Her father’s work.
Vane tightened his grip on her arms, but she did not seem to notice. “Your father’s journals,” he said, already knowing the answer. “Where are they?”
Isabel closed her eyes and shook her head.
He dragged her into his arms, and she buried her face into his chest. Ruddel had not only run off with Delia but also stolen Thorne’s legacy to his children. When he could not charm the journals from Isabel, he’d decided to claim them as her sister’s dowry.
“I’ll get them back,” Vane vowed with deadly purpose in his blue-green eyes. “He will rot in prison for his crimes.”
Isabel hugged him as a soft sob caught in her throat. She turned her face upward, and once again Vane was spellbound by her beauty. “A lovely thought,” she said, leaning forward to press a kiss to his chin. “However, if my sister truly loves Mr. Ruddel, she would suffer, too.”
She pulled away, moving out of his embrace. “My father’s words. It was all I had left of him, and I died a little each time I had to sell his wonderful work.” Isabel held out her hand, and Vane closed the space between them. “Those journals belong to me, but they also belong to my mother and Delia. My sister has a right to them.” She blinked rapidly to stop from crying. “I may not agree with Mr. Ruddel’s methods, but if he treats Delia kindly, then he is welcome to them.”
Vane vehemently disagreed, but he remained silent. This was not the time to argue. Whether she admitted it or not, Isabel was hurting. It did not escape Vane’s notice that Delia had used him as well.
Last night, she had shared a glass of port with someone in the parlor. Had Isabel’s sister been waiting for Ruddel when Vane surprised her by arriving first? The clever girl had recovered quickly. Instead of waking Isabel, Delia had sent Vane upstairs because she knew his unexpected arrival would provide the distraction she needed to slip out of the house unnoticed.
If he did not already have reason to despise Ruddel, Vane could have pitied the man. Marriage to Delia might be punishment enough.
“How quickly can you pack for London?”
Isabel glanced at her father’s study as if the room held the answer to his question. “A few days. Why?”
Vane needed to talk to the Runner he had hired to look into Ruddel’s affairs. If there was a chance to recover her father’s journals without hurting her sister, he intended to give them to Isabel as a wedding present.
“I told my mother that I was returning to London with my future bride at my side, and she would be sorely disappointed if that lady wasn’t you.”
“Oh.” The shy smile he loved surfaced, warming him from the inside out. “A touching tale. Truly. However, I thought she was so desperate to see you wed that any lady would have sufficed.”
“How fortunate then that my beloved mother found you.”
Isabel gasped in surprise as he tugged her back against his chest and slanted his mouth over hers for a smoldering kiss. “How very fortunate,” she concurred after the kiss ended.
He rubbed his cheek against hers. “You know this isn’t the end.”
“About Delia and Ruddel? No, I suppose you are correct. If possible, we should rescue my sister before she marries him.”
The kitten dashed by them and disappeared under the desk.
“That, too.” Vane shook his head. They were changing the cat’s name. He did not care what it cost him. “However, I was speaking of my mother.”
“Lady Netherley?” She walked over to the desk and bent over, giving him the opportunity to admire her backside. “With you settled, what else could she possible want?”
“More grandchildren.”
Vane grinned at her startled expression. “My mother is relentless when it comes to getting what she wants.”
Isabel turned her head and looked over her shoulder. “Reminds me of someone else I know.” She murmured to the kitten, attempting to coax him out from his hiding place.
The large desk and her nicely rounded backside were giving him a few wicked ideas, but he would save them for his library in London. Vane curled his arms around Isabel’s waist and nuzzled her neck.
“I think we should slip upstairs and work on that grandchild she will undoubtedly want from us,” he murmured against her skin as his hand slid up the front of her bodice to her breasts. “Then she will have more time to pester my sister Ellen.”
Isabel leaned against him. “So you think this will work?”
“At keeping my mother from meddling?” he asked, hoping they could avoid Mrs. Thorne and Mrs. Dalman as they made their way up to Isabel’s room. His desire for her was evident. “It is a worthy goal.”
In truth, he doubted his mother could resist meddling any more than he could stop wanting Isabel. He clasped his lady’s wrist and headed for the door.
Marriage. A life with Isabel. Children.
Who could believe such a fate was for him?
Hand in hand, Vane and Isabel raced up the stairs.
For the second time this month, he was going to follow his mother’s sage advice.
St. Martin’s Paperbacks Titles by
Alexandra Hawkins
After Dark with a Scoundrel
All Night with a Rogue
Till Dawn with the Devil
Praise for the Lords of Vice novels
After Dark with a Scoundrel
“I absolutely loved After Dark with a Scoundrel. It is an amazing read and I could not put it down … I can’t wait for the other Lords of Vice.”
—Night Owl Romance
“Those sexy Lords of Vice return as another member is caught in a maze of love and danger. Hawkins’s talent for perfectly merging gothic elements into a sexually charged romance are showcased along with the marvelous cast of characters taking readers on a thrill ride.”
—Romantic Times BOOKreviews (4 stars)
“A ‘must-read’ … After Dark with a Scoundrel is a fast-paced Regency historical romance with a new and exciting surprise just about every time you turn a page.… as stunning as it is riveting. This story has it all … scorching.”
—Romance Junkies Reviews
“The sparks between Regan and Dare are beautifully written, so that you can almost feel them coming off the pages.”
—The Book Reading Gals
“4½ stars. The intensity between Regan and Dare sizzles on the pages.”
—The Romance Dish
“Ms. Hawkins knows just how to pull the best from her characters to make you care for them, love them, get irritated with them, and all those other delicious emotions we romance readers need in our books.”
—The Good, The Bad, and The Unread (A+)
“Perfect explosion of emotional fireworks blasted off the pages and set the rest of the tone for the book.”
—Romantic Crush Junkies (4.5 quills)
“Poignant, sweetly romantic, and sexy as can be.”
—Reader to Reader
Till Dawn with the Devil
“Till Dawn with the Devil’s romance is first-rate with unusual characters and an underlying mystery that will intrigue readers.”
—Robin Lee, Romance Reviews Today
“A terrific second book in this series. I had it read in a day and then bemoaned the fact it was over.”
—The Good, The Bad, and The Unread (A+)
“You will devour every sexy and intriguing morsel of this divine read.”
—Romantic Crush Junkies (4 stars)
“Hawkins cements her reputation for bringing compelling, unique, and lush romances to fans eager for fresh storytelling.”
—Romantic Times BOOKreviews (4 stars)
“Delightful and enjoyed every delicious minute of the book.”
—Single Titles (5 stars)
“You will devour every sexy and intriguing morsel of this divine read.”
—Romantic Crush Junkies (4½ quills)
“An absolutely tantalizing read!”
—Huntress Reviews (5 stars)
&nb
sp; “Her characters are vibrant, sincere, and will surely steal your heart.”
—The Romance Dish (4½ stars)
“Alexandra Hawkins is making a splash in historical romance and fans of the genre who haven’t read the Lords of Vice series should sit up and take notice.”
—The Season
“Promises an intoxicating journey, and delivers with an exciting series of twists and turns that leave the reader disoriented and begging for more.”
—Fresh Fiction
“Alexandra Hawkins did a splendid job of weaving believable characters, palpable attraction, and a soundly satisfying plotline that will leave you panting for more!”
—Not Another Romance Blog (5 red roses)
All Night with a Rogue
“Sizzling, smart, and sophisticated.”
—New York Times bestselling author Gaelen Foley
“Wickedly sensual and entertaining! Alexandra Hawkins is an exceptional talent.”
—New York Times bestselling author Lorraine Heath
“A romantic and erotic tale of social intrigue vs. steadfast hearts. This first story in the Lords of Vice series is hot enough to curl your toes!”
—New York Times bestselling author Celeste Bradley
“Alexandra Hawkins does the Regency era as no other!”
—Huntress Book Reviews (4 stars)
“Even if you have never read a Regency romance before, you really have to read this one, it is one of the best I have had the pleasure to read.”
—Coffee Time Romance (5 cups)
“All Night with a Rogue was simply one of those ‘can’t put it down’ reads, and wow, was it ever hot and sexy!”
—CK2S Kwips and Kritiques (5 clovers)
“Hawkins’s first Lords of Vice tale calls to mind the highly sensual reads of Beatrice Small and Susan Johnson.”
—Romantic Times BOOKreviews
“This sexy debut from Alexandra Hawkins begins what promises to be a great series full of sensually decadent heroes. And wow, does this one start off with a bang!”
—The Romance Dish (4 stars)
“All Night with a Rogue has a plot that is full of twists and turns, creating a story that will hold your attention and keep you turning the pages.”
—Heather’s Reading Romance (4.5 stars)
“A very nice start to an intriguing series.”
—The Good, The Bad, and The Unread (A-)
“All Night with a Rogue is written in a beautiful style … all events flow smoothly along, contributing to the plot and showing off the characters with clarity.”
—Long and Short Reviews
“A truly fantastic debut novel! One of the best Regency romances that I have read for quite a while.”
—Loves Romances & More
“Rich with emotion and brimming with noticeably diverse characters. All Night with a Rogue will keep you thoroughly entertained.”
—Amelia Richard, Single Titles
“Brimming with witty repartee, well-drawn characters, an intriguing plot, sizzling sensual love scenes, and innocence, this story is a delight.”
—Romance Junkies
“A slightly more risqué historical novel that is sure to hold your interest all the way through and pull your heartstrings.”
—Romance Reviews Today
“With unforgettable (unrepentant) characters, super villains, intrigue, and scenes filled with marvelously mean dialogue, All Night with a Rogue had me up all night!”
—Romance Reader at Heart
“A wickedly delicious tale.”
—Anna’s Book Blog
“Captivates from the first chapter.”
—Romance Novel News
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
SUNRISE WITH A NOTORIOUS LORD
Copyright © 2012 by Alexandra Hawkins.
All rights reserved.
For information address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
ISBN: 978-1-250-00136-8
St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition / January 2012
St. Martin’s Paperbacks are published by St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
eISBN 978-1-4299-5098-5
Sunrise with a Notorious Lord Page 21