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Evenwith her eyes open, Althelia could still recall that fateful night as if it were yesterday: Leticia’s arm around her waist as she guided Althelia out the French windows, onto the terrace, and toward a dark corner. The stars twinkling overhead, laughter and music carrying on the gentle breeze, and a lone cow lowing.

“Peter awaited me in a shadowy nook. AsI drew near, I smelled the spirits on him. He was well into his cups. In truth, I believe the wall supported him.”

“‘Here she is, dear brother.’” Leticia’s singsong voice still grated along Althelia’s spine. “‘Just as you requested.’”

“Peter called me his darling love and yanked me to his chest. Pulling the pins from my hair, he buried his face in my neck.

“I gagged at the stench of spirits, and suddenly afraid, I tried to wrest away.

“All at once, Peter stiffened and shoved me away in disgust and loathing, though he still gripped my arms. ‘Bloody hell. You’renot Meridith.’”

MeridithPeterson, the woman Peter had proposed to and who refused him, breaking his heart.

“And then I knew the awful truth. Leticia had deceived me in the most vile way. Peter too, but rather than act the part of a gentleman and apologize or stay to help me, he shoved me away. Through bloodshot, drunken eyes, he squinted at me.

“‘Althelia? Are you addled? How could you ever think I’d want you?’”

“A chorus of laughter erupted behind me, and as Peter stormed away, I stood there frozen and unable to flee, the target of every nasty, malicious denizen Leticia had arranged to watch my humiliation.”

Asshe finished, the sun ascended past the horizon and glowed through the whispering pine trees.

Owenremained silent as a stone; his eyes steely cold.

Altheliacouldn’t conceive why she’d shared the sordid tale with him. Other than her family, she’d never told anyone. All this time, she’d been so careful not to trust blindly, and what did she do?

Blurther most private secret to him.

Whatmust he think of her?

Heatflamed across her face, but she resisted the overwhelming need to spin Stardust around and gallop back to the stables. Fear no longer dictated her actions. She’d face the consequences of her impulsiveness—good or bad.

“Forgive me for boring you with pathetic tales.” Althelia shifted to kick Stardust’s sides and send the mare hurtling after the others—anything to escape this horrid awkwardness her oversharing had caused.

Makinga gruff sound in his throat, Owen turned those fathomless green eyes upon her. “I sincerely regret you experienced such cruelty, and if I ever have the misfortune of encountering Hartigan, I’ll be sorely tempted to punch the bugger in the nose.”

Asmall, angry tick caused the muscle in his jaw to flex, and the question she’d meant to ask him flew from her mind.

OwenLockington—a man she barely knew—was livid on her behalf?

Thatknowledge bolstered Althelia’s spirits much more than it ought to have done.

Evahad threatened to do much worse to PeterHartigan when she’d heard the story. Her solution involved impossible physical contortions and emasculating the fiend.

“Someone needs to make him pay for what he did to you.” Vengeance had sharpened Eva’s features and tone that long-ago afternoon in Boston. “Louts like him cannot be permitted to get away with their misdeeds.”

Heavenhelp the man that crossed Althelia’s wallflower-by-choice cousin.

“I shan’t deny it was horrendous at the time,” Althelia said. “But it was also the catalyst that made me determined to change. To come out of my shell and take control of my life. To never let another control me again.”

Owensmiled then, a genuine curving of his hard mouth, and her heart fairly melted.

“I think you are quite the most admirable woman I have ever met, LadyAltheliaWestbrook.”

Thenhe kicked Sampson’s sides and thundered past her to join the other men.

Andfor once, Althelia didn’t feel the need to prove her prowess—to demonstrate she was just as good, strong, adept, fast, and intelligent as any man. Because the gentle giant who lumbered into HefferwickshireHouse yesterday had rendered her utterly speechless and—God help me—had just taken a piece of her heart with him.

Nowwhat was she to do?