The Passionate Love of a Rake by Jane Lark Page A

sixteen-year-old virgin with a reputation to lose any more. She was a widow with a life of her own, and, no doubt, a list of lovers in her past. She had been married to a man older than her grandfather, for God’s sake.
    Still, he felt the need to preserve her reputation. “Then you will also know nothing untoward occurred. If it had, she would have been home at dawn.” Robert answered Sparks’s knowing gaze with a look that said “
you’re wrong.
”
    “As you say, Robert, but the warning stands. She’s vulnerable. If I were you, I would leave her alone.”
    Robert smirked. He did not like being told what to do, and no matter how much he liked Sparks, Robert was not about to be warned off the only woman he’d ever considered his. “No.” Answering in one syllable, he moved to turn away. Sparks caught his arm.
    “Robert, think about it and take care.” Robert yanked his arm free. “
I mean of her,
” the man said to Robert’s back.
    ~
    Jane weaved through the people promenading along Oxford Street and glanced back at Violet’s footman following two paces behind her. He carried a bonnet she’d bought, in a box, and the ribbons and lace she’d purchased as a gift for Violet.
    Jane had come out to clear her head, having spent hours thinking about how to beat Joshua and receiving no God-given inspiration. But now her head was aching again as the afternoon crush of shoppers hindered her path.
    Ahead of her, a curricle slowed in the road. It caught her eye because the movement was odd. Glancing up, she was greeted by the sight of her stepson.
    How on earth had he found her?
    Preparing to climb down, Joshua handed his reins to a groom clothed in yellow and brown striped livery.
    Jane immediately turned and began forcing her way back against the tide of shoppers.
    “Your Grace!” the footman called as she pressed on in a sudden panic, twisting and turning between the passers-by, leaving him behind.
    She was in no mood to face one of Joshua’s scenes in such a public place.
    “Your Grace!” Violet’s footman called again.
    Jane glanced back and saw Joshua had not dismounted after all. His curricle was creeping along a little behind her, his horses following her at a walk while he watched her.
    She would not outrun him in the crush of people. He would keep his pace beside her no matter what she did. As usual, he had the advantage.
    She pressed on, weaving through the human traffic, and sifted through her options. She was not far from Violet’s. As she approached the junction to Bond Street, she considered turning there, but the crowd was currently protecting her. If she did so, she would lose that protection. She did not turn.
    When she reached the curb, a road-sweep boy stepped down to brush a fresh path for her and two gentlemen who walked behind her.
    The boy held out his grubby hand.
    Jane reached into her reticule for a coin and heard another deep voice hail her from along the road.
    “Your Grace!” A voice she recognised with an instinctive lift of her heart, even though she knew it came at the worst moment.
    Oh heavens, could this get any more complicated?
    Dropping a two-penny piece into the road-sweep’s dirty palm, she glanced up.
    Robert sat on his high perch phaeton, pulled by a magnificent pair of blacks, approaching the junction she’d crossed. He was smiling, and he lifted his hand.
    She turned away, refusing to acknowledge him while Joshua was watching. She just caught Robert’s expression slip into a confused grimace.
    There was a bookshop a little further along; holding her breath, she headed for it.
    When she glanced back, she saw Joshua’s eyes focus on a large town coach which had pulled across his path to turn into Bond Street.
    Ahead, Robert climbed down from his curricle, having handed his reins to his groom.
    She sighed in frustration, then finally, the bookshop was there, and she darted inside.
    The bell above the door rang.
    “May I help you, Ma’am?” A mouse-like shop