A s Diana walked to drop off her and Sebastian’s last missives, she surveyed the streets.

Gibraltar appeared to be a contradiction of many things, both civilized and uncivilized.

She wrinkled her nose at her disparaging thoughts.

Maybe civilized was the wrong word, perhaps bohemian and proper.

She suspected no one here was one or the other but a bit of both.

It was probably the same everywhere. Men and women weren’t so one-dimensional they could be described as rogues or the perfect examples of a moral compass.

Her mind flitted back to the caricature and article she’d agonized over a few months ago.

Clara had been right. Shame on the writer for casting proper women as such simple beings.

Looking back, Diana felt embarrassed that the article upset her so much.

“This place is awful. We should return to the ship,” her mother said snootily.

There had been an issue with the SS Lark , so Monroe had all hands focused on that.

He’d asked if she was comfortable enough to deliver her and Sebastian’s last letters to one of the offices that handled mail and the shipment of goods.

She’d agreed, thinking nothing of leaving the ship.

Diana smiled, amused at how more at ease she was now with being abroad.

She was by no means a travel expert, but somewhere along the way, she’d acquired not only her sea legs but also her adventure legs.

Diana couldn’t completely disagree with her mother. A city like Gibraltar would shock most ladies. It seemed everyone mingled here. It was obvious there was still a class system, but no one paid much attention to it.

“Really, Diana, Tremont can deliver your letters,” her mother added.

Diana glanced at Arthur, who appeared more uncomfortable than the duchess. She forced herself not to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Neither her mother nor Arthur would have done well at any of their other ports.

“Mother, you didn’t have to come with us. I requested you didn’t.”

Her mother pursed her lips. “I couldn’t stay on that ship any longer.”

The quality of everything on the vessel had been unsatisfactory to her.

Diana had no doubt Monroe and his crew couldn’t wait for her departure.

She’d apologized multiple times for her mother’s behavior, but Monroe insisted she should not be the one apologizing.

Aunt Winifred had grown tired of her complaining and would shut it down every time she started.

Laughter erupted from a man and woman in the street.

Diana smiled, suddenly thinking Sebastian would enjoy the chaos of this city.

Her smile faltered as the lingering sadness she felt since he left became more pronounced.

She missed him. Every day, she tried to stop herself from feeling anything for him, but it was still there.

Hopefully, once back in England, she would be able to come to terms with the fact it was just a tryst. A magical moment she should cherish but was permanently over.

She spotted the office they were looking for. “We made it.”

“I’m not going in there,” her mother stated.

Diana sighed. Aunt Winifred, Spoor, and Haggerty had all begged off from joining her on her adventure into the city, and Diana suspected it was because of her mother. They didn’t spend nearly as much time together. She missed her little group that had splintered since Sebastian’s departure.

Arthur turned to her, horrified. “I can’t let Diana go in there alone.”

“Well, you can’t leave me out here. I’m a duchess.”

Her eyes flicked down her mother, who was dressed in a far too elaborate outfit, at least for travel. Diana touched Arthur’s arm. “Stay here with her. You will be able to watch me through the windows.”

Arthur reluctantly nodded. She entered the small office and took a deep breath.

Happy to be by herself, even for a moment.

Her mother or Arthur always seemed to be with her.

She pulled two envelopes from her hidden pocket in her skirt.

She’d resealed Sebastian’s letter, but hers was still open.

This was the last missive she’d send for the column.

She supposed she could write one for Gibraltar, but it didn’t feel right without Sebastian here.

Pulling the folded paper from the envelope, she read her words once more.

To the Ladies of London,

Tuscany is the ideal place for any London lady to arrive after so many adventures. It is filled with so many places to visit but also feels like home. It is certainly not a place to be missed.

Yet as I sit here, thinking about all the ports I have visited, my favorite is Sardinia. The water, the sand, and the dancing made me believe magic still exists in this world, and it is no illusion but real.

Soon these exciting ports will be available to you. Please visit the Historical Society for Female Curators at Seely House to learn more. I will happily detail my adventures once I return.

Lady Hensley

She closed the envelope back up. Sardinia would always hold a special place in her heart. Pasting, a smile on her face she handed the man in the office the two letters.

*

Latakia

Sebastian had never been happier to be on land. Latakia was a port under the Turkish empire but governed by the Syrians. Easton would be in the city for the next few days. Sebastian had already made the decision not to travel on to Damascus. He was antsy to return to London and call on Diana.

But first, he would meet the Calverts and visit with his old friend Merry. In truth, while he was amused to see Merry again, his real goal was to set something up with the Calverts for the curator club. He hoped they’d be interested.

He followed Easton into a small building and spotted men, shockingly, smoking from a metal contraption. Easton grinned at him. “It is a shisha.”

“What are they doing with it?”

“They are smoking.”

Sebastian had never seen anything like it. They made their way to a back corner where a man sat smoking, and two others drank tea. The man smoking rose and guffawed. “What are you doing here?”

Sebastian studied him. It was Merry! He was transformed from the young man all those years ago whom he won the Den from in a game of cards. Now, he was almost the size of Devons, tan, scruffy, and with shoulder-length hair.

“Merry?”

The man grinned at him. “Des, Desmond, or Keaton. I don’t use that name anymore.”

He blinked at him in shock. He sat back down and indicated for Easton and Sebastian to sit. Sebastian’s mouth curved into a smile. Maybe the first real one since he left Tuscany. “You are not the same man I knew all those years ago in London.”

Keaton laughed. “No, I’m not.”

The older man in the sitting area asked, “How do you know each other?”

Keaton leaned back in his chair. “Devons here won my family estate from me in a game of cards.”

The younger man—no, not a man, Sebastian realized, but a woman muttered, “You must not have cheated back then as you do now.”

“No, he was rather rubbish whether he cheated or not,” Sebastian stated with a grin.

Keaton shrugged. “I don’t play much anymore. Only with you, Rose, when we are bored.”

She snorted. Sebastian studied her. She was tall and slender with dozens of freckles. Her hair was braided down her back. She wore a hat, but the most shocking thing was, she had on trousers. She stuck her hand out. “I’m Rose.”

Sebastian took her hand. “Sebastian Devons.”

“And this man is her father, Benjamin Calvert,” Easton added.

Sebastian shook his hand as well, but his eyes darted back to Rose. She made a face at him, and he said, “I’m sorry for staring.”

She sighed but waved off his apology. “You English are all the same. Horrified to witness a woman in pants. I bet you’ve done and seen far more scandalous things than me wearing trousers.”

A bark of laughter escaped him at her blunt response. “You are quite right.”

“What are you doing here?” Keaton asked.

Sebastian ran his fingers through his hair, unsure how to tell the complicated tale.

“I’ve partnered with a group of ladies who have set up a club for female historians, curators, and scholars.

The club decided to raise money by having me and one of the board members, Lady Hensley, write about a leisure cruise for two newspapers back in London. ”

Keaton gaped at him. “You willingly signed up to do this?”

Rose frowned at him. “How did you end up here?”

Sebastian sighed. “I didn’t want to do the return leg of the trip, and Easton mentioned his journey here. I had hoped to catch up with Merry and perhaps create some connections between all of you and the club.”

Benjamin chuckled. “Well, you have found us.”

“What is the name of this club?” Rose asked.

“The Historical Society for Female Curators.”

She smirked. “I hope they are making the London Society of Antiquaries nervous.”

Sebastian’s mouth quirked up in a smile. “It just formed, so they are looking to partner with people like you.”

“Try this,” Easton said, handing him the mouthpiece of the shisha.

Sebastian took it as Keaton explained, “It’s kind of like smoking a pipe but not.”

Rose frowned at his description. “No, it isn’t.”

Her father glanced at her, and she shrugged. “Not that I would know.”

Keaton and Easton laughed. Calvert lifted a skeptical brow at his daughter, and she rolled her eyes. The older man turned back to Sebastian. “How is England? The London season will be starting soon.”

Rose rolled her eyes. “Father, I’m not going.”

“I think your mother would be beside herself to see you in pants.”

She sighed. Sebastian took a puff from the mouthpiece and coughed. Easton slapped him on the back. “Welcome to Latakia.”

“The season is still as busy as ever. It seems to start a little earlier every year,” Sebastian responded to Calvert.

“That is how I met your mother during her season,” Calvert said dreamily.

His daughter beamed at him.

“I never plan to go back to London. Too many rules for me,” Keaton said.

“Me too,” Easton added.

Calvert snorted. “You aren’t going back because of a woman. I have told you time and time again you can’t run from your feelings. Whether she is here or on the other side of the world, you are going to feel what you are going to feel.”

Easton smirked but there was a hardness to it. “I’m fine. Calvert, let it go.”

The older man’s words hit Sebastian in his gut. Likely because they were true. He missed Diana so much.

“Devons has women problems,” Easton said, seemingly trying to shut up Calvert about his own secrets.

Sebastian frowned at him, but he shrugged and grinned.

“You do?” Keaton asked him and chuckled. “You do appear to have the same pained expression Easton carries around.”

Easton glared at him, but it only made Keaton smile more broadly.

Wanting to change the subject, Sebastian turned his gaze to the Calverts and said, “I hoped you would be interested in starting a correspondence with the curator club’s board members to provide them artifacts to display in their exhibits at Seely House. ”

Rose Calvert stared at him, intrigued. Her father asked, “Who are the ladies standing it up?”

“Lady Hawley, the Duchess of Lusby, Lady Hensley, Lady Esme Tennis, and a Miss Sara Martin.”

“Lisbeth is one of them!”

Sebastian’s head swiveled to Rose. She was studying Easton, concerned. Calvert nodded. “Good for her. I heard her husband passed away a while back.”

Rose scowled. “We aren’t going to help them.”

Calvert frowned at his daughter. “You used to be friends with Lisbeth.”

Rose snorted. “No, I was friends with Easton. She came along with him.”

“Am I missing something?” Sebastian asked.

“No,” Easton bit out and turned to the Calverts. “It sounds like a worthy cause. One, I think, Rose, you would support as every paper you have written on the translation of ancient text has been turned away by the Society of Antiquaries simply because you are a woman.”

Calvert nodded. “I agree. Rose, you could go to London to learn more about the club.”

“No,” Rose said, glaring at her father.

Calvert frowned at his daughter before pulling out a notebook and scribbling in it. He tore the paper out. “Please have the board send any correspondence to this address. I think we can arrange something.”

“I won’t be going to London,” Rose said, sulking.

“We’ll see. I have an idea,” Calvert stated. His daughter rolled her eyes and muttered about bloody seasons.

Sebastian did his best not to laugh. He was delighted there was interest from the Calverts, well at least from the father. Sebastian nodded. “Thank you.”

“Will you be going to Damascus with us?” Keaton asked.

“No. I hope to leave for London sometime during the next week.”

He wanted to get back to Diana. Whatever her decision was, he needed to know. Calvert winked. “Smart man, not trying to run from his feelings.”

Easton scowled. “Enough, Benjamin.”

The older man laughed. He was right, Sebastian thought. He wasn’t running. He was prepared to know where he and Diana stood. If she decided it was only a tryst, he would do his best to move on. Fear uncoiled in his belly because he didn’t know how anyone moved on from the person they loved.