The Notorious Lady Anne: A Loveswept Historical Romance Read online

  The Notorious Lady Anne is a work of fiction. Names, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  A Loveswept eBook Original

  Copyright © 2013 by Sharon Cullen

  Excerpt from The Infamous Lord Blythe by Sharon Cullen copyright © 2013 by Sharon Cullen

  Excerpt from The Reluctant Countess by Wendy Vella copyright © 2013 by Wendy Vella

  Excerpt from The Escape Diaries by Juliet Rosetti copyright © 2013 by Patricia Kilday

  Excerpt from Wild Rain by Donna Kauffman copyright © 1995 by Donna Kauffman

  All Rights Reserved.

  Published in the United States by Loveswept, an imprint of The Random House Publishing

  Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.

  LOVESWEPT and colophon are trademarks of Random House, Inc.

  Cover design: Lynn Andreozzi

  Cover illustration: Aleta Rafton

  eISBN: 978-0-345-54005-8

  www.ReadLoveSwept.com

  v3.1

  Dedication

  In May 2011, while I was in the middle of writing The Notorious Lady Anne, near tragedy struck my family when my husband suffered a traumatic brain injury during a bicycle accident. My writing came to a halt so I could dedicate myself to my husband’s recovery.

  Five months after his accident, while sitting in the waiting room of outpatient therapy, I opened up my laptop and started writing again. Most of this book was written while I sat in what I laughingly called “my office” at the rehabilitation hospital.

  This book is dedicated to all of my husband’s doctors, nurses and therapists. Without them, I wouldn’t have my husband back again.

  And, of course, to John. There is no one I admire more. Your strength, your perseverance, your determination and your willpower astound and humble me. I love you.

  Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Acknowledgment

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Chapter Twenty-five

  About the Author

  Excerpt from The Infamous Lord Blythe

  The Editor’s Corner

  Excerpt from The Reluctant Countess

  Excerpt from The Escape Diaries

  Excerpt from Wild Rain

  Acknowledgment

  A huge thank-you to my wonderful critique partner, Sonja Goedde, who patiently read and commented on every page. And who emailed me one day to say, “I talked to this wonderful editor and you need to send her Lady Anne NOW.” That editor turned out to be Sue Grimshaw of Random House’s newly revised Loveswept line, who fell in love with Emmaline and Nicholas.

  My acknowledgments wouldn’t be complete without a shout-out to my agent, Jessica Alvarez of BookEnds Literary Agency, who patiently guided me through the process and offered wonderful advice.

  Chapter One

  London, 1749

  Nicholas Addison tossed back a mouthful of flat champagne and watched the swirling mass of people on the dance floor with a jaded eye. If he didn’t have an important meeting in a few moments he would have left already. Hell, he wouldn’t have attended in the first place.

  “We’ve only just arrived. You can’t leave yet.”

  Nicholas switched his gaze from the dizzying dancers to his brother, Sebastian, Earl of Claybrook.

  Sebastian grinned but the amusement didn’t reach his tired eyes. “So what did Kenmar have to say?” he asked, referring to Nicholas’s earlier appointment with the marquess.

  Nicholas shrugged and looked around one more time. You never knew who could be lurking in the shadows. Listening. And he wasn’t taking chances. Not tonight.

  He took another swig of champagne and frowned when the alcohol hit his stomach like a round from a twenty-two-pounder. “He’s offering me a captain’s position on one of Hamilton’s ships. I haven’t given him an answer yet.”

  “So will you do it?” Sebastian asked quietly, looking around as well. If someone was lurking, Sebastian and Nicholas’s strange behavior would surely tip him off.

  Nicholas swirled another swallow of champagne around in his mouth but it didn’t wash away the indecision. The anxiety. “I’m to give him my answer in a few minutes.” He looked around for the marquess but the crush of people made it impossible to see even a few feet beyond him.

  “Don’t leave a chap in suspense, Nicholas. What will you tell him?”

  “I haven’t made my decision yet.”

  When the summons arrived to report to the marquess’s residence, Nicholas’s curiosity had been piqued. Bored, he accepted the somewhat terse invitation even though he knew he couldn’t not accept it. What Kenmar had proposed was the last thing Nicholas had expected and the one thing he wanted most—to command his own ship, to be out on the ocean where he belonged.

  But, as with anything in life that seemed too good to be true, it came with provisions. The shipping company had recently been under attack. Some suspected pirates. But not Kenmar. Kenmar suspected the owner of the company, a man named Daniel Blackwell, was purposely sabotaging the ships to gain the insurance money.

  Nicholas had inwardly winced when he read the insurance papers. The names scrawled at the bottom were some of the most highly placed noblemen in the country. A few even had the advantage of the king’s ear. If Blackwell was fleecing them of their money, the man was an imbecile.

  Nicholas leaned against the wall, desperate to escape the cloying perfume of the ladies, the boisterous boasts of the gentlemen, and the swirling couples on the dance floor. He’d never been a decent dancer, not even an adequate dancer, and with his barely healed leg, adequacy wasn’t a possibility. Not that he wanted to dance. No, what he wanted was to climb those stairs and exit the stifling house. But first he had to speak to Kenmar. First he had to make a decision.

  Sebastian slapped Nicholas on the back. “I’m certain you’ll make the right decision, brother.” He made to move away, hailing a friend across the room.

  “Sebastian.”

  His brother turned and raised a brow in inquiry. Nicholas was taken aback by the fatigue on Sebastian’s face. Small lines etched the corners of his eyes and deep grooves creased the sides of his mouth. A mouth that smiled little lately.

  “Thank you,” Nicholas said quietly.

  Sebastian smiled, erasing the serious expression that seemed to be a constant lately. “That’s what families are for, Nick.” His gaze flickered behind Nicholas. “Kenmar’s approaching.” Then he disappeared into the crowd, giving Nicholas only a few moments to prepare himself.

  “Addison.” Kenmar stopped beside him. An older gentleman who clung to the tradition of wearing a white wig in public, the man was well respected and a close acquaintance of the king.

  Nicholas nodded. “Kenmar.”

  “Have you given my proposal any thought?”
/>   “I have.”

  Kenmar took a sip from his glass. “Before you give me your answer, I’ll have you know I received more information after you left this afternoon. Inside sources tell me Blackwell is launching a shipment of gold that’s to leave the colonies in a month or so. If you choose to accept this mission, I’ll need you to discover more about the gold. Where it’s headed and what it’s being used for.”

  “You don’t believe Lady Anne is behind the attacks?” According to Blackwell, the notorious female pirate, Lady Anne, was behind them.

  “I don’t believe Lady Anne exists.” Kenmar swirled the wine in his glass.

  The London papers were full of the lady pirate’s exploits. Young girls wanted to be like her. Men claimed to have bedded her. The elite whispered about her in their ballrooms and she was the major source of entertainment in what would otherwise have been an ordinary season of soirees and balls.

  Nicholas didn’t know anyone who’d actually seen Lady Anne, let alone met her. Whether she existed or not had been little concern to him. Until now.

  The prospect of the gold fascinated him. Hell, who was he kidding? The entire proposal intrigued him. He’d been away from the sea for two long years. It was time he regained his sea legs and this was the perfect opportunity.

  “I will do it,” he said. And the weight that had settled on his shoulders after his injury shifted.

  Kenmar nodded, his expression unchanging, as if he’d expected no other answer. “Be ready to sail in five days.” He put his glass on the tray of a passing waiter. “Now I’m off to the club. Have a good evening, Addison.” And he disappeared into the crowd, leaving Nicholas alone with his newfound trepidation and anxiety. But also with anticipation.

  “Do you find these things as boring as I?”

  His gaze collided with eyes the color of the sea on a clear day, a combination of blue and green. They smiled at him, those eyes. Crinkling at the corners and dancing with merriment.

  Slowly his startled gaze swept over her, taking in shiny black hair piled high. One curled, ebony lock rested seductively on the top of a firm, golden breast encased in an off-white gown.

  With all that dark hair and glowing skin, she reminded him of a Gypsy.

  But what fascinated him the most, what caught his attention more than the curve of her breasts and the bewitching color of her eyes, were the dimples peeking out at him when she smiled.

  The stunning vision held out her hand. “Emmaline Sutherland. And you are?”

  He hesitated. He might disdain society, preferring the open ocean to a stuffy ballroom, but he knew the rules, and one of the biggest was that a lady did not introduce herself to a gentleman. Intrigued, he smiled, bowed over her hand and kissed it.

  “Captain Nicholas Addison.”

  “Well, Captain Addison, why don’t you ask me to dance? Maybe a sarabande will alleviate our boredom.”

  If women didn’t introduce themselves to men, they certainly didn’t ask men to dance. Who was this woman? The fear of making a fool of himself kept his feet rooted to the gleaming wood floor. Would his leg withstand the complicated dance moves? If it didn’t, did he deserve the captain’s position just offered to him?

  He held out his arm for her to take. “Would you prefer a stroll instead?”

  She tilted her head, studying him while his elbow remained crooked for her hand.

  Finally she took his arm. “I’d be delighted.”

  As he guided her through the crush of people, he recalled his brother mentioning something about this ball being held for an Emmaline Sutherland. “So, Miss Sutherland, to what do we owe the honor of this route?”

  She grimaced, her gaze glancing over the dancers. “No honor. Aunt Dorothy will take any excuse to give a ball. I happened to be in town at the moment.”

  “You are not from London?”

  Her hand felt nearly weightless on his arm, yet he was well aware of its warmth beneath her glove.

  “Originally, yes. But I live abroad now and return infrequently. And you, sir? Are you from London?”

  “Yes, but like you, I am rarely here. I’m a sea captain and will set sail in a few days for Boston.” Not completely the truth. He was rarely in town because he preferred the family’s country home, where he didn’t have to encounter pitiful stares and whispers behind his back. If not for Kenmar’s summons, and Sebastian’s plea to attend this ball, Nicholas wouldn’t be here now.

  Miss Sutherland raised an ebony eyebrow. “Boston. How exciting.” Her tone lacked the aforementioned excitement, as if her mind was far away. “And who do you sail for?”

  “Blackwell Shipping.” Pride welled in his chest. Pride that he was once again doing something. Sailing instead of rusticating, as his brother called it. Sailing instead of recuperating. Sailing instead of feeling sorry for himself. “Where do you live, if not in London?” he asked.

  “Barbados.”

  “Barbados?” He turned to look at her.

  Amusement lurked in those curiously colored eyes. “Does that shock you?”

  More like fascinated. While Nicholas was well traveled, he didn’t know many women who were. In fact, he didn’t know any women who were. “No,” he lied.

  “My husband and I own a sugar plantation on the island.”

  Disappointment washed through him at the mention of a husband even though he had no right to his disappointment. It wasn’t as if he was able to pursue a courtship with Miss, or rather, Mrs. Sutherland. He was leaving in five days, after all.

  “And is your husband present tonight?” He glanced around the room, searching for an angry gentleman staring holes in his back.

  “He’s in Barbados overseeing the plantation. He never travels to London.”

  “I see.” But he didn’t see. If he had a wife as beautiful and charming as Emmaline Sutherland, he wouldn’t let her out of his sight. Definitely not to travel from Barbados to London alone. “Are you frightened traveling alone?”

  A smile touched her lips. “What would I be frightened of?”

  He shrugged, his discussion with Kenmar still fresh in his mind. “Pirates.”

  “Pirates are the things of fairy tales, are they not?”

  “Pirates are a very real threat, I’m afraid.”

  “Are you speaking of a certain lady pirate who attacks ships and eats men?”

  Nicholas chuckled. “Lady Anne they call her.”

  “Ah, yes. Lady Anne,” Emmaline said with a slight smile.

  “I’m afraid tales of her are most likely exaggerated. Especially the man-eating tales.”

  “You don’t believe in Lady Anne?”

  Nicholas hesitated, recognizing the same question he’d asked Kenmar. “I’m afraid not. Sailing is difficult enough for men. It’s not a lifestyle a woman would become accustomed to.”

  “But I sail frequently.”

  He detected a note in her voice warning that he was treading on unstable ground. Yet, a little devil stood on his shoulder and he felt an unholy need to goad this woman. Not a very gentlemanly thing to do, but that what-the-hell attitude took root again.

  “As a passenger. Not as a crewman. The work is strenuous and taxing. Not to mention dangerous.”

  “And you don’t think a woman is able to engage in such dangerous work?” Her voice was tight, her shoulders even tighter.

  He bit back the urge to smile. What a virago this woman was and what fun it would be to debate with her. He’d met very few men, let alone women, he’d had the pleasure to clash verbal swords with.

  “I believe a woman has her place in a man’s world, but not on the sea.”

  Silence stretched between them as they completed a circuit of the room and stopped where they’d started. Mrs. Sutherland looked up at him, seeming to assess him. He was relieved to see she wasn’t angry, merely interested, as if she were studying a bug pinned to a board. Or, better yet, an unknown creature pulled from the sea. Her gaze drew him in, made him think thoughts that were entirely inappropriate.


  He cleared his throat and stepped back. She’s married, Addison. You don’t dally with married women.

  She curtsied, although he had the impression the move was less etiquette and more mockery, which delighted him and had him forcing back a smile he was sure she wouldn’t appreciate. “Thank you for alleviating my boredom, kind sir. Your conversation was … enlightening.”

  He bowed, finding it more and more difficult not to smile. She certainly was peeved with him, and he found to his chagrin that he wasn’t at all pleased she was taking leave of his company. He would have liked to debate with her for the rest of the night. But that would be inappropriate. Besides, he was sailing in a few days and had to prepare for it. “My pleasure, Mrs. Sutherland.”

  A mere hour later, Emmaline observed Nicholas Addison leave with his brother, the Earl of Claybrook. Both men climbed the stairs, twin specimens of masculinity that had every female eye riveted to their wide shoulders and full heads of black-as-sin hair. Neither wore the wigs that were so in fashion. Emmaline had a feeling that others would soon follow in their footsteps, because the two were decidedly delicious looking without them. Each moved with an animal-like grace, although Nicholas had a hitch to his step that had her wondering what happened to him. The limp was his only physical flaw, although she didn’t consider it a flaw, just another fascinating aspect of a man who captivated her attention.

  Inside she was still smiling at their conversation. So, Captain Addison believed sailing too strenuous for women. She couldn’t help herself as she laughed out loud, causing a few heads to turn her way.

  Even though she disagreed with his assessment of females, she thoroughly enjoyed their verbal sparring, but something about him bothered her. Normally she was good at sizing up a man’s character. He’d been interested, but the interest in those deep navy eyes definitely cooled when she mentioned a husband. So he had morals.

  He’d been a gentleman, sincerely concerned for her safety when he spoke of pirates in that smooth-as-velvet voice. Which meant he was caring.

  He firmly believed a woman had no place on the sea, yet he wasn’t harsh about his belief. Merely naïve, as most men were. Unlike most of the gentlemen at the ball, who’d gone soft with drink and too much fine food, she felt his strength in the muscles of his arm, and in his wide shoulders unpadded beneath his coat. He was lean, the bones in his face finely chiseled, the pale skin stretched taut. There was no excess about him, as if he’d gone to hell and back, and the journey had taken everything from him, leaving him with nothing but what he needed to survive.