"Matchmaking is a dangerous business," Olivia warned.

Eliza looked up from nursing her daughter, Alexandra, and met the troubled gaze of the Duchess of Braddock, who was sitting on the sofa across the room. "I only thought, since Alastair is already married to Katherine, that we should invite her here from Scotland for a visit," Eliza said.

"If Blackthorne wants to see his bride, he is perfectly capable of making the journey to Scotland himself," Olivia said.

Charlotte wrinkled her nose. "Where is your sense of adventure, Livy?"

"I left it safe at home!"

Olivia had come with Charlotte to see the renovations Eliza had made to the east wing of the Abbey. And, Eliza suspected, so they could both make sure that Eliza and the Beau were living happily ever after. And they were, Eliza thought, as she looked around her.

Reggie and Becky were playing with Olivia's two-year-old son, William, and Charlotte's one-year-old daughter, Margaret, who were settled on a blanket in the center of the room with a selection of colorful wooden and cloth toys.

Of course children belonged in a nursery, not in the middle of a drawing room where guests were received, but Eliza enjoyed having the twins close by. And she knew Becky would not be happy unless she had a chance to hold the babies. Besides, the duchess and the countess had not missed a step when she had suggested they allow the children to join them.

In a chair directed toward the fire, Aunt Lavinia's knitting needles were clacking industriously. Eliza could tell she was listening to everything that was going on, merely by watching her expressive face. A sleek black cat lay curled on her lap, purring contentedly.

Eliza smiled to herself. It was not until Alexandra had been born that she realized her aunt had been knitting baby clothes all these years. Alexandra wanted for nothing. Now Aunt Lavinia was working on a wardrobe for the next Wharton child. Considering the ball of blue yarn in her lap, Aunt Lavinia was expecting a son to make his appearance next.

"I found matchmaking a perfectly delightful endeavor, Livy," Charlotte said. "And you must admit, my efforts have not turned out so badly." She glanced smugly from Olivia to Eliza.

Olivia made a very unduchesslike sound of rebuttal.

"I only intend to invite Alastair's wife for a visit to the Abbey. Surely there could be no harm in that," Eliza said, adjusting the lace-edged blanket over her daughter, who was greedily inhaling her luncheon. "Despite the fact none of us has ever laid eyes on her, the mistress of Blackthorne Hall is my sister-in-law."

Charlotte thumped the heels of her black patent leather half boots against the side of the wingback chair in which she was sitting crosswise. "I say Eliza should do it!"

"Do what?" Marcus asked, entering the drawing room with Lion and Reeve on his heels. He crossed immediately to his wife and gave her a kiss on the mouth, caressing her breast beneath the blanket that hid the nursing child. He grinned at her rosy face and settled himself on the carpet at her feet.

Eliza blushed. Her friends must have seen how Marcus had touched her breast. Perhaps they thought he had caressed the baby's cheek.

When she finally got the courage to look up, Eliza realized from the other two sets of rosy cheeks across the room, that both women had been too busy enthusiastically greeting their own husbands to notice what she and Marcus were doing. She rearranged the nursing cloth but did not remove herself from the company. Over the past year, the three couples had become fast friends, and Charlotte made sure they treated each other as family.

When Reeve was settled beside Olivia on the sofa, and Lion had relaxed his arm across the top of Charlotte's wingback chair, Marcus repeated his question. "What is it you are planning, Eliza?"

"I want to invite Katherine to Blackthorne Abbey for a visit."

"Alex has no wish to see his wife," Marcus said flatly.

Eliza watched Lion and Reeve exchange a meaningful glance. What did they know that she did not? Did Marcus know it, too? Maybe she should not be interfering in her brother-in-law's life. But she could not understand how Alastair could simply ignore his Scottish wife.

"Better yet," Eliza said, half to herself. "I shall find a reason why Alastair must go to her."

Marcus reached out a finger, and Eliza watched as Alexandra grasped it. Marcus played tug-of-war with the baby, who held on tight.

"Alexandra is already obstinate," he remarked. "I shudder to think what a few years of experience will do for her temper."

"She will twist you around her little finger," Lion remarked with a grin. "Believe me, I know."

The women exchanged amused glances. Little did their husbands know, but their wives were as adept at getting what they wanted as their children were.

William began to cry, which started Margaret to wailing.

Aunt Lavinia's knitting needles stopped clacking. She set her knitting aside and said, "Would anyone like to play a game of hide-and-seek with me in my room?"

"I would!" Reggie said.

"I would!" Becky said.

The twins jumped up and pulled Aunt Lavinia to her feet, upsetting the cat, who leapt to the floor and followed them all-indignantly but regally, tail held high-from the room.

"I think it may be time for someone's nap," Charlotte said, eyeing her husband coyly. She walked over to pick up Margaret, who stopped crying immediately.

"Will you come help me lay her down?" she asked Lion.

"Excuse us, Eliza," Lion said. "Marcus, I will see you later this afternoon for billiards."

Eliza could not believe how blatantly the countess had cozened her husband into taking her upstairs-where it was obvious exactly how they planned to spend the afternoon.

To her amazement, Reeve picked up his son-who also left off wailing in seconds-took his wife's hand, nodded to Marcus, and left the drawing room without another word.

Within moments the room was empty except for Eliza, Marcus, and the baby.

"Well," she said, clearing her throat. "I guess we know what they all have on their minds."

Marcus turned and faced her on his knees, trapping her between his arms, which were braced against the chair on either side of her. "I suppose we do," Marcus agreed.

Eliza felt a primitive thrill of excitement when she saw the feral gleam in his eyes.

He bent over to kiss her breast, just above the point where their daughter suckled. Eliza felt a rush of pleasure between her thighs and bit back a gasp.

"There must be something we can do to help Katherine and Alastair mend their differences," she said breathlessly, determined to get Marcus's help, or at least his acquiescence to her plan.

"She lied to him," Marcus said between kisses. "She kept him prisoner in a dungeon. He cannot forget or forgive her deception."

"Fiddlesticks!" Eliza bit back another gasp of pleasure. "Alex could not even remember his own name. Katherine needed a husband to keep Blackthorne Hall. She only used her wits to resolve a difficult situation. And as for keeping him prisoner-that lasted only a month."

"Until he escaped," Marcus interjected, "and made his way home. Alex is liable to strangle the chit the next time he sees her. Better to let well enough alone."

"I still think-" Eliza moaned. Her daughter had fallen asleep, abandoning the nipple, and Marcus had taken her place. Her milk let down with an exquisite sensation as he began to suckle her as a lover would.

"I need your help to get Alastair and Katherine together," she rasped as her head fell back and her eyes fell closed.

"I want no part of this, Eliza," he said.

She felt him lift the sleeping child from her lap and watched with dazed, lambent eyes as he wrapped Alexandra snugly in the nursing cloth and laid her on the blanket the other babies had been using in the center of the room.

When he returned, he met her gaze, all the love he felt for her shimmering in his blue eyes. His mouth gently touched hers, then withdrew.

"Please help me get them together," Eliza implored.

"No," he murmured.

She nuzzled him beneath his ear. "Pretty please." Her lips caressed the scar at the edge of his eye, then moved down his cheek to the drawn-up corner of his lip. She teased his mouth until he opened to her with a guttural sound of surrender.

"Very well," he said, sieving his hands into her hair and angling her head so she could look nowhere but at him. "Against my better judgment, I will help you get them together."

"Thank you, Marcus," she breathed, opening her mouth for him.

The kiss was an affirmation of their love. Tumultuous. Tender. Demanding. Delicious. Her fingertips trailed across his face, caressing the scars that had kept them apart, reminding him that it was not the Beau or the Beast she loved, but the man who was both of them. "I love you, Marcus," she whispered against his flesh.

"And I love you, Eliza." His lips found a sensitive spot beneath her ear to lavish with kisses. "Who taught you such devious-and such splendidly enjoyable-tactics to get your own way, my love?"

"A very good friend," Eliza said, remembering Charlotte's suggestions. She smiled as she found his mouth again. "Are they working?"

She laughed in delight as he picked her up out of the chair, laid her on the floor, and lovingly mantled her body with his own.

This book is dedicated

to my editor, Mary Ellen O'Neill

and

to Marjorie Braman and Leslie Schnur,

who introduced Dell's fabulous.

Four of Hearts.

and

to all the wonderful marketing folks,

sales reps, creative artists,

support staff, and publicists at Dell

who helped make it such a success.

Author's Note.

Dear Readers, Some of you have written asking why my titles always seem to change from what was advertised in the previous book. Daisy and the Duke became The Inheritance. Lord of the Plains became Maverick Heart. And now The Man Who Loved Her has become After the Kiss. The titles I listed first are my "working titles," the ones I use when I first conceive the book until it is turned in to the publisher. At that point, the title may change because of marketing considerations or because my publisher and I come up with something we like better. Good luck finding the book you want!

My next historical romance is Blackthorne's Bride, a continuation of the series which began with Captive and continued with After the Kiss. Set in Scotland, Blackthorne's Bride tells the delightful story of Alastair Wharton, sixth Duke of Blackthorne (you met him in After the Kiss), who finds himself the captive of a devious Scottish lass-who bluffs him into believing they are husband and wife. Look for it in bookstores early next year!

The next book in the #1 Bestselling Hawk's Way series (number 10!) is The Virgin Groom. It will be a single title release from Silhouette in August (on bookshelves in mid-July). My next mainstream novel, Heartbeat, is a romantic suspense in which a stone-jawed Texas Ranger and sharp-tongued lady lawyer find themselves on opposites sides of the law. It will be available from Avon in September (on bookshelves in mid-August). Watch for a hardcover Christmas collection featuring me and Diana Palmer in November.

As always, I appreciate hearing from you. If you would like to be on my mailing list, please send a postcard to me at P.O. Box 8531, Pembroke Pines, FL 33084. If you send a letter with comments or questions, and would like a reply, please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

I personally read and answer my mail, although as some of you know, a reply might be delayed if I have a writing deadline.

Best always, Joan Johnston.

March 1997.

Dell Books by Joan Johnston.

After the Kiss.

The Barefoot Bride.

The Bodyguard The Bridegroom.

Captive The Cowboy.

The Inheritance.

Kid Calhoun Maverick Heart.