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“No,” she said, folding up the bottom edge of his coat and pressing the extra fabric to his wounds. “I will return to the inn and get the others. We will bring a surgeon and he—”
“Bloody stubborn,” Phoenix said, speaking over her plans. “Never listens. Should have just tossed up your skirts, amused myself for a time, and left you to your bland life. You were never worth the trouble.
Never.
”
Patience’s lip trembled at his deathbed lecture. She glanced away, ignoring the sting of tears in her eyes. After everything she had endured at his hands, she was not going to allow him to make her feel guilty over what was clearly an accident. “The laudanum!” On her hands and knees, she raked the straw around them with her fingers. “It has to be somewhere.” The least she could do was ease his pain.
Phoenix watched her frantic search for the bottle dispassionately. “They’ll likely hang you, you know,” he said with some amusement in his inflection. “What will your precious family think when they learn that you are a murderess?”
Forgetting the laudanum, she slowly sat up on her heels. She had cut all ties to her family the night she had betrayed them by running off with a handsome player. Despite her best efforts to hide it from him, Phoenix knew discussing her family was akin to poking a fresh wound. “I have not murdered anyone.”
He grimaced, keeping his hands tightly clenched to his side. “Not yet. But soon,” he assured her. “Deidra and the others back at the inn know we were
arguing when we left them. When my body is discovered, they will deduce I was attacked from behind—”
This was outrageous. A dying man was supposed to be truthful at the end. “You fell. I will tell them what you had planned … what you wanted me to do.” She gestured helplessly, foreseeing several complications in her explanations to the authorities.
There was a disturbing rattle when he exhaled. “Perhaps. Either way, your fate looks grim, sweet Patience. If you convince the magistrate to believe your sordid tale of forced prostitution, he will believe you murdered me out of vengeance. If he doesn’t, he will believe you merely killed your lover because he turned to another.” Phoenix had the audacity to smile at her. “Deidra will verify that fact. The young lady loves me—and she certainly despises you.”
Patience swiped at the strands of hair tickling her face. Where had all of this gone so wrong? He was the villain. She was just a sixteen-year-old girl who wanted her life back. “Cease talking about murder. I will ride on to the great house. I will bring back—”
He did not seem to hear her. His eyes glazed, he dreamily contemplated her hanging. “Your lovely neck—”
“No. Stop, I beg—” Patience brought her fingers to his lips, attempting to stem the flow of his cruel musings.
“Will snap and—” he continued.
She pounded her fists on her thighs in frustration. “Will you listen to me?”
Although his gaze was fixed on her face, he seemed to be looking through her. “Those … delightful graceful limbs will sway.”
He was determined to break her, leaving her in madness. Losing control, Patience seized him by the shoulders and shook him. “Hear me, you black-hearted scoundrel! I am not a murderess!” she screamed at him. “I am not a murderess!” Her denial disintegrated into broken sobs.
This time, Julian Phoenix did not have a clever retort for her.
With his lips an unflattering blue and his chest eerily still, the ensuing silence made a mockery of her hysterical denials.
St. Martin’s Paperbacks Titles
By Barbara Pierce
 
SINFUL BETWEEN THE SHEETS
WICKED UNDER THE COVERS
COURTING THE COUNTESS
TEMPTING THE HEIRESS
Praise for
Barbara Pierce and her novels
 
SINFUL BETWEEN THE SHEETS
“The second title in her enticing series pairs extraordinary characters in a sexually charged situation that allows you to explore a few fantasies of your own.”
—Romantic Times BOOKreviews
 
“Pierce weaves a Regency tale studded with intrigue and steamy love scenes … a plot rich with unexpected twists, witty dialogue, and charming characters.”
—Publishers Weekly
 
“The only disappointing thing about this book was that it had to end.”
 
“This is a wonderful book and one I highly recommend to while away a rainy spring afternoon with.”
—Romance Junkies
 
“A highly entertaining historical romance with just the right touch of eroticism.”
—Fallen Angel Reviews
 
“Barbara Pierce puts pen to paper like a poet. I love reading her books.”
—Fresh Fiction
 
 
WICKED UNDER THE COVERS
 
“Wonderfully written, fast-paced, and totally sexy.”
—A Romance Review
 
“The characters are intriguing, the story line is engaging, the sex is hot, and the romance is tender.”
 
“This was an impressive sensual read that will grab the reader from the first pages and not let you go until the very amusing and delightful end.”
 
“A steamy, romantic, scheming, and totally enjoyable Regency romance.”
—Fresh Fiction
 
“There’s no disappointment from this author when it comes to the steamier side of romance.”
—Romance Reader at Heart
 
“Pierce reaches new heights in this titillating, spicy romance as she plays upon our wicked fantasies while crafting a fine-tuned tale of revenge and sizzling desire.”
—Romantic Times BOOKreviews
 
“Barbara Pierce’s star continues to rise!”
—Gaelen Foley, national bestselling author
 
 
COURTING THE COUNTESS
 
“Pierce carries off just-simmering-underneath sexual tension like a virtuoso and keeps readers wondering just how these two dynamic characters will get together. This splendid read shimmers with the temptation of seduction and the healing power of love.”
—Romantic Times BOOKreviews
 
“Pierce once again earns our appreciation for delighting us with her talent.”
—Rendezvous
 
“A good story line … a nice read.”
—The Best Reviews
 
“Impossible to put down … [Pierce is] a truly exceptional storyteller.”
—Romance Reader at Heart
 
TEMPTING THE HEIRESS
 
“Pierce does an excellent job blending danger and intrigue into the plot of her latest love story. Readers who like their Regency historicals a bit darker and spiked with realistic grit will love this wickedly sexy romance.”
—Booklist
 
“Masterful storyteller Barbara Pierce pens captivating romances that are not to be missed!”
—Lorraine Heath,
USA Today
bestselling author of
Love with a Scandalous Lord
 
“I love everything about this book. The characters are like friends you cheer for, and the story draws you in so closely you will dream about it.”
—Romance Reader at Heart
 
“
Tempting the Heiress
is the latest entry in the Bedegrayne family series and it is an excellent one. Known for the complexity of her characters, Barbara Pierce doesn’t disappoint in this aspect of
Tempting the Heiress
… I should warn new readers to the Bedegrayne series that they will find themselves eagerly glomming the previous three novels in the series. Highly recommended!”
—The Romance Reader’s Connection
 
“This story is so touching … an excellent read.”
—The Best Reviews
 
“Pierce writes a captivating story full of passion and turmoil.”
—A Romance Review
 
“Fans will appreciate this suspenseful second-chance tale, especially a final fiery twist.”
—Midwest Book Review
 
“The Bedegrayne family … is unforgettable.”
—Romance Reviews Today
 
“Another jewel in Pierce’s bestseller crown.”
—Romantic Times BOOKreviews
 
“This is one you shouldn’t miss.”
—Rendezvous
NAUGHTY BY NATURE
Copyright © 2007 by Barbara Pierce.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
 
 
St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition / December 2007
St. Martin’s Paperbacks are published by St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
 
 
Cover photo © Shirley Green
 
 
eISBN 9781429917261
First eBook Edition : December 2011
 
 
EAN: 978-0-312-94796-5

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