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the company of his new secretary.
    Christ. He was a man above thirty, not a boy to moon over a woman’s smile. The situation might be laughable if his cock didn’t ache so much.
    Edward abruptly realized that Mrs. Wren was asking him a question. “What?”
    “I asked if you were all right, my lord,” she said. She looked worried.
    “Fine. I’m fine.” He took a deep breath and wished irritably that she would call him by his given name. He longed to hear her say Edward. But no. It would be highly inappropriate for her to call him by his Christian name.
    He gathered his scattered thoughts. “We should return to work.” He stood and strode from the room, feeling as if he were fleeing fire-breathing monsters rather than one plain little widow.
    W HEN THE CLOCK struck five, Anna tidied the small pile of transcripts she’d finished that afternoon and glanced at the earl. He was sitting scowling at the paper in front of him. She cleared her throat.
    He looked up. “Is it time already?” She nodded.
    He rose and waited as she gathered her things. The dog followed them out the door, but then he bounded down the stairs to the drive. The animal sniffed intently at something on the ground and then rolled, happily rubbing his head and neck in whatever it was.
    Lord Swartingham sighed. “I’ll have one of the stable boys wash him before he enters the Abbey again.”
    “Mmm,” Anna murmured thoughtfully. “What do you think of ‘Adonis’?”
    He gave her a look so full of incredulous horror that she was hard-pressed not to laugh. “No, I suppose not,” she murmured.
    The dog got up from his refreshment and shook himself, flipping one of his ears inside out. He trotted back to them and tried to look solemn with his ear still inside out.
    “Self-control, lad.” The earl righted the dog’s ear.
    At this Anna did chuckle. He looked at her sideways, and she thought his wide mouth twitched. The carriage trundled up then, and she entered with his assistance. The dog knew by now that he was not allowed to ride and merely watched wistfully.
    Anna settled back and watched the familiar scenery roll by. As the carriage came upon the outskirts of town, she saw a wad of clothes in the roadside ditch. Curious, she leaned out the window to get a better look. The bundle moved, and a head with fine, pale-brown hair rose and turned toward the sound of the carriage.
    “Stop! John Coachman, stop at once!” Anna pounded on the roof with her fist.
    The carriage slowed to a halt, and she flung open the door.
    “What is it, miss?”
    She saw the startled face of Tom, the footman, as she ran past the back of the carriage with her skirts held in one hand. Anna reached the place where she had seen the clothes and stared down.
    In the ditch lay a young woman.

    Chapter Five

    The moment the duke agreed to his bargain, the raven leapt into the air with a powerful rush of wings. At the same time, a magical army streamed from the castle’s keep. First came ten thousand men, each armed with a shield and sword. They were followed by ten thousand archers carrying long, deadly bows and full quivers. Finally, ten thousand mounted men galloped forth, their horses gnashing their teeth and ready for battle. The raven flew to the army’s head and met the prince’s troops with a crash like thunder. Clouds of dust covered both forces so that nothing could be seen. Only the terrible cries of men at war were heard. And when the dust finally cleared, not a trace of the prince’s army remained save for a few iron horseshoes lying in the dirt. . . .
    —from The Raven Prince
    The woman lay on her side in the ditch, both legs curled as if seeking warmth. She clutched a dirty shawl about pitifully thin shoulders. The dress beneath the shawl had once been a bright pink but was now smeared with grime. Her eyes were closed in a face that looked yellowish and unhealthy.
    Anna held her skirt out of the way with one hand and used the other to steady herself against