“Why not now?” She shrugged, then picked up her cumbersome skirts and set off for the porter’s station, focusing extra hard on avoiding a stumble on the uneven planks of the platform.
She had a feeling he’d not catch her again should she fall.
He waited five entire astonished seconds before easily blocking her path once more, the two rather unobtrusive men taking up their respective posts behind him.
“Did you bring these fellows to intimidate me into compliance?” she quipped, forcing irritation above the unease in her voice. “Because you’ve obviously never been to Reno.”
His haughty brow wrinkled. “I ken nothing about this Reno.”
“Well, I do, which is why I’m not impressed.” As unimpressed as she was, she still slid her hand into the bag comforting herself with the feel of her pistol.
The earl stepped forward, and Samantha forgot what she’d been taught over the years. Never yield ground to the aggressor.
She yielded to him, stepping back to maintain their distance, to avoid his touch. His proximity. His earthy, intoxicating scent. Something that reminded her of a loamy forest and cedar soap.
“I brought these men to pay ye, lass.” He gestured behind him with measured movements. “This is my solicitor, Mr. Roy Mackenzie.” He pointed at the kind-faced, rotund man, who nodded and blushed. “And my banker, John Douglass.”
The thin man sniffed his disdain.
She sniffed hers right back. “I apologize for your wasted trip, gentlemen.”
She would have taken her leave had the Earl of Thorne not gripped her elbow once again. “If my aim was to frighten ye, bonny, ye’d be terrified.” He sneered, and then gentled his grip, as though his behavior had shocked himself more than it had her. “I’ll do whatever it takes to convince ye to yield. Ye’ll be pleased to find, Miss Ross, that I do nothing by half measures.” The gleam in his eyes was now decidedly more sensual than sinister.
“How nice for you.” She flashed him a taut smile. He might be handsome as the devil, but she’d be damned before she’d let him charm her.
She knew better.
And that knowledge was hard-won.
Also by
Kerrigan Byrne
The Highwayman
The Hunter
The Highlander
The Duke
The Scot Beds his Wife
Praise for Kerrigan Byrne and her captivating novels
“The dark, violent side of the Victorian era blazes to life as a caring, competent heroine living under the radar is abducted by a notorious crime lord with wonderfully gratifying results in this exceptional and compelling vengeance-driven romantic adventure.”
—Library Journal (starred review) on The Highwayman
“The romance is raw, edgy, and explosive … the path they take through adversity makes the triumph of love deeply satisfying.”
—Publishers Weekly on The Highwayman
“A truly mesmerizing series that highlights dangerous heroes who flout the law and the women who love them.”
—Library Journal (starred review) on The Hunter
“Dramatic, romantic, and utterly lovely.”
—BookPage
“Byrne is a force in the genre.”
—RT Book Reviews (Top Pick!) on The Highwayman
“Romantic, lush, and suspenseful.”
—Suzanne Enoch, New York Times bestselling author
“A passionate, lyrical romance that takes your breath away.”
—Elizabeth Boyle, New York Times bestselling author
“Beautifully written, intensely suspenseful, and deliciously sensual.”
—Amelia Grey, New York Times bestselling author
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Whether she’s writing about Celtic Druids, Victorian bad boys, or brash Irish FBI agents, Kerrigan Byrne uses her borderline-obsessive passion for history, her extensive Celtic ancestry, and her love of Shakespeare in every book. She lives at the base of the Rocky Mountains with her handsome husband and three lovely teenage girls, but dreams of settling on the Pacific Coast. Kerrigan loves to hear from readers. You can contact her at www.kerriganbyrne.com, or sign up for email updates here.
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CONTENTS
Title Page
Dedication
Epigraph
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Epilogue
Teaser
Also by Kerrigan Byrne
Praise
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
THE DUKE WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
Copyright © 2018 by Kerrigan Byrne.
Excerpt from The Highwayman copyright © 2015 by Kerrigan Byrne.
Excerpt from The Hunter copyright © 2016 by Kerrigan Byrne.
Excerpt from The Highlander copyright © 2016 by Kerrigan Byrne.
Excerpt from The Duke copyright © 2017 by Kerrigan Byrne.
Excerpt from The Scot Beds His Wife copyright © 2017 by Kerrigan Byrne.
All rights reserved.
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eISBN: 9781250122575
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St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition / September 2018
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