The Devil You Know (20 page)

abandoned herself to him completely, and just as suddenly, it was

over. He was gone from her life. Just like that.

Excerpt from The

Devil’s Match

Coming from Breathless Press August 24, 2012

DeVere House, Bloomsbury, 1783

Viscount Ludovic DeVere sprawled indolently on his Turkish di-

van, pulling on a hookah while a voluptuous redhead serviced him

with her decadent mouth. Eyes at half-mast, he lazily surveyed the

scene of oriental decadence that could have been stolen from an Otto-

man sultan’s seraglio—the myriad hues of silk draping the walls and

ceiling, the vivid Turkish rugs and cushions that scattered the floor,

the writhing shadows created by the luminous glow of brass lanterns.

Through the purple-blue haze of smoke and incense, his boon

companions engaged in various and sundry acts of pleasure with the

half-dozen women he’d engaged for an evening of debauchery, and

Ludovic realized he was bored out of his senses. He’d been this way

for days—restive, edgy, and irritable—as if his life had become sud-

denly unbalanced. He also recognized with even greater self-annoy-

ance that the marks of his discontent had commenced upon a
certain

person’s arrival in London, a circumstance that aggravated him be-

yond measure.

Although he’d successfully avoided any encounter with Diana in

the past sennight, Hew’s apparent interest in her had eaten away at

him, a circumstance that had both spurred Ludovic to assist in Vesta’s

abduction scheme, as well as subconsciously inciting him to host to-

night’s fest of carnal indulgence. Deep down, he still carried the ob-

stinate belief that with sensory repletion, the yearning for something

more would go away. Unfortunately, neither the drink, the opium,

nor the sex, had sufficed to fill the yen that the knowledge of her near-

by presence had created. Yet, paradoxically, he still wished to avoid

her at all costs.

“What the devil is it, Winchester?” Lord DeVere snapped at the

appearance of his majordomo. “I thought I communicated quite clear-

ly that we were not to be disturbed.”

The flushing servant diverted his gaze to the ceiling in an obvious

effort to ignore the ongoing orgy. “But there is a
lady
to see you, my

lord. She is most insistent.”

“Another one?” Lord Malden chortled. “By all means, have him

send the baggage in. Damn me, DeVere, but you are well supplied.”

“I am, indeed,” DeVere answered. “It is a most amicable arrange-

ment with Madam Hayes, but I had not requested another.” DeVere

gave another long, lazy pull on the stem of the hookah proffered by

his scantily clad companion and cast a sadly indifferent gaze at the

temptress who enthusiastically sucked his cock.

The servant flushed. “You misapprehend, my lord. This
lady—
”

“Will
not
be turned away.” Diana stepped boldly into the room.

Ludovic almost laughed aloud.
For there she stood, as if he’d

conjured her. Although a black veil obscured her face, he could have

identified her proud carriage and sultry voice among a hundred simi-

lar women. In all of his six-and-thirty years, he had
never
allowed a

woman to get under his skin, but
this
one had infected him with an

infirmity for which he had yet to find a complete cure.

Oh, he’d sought balm for his condition, all right. In Paris, he had

soothed his raging fever with opera dancers, and in Italy, the finest

Venetian courtesans had served as a temporary unguent. Following in

the footprints of the ignoble Baron Baltimore, after whom he had ca-

priciously chosen to model his life, Ludovic had sojourned to the East

in an endeavor to satiate his sybaritic senses in every possible way.

But still, his symptoms—the hollow sensation, the emotional detach-

ment as if he were sleepwalking through life—inevitably returned.

Though his pulse had quickened at the very sight of Diana, he

addressed the woman kneeling between his legs with an air of care-

less indifference. “Put your playthings away, my pet, for we have an

unexpected guest.”

Stepping closer, Diana addressed him with icy hauteur. “So
this
is

what you have reduced your life to, my lord?”

“It is fortunate that I don’t give a damn for your opinion, mad-

am,” he answered with a taunting smile. Defiantly, he caressed the

bare breast of his would-be odalisque and took another pull on the

hookah, blowing purple-cast smoke rings into the air. “Now, to what

do I owe the privilege of your queenly condescension?” He could

almost see her hackles rise, a circumstance that gave him a peculiar

twinge of pleasure.

“How dare you ignore my messages and compel me to come to

this...this...den of iniquity!”

He could no longer suppress a chuckle. “It was your choice to

invade my domain. Thus, it is not for me to concern myself with your

injured sensibilities. I already conveyed to you that the girl is safe.

There was nothing further to be said.” He gave her a bland lift of his

brow, enjoying the hell out of her reaction.

“Nothing further! Where is she?” Diana demanded. “She was last

in your charge and has not returned! I found her maid locked in her

room! If anything has happened to her—”

“I assure you she is perfectly safe in my brother’s keeping.”

“Hew is involved in this? I don’t believe it. He would never—”

Ludovic’s mouth kicked up in the corner. “Perhaps I misspoke. It

would be vastly more correct to say
he
is in
hers
.” The girl was a tiny virago. He
almost
felt pity for his brother.

Diana looked befuddled. “What on earth are you talking about?”

“When Vesta revealed to me that she was determined to have

Hew, I agreed to lend some small assistance in the matter.”

“That’s ludicrous! Vesta hasn’t even had her come-out. It is far too

soon for her to be thinking of anyone!”

“Nevertheless.” He shrugged.

“Is that all you have to say?”

“For the nonce. Conversation is not my chief pursuit at the mo-

ment, but should you be inclined to join me...” He surveyed her with

a slow and deliberate appraisal meant both to insult and incite. He

was pleased to note the rapid rise and fall of her breasts, proof that his

power to inspire her lust had not waned in the least.

“You revile me!” Diana spat. “I will expect your call with a full

explanation at nine o’clock on the morrow.”

“An ungodly hour,” he replied. “I doubt I shall have risen before

two.”Diana spun toward the door. “You
will
call, my lord, or you will

much regret my methods of rousing you.”

“I doubt that, my dear,” he replied. “You may
rouse
me any way

you like.”

The room rumbled with snickers and guffaws.

She had meant it as a threat, but Ludovic could picture her face

behind the veil, the high color in her cheeks, the passion lighting her

green eyes, marking her righteous indignation, the very things that

had appealed to him four years ago. He had determined the moment

he first saw her that he she would be his. She had been a challenge, but

he had, indeed, claimed her. Several ways, in fact, but still not enough

to satisfy him. She was the only lover with whom he hadn’t grown

bored. He told himself it was only the brevity of their liaison. It hadn’t

had sufficient time to grow monotonous.

Though he’d only meant to taunt her further, he felt himself grow-

ing rock-hard at the vision of her once again in his bed, proof positive

that he hadn’t had his fill of her yet. The notion had sprung from no-

where, but there it was, just as she, staring him in the face.

“A tolerable, handsome figure,” Lord Malden remarked to her de-

parting back, “but a tongue like a shrew.” He added sotto voce, “Per-

haps you can teach her a better means of employing it, eh, DeVere?”

Oh, he had done that and more. He had taught her many things,

and she had proven both eager and wonderfully sensuous, but her

education remained incomplete.
Unless
... He wondered with an un-

familiar stab of something he didn’t care to identify if Diana had

taken other lovers in his absence. He paused to examine that ques-

tion. Would it really matter if she had? In the end, he found it didn’t

diminish his desire for her in the least. His brother was now out of

the picture, not that he would have allowed
that
courtship to have

progressed any further.

With one hand on the door, she spun around to confront her de-

tractors. He could almost see her livid gaze penetrating through her

veil. “Better a shrew than a sheep, my lord. For hapless sheep are de-

voured by ruthless wolves.”

So that is the way of it.
He chuckled as the door clicked behind her.

He had introduced her to passion and left her to her own devices,

and for that, she resented him. He had felt her bitterness as a living,

breathing force. Yet, there was no doubt in his mind that
this sheep
de-

sired nothing more than to be devoured slowly and deliberately by a

wolf’s mouth, and he would be only too happy to oblige her.

Victoria’s Titillating Tidbits

Nearly everything recounted in this story regarding the scandal-

ous life of Frederick Calvert, Sixth Baron Baltimore, is true.

Horseracing was a tremendous obsession with the upper elite

through all of the Georgian era but reached its pinnacle in the prize

money offered in the late eighteenth century. There was, indeed, a

subscription race for mares only in Epsom, 1778 sponsored by Sir

Chares Bunbury and Lord Derby. It was named The Oaks after Lord

Derby’s estate and offered a prize of two thousand guineas.

Reggie’s race-fixing scheme was inspired by a similar anecdote

I read regarding William Douglas, the Earl of March (who makes a

brief cameo appearance in this story). When March learned his com-

petitor tried to bribe his groom, he rode his own horse to victory just

as Lord DeVere does.

True criminal investigations in the eighteenth century were rare.

For those interested, here are links to a couple of fascinating sites on

criminal prosecution: Law, Ideology, and the Gallows in 18th and

19th-century England. http://www.bunker8.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

history/36804.htm

Also: http://www.londonlives.org/static/Pretrial.jsp

Reviews

REVIEWS FOR
A WILD NIGHT’S BRIDE

THE ROMANCE REVIEWS: 4 STARS “This book offers so much

more than what meets the eye. Sizzlingly sexy? Yes. Wild adventure

and steamy risks? Absolutely. But amidst that is a group of complex,

three-dimensional characters and a constantly surprising plot that

had me gleefully turning pages as quickly as I could.” http://erotic.

theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=5632

MANIC READERS: 4 STARS “Ms. Vane skillfully manages to cap-

ture the debauched decadence available to those willing and able to

pay the price in Georgian times…Excellent characterization, vivid his-

torical depictions, attention to detail, and lack of the traditional “tied

in a pretty bow” ending make A WILD NIGHT’S BRIDE a recom-

mended read. I’m looking forward to the next novellas in the series,

most especially Devil DeVere’s story. http://www.manicreaders.com/

index.cfm?disp=reviews&bookid=24172

THE FORBIDDEN BOOKSHELF: 4STARS “A wager, and one fan-

tastic erotic adventure later, and you are in love with all three of them.

There is romance, but you have to read to find out between whom.

A little heartache as Phoebe wars with herself between what she de-

sires and what she needs to get by. And a fantastic conclusion to the

romance that left me breathless.” http://theforbiddenbookshelf.net/

review-a-wild-nights-bride-by-victoria-vane

READING ROMANCES: 5 STARS “Fun, sexy, clever! Those are

the three words I would use to describe this book! The plot is ter-

rific, the adventurous romance Victoria Vane presents is fun without

forgetting to be deliciously erotic and fascinating.” http://reading-ro-

mances.com/review-a-wild-nights-bride-by-victoria-vane/

ROGUES UNDER THE COVERS: 4.5 stars “ The writing was ex-

cellent and made me feel like I was immersed in the Georgian time pe-

riod. It is fun, sexy and has heart to it. We get a few glimpses into the

upcoming books in this series and I am so eager to read them! A very

delightful, smoldering, delicious 4 1/2 stars” http://underthecovers-

lisa.blogspot.com/2012/04/wild-nights-bride-by-victoria-vane.html

LET THEM READ BOOKS: 4STARS “ This is a fun, sexy romp

and you’ve got to take it for what it is. If you’re looking for slow-

building true love and fully fleshed-out characters and storylines-

-well, that’s hard to fit into a hundred pages. But if you’re in the mood

for something naughty and you like your sexy dressed up in peri-

od costume, with witty dialogue and a few touching moments, you

can’t go wrong spending an evening with the Devil DeVere!” http://