Page 6 of Lady Tempts a Rogue

Surprising even himself—for he was quite new at this chivalry stuff—he’d written the Dowager Viscountess Poindexter, informed her of her granddaughter’s humiliating incident, and implored her to remove Miss Marsters-Montgomery to a safer environment.

Sadly, the dowager had not responded.

Short of spiriting Miss Marsters-Montgomery away, Devin’s hands were tied. The law should not permit a father to jeopardize his child’s safety or use her as a pawn—particularly a young woman with dubious intelligence.

The ship pitched, a slow, gentle roll, and Devin braced his hand against the wall.

Though a partial owner of the Daunting Duchess—a portion of his inheritance from Father—Devin had not sailed before.

Please, God, grant me the stomach for sea travel.

It mattered not if he was not a good sailor.

When he’d sent the message requesting Captain Breckett reserve him a cabin aboard the Daunting Duchess, he had been livid and a trifle desperate. He had breathed a sigh of relief and slept through the night for the first time since the incident with Miss Marsters-Montgomery when Captain Breckett’s terse response arrived.

Cabin reserved.

Departure 19 October-evening tide.

Do not be late.

Shall sail without you.

Breckett

Devin had narrowly escaped the plot hatched between his interfering mother and the wily Viscount Poindexter. For years, his mother had attempted to matchmake. But that…that…

Hell’s chiming bells.

He could not even finish the thought without ire billowing behind his breastbone and several colorful invectives tapping at the back of his teeth.

Mother had gone too far this time.

Far, far beyond the pale, and it would be some time before he forgave her—if ever.

A sweet thing, fifteen or sixteen, Miss Marsters-Montgomery was not the brightest candle in the chandelier. In fact, Devin suspected that was one reason her negligent father had consented to the madcap scheme. Shame on the vile rotter for exploiting his daughter and putting her in harm’s way.

No saint himself, Devin was not such a blackguard that he would take advantage of the girl. However, there were plenty of scapegraces and libertines that would’ve done. Mother had counted on him being an honorable gentleman should the girl be compromised.

Good thing it had not come to that because he would not have asked for Miss Marsters-Montgomery’s hand. And the girl would’ve been ruined beyond redemption.

Eyes narrowed, Devin studied a four-inch scrape on the wall and scratched his nose.

Was he more rogue than gentleman or more gentleman than rogue?

That he did not know twisted his gut, and the mass lay there coiled, making him the merest bit woozy.

Or was that the ship’s movements?

He snorted and shook his head as he whipped his cloak off, then hung it on a convenient peg beside the door before removing his triple-caped great coat and hanging it on another peg. With a grimace, he plowed a hand through his hair before rotating his neck several times in a vain attempt to loosen the pebbles that had taken up residence in his neck and shoulder muscles.

Knots caused by constant tension.

That he should have to sneak around London for these past weeks, staying in one lodging house after another, under ever increasingly ridiculous false names, to avoid his meddlesome mother’s intrigues was beyond galling.

The disconcerting truth was that Mother had shown no remorse after Miss Marsters-Montgomery botched the seduction attempt. Devin doubted his mother would voluntarily eschew her machinations. So, rather than risk entrapment in wedlock, he’d opted to take a personal interest in a few of Father’s investment ventures abroad.

Specifically, those farthest from England’s shores.