To Julia Maguire and Zareen Jaffery,

with thanks for all their creative and editorial ideas

Chapter One

Maggie Darlington rolled over in bed and squinted into the sunlight pouring through the lace curtains of her bedroom window. As if suddenly realizing where she was, she groaned, spread her fingers wide, and placed both hands over her face. She wordlessly cursed the brilliant sunshine and bemoaned her return to Wentworth Hall, sliding deeper under her floral eiderdown quilt and soft, voluminous bed covers.

If she were in Paris—as she had been only two weeks earlier—the red velvet drapes would still be drawn and she’d be permitted to sleep until noon—at least. To think, she had looked forward to coming home. She had really believed life would return to normal after her year away in France. How wrong she had been.

But, like it or not, she was back in Sussex now, and Nora, her ladies maid, had already begun their morning ritual, slipping silently into her room only a few hours after dawn to draw aside the heavy damask window coverings. It was Maggie’s father, Lord Arthur Darlington’s, none-too-subtle way of rousing the household for the day. Her father loved Wentworth Hall, and felt his entire family should share his affection. Never mind the fact that there wasn’t much to do at the house if you were a lady. Other than read in the library. Or practice sewing in the parlor. Or have tea with her younger sister, Lila. Despite eighteen years of doing just that, Maggie had yet to grow fond of those activities.

Dropping her hands down by her sides as if in surrender, she realized it was no use trying to go back to sleep. She had already spent the last few weeks claiming the journey had exhausted her. If she couldn’t get back to normal exactly, she did have to find a new routine, a new “normal.” And no better day than the present to get started.