The only surviving son of a poor American farmer, Leander Mayfield is shocked to learn that he is in fact the new Earl of Dearborne. Barely recovered from one of the many illnesses that have plagued him all his life, he sets sail for England and a new life.<br><br>Tired and bored with all the wealth and finery that constantly surrounds him, Julien Sutcliffe, the Earl of Blackstone, is constantly on the lookout for something to lift his ennui. Then he meets the young American Earl, whose naiveté he finds refreshing and new.<br><br>Drawn to each other, it actually begins to seem as though they might be able to enjoy a happy life in each other’s company, but something -- or someone -- is determined to separate them permanently.

The Desire for Dearborne

Cordelia looked incredulous. “Have you heard a single word I’ve said?”


“They rarely hang men for sodomy these days.” Perhaps if he was brutally blunt, his aunt would abandon the subject. In any case, his head was pounding too much for tact.


He should have known it wouldn’t be enough to deter her. “They dohang men for murder. Tobias Norville might not have caused much notice, but Dearborne is an earl, for all that his is American.”


“Again, no one can even say for certain that Dearborne has vanished,” Julien countered. “I will send a letter today, and but by messenger. This way we will have our answer in a day or two.”


Standing stoically near the door to the card room, Julien wondered how much longer he’d have to endure Lady Rockingham’s ball before Cordelia and Penelope deemed his ordeal over.


Chapter 72