Obsession — Carole Mortimer

Three years ago Lord Alexander Stirling, younger brother of the Duke of Hawkwood, had been shocked to learn he had been made the guardian of fifteen-year-old Miss Amanda Fullerton, the daughter of a man he had once served with in the army. Having absolutely no room in his bachelor life for a young ward Alex immediately enrolled Amanda into Miss Marchment's School for Young Ladies, and apart from paying the school fees, had promptly forgotten about her.

Unfortunately, he has now received a letter from Miss Marchment informing him Amanda Fullerton is now past the age for continuing as a pupil at her school. The headmistress now requires Alex's instruction as to whether Amanda should remain at the school as one of the teachers or be returned to him.

There was no question in Alex's mind that Amanda Fullerton should remain at the school.

Having spent the past three years languishing in the strict confines of Miss Marchment's school Amanda had no intention of remaining there a moment longer that she had to. Nor did she intend being forced to do so, by the headmistress, or the man who was her guardian but had not so much as visited her at the school once nor requested she ever join him for the holidays.

As far as Amanda is concerned Lord Alexander Stirling has avoided his responsibilities for quite long enough.

She was completely unprepared for the shock of arriving at Lord Stirling's London home and finding him in bed with an equally naked and beautiful red-haired woman.

Alex is furious at the manner in which his ward has chosen to take it upon herself to arrive completely unannounced and uninvited at his residence in London. That anger is added to by his feeling completely wrong-footed by the timing of Amanda 's intrusion into that bachelor establishment.

But having arrived, Amanda Fullerton refuses to leave, and without resorting to actually physically removing her, Alex has no choice but to accept his beautiful and disobedient ward is here to stay. An acceptance that is immediately complicated by the unexpected desire Alex quickly realizes he feels for his ward.

When a series of “accidents” put Amanda's life in danger Alex finds himself stepping up to the role of guardian and protector when he would far rather be Amanda's lover.