Lord Cameron’s broad brown hands grasped the edges of the drapes in front of Ainsley and parted them a few inches.

He stopped. His golden gaze locked with hers, strong face stilling in anger.

Ainsley gazed back at him, the first time she’d met his eyes in six years. Now he looked at her fully, like a lion on a veld eyeing a gazelle. The gazelle in her wanted to run, run, run. The defiant tomboy from Miss Pringle’s Academy, now a lofty lady-in-waiting, stared back at him in defiance.

Silence stretched between them. His large body blocked her from the room behind him, but he could easily betray her. Cameron owed her nothing, and once upon a time, she had rejected him under awkward and humiliating circumstances. That is, any other man would have been humiliated and furious; Cameron had simply dismissed her, uncaring. Later when he’d learned about the intrigue, he’d been ice-cold, and looking down at her now, he knew good and well she was here because of another intrigue. He could betray Ainsley now, hand her to Phyllida, be done with her and think it served her right.

Behind Cameron, Phyllida said, “What is it, darling? I saw you jump.”

“Nothing,” he said in a gruff voice. “A mouse.”

“Oh, do kill it. I can’t bear mice.”

Cameron let his gaze tangle with Ainsley’s while she struggled to breathe in her too-tight lacings. “I’ll let it live,” he said. “For now.” Cameron jerked the curtains closed, shutting Ainsley back into her glass and velvet tent. “We should go down.”

“Oh, why? We’ve just arrived.”

“I saw too many people coming back into the house, including your husband. We’ll go down separately. I don’t want to embarrass Beth and Isabella.”

“Oh, very well.” Phyllida didn’t seem much put out, but then, she likely assumed she could hole up with Lord Cameron any time she wanted and enjoy his sinful touch.

For one moment, Ainsley experienced deep, bone-wrenching envy.

The two fell silent, no doubt restoring clothing, and then Phyllida said, “I’ll speak with you later, darling.”

Ainsley heard the door open, more muffled conversation, and then the door closed, and all was silent. She waited a few more heart-pounding minutes to make certain they’d gone before she flung back the draperies and scrambled out. She was across the room and reaching for the door handle when she heard a throat clear behind her.

Slowly, Ainsley turned around. Lord Cameron Mackenzie stood in the middle of the room in shirtsleeves and kilt, his golden gaze once more pinning her in place. He held up a key in his broad fingers.

“So tell me, Mrs. Douglas,” he said in a deceptively soft voice, “what the devil are you doing in my bedchamber—this time?”

Praise for

THE MADNESS OF LORD IAN MACKENZIE

“Ever-versatile Ashley begins her new Victorian Highland Pleasures series with a deliciously dark and delectably sexy story of love and romantic redemption that will captivate readers with its complex characters and suspenseful plot.”

—Booklist

“Ashley’s enthralling and poignant romance . . . touches readers on many levels. Brava!”

—Romantic Times

“Mysterious, heartfelt, sensitive, and sensual . . . Two big thumbs up.”

—Publishers Weekly’s Beyond Her Book

“A story of mystery and intrigue with two wonderful, bright characters you’ll love . . . I look forward to more from Jennifer Ashley, an extremely gifted author.”

—Fresh Fiction

“Brimming with mystery, suspense, an intriguing plot, villains, romance, a tormented hero, and a feisty heroine, this book is a winner. I recommend The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie to anyone looking for a great read.”

—Romance Junkies

“Wow! All I can say is The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie is one of the best books I have ever read. [It] gets the highest recommendation that I can give. It is a truly wonderful book.”

—Once Upon A Romance

“When you’re reading a book that is a step or two—or six or seven—above the norm, you know it almost immediately. Such is the case with The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie . The characters here are so complex and so real that I was fascinated by their journey . . . [and] this story is as flat-out romantic as any I’ve read in a while . . . This is a series I am certainly looking forward to following.”

—All About Romance

“A unique twist on the troubled hero . . . Fresh and interesting.”

—Night Owl Romance

“A welcome addition to the genre.”

—Dear Author

“Intriguing . . . Unique . . . Terrific.”

—Midwest Book Review