“Reynolds did send word earlier,” he murmured into her hair. “He has lost Maitland’s trail. He’s still out there. But I promise you I will keep you safe.”

She pulled back enough to look up into his eyes. “We’ll keep each other safe,” she whispered. “Forever.”

“Forever,” he repeated, and then he kissed her.

Epilogue

Ellis Maitland stood in the copse of trees at the western edge of the Harcourt estate, watching as two horses entered the long drive toward the house in the distance. He recognized one rider immediately and his stomach clenched. His cousin, Rook Maitland, was in the lead. And the other was Anne Shelley.

So his plans had been foiled, though he couldn’t say he was entirely disappointed. Taking Anne had been the most unpleasant bit of trickery he had ever pulled off. Seeing the terror of her sister a few days before made it clear what a villain he was.

But he needed the treasure Harcourt had. He needed it. If he didn’t find it, others would be harmed. Just as innocent. Someone would die and it would be Ellis’s fault. So as distasteful as he found the entire endeavor, he couldn’t stop.

He wouldn’t stop.

Not until he had the prize that would free him from a prison of his own making.

Excerpt of A Reckless Runaway

The Shelley Sisters, Book 2

Available February 2020

Anne’s hands shook, but she gripped them into fists as she reached the end of the dock and what seemed like a very small boat. An older gentleman was sitting in the back near the oars. He had a glowing lantern on a hook mounted beside him, and he was glaring at her and her new companion through the fog as if he had schedules to keep and they were intruding upon them.

“Good evening,” she squeaked in his direction.

He glared harder and she dipped her head as terror overcame her. She was in danger. That was clear. She had been in danger from the moment she slipped from the warmth of her fiancé’s home and took off on this madcap adventure.

Perhaps she’d been in danger even earlier than that, when she’d first agreed to meet with Ellis even though she knew it was wrong to do so.

And now here she was in God knew where, watching a handsome stranger with an odd nickname get onto a rickety rowboat. He set her bag down none too gently and then pivoted back to stare at her. He extended a hand slowly to help her on board.

She glanced back down the dock, toward where she’d last seen Ellis. Somehow she’d thought to find him in the milling crowd, watching to determine she’d safely gotten on the craft. But he was gone.

She shuddered and turned back to the boat, staring at Rook’s extended fingers for a moment. That rough hand, big and calloused from work, could be attached to a murderer for all she knew. He could be a great many terrible things and have a great many terrible plans in store for her. And yet what choice did she have but to go with him?