When Becky Ward's mother ran off to marry a sea captain, her
father, the Earl of Talbot disowned her. After Becky's
father was killed her mother had no choice but to beg the
Earl for a place to live. Not wanting any more scandals the
Earl banishes mother and child to Talbot Old Hall, an old
hunting lodge in Yorkshire.
After the Earl and her mother both pass away Becky's cousin,
Russian Prince Mikhal Kurkov, becomes her guardian. Prince
Mikhal cares for no one except himself and power. He expects
Becky to obey him without question while he and his Cossacks
brutalize her village. When Becky challenges the Prince, he
locks her in her room and tells her that he will teach her
to "obey". What the Prince doesn't realize is that the old
hunting lodge is full of secret passages. Becky sneaks into
the attic to retrieve some old love letters her mother saved
from her father and his medals. While there, she discovers a
letter with clues to find a ruby, known as "The Fire of
Indra" that is to be passed down through the female family
members. This is her only inheritance and if she can sell it
maybe she can buy her home back from the Prince. Becky finds
the jewel but at the same time she also discovers a prisoner
that Prince Mikhal is torturing. She sets him free but
during their escape, he is shot in the back by one of the
Cossacks.
Becky has been running and hiding for days when she finds a
portico, she can use to hide beneath and to escape the rain.
Alec and his three friends, Lord Rushford, Lord Draxinger
and Lord Fortescue are heading to Drax's home to finish off
the night with women and drink. As they approach Drax's home
they find Becky asleep. Rush and Drax, well into their cups,
awaken her thinking that she is one of the ladybirds and has
just arrived early. Becky defends herself with a kick to the
groin, a fist to the jaw and pushes past Fort nearly
knocking him down. When Alec quits laughing he takes off
after her to make sure she is all right and to indulge his
vanity by succeeding where the other Rakehells failed.
Alec uses his charm to try and calm Becky so he can seduce
her. He still believes she is a ladybird. Becky hears the
Cossacks approaching and kisses Alec to hide herself.
Acquiescing to Alec's seduction, Becky knows would cheat the
Prince out of her virginity and when he realized that she
was no longer an innocent -- he would kill her. Becky would
rather have one night of her choosing than being brutally
raped and made a plaything by a murderer. After Alec
discovers Becky is not what or who he thought she was, he
forces her to tell him who she is and what she is up to.
After reading this book, I want to go back and read the
other five. I like the morning after scene where Alec
realized that Becky had done to him what he had done to
countless women. And, he doesn't like it one bit. These two
people need each other -- Becky needs to trust someone and
Alec needs his self respect. He also needs to be needed.
With Becky's help Alec is able to finally able to forgive
himself for the hurt and embarrassment he caused the people
he loves. He revels in the fact that to Becky, he is her
hero and that she wants nothing in return.
I must say that the love scenes are erotic. The scene where
Rush is found snooping and he begs her not to hurt his
future children is hysterical; especially after Alec arrives
home and finds them together. There was another character in
this book who I hope with all my heart show up in the next
story in order to get what is coming to her.
If you are looking for a good book where you get to know the
characters-- this is the book and series for you. The self
discovery that these two people go through is something you
don't want to miss. Do yourself a favor and read this book
-- but don't start it at night unless you want to be up all
night. Ms. Foley starts off full speed and never slows down.
This is the sixth book in the Knight Family Series, with
more to come in 2006.
Lord Alec Knight, the most daring and handsome rogue in all
of London, is a smooth-talking aristocrat with an abundance
of high-society lady admirers. With his irresistible wit,
lucky hand at the gaming tables, and enticing charisma, he
can have any woman he wants. But when the only girl he would
have considered marrying ties the knot with someone else,
Alec realizes he doesn't want to be with just any lady - he
wants to find the love of his life.
The beautiful and boldly spirited Miss Becky Ward takes his
life by storm after he rescues her from peril. Alec soon
learns that Becky is on the run, having uncovered a menacing
secret about her cousin, the murderous Prince Mikhail
Kurkov. In the midst of danger, Alec and Becky find
themselves deeply drawn to each other. After the two spend
an all-consuming night of sin, Becky's knight in shining
armor vows on his honor to protect her until the end. But
before long, Alec is protecting her with more than honor -
and it seems the once untamed rake of London just may have
found what he has been searching for all along . . . true
love.
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