Page 2 of The Tempting of a Devilish Lord

But, no. Apparently the lure of the redhead was too great.

Anyway, there was nothing to say he could not look. What harm could come with looking? No one ever—

She looked up and his heart gave the tiniest jolt. He scowled, forgetting the roguish smile he’d intended to have in place. Her gaze clashed with his and her expression faltered, the curve on her lips dropping rapidly. She gave him a disapproving glare and then turned her attention back to her companions.

Cursing under his breath, Alex urged his horse into a gallop. This would be easy enough. One of the easiest things he’d ever done really. He’d climbed mountains and walked deserts and sailed stormy seas. Avoiding female company was nothing compared to this.

It didn’t stop that redhead’s glare from lingering in his mind, though.

Nor did it prevent him from wanting to turn around and offer her his most flattering words. It seemed his stay here would not be quite the escape from temptation he had wished for.

∞∞∞

“LUCINDA?”

Tearing her attention away from the gentleman swiftly making his way out of the town on horseback, Lucinda offered her mother a smile. “Yes, Mama?”

“I was saying that we should return to our lodgings. Rain looks imminent.”

She glanced up at the sky, speckled with a few white clouds. Though it had rained earlier in the day, leaving the air sweetly scented with the fragrance of wet grass, it did not look likely to rain again anytime soon. “I think we are safe, Mama.”

She shook her head vigorously, sending the feathers on her hat bobbing. “I feel certain in my bones it shall rain. You know my bones are never wrong.”

“What about when we went to Bath and there was that week of torrential rain and we could not go anywhere? Yourboneshad said it was going to be perfect weather,” Lucinda’s younger sister piped up.

Lucinda glared at her sister.Be quiet,she mouthed, but Mary-Anne ignored her, a smug smile crossing her petite mouth.

At fourteen, Mary-Anne had begun to grow into a woman, but her features remained child-like, and her petite stature belied her bold nature. Their father blamed his indulgence of Mary-Anne for her brashness whilst her mama decided it was those gothic novels combined with the scandalous nature of the gossip columns andhow young girls chattered these daysthat had so warped Mary-Anne’s mind. Mary-Anne often reminded her of herself at that age…before everything had changed of course.

Lucinda reckoned Mary-Anne had simply been born bold. She recalled her as a baby, taking her first steps far sooner than any of their young cousins, and then as a child, her precocious and inquisitive nature had been clear. Being ten years her senior, it had often been up to Lucinda to rescue her sister from many a predicament.

And occasionally, Mary-Anne reminded her of herself at that age…

“Do you recall our trip to Bath, Mama?” Mary-Anne persisted, her smile turning sly.

“I never said such a thing.” Their mother straightened her shoulders and peered at the sky. “And my bones are never wrong. They twinge just so. There is rain in the air.”

Mary-Anne huffed. “Well, seeing as that handsome man has gone, I suppose we might as well return.”

“Mary-Anne!” Lucinda scolded.

“Do not tell me you didn’t notice because I know you did. In fact, your gaze did not leave him for one second.”

Biting back a swift denial, Lucinda narrowed her gaze at her sister. The only reason she even glanced at the man had been because she had felt his gaze upon her.

For some reason, though, she had garnered his disapproval. Perhaps her hair was too red or her dress too prim for his liking. Whatever it was, he had set her with the deepest scowl and all she could bring herself to do was glower back. After all, she was not here for his enjoyment. They had come to take the fresh air and drink the fresh spring water that came from the lakes, not garner the attention of attractive men.

Mary-Anne sighed. “He is the handsomest man we have seen since our arrival. There really is no one here of note, you know.” She pursed her lips, undid the ribbon of her bonnet with a sound of annoyance and flung one of the ribbons over her shoulder. “It is only women.” She gestured about. “Endless amounts of women.”

“You are too young to be concerned with handsome men and he was certainly too old for you,” Lucinda muttered.

“Just because you have never been interested in men and will likely wind up a spinster.”

“Mary-Anne!” Mama scolded.

“I have Bernie.”

Mary-Anne rolled her eyes. “Boring Bernie. He shall never propose, and I will be glad for it. He’s far too dull for you.”

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