How to Steal a Thief’s Heart Read online

  How to Steal a Thief’s Heart

  (#4 Happy Ever Regency Series)

  by

  Bree Wolf

  © Copyright 2020 by Bree Wolf

  Text by Bree Wolf

  Cover by Wicked Smart Designs

  Dragonblade Publishing, Inc. is an imprint of Kathryn Le Veque Novels, Inc.

  P.O. Box 7968

  La Verne CA 91750

  [email protected]

  Produced in the United States of America

  First Edition May 2020

  Kindle Edition

  Reproduction of any kind except where it pertains to short quotes in relation to advertising or promotion is strictly prohibited.

  All Rights Reserved.

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

  License Notes:

  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook, once purchased, may not be re-sold. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it or borrow it, or it was not purchased for you and given as a gift for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. If this book was purchased on an unauthorized platform, then it is a pirated and/or unauthorized copy and violators will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Do not purchase or accept pirated copies. Thank you for respecting the author’s hard work. For subsidiary rights, contact Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.

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  CEO, Dragonblade Publishing

  Additional Dragonblade books by Author Bree Wolf

  Happy Every Regency Series

  How to Wake a Sleeping Lady

  How to Tame a Beastly Lord

  How To Climb A Lady’s Tower

  How to Steal a Thief’s Heart

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  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Publisher’s Note

  Additional Dragonblade books by Author Bree Wolf

  About the Book

  Prologue

  Chapter One – A Clever Woman

  Chapter Two – A Knight of the Road

  Chapter Three – Across the Dance Floor

  Chapter Four – A Curious Observation

  Chapter Five – What Must Be Done

  Chapter Six – A Friend’s Request

  Chapter Seven – In the Pouring Rain

  Chapter Eight – A Masked Man

  Chapter Nine – Secrets Among Cousins

  Chapter Ten – A Fateful Night

  Chapter Eleven – The Masked Man Returns

  Chapter Twelve – The Heart of Caroline Hawkins

  Chapter Thirteen – Out of Sight, but Not Out of Mind

  Chapter Fourteen – An Undeterrable Man

  Chapter Fifteen – A Man’s Secret

  Chapter Sixteen – Someone

  Chapter Seventeen – A Life’s Mission

  Chapter Eighteen – A Respectful Man

  Chapter Nineteen – A Burden Shared

  Chapter Twenty – A Promise

  Chapter Twenty-One – A Rather Unexpected Call for Aid

  Chapter Twenty-Two – The Highwayman

  Chapter Twenty-Three – A Gentleman Interferes

  Chapter Twenty-Four – A Late Visitor

  Chapter Twenty-Five – A Little Girl in the Dark

  Chapter Twenty-Six – Answers Given & Received

  Chapter Twenty-Seven – A Night Long Past

  Chapter Twenty-Eight – A Change in Affections

  Chapter Twenty-Nine – A Surprise Arrival

  Chapter Thirty – A Stroll in the Park

  Chapter Thirty-One – A Wedding Celebration

  Chapter Thirty-Two – To Help Another

  Chapter Thirty-Three – Open Words Between Cousins

  Chapter Thirty-Four – Off to a Masquerade

  Chapter Thirty-Five – A Daring Message

  Chapter Thirty-Six – No Expectations

  Chapter Thirty-Seven – Another World

  Chapter Thirty-Eight – An Unexpected Sight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine – Selfish

  Chapter Forty – Something Foolish

  Chapter Forty-One – A Moment Alone

  Chapter Forty-Two – A New Course

  Chapter Forty-Three – A Butterfly

  Chapter Forty-Four – A Threatening Accusation

  Chapter Forty-Five – A Fearless Woman

  Epilogue

  About Bree

  About the Book

  An unusual wallflower. A knight of the road.

  And a moment that changed all they thought they knew.

  Devoted to the children at her orphanage, Miss Caroline Hawkins hides her beauty behind thick spectacles and drab clothing in order to remain unwed…and free to do as she pleases. While her parents would love nothing more than to see her well married, Caroline is determined to live life on her own terms, refining her disguise to perfection in order to scare off suitors. For years, she’s lived in the shadows of society, unnoticed by the crème de la crème of the ton…

  …until Lord Markham, a.k.a. the Black Baron, takes a closer look and realizes that there is more to mousy Miss Hawkins than meets the eye.

  Pierce Byrne, Baron Markham, detests English society for their selfish disdain and complete disregard for others. Thus, to even the odds, to give back at least a little, Pierce dons a black mask at night and sets out to rob his fellow peers in order to do what is right…

  …until one night when he comes upon yet another carriage and finds a highly unusual woman inside. A woman with a secret of her own. A woman he’s met before.

  Determined to uncover her secret, Pierce follows her and before he knows it, all he thought he knew is called into question as a mousy wallflower upends his world…and steals his heart.

  Prologue

  London 1805 (or a variation thereof)

  Seven Years Earlier

  The marketplace was abuzz with people, vendors promoting their wares, children running around laughing and shouting as well as lords and ladies promenading along the stalls, inspecting the latest fabrics newly arrived from France. The sun shone brightly overhead and, yet, a small breeze stirred the air, carrying a hint of the sea’s breath. Delicious smells mingled with the salty touch, and thirteen-year-old Caroline Hawkins gazed over the assortments of chocolate and marzipan candies, licorice, chewy caramels, dried fruits, gingerbread and sugared almonds.

  Dressed in a cheerful rose-colored gown, her golden-brown hair dancing in little ringlets down to her shoulders, Caroline strolled by the many stalls, her governess on her heels, while her mother, Mrs. Mildred Hawkins, daughter to Baron Hunsford and wife to Mr. Conrad Hawk
ins, third son of a wealthy merchant family, continued to peruse the fabrics on display on the other side of the market. “These look delicious,” Caroline commented, her blue eyes wide as she surveyed the assortments.

  With a smile, her governess purchased a small variety of the sweetmeats before they proceeded farther along the stalls lining the outer rim of the market.

  Smiles and laughter met her, and Caroline enjoyed seeing the many cheerful faces around her. It was indeed a perfect day.

  Or it would have been had her gaze not moved to the narrow gap between two stalls and fallen on a small, dirty face with wide green eyes. The little girl huddled near the ground, her head lowered and her back bent. Her hair was a mangled mess, sticking out in all directions and her clothes looked as though they might fall off her frail body at any moment.

  Caroline paused, strangely intrigued by the wide eyes staring back at her for what she saw in them was an odd mix of fear and determination.

  “Come along, Miss Hawkins,” her governess addressed her. “Your mother is awaiting us over there.”

  Nodding absentmindedly, Caroline found her feet moving along and thus, a moment later, the sight of the little girl vanished, hidden behind large crates stacked by the adjacent stall. Still, those green eyes stayed with Caroline, and she no longer paid the hustle-bustle around her any attention.

  “Oh, Caroline, there you are!” her mother greeted her as they met at a ribbon stall. “Look, this velvet blue one looks stunning, does it not?” She held the delicate fabric up against her daughter’s shining hair. “You’ll look beautiful in it, my dear.”

  Again, Caroline nodded, a small smile tugging on her lips as she met her mother’s luminous gaze. “Yes, it is lovely.” And it was. Any other day, Caroline would have been happy to discover it. However, in that moment, all she could think about were those wide green eyes. Who was that little girl? And how—?

  “Then you shall have it,” her mother exclaimed as her hand brushed a ringlet from her daughter’s temple. “Oh, only imagine, in but a few years, you’ll be out in society.” A deep sigh left her lips. “Gentlemen will vie for your hand in marriage. You’ll be a lady and have all the gowns and ribbons your heart desires.”

  Again, Caroline nodded. But she could not prevent her head from turning, her eyes straining to look past the many market-goers, searching for those green eyes and the little, dirt-stained creature they belonged to. Where had she gone? “May I walk around a bit more?” Caroline asked her mother as she continued to look through the wide assortment.

  “Certainly, my dear.” Her mother gave her an affectionate pat on the shoulder. “Feel free to purchase anything you like. It is such a marvelous day.”

  As Caroline began to make her way through the crowd, her governess once more on her heels, she kept looking for the young child, her feet carrying her back to the stall where she’d seen her. However, when she peeked into the narrow gap, her eyes came up empty.

  Caroline felt an odd sense of loss, and without thought, her head craned this way and that, trying to catch a glimpse of the little girl.

  “Are you looking for something, Miss?”

  Smiling at her governess, Caroline proceeded onward, her eyes still scanning her surroundings. “I saw a small girl,” she told her. “She was cowering in that corner over there, but now she’s gone. She looked awful, dirty and disheveled.” And now that she thought about it, hungry as well.

  Her governess’ brows drew together. “A street urchin, no doubt. Do not mind her, Miss. No doubt, she’s here to steal from these honest people.” Her face crinkled up further. “These pickpockets are everywhere.” Her eyes narrowed as she looked about herself.

  Disappointed by her governess’ lack of interest, Caroline turned back around, took a few steps and then froze.

  There, only a few paces ahead, half-hidden by the crowd, was the little girl. Her green eyes lingered on the stall where Caroline had purchased the sweetmeats as her feet carried her ever closer.

  Only now did Caroline realize that the girl was older than she’d first thought. Certainly, she was frail, her arms and legs matchstick-thin. Still, her height betrayed her age, which seemed to be close to Caroline’s. The girl stuck to the side, her gaze moving over her surroundings, always watchful as she drew nearer.

  Caroline held her breath as she watched.

  The look in the girl’s eyes was one of deepest hunger. Her limbs trembled, and her cheeks looked pale even under the grime that clung to her face. She looked as though she were ready to faint, and still she continued on. What was her life like? Caroline wondered. Where was her family?

  Suddenly, the vendor appeared, a burly man with thick brows. His gaze narrowed as he spied the girl. Then he shot forward, his hands reaching for her, a snarl on his face. “Be gone, ye misbegotten thief! Be gone!”

  Flinching, the girl spun around and dashed away, fleeing into the surrounding crowd with a quickness Caroline wouldn’t have expected.

  Hesitating for only a second, Caroline felt her hand clamp on to the small bag of sweetmeats she’d purchased and, in the next moment, energy all but exploded down her legs and she, too, dashed forward into the crowd. Dimly, she heard her governess’ calls behind her. Her legs, however, would not slow down. Darting left and right around people, Caroline fought to keep the girl in sight as they made their way across the large marketplace.

  After a while, the girl began to slow, exhaustion clear on her face as she glanced over her shoulder to see if she was being followed. When she saw no one hot on her heels, her eyes closed momentarily and she swayed on her feet. Then she all but dragged herself to the side and slipped past two stalls, retreating from the hustle-bustle of the market.

  Caroline swallowed, a touch of unease snaking down her spine. Still, she knew it was nothing compared to the horror she’d seen in the girl’s green eyes, and so she pushed onward. With a glance left and right, Caroline slipped in-between the two stalls, then proceeded farther into a narrow alley framed by tall buildings. “Hello?” she called softly when she could spot no sign of the girl. “I…I mean you no harm. I have something for you.” She lifted the small bag of sweetmeats and held it out in front of her, giving it a soft shake. “I have food. Do you want it?”

  What a silly question! Caroline thought immediately. Of course, the girl wanted it! More than that, she needed it.

  Never had Caroline needed food. Not in the same way this girl did, and it was in that moment that Caroline realized that she would never again look at her life the same way.

  The top of a head poked out from the side of a building, closely followed by a set of dark green eyes, now narrowed in suspicion. They moved from the bag in Caroline’s hand to Caroline herself.

  “I’m alone,” Caroline whispered, once more glancing over her shoulder to ensure that she was, indeed, telling the truth. “I promise I mean you no harm. I came to share my sweetmeats with you.”

  A part of her whispered that she could simply set the bag down on the ground and retreat. Surely, once she’d left, the girl would come out and retrieve it. However, if she did so, they would in all likelihood never meet again.

  And Caroline could simply not accept that.

  Waiting patiently, Caroline breathed a sigh of relief when more of the girl’s head appeared. Again, she glanced over her shoulder and then past Caroline before stepping out into the open. “Why?” she asked, her voice weak and barely audible. Still, the look in her eyes was defiant.

  “No one should be hungry,” Caroline said simply, remembering the stalls upon stalls of food. “There’s enough for everyone to share.”

  The girl’s gaze narrowed, but then she took a step forward.

  And then another.

  And another.

  “I’m Caroline.”

  The girl paused, her green eyes sweeping over Caroline’s face. “Sarah.”

  Only a few steps apart, the two girls looked at one another, and Caroline wondered at the difference in their lives. How
was it that one had everything she could want while the other had to fight to put food in her belly?

  “Here,” Caroline said, offering Sarah the small bag. “It’s for you.”

  Inhaling a slow breath, Sarah hesitated, her gaze doubtful. Still, her hand moved, reaching for the small offering.

  “Do you live around here?”

  Sarah’s gaze narrowed as she clutched the bag of sweetmeats to her chest, her body tense, ready to dart away at a moment’s notice.

  Caroline held up her hands in a soothing gesture. “I’m only asking because…because I could come back and bring you more.” The words tumbled from her lips without thought, pushed out into the world by an almost burning desire to help. “We could meet here.”

  Sarah’s head cocked sideways, doubt still resting in her green gaze. Still, she could not simply ignore this opportunity to have food handed to her. Caroline could see the temptation that came to her face. To put her trust in a stranger was a risk, but so was going without food for too long.

  “When?” Sarah asked, her gaze once more darting beyond Caroline’s shoulder.

  Remembering her governess’ reaction, Caroline realized that what she was offering would not find approval with her parents. In all likelihood, they would forbid her if she were to speak to them about it. “I’d have to find a way to sneak off,” she thought out loud before her gaze returned to meet Sarah’s, who was watching her intently. “We often go for an outing on Sundays. I’ll try to come back here every Sunday and bring you what I can.” She drew in a deep breath when the weight of the responsibility she was taking on sank in. “I promise.”

  Sarah’s gaze remained still for a long moment. “Thank ye.”

  Never had those two words meant more, and Caroline felt a lump of ice settle in her stomach at the thought of how many years she’d lived without a care in the world while others had to fight for something as basic as food day in and day out.

  But no more.