Regency Seduction: The Captain's Courtesan / The Outrageous Belle Marchmain. Lucy Ashford

overgrown garden at the back of the house. A flagged terrace was lit by the glow of a brazier, and gathered around it, with tankards of ale in their hands, were a dozen or so rough-looking men—and two young women, with whom the men were clearly on familiar terms. In their midst was Alec, laughing and joking with them. One of the women, who had dyed black hair and up-thrust breasts on full display, had her hand possessively on his arm.

      What had Lord Maybury said? I’m afraid that Alec Stewart keeps company with the lowest of the low …

      Shivering with dismay, Rosalie turned away from the window, freshly appalled at the situation in which she’d landed herself. Katy was nodding off in her arms; Rosalie wiped her face and fingers clean and put her in the spare bed with her rag doll next to her. She remembered, with a wrench at her insides, how in the cab Katy had slumbered in Alec Stewart’s arms, her thumb in her mouth, her dark curls tousled around her angelic face. I envied her, in those strong arms … Don’t be stupid! Don’t be so utterly idiotic! She blinked away her own hot tears of weariness and despair.

      No matter how much she tried to tell herself that this was her heaven-sent opportunity to find out more about the dangerous master of Two Crows Castle, she was in a mess, she acknowledged bitterly, an almighty mess. She changed into the nightdress Mary had provided and settled herself awkwardly on the bed, preparing herself for a sleepless night. Why did Alec Stewart and Lord Maybury hate each other so? There was so much that she couldn’t make sense of …

      But suddenly something that should have been obvious struck her with a dreadful jolt. No wonder Katy was so happy in Alec Stewart’s arms. She had, after all, most likely found her father.

      Alec didn’t reach his bed until late. Tonight he knew he’d vastly added to his problems by taking in Rosalie—Mrs Rowland—and her child.