The Bride Thief

Jacquie D'Alessandro The Bride Thief

© 2002

This book is dedicated to my editor,

Kara Cesare; editorial assistant, Liz Scheier; and to Nita Taublib, with my gratitude for their terrific ideas, hard work, and their unfailing kindness, support, and enthusiasm.

And, as always, to my incredible husband, Joe, the Thief who stole my heart; and my makes-me-so-proud son, Christopher, aka Thief Junior.

Acknowledgments

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the following people for their invaluable help and support:

My critique partners, Donna Fejes, Susan Goggins, and Carina Rock, for their weekly keep-me-on-track sessions.

My agent, Damans Rowland, for her faith and wisdom.

Beekeepers Angus Stokes, Dave Cushman, Jacob Kahn, Chris Slade, Albert Knight, and Brenda McLean for the wealth of information they provided.

My mom and dad, Kay and Jim Johnson, for a lifetime of love, support, and lots of cheerleading.

My in-laws, Lea and Art D'Alessandro, for the priceless gift of their son, and lots of cheerleading.

My sister, Kathy Guse, for all the good times and lots of cheerleading.

Marcia Hopkins, for all the therapeutic shopping adventures.

Martha Kirkland, my best research source, for being so generous with her time and knowledge.

I would also like to thank the wonderful people at Bantam/Dell, most especially Theresa Zoro, Marietta Anastassatos, and cover artist David Gatti.

A very special thank you to Wendy Etherington and Jenni Grizzle, and a cyber hug from Princess Shoes to Don Vito, Filbert, Jilly/Jan, Happy Jack, the Virgin, Slick, Dimwiddie, Kaffeine, and Brocodile. Thanks also to Steve, Michelle and Lindsey Grossman, Jeannie and Ken Pierannunzi, the members of Georgia Romance Writers, the terrific ladies on my tennis team (even though you guys voted me in as captain when I went to the bathroom!), and all my friends and neighbors who have shown such incredible support.

And finally, thank you to all the wonderful readers who have taken the time to write or e-mail me. I love hearing from you!

Chapter One

Kent, 1820

Samantha Briggeham turned from the opened window where the cool night breeze drifted into the drawing room, and faced her beloved but clearly addle-brained father. 'I cannot believe you're suggesting this, Papa. Why would you think I'd consider marrying Major Wilshire? I barely know him.'

'Pshaw. He's been a family friend for years,' Charles Briggeham said, crossing the drawing room to join her near the window.

'Yes, but most of those years have been spent in the Army,' she pointed out, striving to keep her voice calm and suppress a shudder. She couldn't imagine any woman entertaining romantic thoughts of the dour Major Wilshire. Heavens, the man sported a puckered frown that made him look as if he'd just tasted a lemon. She strongly suspected this conversation was the result of Mama's well-intentioned, but unwelcome matchmaking machinations.

Papa stroked his chin. 'You're nearly six and twenty, Sammie. 'Tis time you married.'

Sammie fought a strong urge to look heavenward. Papa was the dearest, sweetest man alive, but in spite of having a wife and four daughters, he was as thick as a plank when it came to understanding females-especially her.

'Papa, I'm well beyond marriageable age. I'm perfectly content as I am.'

'Nonsense. All girls wish to marry. Your mother told me so.'

His words confirmed her suspicion that Mama was at the root of this mess. 'Not all girls, Papa.' The shudder she could no longer suppress edged down her spine at the thought of being leg-shackled to any of the men with whom she was acquainted. They were either tiresome dolts, or they simply stared at her with a mixture of pity, confusion, and in several cases, downright horror when she dared discuss mathematical equations or scientific matters with them. Most of them regarded her as 'eccentric Sammie,' a nom de plume she philosophically accepted as she knew she was eccentric-at least in the eyes of her peers.

'Of course all girls wish to marry,' Papa said again, jerking her attention back to the matter at hand. 'Look at your sisters.'

'I have looked at them. Every day of my life. I love them dearly, but Papa, you know I'm nothing like them. They're beautiful and sweet and feminine-perfectly suited to be wives. For the past decade we've all but tripped upon their constant stream of suitors. But just because Lucille, Hermione, and Emily are now all married doesn't mean I must marry.'

'Don't you wish to have a family of your own, my dear?'

A long pause filled the air, and Samantha ignored the twinge of longing that tugged her insides. She'd buried such unrealistic fantasies long ago. 'Papa, we both know that I am not the sort of woman to attract a man to marriage. Not in appearance or temperament. And besides, I'm much too old-'

'Nonsense. You're prettier than you think, Sammie. And there's nothing wrong with a woman being intelligent- so long as you don't let anyone know.' He shot her a pointed look. 'Luckily, Major Wilshire finds neither your advanced age nor your keen intellect overly offputting.'

Sammie pursed her lips. 'How incredibly kind of him.'

Her sarcasm floated over Papa's head. Stroking his chin, he continued, 'Indeed. In fact, the Major prefers a mature bride. Of course, helping Hubert with his experiments, gathering insects and toads and all that, will have to stop. Quite undignified for a married lady to be crawling about in the dirt, you know. Your brother will simply have to carry on without your assistance.'

This situation had gone quite far enough. Sammie cleared her throat and pushed her spectacles higher on her nose. 'Papa. I love working with Hubert in his laboratory and have no intention of stopping, especially now as my own experiments are showing promise of a breakthrough. And I am perfectly happy at the prospect of being a doting aunt to my future nieces and nephews. I have no desire to become Major Wilshire's wife, and frankly, I'm stunned that you would even suggest such a thing.'