by Stacy Reid
Disgust slithered through him that he could admire anything about her, knowing her avaricious heart.
“My lord, I was not aware you had called,” she said, dipping into a quick, graceful curtsey. “How do you fare?”
Fearing he would throttle the scheming beauty, he skirted around her without acknowledgment. She gasped, but Sylvester did not even deign to look back. His carriage was brought around, and he hauled himself inside, hating the pain twisting through his body.
Could his sister truly have endured such hardship, and he’d been unaware? Or was this simply a vile rumor? Did he have a niece in the world that had been abandoned by her family?
He would confront his mother, since surely Hetty would not have acted on her own. Someone had made the arrangements, if the reports were true. And he feared they were, for he recalled a time Hetty had been in the country with their mother, a prolonged illness, he had believed.
The trap Miss Collins had laid was intricate, and he saw no way to escape it without bringing ruin to his sister. If he didn’t know better, he would believe Miss Collins had orchestrated her rescue by the river. Scrubbing a hand over his face, he prayed the report was a lie and Hetty had not abandoned her child to strangers. He prayed she hadn’t been used and discarded by a vile seducer like Danbridge.
Closing his eyes, Sylvester settled against the squabs, hating that if the reports were true, he would be obliged to bind himself to the manipulative Miss Collins, for he would do anything to protect his family. A heavy weight settled into his gut at the very idea of marrying someone who only saw his wealth and status. How careful he had been to avoid the mothers and daughters of the ton who pursued him with such ruthless matrimonial fervor. How it infuriated him his choice was being blackmailed away from him, and how it stung that while he had admired her wit and beauty, she’d only had avarice in her heart and eyes.
I’ll not give her any part of me. The vow traveled through his soul.
She could take the bloody title, but nothing else.
Also by Stacy Reid
Forever Yours series
The Marquess and I
The Duke and I
The Viscount and I (coming May 2018)
Rebellious Desires series
Duchess by Day, Mistress by Night
The Earl in my Bed
Wedded by Scandal Series
Accidentally Compromising the Duke
Wicked in His Arms
Kidnapping the Marquess
Scandalous House of Calydon Series
The Duke’s Shotgun Wedding
The Irresistible Miss Peppiwell
Sins of a Duke
The Royal Conquest
The Kincaids
Taming Elijah
Tempting Bethany
The Amagarians
Eternal Darkness
Eternal Flames
Novellas
Letters to Emily
Acknowledgments
I thank God every day for my family, friends, and my writing. A special thank you to my husband. I love you so hard! Without your encouragement and steadfast support, Tempting Bethany would still be sitting on my laptop in my work in progress folder. You encourage me to dream and are always steadfast in your wonderful support. You read all my drafts, offer such amazing insight and encouragement. Thank you for designing my fabulous cover! Thank you for reminding me I am a warrior when I wanted to give up on so many things.
Thank you, Giselle Marks for being so wonderful and supportive always. You are a great critique partner and friend. Readers, thank you for giving me a chance and reading my book! I hope you enjoyed and would consider leaving a review. Thank you!
About the Author
I am an avid reader of novels, with a deep passion for writing. I especially love romance and adore writing about people falling in love. I live a lot in the worlds I create, and I actively speak to my characters (out loud). I have a warrior way: “Never give up on my dream.” When I am not writing, I spend a copious amount of time drooling over Rick Grimes from Walking Dead, watching Japanese anime, and playing video games with my love, Dusean. I have a horrible weakness for ice cream.
I am always happy to hear from readers and would love to connect with you via my Website, Facebook, and Twitter. To be the first to hear about my new releases, get cover reveals, and excerpts you won’t find anywhere else, sign up for my newsletter, or join me over at Historical Hellions, the street team for historical romance authors Tamara Gill, Nicola Davison, C.B. Halverson and me!