When the overindulged son of a duke meets a feisty bohemian beauty, two opposite worlds collide. But it doesn't matter how ill-suited they are for one another, Aiden and Amalia can't prevent their feelings from growing.
• • •
England, 1790.
Aiden La...
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Adagio in G minor, Tomaso Albinoni
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As much as he tried not to let his mind drift back to Amalia, his upcoming engagement constantly brought her back. He'd thought he'd been over her for years, but his resentment for her was still strong, proving his assumptions had been false.
It seemed the rage he felt every time he thought about her would never diminish. The pure shock he'd experienced that fateful morning was still painfully clear in his mind. It would never completely go away, forever lingering in the back of his head. After all, he'd never been so humiliated and crushed in his life. Nothing could ever surpass what she'd done to him, which explained why he'd never loathe another person as much as her.
Unable to stop himself, he recalled for the umpteenth time the events of his doom.
He remembered waking up happy and satiated, seeking her. She'd agreed to become his wife some hours ago, so it was understandable he'd been disappointed to find her gone. She wasn't at his side anymore, the scent of her still on the sheets. The evening before, she had explained her people were leaving in the morning because of the duke. Because of that, she'd left for her camp before their departure, to tell them she wouldn't follow this time. But she was coming back to him as soon as she could, so they could set his plan in motion and leave for Scotland. The sun was still low, and he decided to get up to prepare things for their romantic endeavor.
After he'd shaved, he rinsed his face. Looking up in the mirror, he noticed the stupid grin lingering on his lips. Never had he been happier in his life. Amalia would become his, in every possible way. Shouting came from outside his bedroom, which wasn't a normal occurrence. Curious, he went to see what was happening and found the household frantically running around in absolute chaos. He grabbed the arm of a footman passing by and asked him what the ruckus was about.
"We were robbed, Milord! They came during the night and plundered the manor!"
"Who? Who came in?"
"We aren't sure, Milord. Mr. Appleton was found with a blow to his head, and we think he saw them. But he hasn't woken up yet. Your father—" The footman paused, embarrassed. Aiden tightened his hold on the man's arm, silently ordering him to keep talking. "Your father, his Grace, thinks it was the doing of the bohemians, Milord."
