” she exclaimed. “No, you—you are not being honest with me.”

The more she thought about the situation, the worse she felt. Had she not asked him to stop when he tried to disrobe her and let his hands roam over her body? Tabitha shivered, her mind racing with so many thoughts that she could scarcely identify them.

“I swear I am faithful to you,” Cassius said, “and only you. I love you more than I have ever loved any woman.”

“Except for Lady Victoria,” Tabitha said, “who—who your friend assumed you would be with.”

Had Cassius dishonoured that other young lady? Had they been nearing engagement?

“How long has it been since you last saw her? Did you do this with her?” Tabitha asked, her hand sweeping towards the settee.

Her face felt hot. Some small part of Tabitha wondered if she was a hypocrite. She had enjoyed sneaking around dark places with Cassius and had delighted in it even, but the thought that he might have engaged in such behaviour with another young lady made her feel as if her heart were shattered into a thousand pieces.

“No,” Cassius said. “I have not done anything like this with anyone. Why do you doubt me?”

Tabitha shook her head. A strange numbness settled over her. She still did not believe him. “I am sorry,” she said, “but I—I need to think.”

She bolted for the door, just as it opened. Tabitha drew in a sharp breath of air as she stared into her mother’s wide blue eyes. “Tabitha!” her mother exclaimed.

Tabitha halted, trapped and caught entirely unaware. “I—I can explain,” Tabitha stammered.

But how could she? Her mother had just found her in a dark room with Cassius, and although Tabitha had straightened her dress as best as she could, she still suspected that it looked a little as if she had been doing something untoward.

Cassius cleared his throat. “I can assure you that nothing disgraceful occurred, Lady Mayhew.”

“And I am sure you are aware of how this appears,” Tabitha’s mother said.

“Nothing happened,” Tabitha said quickly, her stomach lurching so violently that she feared she might be ill. “There is no need to tell anyone about what has transpired. This was all just a misunderstanding, was it not?”

Tabitha’s mother, Lady Mayhew, gazed at her daughter with an unreadable expression. “I suppose it was.”