EGGIE sat at her dressing table, staring dreamily at the little bruise on the base of her throat. Nicholas Eden’s love mark. She touched the spot. It was fortunate she had not removed her cape when she returned to Tony’s house last night. As it was, she would have to wear a scarf until the mark went away.

It was late in the morning, and she had slept much longer than was her habit. Her cousins would have breakfasted already, and if they were still at home, she would have to go through the story she and Tony had come up with last night.

Tony had sent a message to his brother Edward before she returned home, saying simply that Reggie would not be coming to the ball after all. Only that, no reason given. Their story was that Tony hadn’t been at home when she got to his house, so she had waited for him for hours. When he did arrive, they had their talk. As it was so late after their conversation, she had simply gone home to bed. The servants at Uncle Edward’s would confirm that Tony had brought her back there and she had indeed gone right to bed.

Reggie sighed and rang for Meg, then hastily went through her bureau in search of a scarf. Meg mustn’t see her lovebite either.

When she came downstairs a half hour later, it was to find Aunt Charlotte and cousins Clare and Diana receiving. They were in the drawing room with their visitors—the Ladys Braddock, mother and daughter; Mrs. Faraday and her sister Jane; and two ladies Reggie didn’t know. They all stared at her as she entered, and Reggie became most uncomfortable over the lies she was about to tell.

“My dear Regina,” Mrs. Faraday spoke in a strangely sympathetic tone. “How divine you look—considering.”

Reggie felt a tight knot forming in the pit of her stomach. No. It wasn’t possible. Only her own guilty conscience made her think they could know about last night’s escapade.

Nicholas Eden, Fourth Viscount Eden of Montieth, lay stretched out on his large bed, his arms tucked behind his head, only a thin sheet covering his nakedness. He had lain there after waking for nearly an hour, but made no move to get up and face the day. He had long since missed his usual morning ride through Hyde Park. There was nothing immediate that he needed to see to. Another letter to the Earl of Penwich demanding an answer about the land he wanted, but that could wait. It was bound to be only a source of irritation anyway, since he’d never received an answer from the man.

He needed to contact the manager of his shipping firm in Southampton to cancel the ship he had recently ordered made ready for him. He had planned to put London behind him for a few months, to sail to the West Indies again. But as of last evening, nothing could make him leave London.

Her name was Regina. He said the name aloud, letting it roll deliciously off of his tongue. Regina. Sweet, fair Regina with ebony hair and china-blue eyes. Those eyes. He had only to close his own eyes to see them smiling at him, laughing. Oh, they possessed such life. Regina, fairest of the fair, beauty beyond compare.

Nicholas chuckled at his fancy. Percy would say he had fallen head over heels. Had he? Well, no, of course not. But he couldn’t remember ever wanting a woman as much as he did Regina Ashton.

He sighed. Aunt Ellie would tell him to marry the girl and be happy. She was the only one since his father had died who cared a damn about Nicholas. Perhaps his grandmother did, or perhaps she didn’t. It was hard to tell about Rebecca, the old tyrant.

And, of course, there was his “mother.” She would be the last to wish him well. It was because of her that he couldn’t—or wouldn’t— marry Regina or any girl of good family. He wouldn’t marry, at least not until the woman who was known to the world as his mother was dead. The threat she held over him would die with her.

Nicholas threw his sheet off and sat up, thoughts of the Dowager Countess ruining his pleasant idyll. It was because of her that he very seldom went home to Silverley, his country estate in Hampshire. Yet he loved Silverley, missed it to the point of bitterness. No matter, the only times he would go there were when the Countess was away. She was in residence most of the year, just to keep Nicholas away.

He rang for his man Harris and was informed that the Lords Alden and Malory were waiting for him in the breakfast room. He gave no special thought to it, for those two friends often dropped by without prior notice.

When he joined them a short while later, Derek Malory was seated at the table with a large plate of food, and Percy stood by the sideboard sipping coffee. Derek offered a merry hello before he went back to teasing the young maid. Percy beckoned Nicholas to him with a conspiratorial grin.

“I know who the little bird is that you brought home to your nest last night,” Percy whispered, then nodded toward Derek. “He doesn’t know yet, but of course he will before the day is out.”

Nicholas felt as if a mighty fist had been slammed into his midsection. He kept his voice calm when he whispered, “Be so good as to tell me how that information reached you?”

“It’s not a secret,” Percy chuckled. “In fact, I’ll wager it will have made the complete rounds by the end of the day. I heard it on Rotten Row myself. Rode up to a couple of pretties I know and they couldn’t wait to tell me the latest on-dit.”

“How?” This came out explosively, loud enough to gain a look from Derek, who then turned back to the maid.

“Lady E., don’t you know. It seems her driver thought she would be most interested in hearing all about your wicked scheme. And wouldn’t you know, she was tickled pink to think you were jealous enough to do something so outrageous. She couldn’t wait to tell all her dearest friends about it—and even those who are not so dear. Oh, she has had a busy morning of it.”

“Damnation take the bitch!”

“Yes, well, if I were you, I would be leaving London for a while.”

“And let the girl face this alone?”

“That never bothered you before.”

For that remark Percy received the blackest scowl. “Don’t bark at me, Nick. She’ll fare better than you, no doubt get married off as your other innocents were, and live happily ever after. But there’s Derek’s uncle to think about, not to mention his father. This girl’s got relatives who will demand your hide. You’re not going to come off without a scratch for compromising this girl like you did the others.”

“Blister it, I didn’t touch the girl.”

“ ‘Course you didn’t, but who’d believe it?”

Percy said pointedly. “Your best bet is to be gone before the challenge comes from one of her uncles.”

At that moment Tyndale appeared at the door and announced, “Lord Malory’s servant begs a word, my lord.”

Derek looked up in surprise, seeing the servant standing behind Tyndale. “Oh, I say, Nicky, there must be some mistake. The chap doesn’t work for me.”

“I didn’t think so,” Nicholas muttered, and Percy groaned.