My Lady's Trust

My Lady's Trust
Julia Justiss

She Would Be Safe Among Strangers,Laura Martin assured herself. But would the cloak of anonymity she wore to escape a hellish marriage also protect her from the discerning gaze of the Earl of Beaulieu? Or would the famed Puzzlebreaker discover her deepest secrets as easily as he had the key to her heart?Desire filled the earl when looking upon the enigmatic Laura Martin. Reclusive as she was, he saw the tender heart she'd hidden beneath the chilly facade and recognized her as his destined bride. But could he teach her to trust him enough to let him into her life–forever?

“I owe you a debt I can never repay.”

“Were it in my power, I’d go to the ends of the earth to grant you your heart’s desire.” He smiled, his face lightening. “Now what, I wonder, would such a calm and quiet lady desire most in the world?”

Freedom from fear. The thought flashed into her head on a stab of longing. “M-my needs are few, my lord. I’m quite content.”

The earl chuckled. “A lady with no demands? What an extraordinary creature!”

“Not at all. Alas, I’m entirely ordinary.”

The wryness of her rejoinder faded, replaced by a curious mingling of alarm and anticipation as the earl stepped closer. She stood motionless, breath suspended. She could not make herself look away.

“No, my lady,” he said after a long moment. “Though you may be many things, ‘ordinary’ is certainly not one of them…!”

Praise for Julia Justiss’s previous works

The Proper Wife

“Justiss is a promising new talent and readers will devour her tantalizing tale with gusto.”

—Publishers Weekly

The Wedding Gamble

“A scintillating, thoroughly engaging, love story!”

—Romantic Times Magazine

“This is a fast-paced story that will leave you wanting more…you won’t want to put it down!”

—Newandusedbooks.com

A Scandalous Proposal

“Ms. Justiss’s writing style makes it impossible to put this delightful tale down.”

—Rendezvous

“Ms. Justiss captures the essence of the Regency period….A compelling, satisfying read.”

—Romantic Times Magazine

#592 CALL OF THE WHITE WOLF

Carol Finch

#593 DRAGON’S DOWER

Catherine Archer

#594 GOLD RUSH BRIDE

Debra Lee Brown

My Lady’s Trust

Julia Justiss

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

Available from Harlequin Historicals and

JULIA JUSTISS

The Wedding Gamble #464

A Scandalous Proposal #532

The Proper Wife #567

My Lady’s Trust #591

In memory of fellow writer

Nancy Richards-Akers

shot to death by her estranged husband

June 1999

and to all women caught in domestic abuse.

Get help. Get out.

Your children need you.

Contents

Prologue (#u1db24e11-6e8c-568e-b6ce-47047ec08267)

Chapter One (#ua9de9bc3-d6b6-5979-806a-57ff26bb25d7)

Chapter Two (#u6240d701-9de6-5555-86ca-42165c68d76c)

Chapter Three (#uc9f7804b-e60e-5236-8c43-7899eb7c3886)