LADY EMMA SPENCER dismissed her maid and studied her image in the mirror, wondering how others would see her tonight, the night of her come-out. Her eyes sparkled with excitement. Her honeyed hair was piled high atop her head, with a few wisps framing her face. She thought it made her look much more mature […]

“I NEED A new whipper! Now!” Hudson Wright answered the foreman’s call, returning from the wagon where he’d just dumped a heavy sack filled to the brim with coal. He quickly tossed the empty sack at a boy who was no older than five and hurried down the dock. “I can be your coal whipper,” […]

LUCY’S STOMACH RUMBLED noisily as she sat on the cold, uneven wooden floor of the boardinghouse. Jem sat to her left. Boy sat on her right. The three children awaited instructions from Driskell. Or rather, Mrs. Driskell. Even at six years of age, it hadn’t taken Lucy long to understand that Mrs. Driskell was the […]

DARALYS MARİLLAC SAT beside Lady Anne’s bed as the baroness slept. The noblewoman lost another babe a week ago and would never regain her strength. Daralys knew Lady Anne would not see the new year. Even someone without Daralys’ gift would realize the noblewoman’s body had finally given out. At least she had done her […]

ELIA DE WOLFE held the gnarled hand of her grandfather as he wheezed. His breathing had grown more difficult over the last three days and she knew his end was near. She only hoped that her father and two brothers would return from the battle in Scotland before death could snatch him away. He gripped […]

GREGORY DE CHALLON felt the waves of disapproval coming off Sir Rodric Shelley as the two men traipsed silently through the empty streets of London. Today had proven hot and the heat seemed to linger into the night as the midnight hour approached. The streets stunk of waste that had been dumped from windows, reminding […]

NAN DE MONTFORT held the tip of her wooden sword to Drewett Stollars’ throat, daring the page to move. He lay flat on his back, his face red from anger and exertion. She had a feeling that he might begin to cry if she did not let him sit up soon. It would serve him […]

EVAN DRAKE, MARQUESS of Merrick, awoke from a nightmare. He whimpered, feeling the damp sheets, knowing he’d wet the bed again. There’d be no keeping it from his father. A year ago, their butler had overheard an upstairs maid mention it. The butler had immediately informed the Duke of Winstead. His father now came to […]

Shallowheart Castle—September 1365 BENEDİCT BOWYAR RODE through the gates of Shallowheart as the sun dipped below the horizon, a calm descending over him. He was home—for good. Nothing would ever entice him to leave again. He had a job to do. And a child to raise. Every sight looked familiar to him as they trotted […]

Whitley Castle—1371 ELİNOR SWAN OPENED her eyes, not sure where she was. She glanced around the darkened chamber and remembered that Eunice had lifted her from her bed last night when the bedclothes around her were wet and cold. The servant told Elinor to stay here and sleep while her mother birthed the new babe. […]

London—February, 1812 LADY CAROLİNE ANDREWS helped her mother into their London townhome. Though she’d recently turned forty, the Countess of Templeton moved as if she were eighty. Ill health and losing her younger daughter had aged her overnight. “Mama, let’s go upstairs. I’ll have tea brought up to warm us.” The blustery winter day had […]

Esterley Castle, Northumberland—February, 1809 DİANA DE WOLFE awoke, immediately struck by the familiar nausea of the past few weeks. She tossed back the bedsheets and barely made it to the chamber pot. What was she going to do? She needed to speak to John Coke to see if word had come from Stephen. She’d only […]

London—May, 1806 CATHERİNE CRAWFORD SAT with her back to the mirror as her maid fussed over her hair, hoping Tilly’s efforts would be worth all the time spent sitting still in the chair. Her younger sister, Leah, watched, an enraptured look on her face. “I can’t wait until I’m old enough to go to balls. […]

London—1816 LADY AMELİA WARD looked past the newlyweds and stole another glance at Lord Reston, seated two spots away from the groom. The earl was talking with his sister, Thea de Wolfe, his handsome face animated. Amelia quickly looked away, not wanting her brother to realize where she gazed since Colin read people very well. […]

Ridingham Academy—1795 ANTHONY GODWİN STOOD in the headmaster’s office, having been summoned an hour earlier. He’d been told his father would soon arrive to take him away. Fear curled around his heart, almost choking the breath from him. But he wouldn’t apologize for fighting. It had been Rinson’s fault. Anthony merely defended himself. A discreet […]