Unmasked by the Marquess (Regency Imposters #1)

by Cat Sebastian

Now, why in hell did it feel so good when other people rubbed one’s head and so pointless when one did it oneself?

“I worry about everything,” Alistair confessed.

“I won’t tell you to stop worrying, that there isn’t anything to worry about, because that never works. And it’s never true. There’s always something to eat you up.”

“I’ve found the fears are there whether you fret or not. So I sweep them aside and try to enjoy myself while I can.”

Besides, Alistair would rather have Robin present and unkissed than Robin absent under any circumstances.

He found that he didn’t care terribly much whether Robin was a man or a woman. That was quite secondary, compared to the fact that Robin was a fraud and a cheat. Surely the fact that he didn’t care spoke badly of his faculties. There were men who preferred other men, and kept damned quiet about it, and there were men who preferred women. To not take a stand one way or the other seemed wanton. Greedy. Not at all like the sober, measured gentleman Alistair wanted to be.

God help her, but she was going to have to add a mania for subdued tailoring to her list of depravities.

Imagine if people carried their hearts around like fragile birds’ eggs, carefully preventing the smallest crack or injury. Everybody would keep a polite distance, safe and protected and utterly alone.

There really were times when strong drink was medicinal, and she was fairly sure this was one of those times.

“Did it occur to you, even once, that your notions of respectability and justice don’t mean a thing to me? Those ideas have never done me any good, so why should I care?

“It will be my pleasure, my absolute delight to deal with anyone who wants to make trouble for my wife or children. You have no idea how much I’m looking forward to it.”

“You’ve been nothing but trouble since I met you. And I’ve never been happier. I want a lifetime of trouble from you.”