Page 5 of The Tempting of a Devilish Lord

“I do not see why I should have to leave.” Leo folded his arms.

Adam shook his head. “Nor I.”

Alex drew in a long breath. All three of them were famed for being stubborn almost as much as they were famed for being rogues and rakes. It would take a tidal wave from the lake to force them back to London. He didn’t have a chance in hell of ridding himself of them.

He turned to head inside and paused. “Say, do you know why the town is swarming with women?”

“Maybe they followed me?” Adam said, offering a devilish smile. “London is likely missing me already.”

“Then perhaps you should return to London after all and they can all follow you back there,” Alex retorted.

Adam’s smile widened. “I told you he would struggle.” He nudged Leo. “Alex cannot resist the lure of the opposite sex.”

“I can resist just fine. Much more easily than you can, I would wager.”

Adam rubbed his hands together. “Oh, you know I cannot resist a wager.”

“And you?” Alex looked to Leo.

His brother glanced at the house, his expression distracted, then shook his head. “Not for me.”

Alex shared a look with Adam. Something strange was occurring with Leo. He might not have seen either of his brothers for some time, but he knew when they were up to something. But what could it be?

∞∞∞

LUCINDA PAUSED FOR breath and twisted to view the path they had taken up the hill. They hadn’t gained much height yet, but her breaths already grew short.

“Are you certain the ruin is up here?” she called to her sister who marched on several paces ahead.

“Oh yes. Mrs. Gleeson from the tea shop said as much.” Mary-Anne turned to face her and motioned impatiently. “Come on. We need to make haste if we wish to meet Mama for supper.”

Lucinda glanced past Mary-Anne and grimaced. “I’m not so certain I want to see this ruin.”

“Lies!” Mary-Anne snatched her skirts and closed the gap between them, taking awkward, stomping steps toward her until she could grab Lucinda’s hand. “You love castles. You love all things medieval. Why would you not wish to see this ruin? Mrs. Gleeson said it was built by a nobleman in the thirteenth century whose ancestors all survived the plague because they remained in the castle.”

“Mrs. Gleeson says many things. I would not take them all for granted.”

And Lucinda knew enough of the history behind the ruins to know that was an exaggeration. When their mother had announced their visit to the town, Lucinda had hungrily gobbled up every ounce of information she could on the area.

That did not mean she wanted to hike a blasted mountain to see the thing.

Mary-Anne tugged on her hand. “Does it matter? It’s acastle, Lucinda. Is there anything you love more?”

“It’s quite the distance. I do not think Mama—”

Her sister made a dismissive noise. “Will you cease caring what Mama thinks for one moment?”

Shoulders straight, Lucinda stared her sister down.

Well,uptechnically thanks to the steep slope, but she plastered on her most imposing older sister look, one that had always been guaranteed to quell her sister’s argumentative nature while Mama was resting with one of her many, many headaches.

“I am charged with looking after you, Mary-Anne,” she said. “I am not going to let you do something irresponsible.”

Mary-Anne rolled her eyes. “There is nothing irresponsible about a little walk, and I think if I have to sit at tea with Mama’s friends any longer, I might very well scream.” She released Lucinda’s hand and folded her arms. “Besides, I’m a woman. I hardly need looking after anymore.”

“You are scarcely a woman,” Lucinda muttered.

“I heard that.” Mary-Anne put hands to hips and set her with a bold look.

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