Ashton Laytham was a happy little boy until, at the age of seven, he lost his parents. Sent to Fayerweather to be brought up by his uncle and his uncle’s wife, he was perceived to be an unhappy, unlovable child. Shunned by family and servants and permitted no friends to visit, he grows to adulthood alone and aloof, with only an occasional illicit rendezvous to lighten his days. When his uncle dies, leaving the estate virtually bankrupt, it’s left to Ashton to make good on his uncle’s gaming debts and save Fayerweather. But how? The family talisman, worth thousands of pounds, has been stolen and the suspects vanished in the night, leaving Ashton to face the loss of the home he’s come to love. Geo Stephenson, who works in His Majesty’s civil service, has ghosts of his own. The product of a marriage of convenience, Geo has known all his life his father never loved his mother, and he vows that will never happen to him. Marked by a physical scar earned in battle, none of his previous lovers could bear looking at it without shuddering; his mental scars are due to the many friends lost in useless battles. Geo arrives with a fistful of Sir Eustace Laytham’s IOUs and a solution: Ashton accommodating him in bed, thereby paying off the debt. Attracted to Geo in spite of himself and desperate for any human kindness, Ashton agrees ... never expecting to lose his heart to a man who has sworn he’ll never give his. Can these two men find a measure of happiness together?

Bless Us With Content

“One moment, David.” I realised the problem with my stomach was I was hungry. “Tell Giffard to join me in the morning room and set another place at the table.”


He looked startled. This was not something that was done, and never would have been countenanced during Sir Eustace’s time, but was I or wasn’t I master here?


David’s face smoothed of all expression. “Yes, sir.”


I straightened my coat and smoothed a finger over my moustache, then made my way to the morning room.   22


A fortnight passed, and April was upon us. Aunt Cecily and Arabella were still in Town, and I’d received no word as to when they might be returning.


As for Geo, although it was the week’s end, I promised myself I’d ceased expecting him.


That morning I came down for breakfast and was startled to find two places set at the table. “David?”


There was a subdued air of excitement about him, and he paused in pouring a cup of coffee. “Mr Stephenson arrived during the night, Sir Ash!”


Chapter 85