Captured Love

Marlow Intrigues

Novella 1

Captured Love

JANE LARK

Copyright © 2013 Jane Lark

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or
transmitted, in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval
system, without prior permission of the publisher.

JCKS Publishing

United Kingdom

The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Names,
characters, places, and plots are a product of the author’s imagination. Any
similarity to real persons, living or
dead,
is
coincidental and not intended by the author.

www.janelark.co.uk

Cover images and design by Zoë Jackson Copyright © Jane Lark

Captured Love

By

Jane Lark

Rupert
Stanforth
, Earl of Morton, is missing
his cousin’s company. He has too many burdens weighing down his shoulders,
including the task of finding his sister, Rowena, a husband.

Meredith Divine has one friend in
all the
world, Lady Rowena
Stanforth
. She clings to their
friendship as though it is a rope, when she is drowning in a lake of social
isolation. Even Rowena’s elder brother cannot stand Meredith. Everyone judges
her poorly, simply because her father is in trade. But despite Lord Morton’s
constant rejection, Meredith’s heart still favors Rowena’s proud, judgmental
brother.

Lord Morton would break the friendship his sister has with Miss Divine
if he could, but the more he disparages Miss Divine, the more Rowena favors the
girl. He’s ceased his complaints, in the hope the friendship would wither and
die, believing the girl would make a wrong step soon. He just did not
anticipate what that step might be...

Praise

Jane’s debut novel,
Illicit Love
,
was released in May 2013.
Captured
Love
,
is the tale
of two of the subsidiary characters from the
Illicit Love
story.

Readers of
Illicit Love
said:

“What a brilliant read!! Jane Lark has an incredible talent to draw the
reader in from the first page onwards.”

cosmochicklitan.wordpress.com

“This is a pure, unadulterated romance read
that ticks all the required boxes: well-written, great plot, dramatic,
believable obstacles, beautiful protagonists and an aristocratic setting. The
book swings from truly swoon-worthy, tense and heart wrenching, highly erotic
and everything else in between. A fantastic read that you won’t regret picking
up.”

bestchicklit.com

“I was very excited to read this novel, and was
just swept away by the vivid writing. I love Ms. Lark's style—beautifully
descriptive, emotional and can I say, just plain delicious reading? I was
immediately drawn into this richly painted story and setting. This is the kind
of mixer upper I've been looking for in romance lately.”

Devastatingreads.blogspot.co.uk 

“Darkly romantic and full of deeply buried
secrets, this book was absolutely fantastic!
Illicit Love
was a
different historical romance, but one that I adored. Lovers of the genre, you
must read this book!”

Thegoldenruleof666

Dedication

Captured Love
is dedicated to the readers of
Illicit
Love
, my fellow authors who have become friends, and my friends and family.
To all of you, for your support and encouragement, thank you.

Captured Love

Part One

Lord Rupert
Stanforth
, Earl of Morton, watched
his sister, Rowena, approach.

She was smiling, and her friend, Meredith Divine, clung
to her arm.

His gaze briefly passed over the other girl. He was increasingly
convinced Miss Divine only kept Rowena as a friend because Rowena was the
perfect foil to show off Miss Divine’s more striking looks. Her auburn curls
glowed in the candlelight beside Rowena’s lackluster, light-brown locks.

Miss Divine was also slightly taller, and a little fuller
in the bust.

While they crossed the room, she appeared to press as
close as she could to Rowena’s side, letting Rowena’s less impressionable looks
make Miss Divine’s stand out among the white-clad debutantes in the ballroom.

“Rupert...”

His eyes focused on his sister once more. She was out
of breath, having just completed a country dance, and her cheeks were flushed, while
her eyes glowed, expressing the fun she was having.

“I want to introduce Meredith to Ellen. Will you
escort us and do the honors? Meredith is dying to meet her.”

Mmm
, now what is this little game?
He glanced at Miss Divine only to receive a very
bright but subtly restrained smile.

She was trying to win his approval.

He was not interested. He wished nothing to do with
the little schemer. Her father was in some sort of trade. Rupert had not even
wished Rowena to befriend Miss Divine, let alone become so thick with her. The
two of them were inseparable; or rather, Miss Divine hung about Rowena like a
moth around a flame. Except Miss Divine was no moth. Her beauty was far too
vibrant.

Rupert was Rowena’s guardian. Their father had passed on
long ago, so Rupert was responsible for keeping his sister safe. It fell to him
to help her choose her friends wisely. Yet the more he disparaged Miss Divine,
the more Rowena favored the girl. He’d ceased his complaints. Their friendship
had still blossomed. He’d hoped it would wither and die back. It had not— yet.

He expected Miss Divine to make a wrong step soon, though,
one which would open his sister’s eyes, and end this arm-in-arm behavior.

“They are over there,” Rowena prodded.

Their cousin, Edward, had come up to town yesterday
with his wife, who was with child again, although her condition was still
barely visible.

Rupert ought to be glad they’d come. His mother rarely
rose from her bed, due to her rheumatism, which she eased by drowning herself in
laudanum. It left the burden of chaperoning Rowena on his shoulders. Ellen
could help. Yet he felt uncomfortable about the notion. His cousin’s wife had a
disreputable past.

Complying with Rowena’s request though, he offered his
right arm.

Miss Divine let go of Rowena and swept about to claim
his left, without an offer.

While the girls chattered excitedly, he walked about the
hall in the direction of his cousin, not listening to a word they said.

Edward was standing in conversation with his wife and his
in-laws.

The Pembroke sisters, of whom Edward’s wife was one,
stood out like dark-haired sirens. It was difficult not to stare when they were
all together.

Edward’s wife, Ellen, was the eldest, but
unfortunately, as Rupert looked at her, an unwanted image of her in her former
life slipped into his mind.

She’d been a courtesan when he and Edward first saw
her, and he’d seen her in one particularly compromising situation. It still
made his spine tingle, like hackles rising, to let Rowena mix with Ellen. Yet
Ellen’s family, along with the whole of the
ton,
society’s elite, had disregarded her past, if they were aware of it. It had
simply been swept away.

Rupert could not forget.

Miss Divine gripped his arm too tightly.
God
, he found the girl irritating. Her
voice was shrill as though the excited pitch was forced.

He’d thought Edward’s wife a schemer, too, in the
beginning, angling after his cousin for some reason. Rupert had been wrong. The
moment they’d come back to town after their elopement, he’d seen that. A mutual
affection lingered in the air between them.

Rupert could not fathom it. His parents had hated one
another. Even his cousins had only displayed comfort with one another. Yet
Edward had changed character in many ways since meeting Ellen. She’d become the
pivotal focus of his life, when for weeks Rupert and Edward had been as
inseparable as Rowena and Miss Divine. So there must be something in the word
love
.
Edward certainly seemed to have
a deep intimacy with his wife.

Rupert missed his cousin’s company, and he wanted
nothing to do with love. He’d seen his cousin travel through hell to be with
Ellen; he did not fancy that for himself. And it was a farce, as far as he was
concerned; Rupert half-expected Edward’s haven of happiness to collapse at any
moment. Solid relationships were built on mutual respect and nothing else.

Miss Divine’s grip shifted a little on his arm, as if
she sought to gain his attention. He ignored her.

When Rupert took a wife, which would not be for a few
years yet, he wished for someone who would bring him contentment. A woman he
would not argue with, someone quiet, who would be willing to make his home, and
perhaps his bed, comfortable, and manage all else without needing to refer to
him.

“Ellen,” Rowena exclaimed as they neared the couple.

“Edward,” Rupert acknowledged. His cousin’s eyes were
shining with both humor and happiness when he turned.

“My friend wishes an introduction —” Rowena began.

“So I have been asked to do the honors,” Rupert
completed. “Lord Edward Marlow, this is Miss Meredith Divine, Lady Eleanor,
Miss
Divine.” He bowed slightly to Ellen, who bobbed a
shallow curtsy as both girls on his arms did the same, but dipped a little
lower.

“Miss Divine...” Ellen acknowledged,
then
began asking the girls questions, finding out from
Rowena what she had been up to in town.

Rupert could answer that — shopping mostly, spending a
small fortune, as well as visiting constantly.

Lord,
he prayed she would hurry up and find a suitor he
might accept.

Rowena’s fingers slipped from Rupert’s arm, while Miss
Divine’s clung a moment longer. Awareness prickled across his skin when she
finally let go.

Edward set an arm about Rupert’s shoulders, drawing
him aside from the women.

“How are you?” Edward asked.

A wave of relief suddenly swept in. Rupert had
forgotten how good their camaraderie had felt. They’d been firm friends from
their Eton days. Perhaps, if he cared to admit it, he was a bit jealous of
Edward’s wife.

Miss Divine laughed, in her high-pitched, slightly forced,
listen-to-me giggle.

Rupert glanced at her. Her gaze caught his, before it
travelled on to Rowena. She said something which made Rowena laugh.

What was Miss Divine plotting? What did she hope to
gain from an introduction to Ellen?

“How are you?” Edward asked.

Rupert was frowning as he faced his cousin. “Well
enough.”

“And my aunt?”

“No better.
In fact, perhaps a
little worse.”

“Then we shall call in a day or two, once we’ve
settled in.”

Rupert nodded. “And you are well and happy, I see,
Edward. I have no need to ask.”

“I am exceedingly happy....”

The conversation dried. Rupert thought of discussing
Rowena’s suitors. He was never sure who to introduce her
to,
and he thought perhaps Ellen...
But then again, not.
Ellen’s
history hardly made her the best person to seek suitable companions for his
sister.

Good
God
, he had never not
known what to say to Edward.

“Will you be going to Jackson’s tomorrow? We could
spar as we used to?” Edward suggested.

They could, but nothing was as it used to be. The
freedom of Rupert’s bachelorhood had gone. He’d donated that to his sister this
year. Still, she would be at home in the morning, he could go out. But Edward’s
life was not the same either... “Are you sure you’re up to it? Domesticity has not
softened you?”

Edward laughed.

“Lady Eleanor, would you introduce me to these young
ladies?”

Rupert’s gaze spun to the man who’d spoken. Then he
glanced back at Edward, asking who, with a look.

Edward leant closer and whispered. “The Earl of
Kendrick is an acquaintance of my brother-in-law, Richard. He lost his wife two
years ago. He’s been in the country on his estates since. He lives near us, but
I do not know him well.”

Rupert glanced back at the man.

Having bowed to Miss Divine, Kendrick then took
Rowena’s hand and pressed a kiss on her fingers. “Would you dance with me, Lady
Rowena?”

Rupert felt discomfort run up his spine. He had never
met the man, but Kendrick was no suitor for Rowena; he was in his later years,
gray haired and even balding. He may have a strong gaze and relatively slender
figure, but Rupert wished Rowena happy, cherished. He wanted her to have what
Edward had, even if it was a fragile, breakable thing. If there was a chance of
happiness for her, he wanted her to have it.

She accepted Kendrick's offer. She could do little
else. Yet she did not appear comfortable.

Rupert wondered if he should have stepped in and
refused the introduction. But that would have been churlish and domineering,
wouldn’t it? He had no reason to do so.

“We are hoping Lord Morton will take us driving in the
park tomorrow...” Miss Divine’s bright voice broke into his thoughts.

It was meant to, of course. Her pitch had been lifted
so he would hear. He knew it.

What was she after? He hoped it was not him. She had
no hope if it was.

“Ellen, shall we dance?” As Edward made the invitation
to his wife, Rupert realized the tune lifting over the hubbub of conversation,
was a waltz.
 

He glanced toward the dancers to see Kendrick leaning forward
to listen to Rowena speak.

When Rupert looked back, Edward and Ellen were walking
away and Miss Divine had moved closer, and now looked up at him, with wide eyes.
He’d never really looked at them before, but now he noticed they were a vivid
blue, or perhaps they were gray. Whichever, they went well with her auburn hair,
and, of course, she wished him to notice that.

She smiled. The smile, he would swear, she’d developed
before a mirror, to impress and cajole. He said nothing. Nor did
she
. He did not smile.

The sound of the orchestra rose and couples began moving
near Rupert and Miss Divine as they stood at the edge of the dancing.

Awkwardness hovered in the air. No one else was likely
to approach Miss Divine now. It left him no option but to offer... “Would you
care to dance, Miss Divine?”

Her face lit up. “Thank you, Lord Morton.”

Damn.
He hoped this would not give the girl expectations.
He rarely bothered with dancing. His evenings were spent watching his sister do
so. It left his offer, now, open to misinterpretation. What if people thought
he was favoring Miss Divine?

He lifted his arm, stiffly, and she laid her fingers
on it as they stepped away from the edge, joining the dancers.

He knew women adored this dance. Rowena had crowed for
days once she’d been given permission to participate.

 
He formed a
frame for Miss Divine, lifting one hand and setting his other at her back.

Miss Divine had won agreement to dance the waltz the
same night as his sister. He’d heard them speaking then, whispering about how
romantic it was. It was not romantic for a man. It
was
an opportunity to seduce a woman.

Rupert glanced across the room to watch Rowena as he began
dancing, leading Miss Divine, whose fingers were a very gentle weight on his
arm, and a slender presence in his hand.

Rowena seemed to be conversing quite happily with
Kendrick, yet her body expressed wariness. She looked as though she was being
polite, rather than enjoying herself. She looked as though she felt
uncomfortable. Rupert should have said no to the introduction.

“Will you? Well... I mean...” Miss Divine’s voice
pulled his attention back to her.

He faced those eyes. He could not avoid looking at her
when she was in his arms, with less than a foot of space separating them. There
was a slight tilt to the tip of her nose, and her lips were as red as the roses
which suddenly bloomed in her cheeks. When his gaze lifted to her eyes again,
they seemed as deep as the sea.