"I take your point.There can't be another like her." His brother smiled slightly. "If neither of us is willing to do our duty by the family, there's always cousin Gerald. He has already sired a whole string of little Andrevilles."

Remembering Gerald, Robin assumed that any children would be dull, but worthy.

If Maggie had children, they would not be dull. He felt the familiar ache, and forced himself to cut it off before it could worsen. The past was a damned unhealthy place to live.

His thoughts were interrupted when Giles asked, "Do you intend to stay at Wolverhampton long?"

"Well," Robin said cautiously, fearing that speaking the words aloud might invite a rebuff, "I had thought through Christmas. Perhaps longer. If you don't mind."

"You can spend the rest of your life here if you choose," Giles said quietly.

Lord Robert Andreville, rebellious younger son, master spy, black sheep, and survivor, shut his eyes for a moment, not wanting to show how affected he was by his brother's welcome. Then he returned to his wing chair and settled in again, the peace of Wolverhampton beginning to dissolve tensions so old that he had thought they were part of him.

Giles was right to say that Robin was unlikely to spend the rest of his days rusticating in Yorkshire. God only knew what he would want to do.

But for now, it was good to be home.

Chapter 1

The moors of Durham were very different from the forests and farms of America, but they had their own kind of beauty. Since her father had died two months before, Maxima Collins had walked the hills every day, absorbing the wind and sun and rain with mindless gratitude. She would miss these barren moors more than anything else she had found on this side of the Atlantic.

After two hours of wandering, Maxie settled crosslegged on a hillside, absently nibbling a tender stem of wild grass. The bright spring sunshine seemed to dissipate the haze of grief that had numbed her since her father's death. Quite clearly, she saw that it was time to return to America.