“I am looking forward to Elizabeth’s ball,” Sarah said, gazing up at him.
“You have not forgotten your promise to me, sir?”
“How could I?” John asked, his eyes intent on her face. He realized that he wanted very much to dance with her, to hold her close, hear her laughter and inhale the intoxicating perfume of her skin. Surely there was no sin in letting himself admit the feelings he had for her? “I am looking forward to it, Sarah—and I hope you will keep two dances for me.”
Sarah glowed in the warmth of his smile. Her heart had begun to race wildly and she was sure that he felt something for her.
“No matter who asks, I shall not give your dances away,” said Sarah.
“Good.” He reached for her hand, holding it with a firm, gentle grip. His touch sent a tingle winging down her spine, making her want to melt into his arms. “We are friends, are we not, Sarah? We have always liked one another?”
“Yes, of course.” Sarah hesitated, then added, “It might perhaps have been more once, had I not been such a foolish child….” She caught her breath as she saw the look in his eyes.
A Worthy Gentleman
Harlequin® Historical
Author Note
In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries there was a passion for gothic novels. When huge old houses were lit by candlelight and there were none of today’s modern conveniences, it must have been gorgeously frightening for society ladies to read of young girls cruelly locked away and at the mercy of evil men. How much more terrifying would it be for a young girl stolen from the bosom of a loving family to be forced to take part in a satanic ritual? And think of how her family must have suffered when she could not be found! But in the age of Romance there were at least three brave men willing to walk through hellfire for the sake of the women they loved.
This trilogy deals with the abduction of Miss Sarah Hunter and the search for her by her brother Charles, the Earl of Cavendish, and Mr. John Elworthy. It began with Elizabeth Travers and the Earl of Cavendish, and continued with Charles Hunter and Lady Arabella Marshall, ending in this last book with Sarah’s own story.
The element of darkness is balanced by the thrill of romance, and I hope you will love reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it for you.
A Worthy Gentleman
ANNE HERRIES
TORONTO • NEW YORK • LONDON
AMSTERDAM • PARIS • SYDNEY • HAMBURG STOCKHOLM • ATHENS • TOKYO • MILAN • MADRID PRAGUE • WARSAW • BUDAPEST • AUCKLAND
ANNE HERRIES
A winner of the Romantic Novelists’ Association Romance Prize, Anne Herries lives in Cambridgeshire. She is fond of watching wildlife, and spoils the birds and squirrels that are frequent visitors to her garden. Anne loves to write about the beauty of nature, and sometimes puts a little into her books, although they are mostly about love and romance. She writes for her own enjoyment, and to give pleasure to her readers.
Available from Harlequin®Historical and ANNE HERRIES
The Abducted Bride #135
Captive of the Harem #145
The Sheikh #157
Rosalyn and the Scoundrel #166
A Matter of Honor #173
*A Perfect Knight #180
*A Knight of Honor #184
*Her Knight Protector #188
**Lady in Waiting #202
**The Adventurer’s Wife #208
††Forbidden Lady #209
†An Improper Companion #227
††The Lord’s Forced Bride #231
†A Wealthy Widow #235
†A Worthy Gentleman #243
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Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter