The Duchess's Secret Heir

the hearth, a fraying shawl draped over her shoulders, her gaze fixed on the crackling flames. Edward lay peacefully in his cradle, his soft

mind as though he were standing in the room. She could still hear the sharpness of hi

ne low and controlled but carrying a st

pawn in his never-ending pursuit of power and influence. It had been the final blow to a

memories wash over her, each one a sh

n swept off her feet by his quick wit, the way he seemed to know what she was thinking before she spoke it. Theirs had been a whirlwind r

had not b

sion with appearances-the way he demanded perfection from her in every aspect, from her speech to her attire. Then cam

clipped as he dismissed her desire to attend a lecture on women's education.

ing care. He wanted the best for their family, she told herself. It wasn't unt

her back to the present. A log collapsed into the embers, sending up a plume of sparks. Edward stirr

joy. When Edward arrived, Adrian's detachment turned into cold calculation. He saw their son not a

in his arms. It was a rare moment of tenderness, or so she had thought. She had entered

ll lead, no matter the cost. Emotio

pped forward, taking Edward from his arms. "He is just

y son, Isabella. He will learn what

tay. She would not allow her son to grow up under Adrian's sh

et, the servants asleep, and Adrian locked away in his study. With Edward bundled in her arms and a satchel

, her mind racing with the possibility of being caught. When she reached the sta

about this, my la

ce steady despite the turmoil ins

owering spires disappearing into the night. She had expected to feel relief, but all she felt was a hollow ache.

her memories settled over her. It wasn't that she didn't love Adrian-she had loved him deeply, in a way that frightened

his blanket. He was her light in the darkness, her reason for fi

red to herself. "He will never see Edward

und them. He was not a man who accepted defeat, and the thought o

gainst his forehead. "I will keep you safe," she whispere

her, but it would not define her. She had chosen this path, and she would see it through-for Edwar