The New York Times Bestseller! Miss Amity Doncaster, world traveler, is accustomed to adventure and risk. Benedict Stanbridge, a man of science and a spy for the Crown, has faced danger in the darker corners of foreign lands. Now they are about to face a threat that is shockingly close to home… One does not expect to be kidnapped on a London street in broad daylight. Yet Amity Doncaster barely escapes with her life after she is trapped in a carriage with the killer known in the press as the Bridegroom. He is unwholesomely obsessed by her scandalous connection to Benedict Stanbridge—gossip about their hours alone in a ship’s stateroom seems to have crossed the Atlantic faster than any sailing vessel could. Benedict refuses to let this resourceful, daring woman suffer for her romantic link to him—as tenuous as it may be. For a man and woman so skilled at disappearing, so at home in the exotic reaches of the globe, escape is always an option. But each intends to end the Bridegroom’s reign of terror in London. And as they join forces and prepare to confront an unbalanced criminal in the heart of the city they love, they must also face feelings that neither can run from... Praise for Otherwise Engaged “Quick...has outdone herself with the nineteenth-century protagonist of Otherwise Engaged.... A plot that sustains the suspense in a novel that never loses its sense of humor.”— The Seattle Times “Stellar plotting, exquisite dialogue, and impeccable characterization.”— Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “Plenty of humor, sassiness, romance, and mystery.”—Heroes and Heartbreakers “Neatly complemented by equal measures of smoldering chemistry and lively banter, the action-packed plot is served up with plenty of dramatic flair and just the right dash of dry wit, making this a first-rate addition to Quick’s canon of classic historical romances.”— Booklist (starred review)   “Clever main characters, complex plot and passionate connections...a fun, quick read.”—Novel Reaction   “Fans of the author in all her incarnations (Amanda Quick, Jayne Castle, Jayne Ann Krentz) will really enjoy this addition to her work.”—Examiner.com Amanda Quick is a pseudonym for Jayne Ann Krentz, the author of more than fifty  New York Times  bestsellers. She writes historical romance novels under the Quick name, contemporary romantic suspense novels under the Krentz name, and futuristic romance novels under the pseudonym Jayne Castle. There are more than 35 million copies of her books in print. ***This excerpt is from an advance uncorrected proof.*** Copyright © 2014 by Jayne Ann Krentz CHAPTER THREE London   Amity blamed herself for failing to realize until too late that there was a man concealed in the shadows of the cab. It was the rain, she concluded. Under most circumstances she would have been far more observant. Traveling abroad she made it a point to pay strict attention when she found herself in unfamiliar surroundings. But this was London. One did not expect to be kidnapped straight off the street in broad daylight. True, she had been distracted when she left the lecture hall. She was still fuming because of the countless inaccuracies in Dr. Potter’s lecture on the American West. The man was a benighted fool. He had never so much as set foot outside of England, let alone bothered to read her pieces in the Flying Intelligencer. Potter knew nothing of the West, yet he dared to present himself as an authority on the subject. It had been too much to take sitting down, so of course she had been forced to stand up and raise some serious objections. That had not gone over well with Potter or his audience. She had been escorted out of the lecture hall by two stout attendants. She had heard the muffled snickers and disapproving sniffs from the crowd. Respectable ladies did not interrupt noted lecturers with the goal of correcting them. Luckily, none of those in the audience were aware of her identity. Really, one had to be so careful in London. Irritated and eager to escape the dreary summer rain, she had leaped into the first cab that stopped in the street. That proved to be a serious mistake. She barely had time to register the odd, shuttered windows and the presence of the other occupant before the man wrapped an arm around her neck and hauled her close against his chest. He pressed the tip of a very sharp object to her throat. Out of the corner of her eye she saw that he gripped a scalpel in one gloved hand. “Silence or I’ll slice open your throat before it’s time, little whore. And that would be a pity. I’m so looking forward to photographing you.” He spoke in a harsh whisper but the accent was unmistakably upper-class. His face was covered by a mask fashioned out of black silk. Openings for his eyes, nose and mouth had been cut into the fabric. He smelled of sweat, spice-scented cigarettes and expensive cologne. She was vaguely aware of the fine quality wool of his coat because of the way he held her pinned again