
Midnight rain lashes the tall windows of Kingsland Court while Sir Jasper paces beneath the crest that commands, Strike once, and strike well. Lady Kingsland is exhausted, and in a prolonged labor it is wise to have the clergyman near. You step into this one-chapter preview with Sir Jasper Kingsland at the center, where choices turn on the people, promises, and pressure already in the room. Sir Jasper's joy hardens into suspicion as the clock begins another hour. The chapter closes on a continuation question rather than resolving the novel's larger arc.
Read The Baronet's Bride; Or, A Woman's Vengeance