She sat up. "What did you say?" she asked breathlessly.

"I love you, Nell." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her hard against him, clutching her so tightly the breath was almost squeezed from her lungs. "I love you so much."

"I thought-" she began.

"I think I fell in love with you that first day in the forest, but I didn't believe . . . didn't think . . ." His embrace tightened. "I couldn't tell you then; you would have thought me insane."

"No, I-"

"And then I kidnapped you and trapped you into marriage." He shook his head. "I was so arrogant, so certain I could do what I promised . . ."

He fell silent. She wasn't sure what he was thinking, but she didn't interrupt.

"And then we didn't find her," he said. "And I'd trapped you with false promises."

"No, I-"

"But then I did find Torie, and I made it right, so now I can tell you."

"Tell me what?" She knew, but she'd ached to hear it for so long and needed to hear him say it again.

"That I love you. That you are my heart, my life." He wrapped his arms around and pulled her hard against him, clutching her so tightly the breath was almost squeezed from her lungs. "I love you, Nell Morant. Don't ever leave me."

"Never," she whispered. "Never, my love. I love you, Harry Morant. First you captured my body, then you stole my heart. I am yours forever, body and soul."

Author Note.

I have taken a few liberties with the details of the foundling hospital process. They had stopped accepting tokens from mothers more than fifty years before my story starts, and the items were stored in envelopes, not in a box with tags. But I was so moved by the tokens when I saw them in the Foundling Museum that I couldn't resist using them in my story. I suspect it was also easier for my characters to get information from the director than it probably would have been; however, I ascribe that to Harry's commanding ways. Exceptions are often made to rules.

If you are visiting London, the Foundling Museum is well worth a visit, and very easy to get to by the Tube. There is also more information on my web-site: www.annegracie.com.

"What a remarkable writer [Anne Gracie] is. I can't think of another writer who seamlessly combines quite as she does the most sparkling comedy with such heartbreaking emotion."

-Anna Campbell, author of Untouched.

Look for the next book in the Devil Rider's series by Anne Gracie.

Coming Fall 2009 from Berkley Sensation!.

Berkley Sensation Titles by Anne Gracie.

THE PERFECT RAKE.

THE PERFECT WALTZ.

THE PERFECT STRANGER.

THE PERFECT KISS.

THE STOLEN PRINCESS.

HIS CAPTIVE LADY.