To ensure his son’s inheritance, Markham must woo and marry a headstrong commoner with a heart as wild and free as the English countryside she loves. Though wrong for him in every way, he discovers seducing her awakens more than just his colorless world. Soon, the battle to protect his son’s future becomes a fight for his own heart.
He was not the true earl.
Evan Fielding, the ninth Earl of Markham, stared at the "reward" for his parents' poor timing and the clergyman's greediness. A vice constricted his ribs. A sharp pulse slammed at his temples. The Reverend Parker's daughter was another physical reminder of the hell his life had just become.
Damn the traitorous hardening of his flesh, the blaze flaring in his veins
And, yet, seeing her wet blue dress clinging to her young body, his rage transformed into desperate need. Two pert nipples broke the smooth plane of the drenched fabric. Her red hair hung down over her shoulders, enticing him to run his fingers through the dripping curls, then lick the rain from her freckled skin.
The girl glared at him, green eyes challenging him. Did she fear he overheard her scandalous conversation?
Oh, yes, he'd heard it. All of it.
He'd listened to every little detail of how she gave herself to a local boy, seducing him to avoid her season in London.
A suffocating tightness pressed against his lungs.
Markham shoved his hands in his pockets, his stomach coiling into a knot. He shouldn't have come tonight. He should have done more research, scoured the library for information, and investigated details that could prove the vicar's story untrue.
But, so far, he had found nothing to dispute that he born was before the Reverend Parker could legally marry his parents.
His son, Lucas, left without a mother from birth, would no longer have a title or inheritance. Money could not buy prestige nor repair a reputation. Markham must protect his son. He would not fail him again.
The arranged marriage would buy the clergyman's silence. But this spirited, headstrong girl could never be his countess. From her low status to her rebellious attitude to her unrefined looks, Reverend Parker's daughter could undo years of careful judgment and preparation.
"Yes, Papa," Miss Parker said at last. "I remember Lord Markham."
And yet she did not bow or curtsy. She did nothing but stand there, in her soaked dress, seduction in the making, a fierce glint in her gaze.
"Miss Parker," Markham replied, all emotion cleared from his voice.
She lifted her chin. "Elizabeth, but I prefer Lizzie."
He gave her another cursory glance. "Miss Parker."
At that, her eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms under her breasts. Markham swallowed as those tiny points lifted higher. He could think of little but wrapping his fingers around those breasts and swirling his tongue over those pert nipples. How was it possible that he was both enraged and aroused?
Earl Markham is being blackmailed by the vicar. In order to keep his title and lands secure for his son, he must marry the vicar’s daughter, Elizabeth. However, Elizabeth wants no part of London society or Markham. Markham is determined to court Elizabeth and make her his wife. Will Elizabeth fall for Markham or will she return to her father unmarried?
Leslie Dicken creates a complex, heartfelt tale of love and deception. Sincere characters with depth are a shining star for this story. The plot is intricate and superbly written. The ending is satisfying enough for even the most romantic at heart. A Tarnished Heart is an outstanding accomplishment for Dicken.
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