Sinking all the way down to the ground, he lay on his back and looked up at the gray sky, letting himself remember his father and the happy childhood he’d had before the fire had taken it all away. He mourned his losses, and then managed to count a few blessings.
After a long while, he got back to his feet, squaring his slim shoulders as he once again took the weight of the world back upon them. He would be strong and take care of his brothers. He would be the earl. What other choice did he have?
Chapter One
Sixteen years later...
May 1896
Serenity Pratt was halfway up the grand staircase of the Earl of Winters’ London townhouse, her arms filled with freshly washed linens when someone pounded heavily on the front door. She froze, then reluctantly set her burden down on the stairs and headed to answer it.
As an upstairs maid, answering the door was not part of her duties. However, Lord Winters had left in a flurry late last night, turning the house upside down packing for a lengthy, unexpected trip. The butler had been up till almost dawn, and Serenity knew the elderly gentleman was still abed since it was only half past eight.
She reached the front door and squared her shoulders, dreading the thought of who might be on the other side. The earl had a wide variety of less-than-savory friends. Taking a deep breath, she flung the door open—only to be confronted with a ghost from her past.
She put a hand to her mouth and stumbled back a few steps, the urge to flee warring with the need to throw herself into the arms of the man who stood in the doorway.
Lucien Strathmore had been her first love, her only love, but it had been nearly eight years since she’d last seen him. He’d been little more than a boy then, twenty-three and just back from the University, ready to take up the reins of his own estate. They’d had a whirlwind summer of stolen kisses and walks along the river, but it had ended quite badly. For her, at least.
He was a man now, still breathtakingly handsome, with his dark gypsy looks and startling blue eyes, but the carefree youth was gone, replaced by a world-weary exhaustion that broke what was left of her heart.
He gave her an impatient look, obviously annoyed by the fact that she was simply staring at him in shocked silence. His crystal blue eyes stared right through her, paying no attention to the hired help. He either didn’t recognize her or the most meaningful time in her life had meant so little to him that he chose to not even acknowledge her.
“I’m the Earl of Hawkesmere,” he said at last. “Winters is my stepbrother. I understand that he left last night and took my little sister, Lady Allison, with him. I need to know everything you can tell me about exactly when he left and where he was going. Time is of the utmost importance. I must find her before he takes her out of the country. She may be in danger. Assemble the staff, girl. Quickly!”
“Come in, Luke,” she murmured, ushering him inside, so stunned by his words that she forgot all propriety.
He froze in the process of shutting the door, then turned slowly, finally seeingher,and not just a nameless, faceless servant. With a soft, disbelieving sound, he lifted his hand and removed the mob cap that completely covered her pale hair, then trailed his fingertips across her cheek, his eyes widening in shock and...pleasure?
“Serenity?” he breathed. “Is it really you?”
She bit her lip, blinking away unwanted tears. She’d imagined this moment a thousand times, but in her fantasies, she was strong and brave, telling him what she thought of his abandonment in no uncertain terms before squaring her shoulders and storming away. She’d never expected that all her tender emotions would return with the force of a tsunami, rooting her in place and stealing her angry words.
How could she still love him? He’d absolutely destroyed her!
“It’s been a long time,” she said at last. “You look well, Luke. Er... Lord Hawkesmere.”
