Page 47

D iana stood with Sebastian, listening from the second floor of Seely House, as visitors made their way into the largest exhibit room.

“Are you ready for this?” he asked.

She was. The blasted article infuriated her and made her more determined than ever to see this club succeed with their existing partner.

It enraged her that Devons thought they would give him up.

That she would. He mattered so much to her.

It took everything in her to not let the words fly out of her mouth.

She smiled back at him. “More than ready.”

“You are becoming quite the rabble-rouser.”

Laughter escaped Diana at the absurd statement. She did not incite or cause trouble. Proper ladies didn’t do that. Sebastian smirked at her, amused. “You really don’t see it, but I do. You are standing up for me and thumbing your nose at society.”

“Hmm…perhaps I am. No one should tell the Historical Society for Female Curators who they can partner with.”

Silence fell between them, but eventually Diana said, “I wanted to apologize for my harsh words at the theater.”

He shook his head. “You were right. I’m not seeing Lilah. It was a bad choice. One of many I have been making of late.”

Diana had the desire to ask more but was interrupted when Esme asked, “Do you think they are here for the talk or because of the awful article?”

Lisbeth joined them, rolling her eyes. “What do you think? The column was popular but not that popular. They are here to gossip.”

Addie appeared. “Are we ready?”

Diana glanced at Sebastian. Her heart did somersaults.

The man was still so handsome. Standing this close to him, she had the desire to touch him.

He smiled at her. The connection that she’d been trying to convince herself only existed on the trip bounced back and forth between them. Did he not feel it?

Diana nodded, and Addie motioned for everyone to start moving down the stairs.

As they entered the large exhibit room, the buzz of chattering stopped.

Diana tilted her chin up. She wouldn’t let society dictate what became of her, Sebastian, or the club.

She glanced around and was shocked that there were as many men as ladies.

Her eyes narrowed on a few who were members of the London Society of Antiquaries. In a far back corner, she spotted Lord Hawley. She turned to tell Addie, but she was already standing at the front of the room. She seemed oblivious to her husband’s presence.

Nerves filled Diana, but as she looked closer, she realized more than a third of the room contained people that Diana, Sebastian, or the club would call friends or family.

Their last-minute request for support hadn’t gone unanswered.

As she and Sebastian reached the front of the room, her eyes landed on others whose faces revealed disdain and contempt.

What was it about London society that seemed to make lords and ladies thrive off cruelty?

Addie smiled at the crowd. “Thank you all for coming. Today, we will be talking about a leisure cruise Lady Hensley and Mr. Devons took. The Historical Society for Female Curators is currently working with the passenger vessel company to design a grand tour for women.”

“Do you think that is the best idea with the existing reputation of your club?” a man asked.

Addie smiled wider. “I don’t know what you mean. Now—”

“Are you planning to pretend you haven’t seen the article?” Lady Dessup snickered from her chair. The crowd laughed.

Diana tilted her chin up, unwilling to allow this.

“We have reviewed the article and the highly inaccurate statements in it. The board of this club has worked hard over the last few months to get the Historical Society for Female Curators off the ground. Mr. Devons has been by our side the whole way. The writers and source of that article can write as much inflammatory drivel as they like, but I challenge anyone in this room to point to anything factual. Additionally, I would ask that you judge us on what we provide, not speculation.”

“Then partner with less unseemly characters,” a man taunted from the back of the room.

Sebastian appeared prepared to take over, but Diana stopped him with her hand.

“I don’t know what you mean, sir. I once read that the measure of a man is defined by his actions and based on that belief, I must say there is no finer of a man than Mr. Devons.

He has been an ideal partner and treats our club and board members with a level of respect you are lacking. ”

The room exploded into laughter. Diana grinned and looked at Sebastian.

Shock flickered across his face. Diana wondered if it was because she’d used the words from his pocket watch.

Their eyes held each other’s for a moment but then Sebastian replaced his shock with a smile.

He looked out into the crowd. “It seems today Lady Hensley will be my champion.”

More than half the room applauded. Sebastian continued. “I’m honored. I hold her in the highest regard. I would ask you to allow this club to get its bearings and then decide if it should exist or not. Do this not based on gossip but on the value and enjoyment of what they provide.”

More applause echoed through the room. As the room became quiet, Addie asked, “If there aren’t any other questions, we shall continue with our actual talk about Lady Hensley and Mr. Devons’s leisure cruise.”

“I have one,” a man said from the back of the room.

“That is the vice president of the London Society of Antiquaries,” Sarah whispered to Diana. She would know as her father was the president.

Addie smiled at him. “Yes, what is it?”

“What is the purpose of this club? A club for antiquities already exists. Why do we need another one?”

Addie frowned at him. “Let’s discuss the leisure cruise. Afterward, our first exhibit will be available.”

“I agree with Harston. Why do women need an antiquities club when they can attend the exhibits put on by the London Society of Antiquaries?” another man yelled from the back.

“Not all women only want to attend exhibits. Some of us want to be hands-on in the study of history and artifacts,” Sarah said.

The room grew silent. Harston added, “It isn’t right, or the way things should be done.”

Annoyance flashed across Addie’s face. Before she could say anything, her husband, Lord Hawley, of all people, said, “Harston, one would think you are afraid of what their club might accomplish.”

Addie’s eyes widened. Harston sputtered. “Of course not. They would never be able to compare to the London Society of Antiquaries.”

Diana couldn’t believe Lord Hawley defended them, and from Addie’s reaction, neither could she. Hawley shrugged. “Then I see no need for you to question why they are starting the club. There are enough antiquities in the world for both clubs to coexist. Am I wrong?”

Harston shook his head but looked angry that Hawley had taken away his thunder.

“Wonderful. Lady Hensley and Mr. Devons, I’m looking forward to your talk and the follow-on exhibit. May we continue?” Hawley asked.

Sebastian smiled at him, amused. Diana stared at him in amazement. This man, whom Diana had only met once and at the time he’d been furious about their club had shut down his colleague for them. Sebastian lifted a brow. “Shall you start, my lady?”

Diana nodded and smiled at the crowd. “We will begin with our first port, Le Conquet.”

*

Sebastian stood on the second-floor walkway that overlooked the main hall of the Den, watching men mingle in the packed room.

It was a busy night for the club. All the game tables were full and those not playing were milling about, engaged in lively conversations.

Sebastian loved this club. When he stood up here and saw the scale of what he and Malcolm had accomplished, it took his breath away.

They’d first started a tavern catering to the elite crowd, but Sebastian had wanted something grander.

He and Malcolm first envisioned the Den when they visited the location that would become their club.

It had been a night of debauchery hosted by the previous, now deceased, Marquess of Merry and his son Desmond.

While others had fucked and drank their night away, Sebastian and Malcolm had wandered around the estate with grand ideas formulating in their mind.

They’d left, unsure if their dream would be possible.

But then the marquess keeled over, and at an almost frantic pace, Desmond gambled everything away, including the grounds and building that made up the Den.

Sebastian had taken the win of the property as a sign that his club was meant to be.

He was proud of all that he and Malcolm had accomplished since.

Sebastian hated that he’d been brought so low by his feelings for Diana. He loathed how he’d treated Malcolm and how much resentment he’d allowed to fester. Never again would he allow himself to be driven into such a state.

His mind drifted to his and Diana’s talk the previous day at Seely House. Once they’d made it through the debacle of questions from condescending pompous asses, their talk about the leisure cruise had gone well.

Sebastian couldn’t believe how Diana defended him. She’d used the quote from his pocket watch. He pulled the item from his pocket and flipped it open, reading the words he did his best to live by.

“It looks like we will have a good night,” Malcolm said, joining him.

Sebastian closed up his watch and put it away. “Yes, it does.”

They stood there silently surveying the crowd. Eventually, Sebastian sighed. “What is it?”

Malcolm frowned. “Are you sure Lady Hensley received your letter? Could it have been replaced or lost?”

What was his brother getting at? “I have no doubt she received it. She sent my Ladies of London letter to the papers. They were together.”

“She seemed so protective of you today.”

A smirk filled Sebastian’s face. “Now you like her?”

“Of course not. She chose that idiot Tremont over you. I could never forgive her for that. Did you see he showed up late to Seely House? What the fuck does she see in him?”

Sebastian didn’t know, and his thoughts weren’t much different from Malcolm’s. He had wanted to speak with her after their talk, but he had been unable to pull her aside because Tremont followed her around like a lost puppy.

“She used Father’s words to defend you. Her words contained a level of sincerity I wasn’t expecting.”

A flurry of anger swelled in Sebastian’s chest. “Yet she went to Tremont afterward.”

Malcolm snorted. “I’m not sure he gave her much choice.”

“It’s over. I’m moving on,” he said and turned to leave.

Malcolm grabbed his arm, stopping him. “I’m not telling you to declare your love for her, but ask if she received the missive. You will harbor deep regret if you discover she never saw it when it is too late. Make no mistake, Tremont is making moves to marry her as fast as possible.”

Sebastian walked away, not responding. Tonight, he wanted to do something that brought him great joy, entertaining the customers of his club. He didn’t want to think about Diana. It was foolish and torturous. Malcolm was trying to give him hope but Sebastian knew there was none.

As his foot hit the ground of the first floor, several lords hollered his name. He grinned. “What type of trouble are you lords wanting to get into?”