England, 1822

Lady Grace Stratton, daughter of the Viscount and Viscountess of Forton entered the ball room with a heavy heart. Tonight would undoubtedly be one of the hardest nights of her life. At seventeen, she should be enjoying the season not dreading what was to come. Nonetheless, her course had been set.

With dread lacing through her, twisting her stomach into knots, Grace made her way to the veranda. Mr. Lewis Duffield would be awaiting her under the branches of their tree. The same one he had carved their initials into a fortnight ago. The scenario would have set her belly all a flutter a couple of nights ago, but now everything had changed.

She gathered her skirts into her gloved hands as she hastily made her way around a marble column, then down the stairs and toward the torch lit garden. If she tarried over long, people would notice. A situation she could scarce afford when so much hung in the balance. Father and Mother were counting on her. She could not let them down even if it destroyed her to honor their wish.

The dew covered grass dampened her slippers as she hastened down the garden path toward the old lime tree. The cool night air bushed against her skin as hundreds of stars sparkled overhead. But the setting did nothing to cool her nerves. Her heartbeat increased as she drew closer to her destination—closer to Lewis.

Grace slowed her rampant pace and fought for composure as she took the final steps, closing the distance between her and Lewis. She saw him cast in the glow of the torch light, his eyes sparkling and black hair gleaming as she left the path. The familiar fluttering she experienced every time she was near him returned to her belly but did nothing to erase the dread filling her.

A wide smile spread across his face. “Grace, come let me hold you.”

“Oh, Lewis.” Forgetting herself for a moment, she cast herself into the warmth of his embrace. What she would give to stay safe in his arms for all eternity. Unable to control her emotions any longer, a shudder racked her shoulders as the first tears seeped from her eyes.

“What is it, darling?” Lewis stroked her hair with his comforting hands.

How was she to tell him they could no longer be together? Every part of her wished to deny the fact. She longed to run away with him. To start a new life with the man she loved.

“All will be well. There is no need for tears.” Lewis continued his attempt at comforting her. He dropped a gentle kiss on her forehead. “We are together now.”

She had given Lewis her heart months ago and found herself powerless to take it back. All the same, she had a duty to her parents. To the family title and the ton, at least according to mother she did. Personally, Grace couldn’t give a fig about the title or the ton, but she could not make the same claim about her parents.

If it killed her and it well might, she would do right by them. What other choice did she have? Without her, they would be destitute. Cast out into the London streets to fade into chaos of the great city. Forgotten by all, and left to fend for themselves without the means or necessary skills to survive their harsh new reality. She simply could not sentence them to such an existence.

Grace drew in a breath. Resigned to her fate, she pulled away enough to look up into Lewis’s tender, green gaze. His eyes would haunt her memory forevermore—the love and tenderness she witnessed in their depths would be with her always. A steady reminder of what she sacrificed.

“Grace, my darling” He swept the tears from her cheeks. “My love, whatever it is, you can confide in me.”

She drew on every ounce of courage she possessed and stepped out of his reach. There was no choice in the matter. She had to tell him what happened.

He stepped toward her, but before he could reach her, she turned her back to him. The words would never come as long his gaze was locked on hers. She could not watch his heart break. Grace opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again searching for the proper words. The ones that would make this easier on both of them, but none existed. Blast, this was impossible.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his hard chest before whispering in her ear, “Everything will be okay. Tell me what is wrong and let me help you.”

“You cannot help.” A fresh batch of tears blossomed and trailed down her checks. “I am to marry the Duke of Abernathy.”

Lewis stiffened behind her, his breath hitching. “You can’t. Not when you love me.”

“God how I wish it were not so.” She turned in his embrace to look up at him and her soul shattered. “Father signed the betrothal papers yesterday. He plans to announce the engagement tonight.”

Panic gripped Lewis’s expression. “Run away with me. We can leave now. There is no need for you to wed a man you do not love.” He implored her with his eyes. “Grace. Do not destroy what we have.”

She nibbled at her lip and averted her gaze.

“Damn it, I love you.”

She jerked her gaze back to his, her heart shattered. “Sometimes love is not enough. My life is in England. Yours is in America. We were doomed from the very beginning.” She stepped out of his embrace once more. “I must return to the ball before I am missed.”

“You are wrong. Your life is with me. Let me take care of you. Allow me to cherish you, to love and provide for you.”

Grace closed the distance between them, placing one gloved finger on his lips. “Do not make this harder on us. You have to let me go.” Every moment she spent here with him weakened her resolve more. If she did not end their time together soon, she may never return to her responsibilities. “There is no choice. I must honor the agreement my parents made.” She turned and strode toward the garden path.

Lewis caught up to her. Grabbing her elbow he halted her. “Grace.”

She swallowed hard. “Please. Don’t.”

Without a word, he released her.

Grace made haste toward the shelter of her home and the life her parents had planned for her, but her heart would remain with Lewis.