Thief of Shadows

The fourth novel in Elizabeth Hoyt's sensuous New York Times bestselling Maiden Lane Series!

Three men who made a sacred pact years before: to defend and protect the innocent of St. Giles-no matter the cost to themselves.

During the day Winter Makepeace is a mild mannered schoolmaster and the manager of the Home for Unfortunate Infants and Foundling Children. But at night he transforms into the Ghost of St. Giles-a masked avenger dressed in a harlequin's motley and sinister mask, wielding his swords with deadly accuracy.

Lady Isabel Beckinhall is a society widow, known for her exquisite taste and her sophisticated parties. Her elegant façade hides a secret hurt-Isabel is barren. When Isabel becomes a member of the Ladies' Syndicate for the Benefit of the Home for Unfortunate Infants and Foundling Children she soon clashes with the severely monastic, terribly solemn-and quite distractingly intriguing-manager, Mr. Makepeace. Unfortunately Mr. Makepeace has decided that Isobel is a frivolous and air-headed merry widow-a misassumption that Isobel is in no particular hurry to correct.

When the infamous Ghost of St. Giles is wounded while rescuing a notorious pirate from the gallows, Isabel has no choice but to hide the ghost from a ravenous mob. Searching for his wounds, she strips the unconscious Ghost-discovering a muscular young man in the process. The Ghost wakes and prevents her from removing his mask. She tends him through a long night and he leaves at dawn, but not before stealing a kiss-and Isabel's imagination.

Winter is haunted by this glimpse of the tender-and sensuous-side of Lady Beckinhall, but he knows that they are too far apart socially to ever be together. He resolves to put her out of his mind. But when Isabel is tasked with putting some social polish on Winter, they are thrown into each other's company and his resolve is tested. Isabel discovers that the schoolmaster isn't entirely humorless and Winter finds that a fine mind is hidden beneath Isabel's frivolity.

But when a relentless dragoon captain begins hunting the Ghost of St. Giles, Winter must decide if he can trust his secret, his life-and his