Read Utterly Devoted for Free Online

with her accomplishments. She could sit her horse by eight. She had mastered the piano at nine. She spoke fluent French and Italian by eleven. Her father should have been delighted, but as she never received more than an occasional letter, she could never be certain.
    At fifteen, she had been enrolled at the Barnsley School for Young Ladies. While the teachers were more exacting than her tutors, again she excelled. Within a few months, it was common for the staff to refer to her as the example.
    “Stand taller, Miss Pennybaker. See how Miss Watkin glides across the floor.”
    “More blue in that water color, Miss Courdebas. Notice the fluidity of Miss Watkin’s waterfall.”
    “Relax in the saddle, Miss Rutherford. Look at how Miss Watkin becomes one with her mount.”
    As Cleo had reminded her that night, her fellow students had either worshipped her or been jealous enough to hate her. Either way, what she did was mimicked, what she said repeated. She was queen of her world and confident in her ability to rule.
    So was their headmistress, Miss Martingale. The imposing woman was so pleased with Eloise’s performance that Miss Martingale insisted she be allowed to accompany the teachers to their annual tea at the Darby estate. Most of the school staff had been too awed to do more than stammer answers to the questions asked by Helena Darby, then the Countess of Wenworth. Eloise, however, had had no trouble being charmingly polite to the elegant young countess. Lady Wenworth had been immediately won over.
    She remembered how content she’d felt as she followed the teachers on a tour of the palatial country house. As they ventured on, she had stood alone for a moment in the Darby family chapel, gazing up at the golden cross, and thinking she could get no closer to heaven than she had today.
    She had gotten closer and been knocked nigh unto hell because of it.
    Even now, she could hear him as she had that first time. “Bright angel, have you fallen that I a lowly mortal should find you here?”
    The voice, rich and warm, had fit so well with her mood and thoughts that she had only smiled. Turning, she’d been amazed to find that she had not conjured the sound. A man had appeared as if from her desires.
    He was beautiful. His hair was the color of polished platinum, and his blue eyes were bright as crystal. The light through the stained glass window sparkled around him like fairy dust, silhouetting his lean body. He had evidently been out riding, for he wore shiny black boots, skin-tight chamois trousers, and a tweed riding jacket with velvet lapels. She wasn’t entirely sure what he thought of finding her in his family chapel, for surely he was a Darby, but she knew admiration when she saw it. To see it from him stole her breath.
    “No angel, sir,” she’d answered shyly. “Merely a maid.”
    “Ah, but what a maid,” he chided, striding forward to kneel at her feet. She gazed down at him in wonder. His upturned face was sweet, imploring, worshipful.
    “Dearest maid,” he murmured, “grant my wish. Make me immortal by thy kiss.”
    Oh, how very tempting he had been. But then, he’s always known how to tempt. Even that first day, she had been willing to risk all for him. She had bent down to touch her lips gently against the crown of his head. He’d smelled of leather and sunlight. The silken curl of his hair teased her cheek.
    He’d sighed as if her mere touch brought ecstasy. She could well imagine that, as the kiss had affected her nearly as much. He rose fluidly to his feet and clasped her hand. “I cannot say all I wish here. Meet me tonight, at the lightning-struck oak behind the school stables. Midnight. The wait will seem an eternity.”
    Before she could protest the impossibility, he’d brought her hand to his lips and pressed a feverish kiss into the bare skin of her wrist. His touch undammed a flood of emotions. The only thing that stopped her from acting at that moment was the sound of Miss