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Like the royals for whom they were named, the Emperors of London family have enemies and rivals of their own…
As a soldier for the Crown, Dominic is charged with locating the Young Pretender to the British throne so he can be tried as a traitor. But his mission is altered when he meets Claudia Shaw, an intriguing young woman who has inherited a house of ill repute. In an effort to protect Claudia from her own recklessness, Dominic finds himself allowing the Pretender to slip away…
Claudia is one of the Emperors of London, but her family despairs of her impetuous behavior. And try as he might, the disciplined Dominic cannot quite curb her excesses. In fact, she soon drags him into her adventures—and toward a passion neither can resist. But when a deadly secret comes to light that puts their lives, and their love, at risk, Claudia won’t allow Dominic to sacrifice himself. She is determined to have him—even if it means getting the Young Pretender out of the way herself.
“Lynne Connolly writes Georgian romances with a deft touch. Her characters amuse, entertain and reach into your heart.”
—Desiree Holt
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Books by Lynne Connolly
Emperors of London
Temptation Has Green Eyes
Danger Wears White
Reckless In Pink
Published by Kensington Publishing Corporation
Reckless In Pink
An Emperors of London Novel
Lynne Connolly
LYRICAL PRESS
Kensington Publishing Corp.
www.kensingtonbooks.com
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Copyright © 2015 by Lynne Connolly
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First Electronic Edition: December 2015
eISBN-13: 978-1-61650-572-1
eISBN-10: 1-61650-572-9
First Print Edition: December 2015
ISBN-13: 978-1-61650-596-7
ISBN-10: 1-61650-596-6
Printed in the United States of America
Chapter 1
“Are you sure you do not wish to return, Major?” General Court asked. “Now your family business is concluded, I would have welcomed you back. Your conduct was exemplary on the Continent.”
Dominic shook his head. “I would hardly say my family business is concluded. I am the only male left to continue the line.”
The general brightened, his ruddy face glowing. “Then once you beget an heir or two, we may expect you back?”
“Once I marry, perhaps.” Dominic could see that in his future—marrying a suitable woman, begetting an heir, and then leaving her in peace to continue his career.
The general harrumphed. “Then hurry up and do it. We need experienced officers like you.”
Dominic recalled a number of times when his superior officers had intimated otherwise. He glanced around the splendidly appointed room, with its display of silver on the sideboard and fine spirits in the glittering crystal decanters. If he didn’t know better, he’d assume the General lived in this luxury all the time. However, he’d seen the man thigh-deep in mud, bellowing instructions to his men, refusing to leave the field until they were all safe.
He was no longer one of the general’s officers and hadn’t been so for six months. Ever since his parents had begged him to come home and find a wife. He’d done the first part but had yet to achieve the second.
He blamed himself. His two male cousins had been the heirs to the title, after him. Now they had died, and he was the only hope for his house.
Restlessly, he got to his feet. “If that’s all, General…”
“No. Sit down.”
Sometimes the man forgot that Dominic was no longer under his command. He let it pass and sat back down on the hard wooden chair provided for visitors. The full skirts of his woolen coat padded his arse somewhat, but he’d known worse hardships than this. Not recently, though. “May I be of further service, sir?”
The General gave him a hard stare before picking up a piece of paper and tossing across the desk. “Take a look at that. Tell me what you see.”
One side was travel-stained, obviously a letter, with a seal hanging off one side. The address was a house in the City, Spitalfields to be exact. He turned it over and read.
“This is from Charles Stuart? The Pretender?”
“It is. Rallying his supporters in England.”
“Have you visited the address?”
The General grunted his assent. “I sent someone last week pretending to be a seller of pots and pans. All this damned sneaking about makes me itch. Army intelligence is one thing, but this cloak and dagger stuff isn’t what a gentleman should occupy himself with.”
If the world were well organized and everybody told the truth, a military man might prefer to see the enemy and engage with him rather than run around lying. However, the man’s professed bluster hid a devious and intelligent mind, so while the General’s speech amused Dominic, it did not fool him. A gentleman didn’t skulk around and spy, but somebody had to.
“Nobody seemed suspicious,” the general continued. “It was the premises of a silk weaver and his family. The man did business from the house, but he had no reason to side with the Stuarts. His family were Huguenots, and they believe in pursuing the Protestant cause.”
“Stuart converted to the Anglican church a few years ago,” Dominic felt obliged to point out.
The General nodded. “For all the good it did him.” He finished the glass of port he’d poured for himself when Dominic had refused refreshment. “The house is owned by the Duke of Northwich.”
Dominic