Improper Miss Darling. Gail Whitiker

       He paused, trying to gauge her mood. ‘Is there…anything else that’s making you unhappy?’

      Her sudden flush gave him his answer, but all she said was, ‘No. Why should there be?’

      He took a step closer. He couldn’t go on pretending that he didn’t care. ‘Perhaps because you are not the only one forced to keep painful secrets.’

      Her eyes widened. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

      ‘Don’t you? You must know I’m drawn to you, Emma. That I think about you … far too much.’

      He watched her eyes darken in pain. ‘Lord Stewart, this is not a good idea.’

      ‘Perhaps not,’ he said quietly. ‘My father asked me to counsel my brother as to the unsuitability of his relationship with your sister. I shudder to think what he would say if he knew I was also having to counsel myself against my feelings … for you.’

      It had to happen. Perhaps it had been building to this right from the start. But the inevitability of the kiss still left Emma breathless. She watched Alex slowly take a step towards her, felt the warmth of his hands as they closed around her upper arms, and watched his head bend towards her with unmistakable intent.

      AUTHOR NOTE

      Longing. What a powerful emotion it is. The desire for something—or someone—you cannot have.

      Today, there is very little stopping two people from being together, but in the Regency there were an endless number of obstacles standing in their way. Class distinction and the obligations owed to one’s family. A gentleman’s code of honour—for his promise, once given, was not lightly withdrawn. Not without incurring the wrath of his family and the condemnation of Society.

      Such is the dilemma facing Alexander, Viscount Stewart, and Emma Darling, the woman with whom he falls in love. A woman he cannot have without losing the respect of his father, the affection of the woman he is promised to, and the good opinion of the Society in which he moves.

      IMPROPER MISS DARLING is not a contemporary love story. It is a story about falling in love with the wrong person at the wrong time. It is a Regency love story. And it is about what two people desperately in love will risk to be together.

      Enjoy!

      About the Author

      GAIL WHITIKER was born on the west coast of Wales and moved to Canada at an early age. Though she grew up reading everything from John Wyndham to Victoria Holt, frequent trips back to Wales inspired a fascination with castles and history, so it wasn’t surprising that her first published book would be set in Regency England. Now an award-winning author of both historical and contemporary novels, Gail lives on Vancouver Island, where she continues to indulge her fascination with the past as well as enjoying travel, music, and spectacular scenery. Visit Gail at www.gailwhitiker.com

       Previous novels by this author:

      A MOST IMPROPER PROPOSAL^* THE GUARDIAN’S DILEMMA^* A SCANDALOUS COURTSHIP A MOST UNSUITABLE BRIDE A PROMISE TO RETURN COURTING MISS VALLOIS BRUSHED BY SCANDAL

      ^*part of The Steepwood Scandal mini-series

       Did you know that some of these novels

       are also available as eBooks?

       Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk

      Improper

      Miss Darling

      Gail Whitiker

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      To Donna Baspaly.

      A gifted artist, a wonderful friend,

      and a truly remarkable woman.

       Chapter One

      The three letters arrived on Lord Stewart’s desk within a few days of one another. Each had been written in the author’s own distinct style and each was intended to sway the reader to the writer’s assessment of a situation never before encountered: the unexpected engagement of Alex’s younger brother, Peter, to a young lady unknown to his family or to society at large.

      The letter from his father, the earl, had been typically bombastic—a strongly worded missive condemning his youngest son’s behaviour, throwing out words like duty and obligation and saying that such conduct was not at all in keeping with what he expected from a member of his own family.

      The letter from his mother had been more gently phrased, blaming the error of Peter’s ways on the impulsiveness of his nature and pleading with Alex to intervene before it caused irreparable rifts within the family.

      But the third and most heartwrenching letter had been written by Peter himself; a desperate outpouring of emotion inspired by his love for the lady to whom he had blithely pledged his troth, along with a request for Alex’s support in light of his father’s blatant disapproval and his mother’s resultant unhappiness.

      All Alex could think of as he reread the three letters was how remarkable it was that a single engagement could have spawned such a wide and diverse range of reactions.

      Still, he supposed it was only to be expected. Peter might not be first in line for the title, but he was still the Earl of Widdicombe’s son, and their father always had been a stickler for propriety. No episodes of drunkenness, excessive gambling, or contracting of unsuitable marriages had ever been permitted to tarnish the family name. Alex’s ancestors prided themselves on their ability to rise above such weaknesses, eschewing the vices that had crippled so many other noble families. They had been responsible family men and landowners for centuries, and, in time, Alex would follow in their footsteps and take up the role he had been groomed for from birth. Peter would likely settle into religion or law, either being an acceptable occupation for the younger son of a peer, and both would marry ladies of high birth and exceptional breeding suitable to producing children worthy of carrying on the line.

      At least, that had been the expectation until Peter had done the unthinkable by betrothing himself to an unknown girl from the country, who, in his father’s words, … while no doubt possessed of a pretty face, has absolutely nothing else to recommend her …

      Now it seemed the entire family was looking to Alex for a resolution, and time was of the essence since Peter was planning a family dinner for the coming week, followed by a grand ball and gathering two weeks after that at Ellingsworth Hall, his recently acquired country estate. And while Alex wasn’t sure anyone was up to the task of smoothing an entire family’s ruffled feathers in so short a time, he realised he was probably in the best position to try. If there was one thing at which he did excel, it was cutting through the layers of emotional chaos to get to the heart of the problem and resolve it before any lasting or serious damage could be done.

      ‘Godfrey, have I anything of importance scheduled for the next few weeks?’ he enquired of his steward.

      That impeccably groomed gentleman turned the pages of a large leather-bound diary and scanned the entries. ‘Nothing a few well-worded letters of regret won’t take care of, my lord. Why?’

      ‘It seems I am required in the country for a time.’

      ‘In the country?’ The steward looked at him askance. ‘Now?’

      ‘Unfortunately, my brother does not concern himself with the goings on in society. No doubt it slipped his mind that the Season would soon be underway.’

      ‘No doubt,’ Godfrey said, though his tone clearly indicated incredulity that anyone in the Earl of Widdicombe’s