Page 93 of A Wanton Adventure
Donahue stepped aside, and the joy immediately burst. Before him stood Lilah, dressed in a provocative red gown. She smiled at him, her plump lips colored a vivid red to match her attire. He thought he loved this woman once and he felt nothing now. She walked to him, her hips swaying provocatively. “I’ve missed you, Devons.”
He plopped back down in his chair, taking another large gulp of the brandy. “Have you?”
She pouted, leaning over his desk, making sure he had a clear view of her ample assets. “Don’t be cross with me. I had to marry Lord Wesley. You know it is only you who I enjoy spending time with.”
Fuck.How had Sebastian moped over this woman for so long? Her coquettish ways now annoyed him, yet at least she was here. That is more than he could say for the actual woman tormenting his thoughts.
She moved around the desk, trying to nudge her way between his legs. He stopped her with his hand. “Not now.”
Annoyance flashed in her eyes. “Do you want me to beg?”
He didn’t care what she thought, so he said nothing. She ran a hand up his thigh. “Lord Wesley has gone abroad indefinitely. Perhaps if not tonight, I could join you for the opera and we could become reacquainted. It would be like old times.”
He wanted to laugh out loud hysterically. Emptiness filled him at the thought of doing anything with this woman. He nodded. She placed a lingering kiss on his cheek and sashayed out of his office. Sebastian took another sip of his drink. Maybe nothing was acceptable. It was fucking better than the pain that wouldn’t ease in his heart.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Diana thanked LordBelmont for the dance as he escorted her off the floor. Lord Halethorpe’s ballroom was packed. Diana smiled and greeted several acquaintances as she made her way back to her aunt and Arthur. She was still adjusting to all the interest from the success of her and Sebastian’s columns. The first couple of questions on Sebastian threw her, but with each one, the pain at hearing his name became less and less.
The trip generated more interest about the Historical Society for Female Curators, as Addie suspected it would. The plan was to have a small grand opening at Seely House when she and Sebastian did their talk. The Le Conquet manuscript exhibit would be revealed at that time. Diana had reached an agreement with Haggerty that they would display the manuscripts when he wasn’t studying them. He’d been reluctant to keep them at Seely House, but Sarah and Lisbeth amazed him with their diligent care of artifacts.
The London Society of Antiquaries boldly approached Haggerty to display with them instead, and he told them he had no interest, delighting Addie. Diana was actively lining up additional displays. While the manuscripts were a great start, they needed one grand exhibit. None of them had determined what that would be yet. She reminded herself they had time. They were only having a small opening when Sebastian returned.
Earlier in the week, Diana and Addie had met with Monroe about announcing a leisure cruise for ladies. They’d finalized their partnership with the captain for the first cruise the following year. While Monroe may have been initially skeptical of Addie’s idea, he was now all in. A smile formed on Diana’s face at the thought of Monroe taking so many ladies on a cruise.
When she reached her Aunt Winifred and Arthur, Diana almost laughed out loud at the relief she saw on both their faces. Since the journey back to London, Arthur had started to suspect Aunt Winifred wasn’t a fan of his and was doing everything in his power to convince her she should be. Diana more than once wanted to tell him not to try so hard but didn’t want to offend him.
She smiled at them. Tonight, Diana felt optimistic, and for the first time since returning to London, the ache clinging to her wasn’t as pronounced. Even if she wanted to make more of Sebastian’s short note, his lack of any correspondence since then was sufficient evidence he’d simply been caught up in the moment in Livorno when he asked to court her. While she hated her mother’s explanation, she’d been right. Diana hadn’t held Sebastian’s interest.
“Diana, I was telling your aunt that at some point we will have to figure out how to get your mother back out in society.”
Her mother’s return had stirred up gossip in London but there seemed to be no indications she would be welcomed back among theton. While she didn’t care about her mother’s social status, she did worry about the effect all the gossip about her mother was having on Clara and Henry. Both her siblings were reluctant to be around her. Diana didn’t blame them.
Her mother had been staying with her and wasn’t the easiest person to deal with. She hoped her house would be ready soon, but Diana suspected she was intentionally dragging her feet. Clara was livid she was still at Diana’s townhouse and worriedtheir mother planned not to leave. Diana reassured her more than once that wouldn’t happen. She still carried the scars on her back from her mother’s discipline.
Her aunt snorted. “She is blacklisted. That won’t change.”
“A good amount of time has passed, and we can’t blame her for what were ultimately your father’s decisions.”
“Why would you think that?” Diana asked.
Arthur frowned. “Because the man is the final decision maker in a marriage.”
Diana’s mouth dropped open. Arthur flushed. “Of course, it would be with a great deal of input from his wife.”
Aunt Winifred sighed. “I think I will fetch some punch.”
“I will retrieve it for you,” Arthur volunteered.
Her aunt smiled sweetly, and he was off. She fanned herself. “How do you tolerate him?”
“We can’t blame him for believing Mother needs another chance. He barely knows her.”
Aunt Winifred gave her a pointed look, but before Diana could respond, Addie appeared in front of them. “You will never guess the news I have. Devons is back in London”
Shock pinged through Diana. How could one’s stomach flutter and drop at the same time? Arthur returned, handing Aunt Winifred her punch.
“He has been back for two days, and that annoying man hasn’t called on us at Seely House.”
