Again The Magic - Softcover

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Lisa Kleypas graduated from Wellesley College with a political science degree. Her novels are published in forty different languages and are bestsellers all over the world. Currently she lives in California with her husband Gregory.

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She gave him her innocence . . .

Lady Aline Marsden was brought up to marry a man of her own class, but from the moment she meets John McKenna, she risks everything to be with him.

He gave her his heart

Although their love is forbidden, McKenna's passion for the beautiful Aline is too compelling to deny.

When their secret is discovered, their world is shattered. McKenna is forced to leave forever, unaware that the only reason Aline has given him up is to save him.

Now McKenna has returned, a powerful man determined to take revenge against the woman who broke his heart. But the magic between them burns as fiercely as ever . . . and as McKenna uncovers Aline's deepest secret, together they discover a love that will defy Fate itself.

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Excerpt

Chapter One

Hampshire, 1832

A stable boy wasn't supposed to speak to an earl'sdaughter, much less climb up to her bedroom window. God knew what would happen to him if he was caught. He would probably be whipped before being booted off the estate.

McKenna climbed up a support column, curled his long fingers around the ironwork of the second-floor balcony, and hung suspended for a moment before swinging his legs up with a grunt of effort. Catching the edge of the balcony with one heel, he pulled himself onto the balcony and eased over the railing.

He crouched in front of the French doors and cuppedhis hands on either side of his eyes as he peered into thebedroom, where a single lamp was burning. A girlstood before the dressing table, pulling a brush through her long dark hair. The sight filled McKenna with arush of pleasure.

Lady Aline Marsden ... the older daughter of theEarl of Westcliff. She was warm, high-spirited, andbeautiful in all ways. Having been allowed too muchfreedom by her inattentive parents, Aline had spentmost of her short life roaming about her family's lavishHampshire estate. Lord and Lady Westcliff were toocaught up in their own social affairs to give any realconsideration to the supervision of their three children.The situation was not uncommon for families who in-habitedcountry houses like the one at Stony Cross Park. Their lives were stratified by the sheer size of the estate, as children ate, slept, and played far away from their parents. Moreover, the notion of parental responsibilitydid not constitute any kind of bond between the earl and countess. Neither of them was particularly inclined to worry over a child who was the product of a practical and loveless union.

Since the day that McKenna had been brought to theestate at the age of eight, he and Aline had been constantcompanions for ten years, climbing trees, swimming in the river, and running about barefoot. Their friendship had been overlooked because they were children. But eventually things had begun to change between them. No healthy young man could fail to be stirred and set off-kilter by Aline, who, at the age of seventeen, had become the loveliest girl on God's green earth.

At the moment Aline was already dressed for bed, wearing a nightgown made of intricately tucked and ruffled white cotton. As she moved across the room, the lamplight silhouetted the generous curves of her breasts and hips through the thin fabric, and slid over the shining sable locks of her hair. Aline's looks were the kind that caused the heart to stop and the breath to catch. Her coloring alone would have given even a homely woman the appearance of great beauty. But her features were fine and perfect, and perpetually lit with the radiance of unchecked emotion. And as if all that hadn't been quite enough, nature had added one last flourish, a tiny black mark that flirted with the corner of her mouth. McKenna had fantasized endlessly about kissing that tantalizing spot, and following it to the lush curves of her lips. Kissing and kissing her, until she was weak and shivering in his arms.

On more than one occasion McKenna had ponderedthe question of how a man of the earl's unremarkablelooks, paired with a woman of the countess's averageattractiveness, could have produced a daughter likeAline. By some quirk of fate, she had inherited just theright combination of features from each. Their son,Marcus, had been somewhat less fortunate, resemblingthe earl with his broad and harsh-planed face, and hisbull-like physical build. Little Livia - rumored to bethe result of one of the countess's extramarital affairs - was pretty but not extraordinarily so, lacking her sister'sradiant dark magic.

As he watched Aline, McKenna reflected that thetime was fast approaching when they could have nothingmore to do with each other. The familiarity betweenthem would soon become dangerous, if it had not already. Collecting himself, McKenna tapped gently on a glass pane of the French doors. Aline turned toward the sound and saw him without apparent surprise. McKenna rose to his feet, watching her intently.

Folding her arms across her chest, Aline regardedhim with a scowl. Go away, she mouthed silentlythrough the window.

McKenna was both amused and consternated as hewondered what the hell he had done now. To his knowledge,he hadn't been involved in any pranks or mischiefmaking, and he hadn't picked any arguments with her.And as a reward, he had been left waiting alone by theriver for two hours this afternoon.

Shaking his head stubbornly, McKenna remainedwhere he was. He reached down to rattle the door handlein subtle warning. They both knew that if he wasdiscovered on her balcony, he would bear the brunt ofthe consequences, not she. And it was for that reason - to preserve his hide - that she reluctantly unlocked thedoor and opened it. He couldn't help grinning at thesuccess of his ploy, even as she continued to frown.

"Did you forget that we were to meet this after-noon?”McKenna asked without preamble, graspingthe edge of the door in one hand. He leaned his shoulderagainst the narrow wood frame and smiled into herdark brown eyes. Even when he slouched, Aline wasforced to crane her neck upward to meet his gaze.

"No, I didn't forget." Her voice, usually so light andsweet, was edged with surliness.

"Then where were you?"

"Does it really matter?"

McKenna tilted his head as he briefly pondered whygirls liked to put a fellow through a guessing gamewhen he was in trouble ...

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Again the Magicby Kleypas, Lisa Excerpted by permission.
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Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.Copyright © 2003 Laura Lippman
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