The Greatest Lover in All England Read online

  Furious at this challenge, he demanded, “Who’s the first?”

  She slid into his arms, smooth and slow, then leaned forward to blow out the last candle. “Me.”

  Epilogue

  Lord Nottingham and Sir Robert Sidney did indeed have to bring cannon and kegs of powder from the Tower and threaten to blow up Essex House before the earl of Essex would surrender. A trial followed. Essex and Southampton were, of course, found guilty.

  Although Queen Elizabeth allowed the earl of Southampton to be condemned to life in the Tower, Essex was condemned to death. On the morning of February 25, Essex was beheaded.

  The queen was playing the virginals when a messenger brought the news. She stopped playing. No one said a word. After a time she began to play again.

  Lady Rosalyn, daughter of the earl of Sadler, and her husband, Sir Anthony Rycliffe, were blessed with a large, healthy baby girl on September 29, 1601, after eight months of wedded bliss. They named her Elizabeth Honora Jean Ann Rycliffe, and only one man ever commented about her early arrival.

  Lord Bothey recovered from the blow on the head with no ill effects, although it was noted that, in the future, he avoided the company of Lady Rosalyn, especially when she carried her purse.

  Honor, riches, marriage-blessing,

  Long continuance, and increasing,

  Hourly joys be still upon you!

  —THE TEMPEST, IV, i, 106

  About the Author

  CHRISTINA DODD’s novels have been translated into ten languages, won Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Golden Heart and RITA® Awards, and have been called the year’s best by Library Journal. Dodd is a regular on the USA Today, Publisher Weekly, and New York Times bestseller lists. Christina loves to hear from fans.

  Visit her website at www.christinadodd.com.

  Visit www.AuthorTracker.com for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins author.

  ENTHUSIASTIC PRAISE FOR

  NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR

  CHRISTINA DODD

  “A MASTER ROMANTIC STORYTELLER.”

  Kristin Hannah

  “SHE’S ONE OF MY ALL-TIME FAVORITES.”

  Teresa Medeiros

  “TREAT YOURSELF TO A FABULOUS BOOK—ANYTHING BY CHRISTINA DODD.”

  Jill Barnett

  “DODD TRANSPORTS READERS INTO ANOTHER ENTICING PLACE AND TIME.”

  Publishers Weekly

  “CHRISTINA DODD KEEPS GETTING BETTER AND BETTER!”

  Debbie Macomber

  By Christina Dodd

  THE BAREFOOT PRINCESS • MY FAIR TEMPTRESS

  HERO, COME BACK • SOME ENCHANTED EVENING

  ONE KISS FROM YOU • SCANDALOUS AGAIN

  MY FAVORITE BRIDE • LOST IN YOUR ARMS

  IN MY WILDEST DREAMS • RULES OF ATTRACTION

  RULES OF ENGAGEMENT • RULES OF SURRENDER

  SOMEDAY MY PRINCE • SCOTTISH BRIDES

  THE RUNAWAY PRINCESS • THAT SCANDALOUS EVENING

  A WELL PLEASURED LADY • A KNIGHT TO REMEMBER

  ONCE A KNIGHT • MOVE HEAVEN AND EARTH

  THE GREATEST LOVER IN ALL ENGLAND

  OUTRAGEOUS • CASTLES IN THE AIR

  PRICELESS • TREASURE OF THE SUN

  CANDLE IN THE WINDOW

  Coming Soon

  THE PRINCE KIDNAPS A BRIDE

  Copyright

  This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  THE GREATEST LOVER IN ALL ENGLAND. Copyright © 1994 by Christina Dodd. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

  Adobe Digital Edition November 2009 ISBN 978-0-06-199446-3

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