The Mysterious Lord Marlowe

Anne Herries

WILLING CAPTIVE? When Miss Jane Lanchester is mistakenly abducted her captors soon realise they have underestimated this feisty young woman. Brave Jane makes a daring break, only to be assisted by one of her kidnappers – the mysterious and well-bred George who offers her his exclusive protection.Fleeing for their lives, Jane and Lord George Marlowe form a deep attachment! Jane can’t bear the thought of losing him once the danger is past. All she can hope is that George turns her from willing captive to his willing wife…

‘Forgive me.’

Jane gazed up into his eyes. For a moment she felt weak and vulnerable, close to the tears she had been suppressing.

George hesitated, then bent his head, his lips brushing her brow. The caress comforted her, though she ought to have rejected it. Instead she wanted to cling to him.

Jane felt his arms close about her. He held her next to his body and his lips touched her hair; he stroked the back of her neck with his fingertips, his warmth comforting her. He did nothing to indicate a desire to make love to her. His embrace was one of comfort and reassurance—nothing more.

For a moment Jane wished that she might stay in his arms for ever, but then she remembered who she was and why she was with this man and drew back …

SECRETS AND SCANDALS

Nothing stays secret for long in Regency Society!

The truth threatens to reveal a scandal

for all three couples in this

exciting new trilogy from

Anne Herries

THE DISAPPEARING DUCHESS—

February 2012

THE MYSTERIOUS LORD MARLOWE—

March 2012

THE SCANDALOUS LORD LANCHESTER—

April 2012

You can also find these as eBooks at www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author

ANNE HERRIES lives in Cambridgeshire, where she is fond of watching wildlife, and spoils the birds and squirrels that are frequent visitors to her garden. Anne loves to write about the beauty of nature, and sometimes puts a little into her books, although they are mostly about love and romance. She writes for her own enjoyment, and to give pleasure to her readers. She is a winner of the Romantic Novelists’ Association Romance Prize. She invites readers to contact her on her website: www.lindasole.co.uk

Previous novels by the same author:

THE RAKE’S REBELLIOUS LADY

A COUNTRY MISS IN HANOVER SQUARE*

AN INNOCENT DEBUTANTE IN HANOVER SQUARE*

THE MISTRESS OF HANOVER SQUARE*

FORBIDDEN LADY†

THE LORD’S FORCED BRIDE†

THE PIRATE’S WILLING CAPTIVE†

HER DARK AND DANGEROUS LORD†

BOUGHT FOR THE HAREM

HOSTAGE BRIDE

*A Season in Town trilogy †The Melford Dynasty

And in the Regency seriesThe Steepwood Scandal:

LORD RAVENSDEN’S MARRIAGE

COUNTERFEIT EARL

And inThe Hellfire Mysteries:

AN IMPROPER COMPANION

A WEALTHY WIDOW

A WORTHY GENTLEMAN

Did you know that some of these novels are also available as eBooks? Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk

The Mysterious

Lord Marlowe

Anne Herries

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

Prologue

‘That is my only offer. Take it or leave it.’

The tall gentleman looked into the face of the man who had spoken and knew him for a rogue. Blake was lying through his teeth and he would be a fool to believe one word the man said—and yet what could he do but agree to the devil’s proposal?

‘You are asking me to help you abduct a respectable young woman?’ he asked because he needed to say the words aloud to get them clear in his mind. ‘You refuse my money and demand that I go along with this outrageous affair in exchange for the return of my property—am I right?’

‘The girl is willing enough. She wants it to look as if it is an abduction so that her guardian will not refuse our marriage. He holds the purse strings and will release her fortune to save her reputation.’

‘I do not see why you need my help if the girl is willing to wed you?’

‘I must be sure that no harm comes to her. The men I employ aren’t of the best character and they might decide to carry her off themselves for the ransom. Her guardian hates me and if he guessed I was involved he would never release her fortune to me. Therefore I must em