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“Of course,” Lady Hawley said.

A loud pounding at the front door halted any further conversation.

Their hostess’s eyes widened. They were silent as they tried to hear what Harrison was saying.

It was a male voice. Lady Hawley muttered under her breath and jumped up.

The door was thrust open, and Lord Hawley stood in the doorway, scowling.

Diana gaped at him. She’d never seen someone in polite society appear so unhinged. His eyes raked over the ladies until they landed on his wife.

“A word, Lady Hawley,” he bit out.

“I don’t have time right now.”

His eyes narrowed. “I insist.”

Lady Hawley sighed and followed her angry husband from the room.

“What do you think that’s about?” Miss Martin questioned.

The duchess shrugged. Lady Esme asked, “Do you think what she is proposing is possible? Could we really start up our own club?”

“Remember, Lady Hawley has her own agenda for doing this, and it is related to the man she is speaking with,” the duchess said.

“But it would be quite the achievement if we pulled it off,” Miss Martin said, her eyes filled with excitement.

“It is a rather bold endeavor,” Diana said.

Miss Martin nodded. “While completely outlandish, she has done a great deal of work already. I would love to one-up the London Society of Antiquaries.”

“Your father’s club,” the duchess said.

Miss Martin blushed but didn’t respond. The duchess turned her gaze to Diana. “What do you think, Lady Hensley?”

What did she think? She thought it was an awful idea but was surprisingly still interested. Still, her practical side told her it was too much.

“I mean it, Adelaide!” Lord Hawley roared from the foyer.

Everyone went quiet, and the faintest murmurs and gasps could be heard. Diana and the duchess rose simultaneously, both concerned. The front door slammed, and the door to the room they were sitting in opened. Lady Hawley entered, looking dazed.

“Is everything fine?” Lady Esme asked.

Lady Hawley smiled sadly, “Perhaps this wasn’t meant to be.

Lord Hawley said he would drastically limit my access to our money if I went on the leisure cruise or left England.

The money from the newspaper royalties and grand tours for ladies is what I hoped would sustain the club for the next two years. ”

“There must be another option,” the duchess said.

Everyone’s eyes darted to her, shocked. Was the Duchess of Lusby agreeing to participate? She pursed her lips together. “I don’t like highhandedness. If we can find a way to still do the cruise, I will join the effort.”

“I could go,” Miss Martin said.

Lady Hawley shook her head. “I appreciate that, but you are not well-known within the right circles. I don’t mean that as an offense.”

Miss Martin sighed. “You are right. Well, what can we do? We can’t let your husband dictate what we are allowed to do. It won’t do.”

All the women nodded, even Diana. She felt inspired and excited. Shocking herself, she said, “What if I went?”

Everyone stared at her as if she’d suggested the craziest notion. Then Lady Hawley guffawed. Her notorious laugh that she was known for traveled through the room. Diana flushed, embarrassed.

Their host shook her head. “I’m not laughing at you. I think it is perfect. You are the complete opposite of our investor. Are you sure?”

Diana would have to see if her sister would care for Robert while she was gone for the two months, but perhaps this was her opportunity to do something different, something radical. She nodded.

“So, we are doing this?” Lady Esme asked, somewhat dazed.

The duchess nodded. “As long as there are no issues with the trust.”

Diana, along with Miss Martin and Lady Esme nodded. They were going to do this.

“You never said who the investor was,” Miss Martin mentioned.

At that exact moment, Harrison stepped into the entryway and announced, “My lady, Mr. Devons.”

Lady Hawley beamed at them. “He just arrived.”

Diana’s stomach dropped. It couldn’t be him.

*

Sebastian looked at the ladies who sat in the room, gawking at him.

It was evident that if a flying pig had flown into the area, they would have been less surprised.

He glanced back at Addie, concerned. She grinned at him and motioned for him to sit.

Sebastian took a seat in one of the empty wingback chairs.

He looked around more intently, and his gaze ground to a stop at one brown-haired lady with one of those silly caps.

It was Lady Hensley. What was she doing here?

He doubted she and Addie traveled in the same circles.

Their eyes met. She stared at him in horror.

He turned back to Addie. “What have I missed, Lady Hawley?”

Addie beamed at him. “We have a change in plans, but not to worry, nothing that will impact you drastically.”

The way she said it made Sebastian suspect it would significantly affect him.

“Has something changed with the leisure cruise?”

Addie’s eyes darted to Lady Hensley, and she fidgeted.

His good friend was never nervous. She looked back at him and smiled the way she did when she tried to charm her next conquest. He frowned back at her.

While he could never deny Addie was stunning, her coquettish games had long ceased to affect him. He raised a black brow in response.

“Lord Hawley stopped by,” she said and then sighed. “He is threatening to limit my funds if I attempt to leave on the SS Lark or leave England.”

Sebastian’s eyes widened. Hawley had never struck him as a controlling type of husband. In all honesty, he’d never seen him show any emotion related to his wife’s antics.

“Yes, I can see from your expression you find it rather surprising. I did as well,” Addie said as Harrison walked in.

The butler carried a tray of champagne and commenced handing them out. Sebastian took one and nodded thank you to the man. Sebastian doubted Addie paid him enough to put up with her escapades.

“I believe it is in the best interest of your club that, at a minimum, one lady from the board participate in the leisure cruise. It won’t do for your all-women’s establishment to publish a column only from a man’s perspective. As we both stated before, I’m merely there to add more excitement.”

She smiled at him, and he sensed trouble was afoot. Addie leaned over and squeezed his hand in reassurance. All the other ladies’ eyes widened at her familiarity. “And we do appreciate your willingness. You are a true supporter of our cause.”

The woman in mourning, who Sebastian believed was the Duchess of Lusby, snorted. His eyes darted to her. Perhaps she would replace Addie. Sebastian imagined he could make that work. He was just adapting to the idea when Addie said, “Lady Hensley has agreed to go in my place.”

Sebastian froze and did his best to keep his expression shuttered.

Addie could have said anyone, and he would have been less surprised.

He lifted the champagne to his lips and drank the bubbly liquid, not pulling the glass away until he finished it all.

His eyes wandered over to Lady Hensley, who was looking down, drumming her fingers on her white-and-green-striped dress.

The color was lovely on her, and if she didn’t have the blasted cap on or her hair so severely tied back, she would look quite beautiful today.

“You are up for taking this adventure with me, Lady Hensley?” he asked, the words coming out more suggestively than he meant.

Her head jerked up. She pursed her lips. He lifted a challenging brow and saw a bit of fire flare in her eyes. He forced himself not to smirk.

He wasn’t sure how Addie convinced this woman to go with him.

Perhaps Lady Wesley had been telling the truth.

This moral paragon was looking for fun. He didn’t judge her for that or the stench of hypocrisy that came with it, but he hated that she likely thought she was better than him.

Her eyes narrowed as if she sensed the direction his thoughts were going.

“I agreed before I knew who my travel companion was to be,” she ground out.

He smirked again but remained silent, wanting to aggravate her. Tension wafted between the two of them. Addie frowned. “You already know each other?”

“Mr. Devons is my neighbor.”

Harrison stopped before him to refill his glass, and this time, he took a smaller drink. “So now that you know it is me to serve as your travel companion, what will it be?”

He expected her to blush and make up an excuse not to go.

She was a leader of London society, and he was a rake who ran a scandalous gentlemen’s club.

Though, times were changing. He often found himself, over the last few years, mingling more openly with his brother and other lords.

But Sebastian suspected that had more to do with the character of those lords opposed to any real societal change.

Shockingly, she stared back at him as if he had thrown down a challenge, and she would be damned before she backed down. Who was this woman? The fact he didn’t understand her fascinated and unsettled him.

“Who it is does not influence my decision at all. I imagine we will get along fine when needed.”

Addie tilted her head, studying both, and frowned. “You will be expected to spend a great deal of time together.”

“Are you trying to talk them out of it?” the young lady who hadn’t spoken yet muttered.

Addie smiled at her. “Of course not, Miss Martin. Still, each adventure they have needs to be told from both of their perspectives for this to work. The masses will be delighted to read updates from the most proper lady in all of London and the King of the Den. Lady Hensley will be a wonderful contrast to Devons, and her pristine reputation will deter any salacious gossip.”

The sound of the lady’s gasp, as he kissed and nuzzled her neck at the exhibit, bounced around in his head. She pursed her lips at Addie’s description, intriguing Sebastian more. He suspected she didn’t like being held to such a high standard. His body reacted in a way that infuriated him.

What the hell was wrong with him? This woman was not his type at all. Addie interrupted his thoughts by clapping, capturing everyone’s attention. “So, we are all in agreement?”

“What will we do while they are on their leisure cruise?”

“Take our next step, of course, which is to turn this dilapidated building into the grandest antiquities club in all of England.” Her eyes darted to Lady Hensley.

“This will work out perfectly. Almost like it’s meant to be.

I can be here to plan out the exhibits with the other board members.

Thank you, Diana, for volunteering to go.

Is it fine if I call you by your given name? ”

His new travel companion smiled. “I think we are beyond formality.”

All the ladies nodded. Sebastian smiled. “I couldn’t agree more, Diana.”

She stiffened, and he had to stop himself from laughing out loud. He suspected he wasn’t included in her previous statement. Too damn bad. Sebastian enjoyed goading the lady. He would continue to use her given name.

Addie beamed and lifted her champagne. “To our venture?”

Sebastian studied the women as they each raised their glasses. How had Addie convinced these ladies to join? He wasn’t sure, but they all appeared as determined as Addie to succeed.