Tess no longer cared about Neil's hangover. "I will not marry him," she said forcibly. "I will cry offmyself if you will not do it.""Oh, no, you won't, miss," Stella said, her fists doubling. "Not after that brazen little wager you placed with Leah Carrollton. Ha! You didn't know I knew, did you? Well, it's all over Town. Everyone can speak of nothing but your scandalous behavior. They blame you for everything and think it only right you marry Lord Merton."

Tess could have shot fire from her eyes. "It doesn't matter. I won't marry him."Stella rounded on her husband. "Your sister is driving me to madness. Do something I beg you!""As my brother you should honor my wishes!"Neil raked his fingers through his sleep mussed hair and walked the length of the room.Neither Tess or Stella spoke. A gauntlet had been thrown down between them and they awaited Neil's decision.

He turned, his bloodshot eyes weary. "Stella, will you please give me a moment alone with my sister?"

Tess's heart gave a little leap. She stared at the floor so that Stella wouldn't see the gleam of triumph inher eyes. Another outburst might make Neil change his mind.Of course, Stella did not obey immediately. "Why? Are you going to beat sense in her?""A few minutes, Stella, please," he repeated gravely.Tess held her breath and then Stella said, "I'll wait outside the door."

She'll probably listen at it, Tess thought irreverently, but, for once, she kept her thoughts to herself.

"Thank you," Neil said, and he sounded like he meant it. He waited until the door closed before saying, "Sit down, Tess."

She remained standing, knowing that anytime he made her sit down, he was going to lecture her...which he'd been doing quite often since the day he'd married Stella.

He sighed heavily and took his own seat behind the desk in front of the window. "Sit, Tess."

She had no choice then. She took the seat next to his desk, folding her hands demurely in her lap. "You don't seem at all yourself today."

"I don't feel like myself, Tess. My head aches from the inside out. And I don't want to have this

conversation, but I must. I've put it off long enough."He sat forward. "Tess, the time has come for you to marry. This Merton doesn't seem like such a badsort. He might even make a good husband."

"I will marry, Neil. But not yet. Please, call on the earl and beg off for me. Tell him I'm ill or mad oranything just so that I don't have to marry him.""Tess, what are you afraid of?""I'm not afraid, Neil. I just sense that there is something more to life.""Other than marriage?"

"Yes."

He snorted. "Not for a woman. Tess, you've had your freedom. The time has come for responsibility.

Besides, drunk or not, I gave the man my word."

"But I didn't. I wasn't even consulted. Please don't make me marry a man I don't even know. Father

wouldn't have," she reminded him.

"Ah, Tess." He ran a hand over the shadow of his beard and stared out the window. When he turned back to her, there were tears in his eyes.

"Neil?" She reached out, but he pulled away. "Is something the matter?"

He nodded.

She reached again and this time he let her take his hand. "Tell me and we'll make it right. Together."

He shook his head, gathering himself, and then said, "I remember when Mother was dying. You were no

more than five and I was nine and the two us were both afraid. But I tried to be strong in front of you.

Father said I had to take care of you and I feared I would break down and you'd see how frightened I was. Then Father would have been disappointed in me."

"But you were brave. Father said you were very strong. I remember that, Neil."

"You held my hand, Tess, just like you are now. And you asked me, 'Will Mother be all right?' and I said yes." He ran his thumb back and forth across her hand. "That memory haunts me. I lied to you. I lied."

He raised his gaze to meet hers and she could see in the depths of his eyes that he carried a terrible burden. "Neil, what is it?" she demanded, truly alarmed.

"I have something to tell you, something I regret." He paused. "I've lost your fortune, Tess. All of it."She laughed, certain he had to be joking. But he didn't join in her laughter and suddenly, in the cold pit ofher stomach, she knew he was telling her the truth.

She pulled her hand back. "I don't understand, Neil. How could you lose my fortune? It doesn't make

sense."

He pushed up from the desk and began pacing nervously. "I made some unwise investments. I didn't do it on purpose. I thought I knew what I was doing."

"What investments?"

"A man came to me with an idea for some new mechanics." Neil sat on the edge of the bed. "A battery.It's a stack of copper and zinc plates. It gives off electrical current."Now Tess knew her brother wasn't joking. He'd always been fascinated by mechanics."It was the most amazing experiment I had ever witnessed, Tess. Revolutionary even. He could make this dead chicken move with this battery. Imagine the possibilities, Tess! He could make dead material move.But he needed money to do more experiments. Of course, my money is entailed and Father's will makesit so that I must always turn to Mr. Christopher for permission. It's such a nuisance because Christopheris completely unyielding to my requests for more cash. Stella is expensive and Town living has itsdemands." He stopped his complaints and looked at her, his expression miserable. "I didn't expect tolose it all, Tess. I thought I was doing what was best for you."

Standing, she crossed over to him. "Where is this man, Neil? Perhaps we should talk to him.""He's gone. I've looked for months now. He's disappeared with the money, probably back to Italy."Slowly, the import of his words sank in. "I am not an heiress.""No.""Why didn't you tell me this sooner?""Because I'd hoped to work my way out of it. I believed that I would be able to cover the money I lost.""But you couldn't."He lowered his head. "I'd ask Christopher, if I thought he would advance the sum, but the amount I lost is so big and he'd refuse me, Tess, I know he would."

Tess slowly walked around his desk, tracing her path with the tips of her fingers on its polished surface.

Only the ticking of the clock over the cold hearth broke the silence.

"Does Stella know?"

Neil shook his head. "I can't tell her, especially now that she is with child."

"Oh, Neil." She felt the hot sting of tears and choked them back.

Together. "What is the solution?"

He came to his feet. Reaching out, he touched her hair. "You are so pretty. Much like Mother, but prettier." He dropped his hand. "I can't let anyone know what I did. I have a reputation; I have connections. If this comes out, I will be ruined."

"What do you want me to do then?" She knew the answer before he'd even said the words.

"I want you to marry this Welsh earl. Leave London. Build a life with him and no one will be the wiser about my, ah, my mistake."

"But what about the money?"

"He has funds. I overheard at my club that his estate in Wales is quite ancient and very grand."

"Neil, is there no other way?"

"No."

"And if I don't?"

Neil shrugged and then spoke as if the words were hard to say. "We will see our good name ruined. And

your chance to marry anyone will be gone."

For one horrifying second, Tess could imagine the laughter and snide comments of those who would take pleasure in her downfall. Like Neil, she didn't know if she could live with the public embarra.s.sment. Fear

rose up inside her, choking her. She swallowed it back, but still it lingered in her throat, making it ache.She whispered, barely able to talk, "Will you tell Merton the truth? You mustn't lie to him.""I won't lie, but I don't have to tell him everything," her brother said quickly. "Or else he'll cry off. Then the rumors would fly."

Tess didn't like this. "But he will find out sooner or later."

"Yes, but by then you must make sure he is willing to forgive you."

"How?"

"You are asking me how? Women get men to forgive their sins every day. Make him fall in love with you.

Men in love will do anything."

At that moment, a knock sounded on the door. At Neil's call, Nestor, the butler, said, "Mr. Hamlin, the earl of Merton is here to see you. Are you at home?"

Neil turned to Tess. "Am I?"

She stood rooted to the floor, feeling as if her head had turned into one of those flying balloons while her

body was a chunk of ice. Her brother waited. Finally, she nodded. "Yes, yes, you are at home."

"You'll marry him?"

Tess opened her mouth but it took a moment until she could say the words. "Yes. Yes, I will marry him."

Chapter Four.

What the b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l had he done?

That thought had first struck Brenn as he'd stood shaving the razor to his throat. His predawn philosophizing had given way to stone cold reality after a good night's sleep.

Now, as he cooled his heels in the magnificent opulence of the Hamlin sitting room, he realized what Sir Charles had been trying to tell him-especially once he saw how wealthy Hamlin really was. Not only was the house located at London's most fashionable address, but the furnishings were fresh, new...expensive.

For the first time since Brenn had set off on his fortune-hunting trip to London, the future consequences of what he was attempting to do sank in. The bouquet of rose b.u.t.tons and forget-me-nots he'd purchased from a street vendor began to wilt in his hand.

He walked across the thick carpet and studied the row of green antique vases trimmed in gold lining the mantel. A well-traveled man, he knew the cost of things, and he would wager just one of those vases had cost more than his officer's pay for the last year.

Last night, he'd seen the sparkle in Miss Hamlin's eyes and charged after her like a hungry trout striking bait. Now he was seeing the depth of her wealth. A woman raised in this luxury would expect to continue in this manner.

Brenn thought of Erwynn Keep as it presently was-the sh.e.l.l of a once-great house. Gaping holes marked where the doors and windows had been. Parts of the roof were missing. It was completely uninhabitable. Brenn lived, as his uncle had, in a small crofter's cottage within sight of the house.