The Viscount's Seduction: A Regency Romance

Book 2: Sons of the Spy Lord

by Alina K. Field

Synopsis

Searching for the Truth
Lady Sirena Hollister has lost her family, her home, and even her fey abilities, but somehow the fairies have handed her an unexpected chance at a Season in London. From her place on the fringes of high society, she resolves to find the truth about her only brother's vanishing, and settle her family's score with the wily English Spy Lord, the Earl of Shaldon. Soon enough, her schemes stir up an unknown enemy...and spark danger of a different sort, in the person of the Earl's handsome heir, Viscount Bakeley.

Seducing the Beauty

The impertinent hoyden Bakeley met years earlier was as wild as her Irish roots, and just as unlucky. And she's still an Irish traitor's sister! But Lady Sirena has grown into a beauty whose charm and courage intrigue him. When danger threatens, Bakeley comes to her rescue, risking scandal, the ton's disapproval, his interfering father's ire...and his own heart

Release date: September 12, 2017

Publisher: Havenlock Press

Print pages: 437

Sample

Thump-thump. “Go and rescue that fool. He’s attempting to stand up with her again,” Lord Shaldon said.

Bakeley sighed.

“Go. I know you’re in no danger of beguilement.”

“I’m in no danger of getting another glass of punch either.” 

He searched the room for his brother’s tawny hair. Charley was indeed preparing to stand up again with the same partner. Nodding to acquaintances, he wove through the crowd, reached his brother, and moved him aside.

And his heart launched into a gallop. The beauty that Charley was with—and she was a rare beauty—stared soulfully up at him. The blondest of hair shimmered and gray eyes glowed luminous in the light of many candles.

“How do you do?” Only manners honed by many years of encounters with the fairer sex kept him from stumbling over his words. He bowed. “Charles, Father commands your appearance. I am Bakeley, miss. I hope you do not mind dancing with an older brother.”

Charley sighed, and then shrugged, a grin spreading. “My apologies, my lady. This is not a proper introduction, but it will have to do. This is my brother, Lord Bakeley.”

The lady’s cheeks went unaccountably pink and she ducked her head in a curtsey.

Drat. She perhaps knew him, but he didn’t recognize her. So she was a lady, and beautiful. Was she also rich?

They took their place in the line. Damn, but he should have examined her when Charley had picked her out.

When she moved in a turn around the next gentleman, he looked her over as discreetly as possible. She was a thin little thing in her blue silks, not as plump as he normally liked. What he knew about dresses was almost nothing, but this one seemed to fit with the current fashions, though it had less of the flounces, ribbons, and fluttering pieces.

Which, in his estimation was good.

And it was not white, which meant she was not making her first bows.

A widow, perhaps. She smiled up at him on the next turn. A young widow, and not terribly willing. That smile had been tight and polite.

They went down the middle together and waited through a set. “I don’t believe we’ve met before. Is your family in town for the Season? Is your husband active in Parliament?”

She blinked and her eyes widened.

Not married, then. “I beg your pardon. Your title is from your father?”

They were interrupted again by the need to turn, and he concentrated momentarily on the dance.

When they came together again, her lips had curved up and her eyes gleamed with humor. “You are Shaldon’s heir, are you not?”

“Yes.”

More infernal turning. Would this dance never end so he could find out who she was?

They marched down the center together again. Where her hand touched his arm, he felt a delicate heat.

“And isn’t this always the problem, Lord Bakeley, when a lord and lady dispense with a proper introduction?”

He heard it then: the slightest lilt, the tiniest burr. They parted to go round the next couple in line and came together again.

“You are Irish.”

The dance ended and she curtsied, dipping her chin and rising again with a grin.