Princess in Love Read Free Page A

completely alone. “My apologies for
     the intrusion, madam,” he said with a frown. “We have not yet been introduced.”
    “I do beg your pardon,” Rose quickly interjected.
    What was wrong with her? Oh, but she knew the answer to that question. As soon as
     she recognized the impossibly gorgeous and charming Lord Cavanaugh, the rest of the
     world had simply disappeared. She had become distracted and forgotten about the duchess
     entirely.
    In fact, she had forgotten about everything. The fierce gales. The stinging rain.
    Most important, her recent engagement, which had not yet been announced.
    “Your Grace,” she said, “may I present Leopold Hunt, the Marquess of Cavanaugh and
     a great hero in the war against Napoleon. Lord Cavanaugh is an old friend of my brother’s.
     They went to school together in Petersbourg.” She gestured with a hand. “Lord Cavanaugh …
     the dowager Duchess of Pembroke.”
    “I am delighted, Your Grace,” he replied. “What brings you both out on a night like
     this?”
    How perfectly agreeably he behaved, as if the awkward, humiliating end to their affair
     had never occurred.
    The coach shuddered in the wind, and another blast of rain struck the windowpanes.
    Rose gave the duchess a sidelong glance. “We attended a charitable event in Bath but
     were late leaving town. We didn’t expect to encounter such treacherous roads.”
    “Welcome to springtime in England,” the duchess said with a chuckle.
    Lord Cavanaugh raised an eyebrow. “Indeed. Well, then. I have already spoken to your
     driver, and I insist that you both join me in my coach. I, too, am on my way to London,
     but I’ve made arrangements to stay at the Crimson Flower Inn for the night. I can
     deliver you both there safely, and your good man Samson is transferring your bags
     to my vehicle as we speak. He promises to meet you in the morning to continue on your
     way, providing there is no damage to your vehicle, of course, in which case you shall
     ride the rest of the way with me.”
    Rose’s pride reared up, and she wished she could reject Lord Cavanaugh’s assistance,
     but the fact remained—they were stranded and in desperate need of help.
    “We most gratefully accept,” the duchess replied. “How fortunate for us that you came
     along when you did, Lord Cavanaugh. You are the hero of the day!”
    He turned his arresting blue eyes to Rose. “Shall we?”
    She managed a polite smile.
    The next thing she knew, he was handing her up into his own well-appointed vehicle
     with warm bricks on the floor, lush velvet seats, and luxurious cushions with gold
     tassels thrown freely about. The light from a small carriage lamp filled the space
     with a warm glow, and it smelled cozy and inviting—like apples and cinnamon.
    Cavanaugh climbed in and sat down across from her. Though he wore a heavy greatcoat,
     she could still make out the muscular contours of his body beneath it. Or perhaps
     she simply remembered all too well those particular details of his appearance—along
     with the rich chestnut color of his hair and the unruly manner in which it fell forward
     around his temples.
    It was difficult not to stare at those long black lashes, which framed an intense
     pair of blue eyes—a rare and striking feature on a man. And that mouth … so full of
     confident sexuality.
    He was a devastatingly handsome man by all accounts and she wondered if he had any
     notion of the power he possessed. Did he know that he could make a woman swoon and
     ruin her for life with a mere glance in her direction?
    Oh, probably.
    As Rose sat back in the seat and settled in, she wondered if his chance arrival and
     heroic chivalry was an event too good to be true, or if it was the worst possible
     thing that could ever happen—for she certainly did not wish to be tempted away from
     her fiancé. Not only was Archduke Joseph the future emperor of Austria, he was, by
     all accounts, utterly besotted with her and would never