Daniel rose from his giant tub and toweled himself dry, smiling as he remembered his afternoon with Lily. He swathed himself in a velvet dressing robe, ready to ring for Putney to assist him, when a knock came on his outer chamber door. No one but Lily would come to see him at this time during the day. His heart leaped in anticipation of seeing her face, hearing her voice. He walked through his bedchamber to the sitting room.

“Come in, love,” he said, loudly enough to penetrate the closed door. “You’re not going to start knocking now, are you?” He went back into the bedchamber, grabbed a towel, and began to wring the moisture from his hair.

“How very kind you are, to say that I don’t need to knock.”

Daniel turned. Amelia Gregory stood in the door of his bedchamber.

“I thought you were someone else.”

“Your lovely Lily, no doubt?”

“I’m busy, as you can see. Please leave at once.”

“No. I want to talk to you.”

“We have nothing to say to each other.”

“I disagree, Daniel. I have much to say.” She walked toward him. “I have missed you so very much. I can’t sleep at night for want of you.”

“I’m sorry. As I’ve told you before, it’s over between us.”

“No, it can’t be.”

“It is.”

“But why? We shared so much together.”

“We shared a bed, Amelia, that’s all. I’m going to be married, and I have every intention of—”

“Don’t tell me that you have feelings for that little whore.”

Rage boiled in Daniel’s gut. “Do not ever refer to her like that again, do you understand? Leave her out of this. Your quarrel is with me.”

“Does she make you feel like I do? Do you remember our fun? Our escapades?”

Daniel remembered, though he wished he didn’t. “You need to leave now, Amelia.”

“You’re mine, Daniel. She can’t have you!”

“She already has me. I’m hers.”

“What does she have that I don’t?”

A smile teased his lips. “She has my heart. She’s had it from the beginning. I love her.” The words lifted a great burden from his shoulders. “I love her,” he said again, more to himself than to Amelia.

“You don’t know the meaning of the word.” Amelia lunged forward and tackled him to the ground. She straddled him, clamping her mouth down upon his, seeking entrance with her tongue. She wrenched the dressing robe from his chest. “Here’s what you’ll be missing with her, Daniel. Look what I can give you.”

God, Polk had been right about Amelia. She was bad news. He tossed her aside him and closed his robe. “I have reconsidered allowing you to stay here, Amelia. I want you gone by the morrow.”

“You won’t get rid of me that easily, Your Grace.” Amelia smoothed her rumpled dress and stood. “I was invited here. What would the duchess think of you throwing me out?”

“I don’t righteously care what the duchess thinks.”

“Perhaps Her Grace and I should have a little chat. She might like to know what her baby boy has been up to in my bedchamber.”

“You leave my mother alone, damn it.” Daniel closed his robe and rose. “She’s been through hell, losing her husband and son, and I won’t tolerate your interference with her. Have your bags packed. You’ll leave after dinner.”

Amelia turned and flounced toward the door. “You know,” she said, looking back at him, “your intended isn’t interested in you. She told me so.”

Daniel winced. “When did you speak to her?”

“We’ve had several chats, the future duchess and I. The first night of the house party, I found her in the ladies’ sitting room after you molested her outside. I enlightened her as to why you grabbed her. You had mistaken her for me, of course. She told me she wasn’t the least bit interested in you. Then the other night, after you announced your betrothal, she told me she didn’t wish to marry you.”

Daniel’s stomach churned, and he swallowed. “You stay the hell away from her. I mean it. I want you off this estate.”

“Why do you wish to marry someone who doesn’t want you? She’ll never be able to satisfy you. I know your sexual appetites. You can have me, Daniel. I want you. I need you. Let me be your duchess. I’ll make you proud.”

“For the last time, Amelia, leave this chamber at once, or I will physically remove you!”

Amelia smiled seductively. “I’d like to see you try. Once you put your hands on me, you’ll be mine. You won’t be able to resist.”

“I assure you, I will. Now go.”

“Fine, I’ll go, but I’m afraid I’m not leaving the estate.”

“Yes, you are, damn it.”

“Daniel, I will stay and enjoy the rest of the house party. I was invited. If you force me to leave, I swear I will make sure all of England knows of our exploits. And the first two people who hear about them will be your sweet Lily and your dear devoted mother.”

“Both Lily and my mother are aware of our affair.”

“Perhaps. But do they know all the juicy details? Like the time my young housemaid joined us in bed? Two pairs of lips on your hard cock? But that was nothing compared to the cockstand you had when she and I sucked each other. And what about that handsome gardener?” Amelia lifted her skirts and slid a hand into her drawers. “One cock in my cunny and one in my arse… Heavens, I still burn from time to time thinking about it.”

Daniel grimaced. How had he ever been so young and foolish? He couldn’t risk Amelia poisoning Lily against him. “Do as you please,” he said through clenched teeth, “but stay away from my mother, stay away from Lily, and stay the hell out of my sight!”

He pushed her out the door and slammed it.

---

Amelia blazed with temper as she walked down the hallway to the back stairwell. She wasn’t finished yet, not by a long shot. “Oh, no,” she groaned aloud as she spied the very bane of her life, Lady Lily Jameson, coming up the back stairwell.

“Lila, dear,” Amelia said, approaching. “How lovely to see you.”

“Good afternoon.”

“Going to see your intended, I presume?”

“It’s none of your business where I’m going. If you’ll excuse me.”

“I was just in his chamber. I’m afraid he’s a bit…indisposed at the moment.”

“What were you doing in his chamber?” Lily demanded.

“I’m sure you can guess.” Amelia straightened her wrinkled gown and smoothed her hair.

“I don’t believe you.”

But Lily wrung her hands nervously, fumbling with a handkerchief. No, she wasn’t nearly as confident as she wanted Amelia to believe.

“You don’t? Surely you’re not such an innocent that you thought Daniel would stop his affairs just because he’s getting married.”

“What?”

“I must thank you,” Amelia said. “You’ve obviously been a marvelous influence on him. Daniel has never been quite so, shall we say, prurient, in his lovemaking.”

“Daniel would never…”

“He told me that it’s only a matter of time before he gets his heir on you, and then he’ll ship you off to Scotland and make me his live-in mistress.” She spied the green engagement ring on Lily’s hand. “You may as well give that to me now. Daniel said I could have it.”

Tears glistened in Lily’s eyes. “No, he wouldn’t do that.”

“Are you going to cry, my dear? How dreadful.” Amelia grabbed Lily’s hand. “Now, give me that ring!”

“Daniel chose it for me. He went to London, he… You can’t have it!” Lily backed toward the stairwell.

“It’s mine!” Amelia screamed, yanking the ring from Lily’s finger.

Lily toppled a bit, losing her balance.

“And Daniel’s mine! He’ll never be yours! Never!”

Amelia shoved Lily hard, closing her ears to the screaming sobs as Lily rolled down the stairs and fell with a thud on the landing below. Quickly Amelia looked around. No servants appeared to have witnessed the exchange. Breathing a sigh of relief, she strode to the front stairwell, descended smoothly, and made her way to her chamber.

---

Daniel understood only about every third word the flustered servant said. All that mattered was that something had happened to Lily. Buttoning his trousers, he ran to the stairwell. Dear Lord, she was on the landing, Crawford and a few others attending her. He leaped down the stairs taking them three at a time.

“What the hell happened?” He knelt beside Lily, her body crumpled, her face streaked from tears, her eyes locked in unconsciousness. His heart pounded and anguish enveloped him. “Lily, my God, Lily. Don’t leave me. Please don’t leave me.” He gathered her in his arms.

“You shouldn’t move her, Your Grace,” Crawford said. “She could be bleeding inside, and she probably has broken bones. I’ve sent for your physician.”

“I can’t leave her here, damn it! She’s everything to me.” He lifted her gently.

“Please, Your Grace, it’s best—”

“Send the physician to my chamber, Crawford. Oh dear God. Just send him to my chamber.”

Daniel carried Lily up the stairwell, as gently as if she were a babe, took her into his chamber, and laid her on his bed. He kissed her forehead, her cheeks, her lips, as tears streamed from his eyes.

“Lily, Lily, please wake up. It’s Daniel, Lily. I love you. I love you. Oh, why didn’t I tell you?”

He knelt down beside her, begging God to bring her back, and then sat down next to her and gently touched her face. Her eyes fluttered for an instant.

“Daniel?” Her voice was hoarse and raspy.

“Lily, yes, I’m here, my love. Tell me what happened.”

“It was…Amelia.” Her eyes closed into unawareness again.

Amelia? Had she pushed Lily down the stairs? He would send that bitch to hell! He got up to ring for a servant when Lord and Lady Ashford burst in.

“Your Grace, what happened?” The countess turned to see Lily on the bed. She crossed herself. “Crispin, she’s—”

“What happened, Lybrook?” the earl asked calmly, taking his wife’s hand.

“I-I don’t know,” Daniel stammered. “Crawford found her at the bottom of the back stairwell. She—” He swallowed. “I believe she was pushed.”

“By whom?” the countess asked. “Why would anyone want to harm her?”

“She…she said it was…”

Daniel turned toward the sound of a clearing throat. Dr. Michael Blake stood in the doorway.

“Blake, thank God. She fell down the stairs. You’ve got to help her. Please.”

“Stand back. Let me to her.” The doctor sat down on the bed next to her and began palpating her arms and legs.

Thomas strode into the room. “What happened? I heard that Lily was hurt.”

“She’s unconscious, Thomas,” Lord Ashford said. “The doctor is looking at her now.”

“I don’t think any bones are broken,” Blake said. “That’s good news, and surprising, considering her fall.” He opened his bag, pulled out an instrument, and slit Lily’s gown down the front. He eased her arms out of the sleeves, loosened her corset, and listened to her heart with a stethoscope. “Her heartbeat is strong, and she seems to be breathing normally. She most likely has a concussion.” He moved his hands down her body, gently kneading her stomach and abdomen, and then lifted her petticoat and gasped.

“What is it, doctor?” the countess asked.

“I’m sorry to say this,” Blake said. “She appears to be bleeding from her womb.”

“No,” Daniel said. “No, no.”

“I’ll have to stop the bleeding.”

“Of course, do what you must,” the earl said.

“Crispin.” The countess turned her head into her husband’s shoulder, choking back sobs.

“I’m sorry,” Dr. Blake said, “but I have to ask. Is there any chance she might be breeding?”

“Of course not,” Lord Ashford said.

Daniel looked down at his feet and raked his fingers through his thick hair. “Yes,” he said, barely audibly, “there is.”

Thomas started forward. “Lybrook, I’ll throttle you!”

“Not before I do,” the earl said, holding his son back with his arm.

“Stop it, the both of you,” Lady Ashford said, motioning to Daniel. “Can’t you see this is killing him?”

“Flora, he took our daughter into his bed!” The earl said, his hands clenched into fists.

“Stop being such a barbarian,” the countess said quietly, but harshly. “You know as well as I do that Lily never would have done anything that she didn’t want to do. And have you forgotten our own courtship? We weren’t saints, as you should well recall, and by the time I was her age I was married and had a child.” She turned to her son. “As for you, I know more about your dalliances than I wish to, so just keep your mouth shut from here on. None of this helping Lily.”

“I know this is difficult,” the doctor interjected. “But I need all the facts. How far along would she be if she were breeding?”

Silence.

“Your Grace?” the doctor said again.

“I’m sorry,” Daniel said. “Days. Only days.”

“I must try to stop the bleeding. There is no other way. The method I need to use will terminate the pregnancy if there is one. However, it is likely that she has already lost the babe.”

“Just save her, damn it!” Daniel said.

“There is something else.”

“What?” Daniel yelled. “What is it?”

“If I’m unable to stop the bleeding, I’ll have no choice but to remove the womb.”

Lady Ashford gasped. “Then she won’t be able to—”

“No,” the doctor said. “She won’t be able to bear children. I’m sorry.”

“I don’t care,” Daniel said. “I don’t care. Just do what you have to do to save her life. I can’t live without her.”

“I’m sorry, Your Grace, but that decision is not yours to make. You’re not her husband yet.” He turned to the earl. “My lord, may I have your permission for the procedure?”

“Give him permission. Please,” Daniel begged. “I need her. I need her.”

“Of course, do what you must,” the earl agreed.

Lady Ashford turned to a housemaid. “Fetch the duchess at once. Tell her that her son needs her.” She went to Daniel and guided him to his leather chair. “Sit,” she said. “Come on. It will be all right.” She took his hand in hers. “She is strong, so very strong. She will be all right.”

“I can’t live without her. I can’t.”

Daniel sat, his mind numb, as Lily’s mother held his hand, massaging it lightly. Several moments later, his mother and Aunt Lucy entered.

“My God, Flora, I’m so sorry,” the duchess said.

“It’s all right, Maggie,” Lady Ashford said. “I’ll take care of my child. You take care of yours. He needs you.”

“Daniel, my darling, I’m so sorry.” His mother took his hand from Lady Ashford. “Come with me.”

“I can’t leave her,” he said, his voice cracking. “I can’t.”

“Come. The doctor must be able to do his work.”

“Her Grace is correct,” Blake said. “I’m sorry, but you must all leave. I’ll need a few maids to attend me.”

“I shall stay,” Lucy said. “I’ve attended many of the tenants in my day.”

“Lucy will be of great assistance to you,” the duchess said. “She’s had some training in nursing.”

“Thank you. That will be fine. Miss Landon, I’ll need some clean towels and sheets, and have the kitchen send up some boiling water.” He turned to a maid. “Light a fire in the grate, so we can keep water boiling in here while I operate.”

“I don’t want to leave her, Mother,” Daniel said, as the duchess gently pulled him up from the chair. “She needs me. I need her.”

“I know, darling, but you must come with me. You must let the doctor help her.”

His mother nudged him forward, out the door.

Moments later, Daniel sat in his mother’s suite of rooms on the third floor of the west wing. She helped him sit down on a comfortable sofa and rang for some tea.

“My darling boy,” she said. “Can you tell me what happened?’

Daniel raked his fingers through his hair again, disheveling it further. “She fell down the back stairwell, from the third to the second floor. My God, she was probably coming to see me.”

The duchess nodded. “This isn’t your fault, Daniel.”

“It is,” he said. “I believe she was pushed.”

“What? Why would you think that?”

“She regained consciousness for a few moments in my chamber. She said… My God, she said it was Lady Gregory.”

“She actually said that Lady Gregory pushed her?”

“No. Not exactly. She just said ‘It was Amelia.’”

“Why on earth would Lady Gregory push Lily down the stairs?”

“I told you this is all my fault. Damn it all to hell!” He stood and started pacing, his heart thundering.

“Please, my darling, sit.” The duchess patted the sofa beside her. “None of this is your fault.”

“It is. Lady Gregory wants me for herself. She told me so.”

“Surely she wouldn’t…”

“She would. Remember how her husband died?”

“Nothing was ever proven.”

“It doesn’t matter. She pushed him, and now she pushed Lily. And if Lily dies, it will be all my fault. I can’t bear this. I can’t! Just when I thought I had everything.” He sat down and buried his face in his hands.

The duchess put her arms around him. “Daniel, if this is true, we need to summon the authorities.”

“Yes, yes. I want her off this estate. I want to see her rot in Newgate. The hangman’s noose is too good for her!”

“Do sit still for a moment.” The duchess rose and rang for a servant, whispered to him for a few minutes, and returned. “Crawford will summon the authorities, and Lady Gregory will be escorted from the premises.”

“Thank you, Mother.”

“I’m going to take care of you, Daniel, the way I should have taken care of you when you were a boy. There are so many things I’m sorry about. So many things…”

“None of that matters now,” Daniel said, resisting his mother’s embrace. “All that matters is Lily. I don’t know what I’ll do without her.”

“You will go on, of course. But you’re putting the cart before the horse, darling. Lily is young and strong. There is every chance that she will come through this.”

“She changed everything for me. She made me feel alive again. She showed me kindness and tenderness when I needed her. I love her, Mother. I love her.”

“I know you do. I know,” the duchess said, trying again to embrace him. “She will be all right, Daniel, and the two of you will have a long and happy life together.”

A maid brought in a tea tray, and the duchess poured a cup. She held it out to Daniel.

“Drink this. Come on.”

He pushed her hand away.

“Just one sip.”

He obliged her.

“Good boy.” She took a sip of her own tea. “She’s going to come back to you. Just wait and see.”

“It doesn’t matter whether she comes back to me. I just want her to live. She has so much vigor and passion. I love her more than I ever thought I could love anyone. Christ, I never told her.” He shook his head. “I’m going to let her go.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m not going to force her to marry me.”

“Daniel…”

“I’ll beg her to. I’ll tell her how much I love her and I’ll give her anything she wants. But in the end, I won’t force her. I was wrong to go behind her back and talk to Ashford. I just couldn’t bear the thought of her refusing me. But I was being selfish. Her happiness means more to me than my own. If, in the end, she wants to leave, I will let her go.”

“She won’t leave you, my darling. She loves you.”

“I don’t know that she does.”

“Of course she does. How could she not?”

“I never dared to hope that she could love me. I’ve made so many mistakes. So many years of wandering aimlessly, engaging in affairs.” He looked at his mother in wonder, his heart full, yet breaking. “But it all led me to her, didn’t it?”

“Yes, it did.”

“I’ll do anything for her. Even if she can’t give me an heir. All I want is her.”

“She will stay with you.”

“God, I hope you’re right.” Daniel rubbed the nape of his neck. “If I lose her, I don’t think I can go on. She seems to know me better than I know myself. I don’t know how, but she can read me like no other. She told me I hadn’t mourned for father and Morgan. How did she know? She offered to help me, to talk to me. I turned her down. If I could take that back I would tell her everything. I would…”

“Come here, my darling.” His mother pulled him close. “It will be all right. It will be all right.”

Daniel resisted at first, but then let his mother cradle his head as if he were a babe. His stomach ached as he trembled, his mother’s caresses doing little to soothe him. His breath came in rapid pants as daggers sliced into his marrow. His stomach churned and his bowels cramped. Fear. Gut-wrenching terror. Sorrow ripping out his soul.

Slowly he breathed. In and out. In and out. Then he did something he hadn’t done in over two decades.

He cried in his mother’s arms.

---

Thomas walked around the estate looking for Rose, his heart pounding. If only he had kept a better eye on Lily, kept her out of Lybrook’s bed. But he had failed her. How in the world had Lily managed to fall down the stairs? He spied Rose at the stables, walking with Lord Evan. He ran toward them.

“Rose!” he shouted. “Rose, you need to come quickly!” Thomas caught his breath. “It’s Lily. She’s had an accident.”

Rose gasped. “What happened?”

“She fell down a flight of stairs. She’s…she’s bleeding from her womb. Lybrook’s physician is with her now.”

Rose nearly lost her balance.

Evan steadied her. “Easy, Rose,” he said. “It’s all right.”

“I must go to her at once,” Rose said. “I’m sorry, my lord.”

“Don’t be,” Evan said. “I’ll come as well. Jameson, what is the prognosis?”

“The doctor says he has to stop the bleeding. If he cannot, he’ll remove her womb.”

“No!” Rose cried. “What about the duke’s heir?”

“There won’t be one,” Thomas said. “At least not by Lily.”

Tears formed in Rose’s eyes. “No, no. That’s too horrible to contemplate. Oh, Thomas. What are we going to do?”

“Pray,” Thomas said. “Come on. We’ll go to the manor and wait for word.”

They walked quickly toward the mansion. A constable’s carriage stood out front. Two constables from Bath escorted Lady Gregory out of the house.

“What is going on here?” Thomas demanded.

“We have a warrant for this woman’s arrest,” one of the constables said. “We have reason to believe that she pushed the duke’s betrothed down a flight of stairs.”

“You!” Thomas bellowed at Amelia. “I should have known you were behind this, you conniving little bitch.”

“Thomas!” Rose admonished.

“She pushed Lily, Rose,” Thomas said. Then, to Amelia, “My sister could be dead because of you. She may never be able to bear children!”

“Good riddance, my lord,” Amelia said. “The little fool isn’t fit to be a duchess, much less to bear the next duke.”

“You take that back,” Rose said.

Evan tried to calm her. “It’s all right, Rose.”

“No, it’s not all right.” Rose cocked her head. “Why, that’s Lily’s ring!”

“It’s mine,” Amelia said.

“Thomas, it’s Lily’s,” Rose said. “She showed it to me earlier. The duke gave it to her for their betrothal.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I swear it. I’d recognize it anywhere. It’s a sapphire, not an emerald. It’s a very unique shade of green.”

“Constable,” Thomas said, “you can add theft to your charges. It appears Lady Gregory has stolen my sister’s ring.”

“Give it to me. Now.” Rose held out her hand.

“I’ll do no such thing.” Amelia seethed. “It belongs to me.”

Rage surged through Thomas. “Give that ring to my sister right now, or I swear to you by all I hold dear, I’ll break my cardinal rule of never striking a woman!” He moved toward Amelia, the constables doing little to stop him.

“Are you going to stand there and let him threaten me?”

“You’d best give the ring back, my lady,” one of the men said.

“Now, Amelia,” Rose said. “Lily’s ring, please.”

Amelia took the ring from her finger and dropped it in Rose’s hand. “Take the damn thing. It’s a silly bauble.”

Rose stepped forward and punched Amelia square in the nose.

“You little bitch!” Amelia screamed, tears streaking her face as blood gushed from her nostrils. “You broke my nose!”

“I don’t share your sentiment about never striking a woman, Thomas,” Rose said. “This one had it coming.”

“I don’t disagree,” Thomas said.

“Nice right hook,” Evan added. “When did you learn that?”

“Today,” Rose replied.

---

Daniel sat on a bench in the chapel, his head buried in his hands. Please, God, save her. Please, I’ll do anything.

“Your Grace?”

Daniel looked up. “Lady Rose,” he said hoarsely. “Is there any news?”

“No, Your Grace. Not yet. I’m sorry.”

“Oh.” He stood. “Is there something you need?”

“No, Your Grace. I came to…give you this.” She held out the green engagement ring.

“Lily’s ring.” He took it and fingered the green stone. “Where did you find it?”

“It was on Lady Gregory’s finger. Thomas and I saw her as the constables were escorting her out of the house.”

“The ring I found especially for Lily?” He clutched at his hair. “Dear God, what must she have said to her?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I thought…that you’d like to have the ring.”

“Yes, yes, of course.” Daniel sat back down, his anger at Amelia giving away to fear and grief. “How did you get it back?”

“I made her give it to me,” Rose said. She gave a light smile. “I punched her in the nose.”

“You did?”

“Yes, I did. She had it coming.” Rose sat down beside him. “Your Grace, Lily cares for you very much. I want you to know that.”

Daniel closed his eyes, trembling. How he hoped Lily’s sister was right. “Thank you.”

Rose sat beside him, and he continued to pray silently, until Evan entered.

“Lady Lily’s out of surgery,” he said. “The doctor wants to talk to all of you.”