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Her sister studied her. “You are thinking of that article again.”

“What if, for two months, I’m not the uneventful lady?”

Clara leaned forward and grabbed her hands. “I say it’s your choice, but no matter what, you must understand that no woman is as one-dimensional as the writer made society ladies to be.”

Diana squeezed her hands. “Thank you for being the best sister.”

Clara grinned and hopped up. “Now we need something stronger to drink to celebrate this adventure you are going on.”

As her sister poured their drinks, she shook her head. “I can’t believe Devons is going on the same trip with you. I bet you will be fast friends.”

“Yes, I’m sure,” Diana said, not believing her own words.

*

Sebastian took a deep breath as he stood outside of the Seely House.

He still couldn’t believe he was going on a two-month leisure cruise with Lady Hensley.

Even more shocking, she hadn’t sent word that she was backing out.

The woman irked him. He sighed and lifted his hand to knock, but before he could, it was thrown open.

Addie’s butler stared at him in surprise.

“Sorry, Mr. Devons. I didn’t realize you were waiting. ”

Sebastian smiled at the man. “I only just arrived. Why does Lady Hawley keep dragging you out here? I imagine you have other duties.”

The man who normally didn’t reveal any hint of emotion, smirked slightly. “You are quite correct, but the lady of the house is a most decent employer, so I will do as she asks.”

Sebastian laughed and slapped him on the back. “You are a good man.”

Addie stepped out of a room, frowning. “Are you complaining, Harrison?”

The man sighed. “Of course not, my lady. What would I have to complain about?”

She smiled, amused. Sebastian suspected that her butler was not at all afraid to be sarcastic with her. Addie turned to him, beaming. She looked lovely in a crimson gown that highlighted both her curves and black hair. “You are late, sir.”

“You know I do have a business I must make plans for so I can participate in your mad scheme.”

“Oh, admit it, you want to be part of my fun,” she said, flouncing back into the room she came out of, knowing he would follow.

She continued to a table where glasses sat with brandy and poured them each a drink. She smiled at him. “Thank you again for still agreeing to go.”

“You tricked me.”

Addie handed him the drink and shook her head. “I planned to go. You should have seen my husband. I have never witnessed him in such a state.”

Devons still couldn’t believe he cared. They had been separated for years. Changing the subject, he winked at her. “We would have had fun on a trip together.”

“Not as much as London would have speculated.” Her eyes roamed over him, and she sighed. “A spark of something between us is missing, or we would have taken each other to bed long ago.”

“I’m willing to try.”

Laughter erupted from both of them. She reached over and squeezed his hand. “I mean it, thank you. No one else would have signed on for this.

Sebastian squeezed her hand back just as Harrison declared, “Lady Hensley.”

They both turned and the lady was looking at them as if she had just caught them tupping. Her face was the shade of a strawberry. Addie walked towards her. “Diana, please come in. I’m thrilled that you and Devons are going on this adventure.”

For a moment, Sebastian thought she might make up an excuse that she had to leave, but then she took a deep breath and smiled. “I’m excited.”

“Would you like something to drink? Perhaps tea or Devons and I are having a brandy.”

She bit her lip, and Sebastian’s eyes jerked to her mouth. “I will have a brandy as well.”

Addie’s eyes widened. “That’s the spirit! You and Devons sit. I will join you momentarily.”

Sebastian motioned for her to lead the way and followed.

The coloring of her dress today, unlike a few days ago, was atrocious.

It was a mustard-yellow color that did not suit her at all.

She wore another lace cap. This one was all white.

The cut of the dress did complement her form, he realized, as his eyes dipped down to her waist, where her hips flared out.

She turned to sit in one of the chairs, and he jerked his gaze away before taking a seat on the sofa across from her.

He watched her in silence. She drummed her fingers on her skirt.

Sebastian sensed she was nervous and that he was the cause.

A tension emanated between them. She turned her head, looking out the window and he studied her hair so tightly bound to her head.

He clenched his hand, itching to unbind it.

Unbind her hair, what was he thinking? She turned and raised a brow. Did she feel the tension too?

“How are you, Diana?” he asked.

She stiffened at the use of her given name, but Sebastian didn’t care. They were participating in this crazy plan together. He wouldn’t spend the next two months calling her Lady Hensley.

“Fine. Thank you,” she responded primly.

Diana excelled at playing the proper lady.

He wondered what she would be like alone.

How quickly would her pristine bearing fade away?

Sebastian hated that she was friends with Lilah and that they’d discussed him.

He could admit to himself it was because he was attracted to her. He wanted to bed her but he wouldn’t.

Sebastian wasn’t interested in fucking any woman who considered him beneath them, no matter how casual the encounter was. Naively, he’d not seen that Lilah held that opinion until it was too late. He wouldn’t make the same mistake again.

“I can tell already you will become great friends,” Addie said, interrupting his thoughts as she joined him on the sofa.

Sebastian and Diana’s eyes flew to each other, perhaps feeling the only kinship they ever would. All centered on the fact that Addie had somehow lost her mind.

“We have finalized the contracts with the London Illustrated Chronicles and the British Tattler . They believe your accounts of the trip will be wildly successful. They love how different the two of you are. To stay in good standing with the papers, you will both need to send updates back at every stop. It is imperative that you spend as much time together as possible. The papers are looking to see the same excursions and sights from two unique perspectives. Are there any issues I should be made aware of before moving forward with our plans?”

Sebastian remained silent, waiting for Diana to respond.

If she was going to back out, now was the time.

The lady’s eyes darted over to him and lingered.

She frowned as if trying to work something out in her head.

Finally, she turned back to Addie. “No concerns but I do have a question. How will we get our updates back to you?”

“Captain Monroe of the SS Lark mentioned he could assist with this. It isn’t uncommon for travelers or the crew to send letters at the ports.”

Diana nodded. “I will also have my Aunt Winifred with me. She will be my companion on the trip.’

Addie grinned. “Lovely. It just highlights how wonderfully proper you are.”

A grimace flashed across Diana’s face. The lady did not like this title Addie kept bestowing on her, Sebastian realized. To needle her, he said, “Yes, Diana, you are the picture of propriety.”

A pink hue touched Diana’s cheeks. “I try my best.”

“I can’t wait to receive your first letters,” Addie said, her voice filled with excitement.

“How will we know what we should write about or what we should go see?” Sebastian asked.

“I will need to rely on the two of you to identify that. The planned port stops for the SS Lark are brand new for the ship. They are trying them out to determine if they can create a new route for leisure cruises. I have possibly convinced Captain Monroe that lady leisure cruises are a missed market. Diana, you will need to find excursions that will keep ladies entertained.”

“And the captain is supportive of these types of sailings?” Sebastian asked skeptically.

He didn’t know Captain Monroe very well and had only spoken with him in passing, but the man didn’t strike him as someone who spent a lot of time catering to ladies.

“Well, no, not quite, but he did say that we could try.”

Sebastian rolled his eyes, but Addie ignored him. “Diana, I believe, is more than up for the job.”

Diana appeared unsure, but then she glanced his way and suspected he doubted her. It seemed to increase her determination. She tilted her chin up. “I will do my best not to fail the club.”

Addie beamed. “The readers will adore learning about your adventures. Your perspectives will be drastically different.”

Shocking Sebastian, Diana frowned. “Will they?”

He cocked a brow at her, incredulous. “Come, Diana. You don’t have to be polite. We are not the same.”

She tilted her head and studied him. “How?”

“I own a gentlemen’s club, and I am a lord’s bastard,” he answered bluntly.

He’d intentionally been crude. If his father was alive, he would give him a sound thrashing for describing himself in such words. She flushed but glared at him. “My point is you are successful and own a home in Mayfair. We are not so different.”

What game was this lady playing? Addie shook her head. “No fighting you two. And Sebastian, don’t use such appalling language around us.”

He hadn’t meant to upset Addie. “I’m sorry.”

“You should be. You are one of the few men I trust and care for. I won’t have you speaking about yourself that way.”

“You know I would do anything for you,” he replied.

Sebastian glanced at Diana. She was nibbling on her bottom lip. He suspected she thought something was going on between him and Addie. He had the urge to deny it but stopped himself. It didn’t matter what Diana thought.

Addie rose and made her way to the door. Diana’s eyes went wide. “Where are you going?”