The Marquis of Chase is not a reputable man. He is notorious for his wretched morals and is never received in respectable houses. The ladies of the ton would never allow him in their drawing rooms . . . though some of them have welcomed him into their bedchambers. Ejected from his father's house at the age of sixteen, he now lives a life of wanton pleasure. So what could the Marquis of Chase possibly want with Juliana Merton, a lovely, perfectly upstanding shopkeeper with a mysterious past? A moment's indiscretion? A night's passion? Or a lifetime of love? Even the wildest rakes have their weaknessesĀ .Ā .Ā .
Chapter 1 PROLOGUE
Salisbury
April 1818
The second pint might have been a mistake.
Joseph Merton considered the stairs, which swayed a little. Yet it wasn't every day a man discovered a fortune and the occasion demanded a celebration. He couldn't wait to tell his wife.
A good woman, his wife. He'd thought himself lucky to get her. A humble bookseller's assistant wouldn't normally aspire to a pretty girl with a fine education and a knowledge of his trade. And then there had been the matter of her one thousand pounds. Enough to set him up in London. Certainly he had never expected any more.
Over dinner in the noisy tavern he raised a silent toast to Juliana, with a fondness undiluted by consideration of her more annoying traits. Her tendency to develop contrary opinions was forgotten in the prospect of a greater fortune coming his way.
Not even three flights of stairs could disturb his good mood, though he might have taken a more expensive room on a lower floor had he known what he'd learn today.
Such indulgence would be hasty, he reminded himself. He still needed to lay his hands on the proof. He trusted the old woman was right when she said the vital document would be found among her books. That he wouldn't be transporting several hampers of worthless volumes to London for nothing.
He stumbled on the top step, almost fell into the narrow passage, and crashed against a door, fortunately that of his own room. To his surprise it opened. The books he'd left in neat piles were strewn about the room. He had a visitor.
Joseph knew the man by sight and he knew what he wanted. Cheerful tipsiness faded to chill sobriety.
"Where is it?" the man asked.
Though not physically strong, Joseph was no coward and he tried to fight for his life. He never had a chance. His assailant wielded his knife with ungentlemanlike efficiency.
As his life drained away, Joseph's last thought was for Juliana. He hoped she would be able to manage without him. And wondered if she'd ever learn why he died.
Chapter 1 PROLOGUE
06/10/2023
Chapter 2 THE LIBRARY
06/10/2023
Chapter 3 CHASE
06/10/2023
Chapter 4 AND NO DOUBT
06/10/2023
Chapter 5 JULIANA WAS HEADED
06/10/2023
Chapter 6 IT SHOULD
06/10/2023
Chapter 7 LORD CHASE
07/10/2023
Chapter 8 CAIN HAD BEEN ENJOYING
07/10/2023
Chapter 9 DURING EIGHT YEARS
07/10/2023
Chapter 10 MAY I SAY
07/10/2023
Chapter 11 ON A CHILLY
07/10/2023
Chapter 12 TOUCH ME
07/10/2023
Chapter 13 Cain loved morning
08/10/2023
Chapter 14 Matthew Gilbert
08/10/2023
Chapter 15 Juliana would have
08/10/2023
Chapter 16 An hour
08/10/2023
Chapter 17 Cain returned
08/10/2023
Chapter 18 You smell of wine
08/10/2023
Chapter 19 Good afternoon Juliana
08/10/2023
Chapter 20 WHY CANT I HAVE
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Chapter 21 SO NEPHEW
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Chapter 22 CAIN HAD GIVEN
09/10/2023
Chapter 23 THE LOOK SHE GAVE
09/10/2023
Chapter 24 THE AUCTION
09/10/2023
Chapter 25 HIS FINAL ARGUMENT
09/10/2023
Chapter 26 THE FOLLOWING AFTERNOON
09/10/2023
Chapter 27 HE HADNT
09/10/2023
Chapter 28 CAINS HEAD
09/10/2023
Chapter 29 AND THEN
09/10/2023
Chapter 30 if cassandra
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Chapter 31 juliana
09/10/2023
Chapter 32 a very proper
09/10/2023
Chapter 33 the black chariot
09/10/2023
Chapter 34 this sudden boldness
09/10/2023
Chapter 35 an image from that book
09/10/2023
Chapter 36 juliana couldnt
09/10/2023
Chapter 37 cain was unhappy
09/10/2023
Chapter 38 At nine
09/10/2023
Chapter 39 cain had
09/10/2023
Chapter 40 juliana arrived
09/10/2023
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