The Devil's Match Read online

  “I was a fool,” he said. “I was a smug, selfish, arrogant ass when I made that agreement with Hew. I saw it as the easiest way to avoid my obligation, but I’m not that man any longer. You have made me a new creature. Can you understand that? I wish nothing more now than to embrace my responsibility and obligation. It is the desire of my heart to protect and provide for you, Diana. For you and our child.”

  “But to curse your child with illegitimacy?”

  “Have you heard nothing I’ve said? I love you, damn it! And I want to marry you! You’ve only to say yes, Diana, to give our child a name.”

  “But what of the title? What of Hew?”

  He gave a deprecating laugh. “What he said to me does not bear repeating in genteel company.”

  “You mean this? It’s what you want?” she asked, fear and doubt still clouding her mind.

  “There was never a question of what I wanted, my love.” He traced her trembling lips with his thumb. “Until this moment, I had thought it a cruel and profound jest that the Deity had placed everything I most desired within my sight, but still beyond my grasp. But here you are, Diana, within my grasp. And I have no intention to let you go.” His arms came around her, and he slanted his head as if to kiss her but paused only inches from her mouth. “You have yet to give me your answer.”

  She closed the gap, breathing against his lips. “Yes, Ludovic. God help me, I will have you.”

  Epilogue

  Medford Abbey, The DeVere Seat in Kent, 1794

  “Bloody hell!” Ludovic’s shaking hands sloshed a puddle of amber liquid onto his new boots as he topped off his tumbler of brandy.

  “Damme, with as much practice as you’ve had, one would think you’d become accustomed to this by now, Vic,” Ned said.

  “Hang me if it ever gets any easier.” DeVere raised his glass but suspended the motion in midair. “It’s quiet,” he remarked. “Too quiet.”

  “All of our children are outside with the nursemaids,” Hew said. “Vesta thought it best to keep them occupied.”

  “No. Something’s gone wrong.” Ludovic felt the blood leaching from his face. He slammed down his glass and raced upstairs, taking the steps by two.

  “My lord, you mustn’t!” cried Polly.

  “The hell you say!” He pushed past the maid without apology and burst into Diana’s chamber. Her face was drawn and deathly pale, her russet hair damp and clinging to her face and pillow. She looked up at him with glazed eyes and a wan smile.

  “Diana!” he cried, bile rising into his throat. His gaze darted to the midwife with rising panic.

  “She will be fine, my lord,” the midwife reassured. “She only needs rest. It’s never easy delivering twins.” As if on command, a chorus of shrill shrieks filled the air. Vesta and Phoebe stepped forward, each with a babe in arms.

  “Twin sons,” they chimed.

  “Twins?” he replied aghast. “Another set of DeVere twins?”

  “I fear we’ll have need of another nursemaid, my love,” Diana said.

  “Dear God, Diana, we’ll need a bigger house!”

  “But are you not pleased?” she asked, a pained look clouding her eyes.

  “Pleased? The words escape me.” He threw himself to the floor beside her bed, taking her hand in his and plying kisses to every knuckle before gazing at her with a twitch of his lips. “If children are truly a blessing from heaven, I should count myself the most fortunate of men, but then again, I wonder if this number may also be a penance for my past sins.”

  Diana gave a soft chuckle. “Eight children! Whoever would have thought The Devil DeVere would become father to such a brood?”

  Ludovic looked on with adoration as Phoebe and Vesta placed an infant in each of Diana’s arms. She offered a milky white breast to each eager mouth, instantly muffling their cries. “A devilishly hungry duo.” Diana gazed down at the infants with a tender smile. “I thought to call them Deverel and Dante.”

  DeVere nodded his approval and smiled down at the suckling infants. “Between Hew and Vesta’s litter and our brood, we certainly have kept up our end in procreating the line.” Ludovic chuckled. “Mayhap even of repopulating Kent!”

  “You both have, indeed, my love.” Diana flashed him a wry grin. “You do realize this greedy pair now makes an even twelve DeVeres? And if they follow in your footsteps at all, I fear they will come to be known countywide as the devil’s dozen.”

  Reviews

  REVIEWS FOR The Virgin Huntress

  5 STARS “I thought a Wild Night’s Bride was great, but, WOW, The Virgin Huntress was wonderful! There is nothing I love more than a fantastic romance with a huge dose of humor and Ms. Vane delivered.” http://www.bittenbyparanormalromance.com/2012/06/book-spotlightgiveaway-virgin-huntress.html

  5STARS “Great and unexpected (I love surprises) continuation to The Devil DeVere #1. Love the humor, spontaneity, characters and the sensual touch that’s just Victoria Vane :)” http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/349020885

  5 STARS “Victoria Vane has done it again! Well-written, entertaining, witty, inventive and sexy, I loved every moment of this novella! VERDICT: WICKEDLY FUN READ” http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/324446614

  4.5 STARS “This novella made me laugh, sigh and spend a couple delicious hours away from reality to end with a smile on my face! Highly recommended for fans of enjoyable, sexy, emotional, fell good stories! I can not wait for more in this series!” http://underthecovers-lisa.blogspot.com/2012/06/virgin-huntress-by-victoria-vane.html

  5 STARS “What an exciting erotic tale. A must read for anyone who enjoys the Georgian era,erotic romance, war heroes,gentlemen,England and a sea ride with a few twists and turns. Ms. Vane is a wonderful storyteller who draws the reader into her stories and leaves them spellbound.” http://mybookaddictionreviews.wordpress.com/?p=3627&preview=true

  4 STARS “The only time The Virgin Huntress reads like a novella is when it ends about 50,000 words too soon. But hats off to Vane again, because there’s an epilogue. The Virgin Huntress is witty, entertaining and such an original piece of work that everyone should give it a go.” http://musingsallie.blogspot.com/2012/06/virgin-huntress-by-victoria-vane.html

  5 STARS “What a delightful wickedly witty read. I immediately fell in love with Vesta and Hew from the very beginning. The chemistry between them ignites from their first meeting, especially on Vesta’s part….I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves historical romance. Ms. Vane is a master at building the historical background and setting.” http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/348267843

  4.5 STARS “The Devil DeVere series showcases the talents of a gifted writer of historical romance who knows the Georgian era well. The Virgin Huntress combines romance with tasteful, sensual love scenes, humor, and history in a sweetly-packaged novella.” http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13572637-the-virgin-huntress

  4 STARS “The Virgin Huntress is the second book in Victoria Vane’s The Devil DeVere series and another fun, sexy romp through Georgian England! This story begins right on the heels of the first book, A Wild Night’s Bride, and is written with the same detail to period dialog, dress and social routines and rituals which is one of the things I most love about Ms. Vane’s stories… I always enjoy Victoria Vane’s tales. Her characters are funny, sexy, and sometimes too full of themselves for their own good! But one thing we can be sure of, they’re always entertaining!” http://blithelybookish.blogspot.com/2012/06/virgin-huntress-by-victoria-vane.html

  Biography

  A lover of history and deeply romantic stories, Victoria combines these elements to craft erotic and romantic historical novels and novellas for a mature reading audience. Her writing influences are Georgette Heyer for fabulously witty dialogue and over-the-top characters, Robin Schone, Sylvia Day, and Charlotte Featherstone for beautifully crafted prose with deep sensuality, and Lila DiPasqua for creative vision in melding history with eroticism. Ms. Vane also writes romantic historical fiction a
s Emery Lee.

  Author Links:

  http://authorvictoriavane.com

  http://authoremerylee.com

  http://georgianjunkie.wordpress.com

  Her Works:

  The Devil DeVere Series:

  A Wild Night’s Bride—available from Breathless Press

  The Virgin Huntress—available from Breathless Press

  The Devil You Know—available from Breathless Press

  The Devil’s Match—available from Breathless Press

  Other works:

  A Breach of Promise

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  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

  Epilogue