A Woman Made for Sin Read Online Free PDF Page B

that as Millie became adjusted
     to her role, she would realize that it was now time for her to adopt a more mature
     and sensible attitude and overcome her seemingly constant desire to seek out reckless
     adventures.
    It was not that he desired to squelch her spirit—far from it. Millie’s exuberance
     for life filled him in a way nothing or no one could. But he never would admit it
     to anyone, especially her. Despite wishing he were otherwise, Chase was well aware
     that he was far too pragmatic for a man of his age. He might be only thirty, but the
     last ten years of his life had been oftentimes brutal, hardening him in countless
     ways.
    As the Chaselton heir, he had been raised to be practical and outwardly sedate. As
     a war spy, he had learned to suppress every emotion while cultivating caution and
     vigilance as constant companions. As a result, most people believed him indifferent
     to the people and events around him, thinking him cold, calculating, and unfeeling.
     And while he often was just as others saw him, little Mildred Aldon—the bane of his
     childhood—had somehow broken through every shell he had built around his heart. It
     amazed him how she continually found ways to remind him of what a sheer joy it was
     just to be alive.
    Not long after they were married, he realized his need for her was growing in intensity,
     and it frightened him. As a result, he had an overwhelming desire not just to make
     her happy but to keep her safe, secure, and away from the dangers with which he had
     too long been associated.
    This past spring he had almost lost her, and though Chase knew the men behind the
     ordeal were dead, he could not stop the nagging feeling that something had been left
     undone. Too many questions had yet to be answered.
    Sir Edward Lutton—the treasonous mastermind—had drowned near the rocky cliffs of the
     Chaselton country estate. And though the violent waves had pummeled his body into
     fish food, Sir Edward’s death had not ended the ordeal. The aftermath of dealing with
     a treasonous plot led by a key intelligence officer was long and arduous. It would
     be several more months before the full extent of the damage his one-time mentor had
     caused would be known.
    Thankfully, nothing found so far had been determined to be permanently harmful to
     the men serving in uniform or to the homeland and her allies. And yet, Chase remained
     unsettled. And he was not alone in the feeling and found himself needing to meet somewhat
     frequently—and discreetly—with those in parliament and the war department. So, when
     his mother suggested letting his sister Aimee stay with Jennelle while they went to
     Town for the Little Season, Chase had quickly agreed. Many in Society migrated back
     to London during the autumn months finding it easier to entertain and be entertained
     than at their country estates. Because the unofficial Season was much smaller, Chase
     believed it would provide the perfect opportunity for his mother to educate Millie
     on her new role as marchioness. Too late did he realize that his mother had plans
     of her own.
    Soon after they arrived, he and Millie began accepting invitations to meet with those
     of similar status. As expected, his mother had helped introduce Millie into Society,
     this time not as a debutante, but as a peer. And while inexperienced, Millie had proven
     she was quite capable of comporting herself as a marchioness. She had hosted her first
     party and it was such a success that his mother—Dowager Lady Chaselton—had announced
     that she was now Millie’s largest impediment. She needed to leave in order to give
     Millie the chance to begin building a legacy of her own. Then, without warning, she
     promptly left London to visit friends in northern Scotland; a distance he suspected
     quite intentional as it was too far for him or Millie to reach out for assistance
     even if they should desire it.
    Chase had no illusions then or now that his mother