The Mystery Kiss

the long version

Her Secret Admirer — A shipbuilder's daughter forced into marriage with a cruel Viscount, Fleur has always been an outcast in society. Now a widow, she returns to London for the Season to present her stepdaughter. For Althea's sake, she endures the cutting remarks, the cruel snubs -- until she discovers an ally, a mysterious gentleman who lingers in the shadows whispering words of encouragement. Soon, she is a woman of confidence and poise -- and the talk of the ton! Fleur is now determined to uncover the identity of the man who has captured her heart. His Heart's Desire Intrigued by spirited Fleur and angered by her treatment at the hands of his peers, Atticus Charles Howard, the Earl of Hartshire, becomes her secret protector. Always nearby when bitter tears are her sole companion, he shares his worldly wisdom and watches with pride as Fleur blossoms. A magical kiss is all it takes to convince this man who has loved and lost before that he wants much more than stolen whispers in the evening shadows...