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“W hat have I done? I can’t leave England for two months,” Diana stated as she paced back and forth in her sister’s drawing room.

Clara laughed at her frantic statement and her husband shook his head, frowning at her.

Diana knew there was a reason she liked her brother-in-law Sam Kincaide.

She stopped her pacing and put her hands on her hips.

“This isn’t amusing. I have committed to something without any thought of the repercussions. I don’t do things like this.”

“You told me only last week you were tired of life as it was. This is your chance to try something different. You would have never agreed to this, no matter how much pressure you felt if you didn’t want to go.

It will be a grand adventure! Remember when we were girls and you used to sneak those books from Father’s library about faraway lands? ”

Diana had forgotten about that. A memory of her staring at maps and studying information about various civilizations flashed in her mind.

Eventually, her father found out, and she’d been punished for her curiosity.

Her parents held specific beliefs about what ladies and girls should focus their attention on and it wasn’t learning about the world.

“Robert has already been through so much with losing Stuart.”

Her sister shook her head. “Sam and I will take him to the country. The season is almost over. He’ll fish, go riding, and run free.”

“I would be happy to leave sooner if you like,” Sam added with a wink.

Clara rolled her eyes at her husband. Sam, over the years, had come to like the whirlwind of London less and less.

“Not to mention, Henry will be home from school. Robert adores him and they will have a wonderful time together.”

Their brother lived with Clara and Sam full-time when he wasn’t away at school.

“He would love that,” Diana begrudgingly admitted.

Years ago, Diana’s parents departed England surrounded in scandal and heavily in debt.

Both Diana and Clara’s husbands had agreed to make their situation right and provide them with an allowance if they never returned.

After they left, Sam worked painstakingly hard with Henry to make his dukedom solvent again. Her brother was very close to him.

A shiver coursed through her. They’d not been the type of parents one loved or adored. They’d used their children as if they were pawns to help improve their status, completely indifferent to the impact their selfish choices had on her or her siblings.

Their final last dastardly deed had seen Clara almost lose her life.

They’d attempted to marry her off to a deranged lord.

Sam had stepped in and wed her, infuriating her parents.

They’d disowned Clara for marrying him, a commoner.

Their father had passed away last year, but Diana hoped it still rankled her mother that a man who she thought was so below them was the one who saved the dukedom.

A frown flitted across Diana’s face. Recently, she’d received multiple letters from their mother about returning to England.

Last year’s revolutions seemed to cover the continent, including where she lived.

Only now were things quieting down. The letters of late had been different from her mother’s usual condescending missives.

Even with all they’d put her and her siblings through, Diana wondered if her mother was well after her father’s passing. An absurd idea popped into her mind.

“I could visit Mother.”

Clara stiffened at her words and Sam finished the remaining portion of his drink in one gulp. Diana immediately felt bad. Still, if she was going to be in Tuscany, shouldn’t she see her? “I will never forgive her for what she did to us, but aren’t you curious if she is well without Father?”

“We know she is fine. That is what we hire investigators for. She spends her days entertaining all the lords and ladies who pass through Tuscany instead of suffering the consequences of any of her actions,” Clara bit out.

Diana sat down in the sitting area. “I didn’t mean to bring up hurtful memories.”

Sam squeezed his wife’s hand and rose. “I will leave you to discuss this more. For what it is worth, Diana, I think you should go on this adventure. I think Stuart would have found it rather delightful. But you owe your mother nothing, and Stuart hated how she treated you as much as I detested her treatment of Clara.”

She and Clara said nothing as he made his way from the drawing room. Clara took another sip of her drink. “Do you want to see her?”

It was a difficult question. While her father had used Clara and Diana to improve his position in society, it was their mother whom they feared the most in childhood. She had been their punisher, leaving lasting scars they both still carried on their backs from her fondness for doling out lashes.

“I wonder if she has changed. Perhaps Tuscany has softened her.”

Clara snorted. Diana didn’t blame her. Their parents had preferred Clara marry a lecher instead of Sam. In their mind, a monster with the right bloodline was better than a commoner.

“I want her to know we are happy.”

Clara took a deep breath. “Of the two of us, you have always had the bigger heart and the most compassion. She will use that to persuade you to allow her to move back to England. Both Henry and I have no desire for her to be in our lives. Remember, nothing she does is for the benefit of anyone but herself.”

“Would you support her returning?”

Clara sighed. “Since news of Father’s passing, I have suspected this would be the eventuality. Sam and I will still provide her an allowance.”

Diana said, “She has expressed interest in returning.”

Her sister snorted. “She will blame all that happened on Father and try to reenter society. The woman, even though she is our mother, is treacherous. Don’t forget that.”

Diana reached over and squeezed her sister’s hand. “She can’t hurt us anymore, no matter where she resides.”

Clara squeezed her hand back. The wounds of their childhood still lived in them both.

They were silent for a moment, and then Clara clapped, making Diana jump.

“Let’s not dwell on Mother. Tuscany is only one part of your adventure.

There are so many other grand things to imagine.

I still can’t believe Lady Hawley is standing up this rather unconventional club and that the board will be comprised of all women. ”

“Besides our investor.”

Clara smiled. “Fascinating. Who is he?”

“It’s Sebastian Devons.”

Her sister’s eyes widened in shock. “He is an exceptional businessman. The club will do well with his support.”

Diana hadn’t revealed the other shocking bit of news.

She took a deep breath and said, “Lady Hawley believes a column about traveling on this new type of leisure cruise would be best from the perspective of a man and woman. Mr. Devons will also be joining me on my adventure. He will be the other writer.”

A gasp escaped Clara. “Devons is going on the cruise!”

Diana rose again, pacing. “It’s a bad idea, isn’t it?”

Her sister shook her head. “No! Not at all. I just can’t imagine Devons out of London, let alone the country.”

Diana stopped her pacing. “What of his reputation?”

Clara smiled. “Sam was a partner for a brief time with Devons in his club. He is a close friend of his. He may be rumored to be scandalous, but rest assured he is nothing but honorable.”

Diana blushed furiously. “Do you think it will be perceived as scandalous for me to take this cruise with him?”

“You will be on a ship with hundreds of other people. You aren’t sharing a bed with him.”

Heat coursed through Diana at Clara’s words.

Her sister continued, “Perhaps if it were Lady Hawley going or someone else, but your reputation is above reproach, and I imagine you will bring a companion with you. I’m assuming Aunt Winifred would be up for the trip.

No one would consider you to do anything improper. ”

There it was again, that assumption that annoyed her lately. Her mind flitted back to her moment with Devons in the alcove. She’d not been proper then. She’d felt hungry and wanton. It vexed her that she would feel such things for a man she immensely disliked.

“Perhaps Sam will speak with him about your trip.”

Diana frowned at her sister, hating the thought of Sam doing that.

She didn’t need anyone speaking for her when it came to him.

The man already made his conclusions about her, no matter how wrong, and he could continue to think them.

Not all ladies were like Lady Wesley, and it was wrong of him to think so. “Please don’t. I’m not a child.”

“He will make sure no one takes advantage of you.”

“What if I want someone to take advantage of me? To have some type of interlude.”

Clara stared at her in amazement. “Truly?”

“Well, if the right gentleman came along. I am a widow after all.” Diana blushed and added, “Of course, not with Mr. Devons.”

Clara giggled. “He wouldn’t dare with you being Sam’s sister-in-law.”

The man didn’t seem to care in the alcove at Seely House, Diana thought.

She remained silent, reminding herself it was a brief thing.

She wouldn’t dare do anything else with him either.

Still, she wasn’t lying to her sister. Perhaps she could discover who the improper Diana was on this cruise. “I’m not sure. Will see.”

Her sister frowned, worried. “You and Stuart had such a loving relationship. I imagine that carried over to your private moments. An affair is not the same. There is less emotion involved.”

Diana rolled her eyes. “I’m not some naive miss. I understand that. And what makes you think I want any emotion if I were to have a…well…ahh…affair.”

“Because you can barely say the word.”

Diana looked down, studying her hands, before revealing the truth to her sister. “What if I want to be someone different on this trip? Someone who isn’t afraid to say anything or try anything.”