Scandal in Scotland

The scent made him freeze in place
.

He was held there by a scrap of a memory—one he’d thought forgotten years ago. A memory of exotic violet eyes fringed with thick, black lashes; of hair that slid through his greedy fingers like black silk; of creamy skin that held the sun’s fragrant kiss; and of a lush mouth, ripe for kisses that—

“Hello, William.”

The voice possessed a throaty resonance that made even a whisper clear. It was rich, deeper than usual for a woman, and yet still feminine and richly wanton. William knew it as well as his own … and it was the last voice he expected to hear in his own cabin.

“Aren’t you going to return my greeting? Or are we still not speaking?” The lilting voice ran up and down his spine, as sensual as a warm hand.

William gritted his teeth against his traitorous body before turning.

There, sitting in a chair at the head of the captain’s table, was the one woman he’d never wished to see again.

Turn the page for rave reviews of
Karen Hawkins’s romantic storytelling
…

Praise for KAREN HAWKINS

“Always funny and sexy, a Karen Hawkins book is a sure delight!”

—Victoria Alexander

“Karen Hawkins writes fast, fun, and sexy stories that are a perfect read for a rainy day, a sunny day, or any day at all!”

—Christina Dodd

“Karen Hawkins will make you laugh and touch your heart.”

—Rachel Gibson

and her sparkling historical romances

One Night in Scotland

“Enticing repartee … charming and witty.”

—
Publishers Weekly

“Readers will be delighted by the perfect pacing, the humorous dialogue and the sizzling sensual romance.”

—Romantic Times
Top Pick

Much Ado About Marriage

“A delicious flirtation that pits a staid Englishman against a fey Scots woman. Humor, forklore, and sizzling love scenes lend this novel the perfect incentive for not wanting to put it down.”

—
Winter Haven News Chief
(Florida)

“Delightful banter.… Colorful secondary characters … add humor and charm.”

—
Publishers Weekly

The Laird Who Loved Me

“Filled with biting reparté, humor, and sexual tension that will keep you turning the pages with glee.”

—
Romantic Times
(4½ stars, Top Pick)

“Delightful in every way.”

—Reader To Reader

Sleepless in Scotland

“Amusing yet profound.… Readers will be sleepless in America due to a one-sitting enjoyable time.”

—Harriet Klausner

“Made me laugh, cry and fall out of bed.… Karen is an author who will transport you back in time [and] have you placing her on your must-buy list!”

—Night Owl Reviews (Top Pick)

To Catch a Highlander

“Love and laughter, poignancy and emotional intensity, endearing characters, and a charming plot are the ingredients in Hawkins’s utterly delightful tale.”

—
Romantic Times

“Fast, sensual, and brilliant.… This is romance at its best!”

—Romance and More

To Scotland, With Love

“Another winner … there were so many charming bits in it, I can’t even begin to describe them—but I found myself laughing a lot!”

—Rakehell Reviews

How to Abduct a Highland Lord

“Heated, exciting, and touching. Hawkins excels at taking tried-and-true plotlines and turning them into fresh, vibrant books.”

—
Romantic Times

“
How to Abduct a Highland Lord
is laced with passion and drama, and with its wonderfully romantic and thrilling ending, it’s a story you don’t want to miss!”

—Joyfully Reviewed

A
LSO BY
K
AREN
H
AWKINS

T
HE
H
URST
A
MULET
S
ERIES
One Night in Scotland

T
HE
M
ACLEAN
C
URSE
S
ERIES
How to Abduct a Highland Lord
To Scotland, With Love
To Catch a Highlander
Sleepless in Scotland
The Laird Who Loved Me

P
REQUEL TO THE
H
URST
A
MULET
AND
M
ACLEAN
C
URSE
S
ERIES
Much Ado About Marriage

C
ONTEMPORARY
R
OMANCE
Talk of the Town
Lois Lane Tells All

Available from Pocket Books

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2011 by Karen Hawkins

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address Pocket Books Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.

First Pocket Books paperback edition June 2011

POCKET BOOKS and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your live event. For more information or to book an event contact the Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau at 1-866-248-3049 or visit our website at
www.simonspeakers.com
.

Cover illustration by Craig White. Hand lettering by Ron Zinn.

Manufactured in the United States of America

10    9    8    7    6    5    4    3    2    1

ISBN 978-1-4391-7593-4
ISBN 978-1-4391-7601-6 (ebook)

To my husband, aka Hot Cop.
It’s been a wonderful, crazy, divine seven years.
Or has it been eight? I don’t remember. I only know
that however much time we’ve had, it’s not enough.

Contents

A Note to My Readers

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Epilogue

From Sleepless in Scotland

From The Laird Who Loved Me

From One Night in Scotland

A
NOTE TO MY READERS

D
uring the Regency period, a number of famous actors and actresses performed at Drury Lane theaters. One of the most notable was Sarah Siddons. Although Mrs. Siddons retired in 1812, near the beginning of the Regency period, she was the standard by which most actresses were judged for decades afterward.

Actresses occupied a very difficult position, as acting was only just becoming a respected profession. Famed actors and actresses mixed with the literary and social elites, and were often hired to perform scenes and even entire plays at various social gatherings. Unfortunately, actresses were also preyed upon by the wealthy and indolent for far more notorious purposes, and many younger actresses were lured from the stage for less than respectable reasons.

There are many stories about Sarah Siddons’s acting abilities, and one of my favorites is when she played Asphasia in
Tamburlaine
. After witnessing her stage lover strangled before her very eyes, Mrs. Siddons was supposed to fall lifeless upon the floor. Her performance was so gripping that members of the audience thought she’d really dropped dead, and raised a horrendous cry until the manager assured them that she’d only been acting and was, in fact, quite alive.