There is nothing Matthias Deverell, illegitimate son of a marquis, wants more than to remove the murmurs of treason that haunt his father’s name. He is determined to do just that, even if it means completing the nearly impossible task of reassembling the globe his father used as a safe. With pieces spread all over London, it will take all of Matthias’ considerable skill at intimidation to retrieve them. Nicholas Rexford, young Viscount Leighton, wants only to be able to provide a comfortable life for himself and his three sisters. After being left in near-poverty thanks to their father’s spending and gambling, Nick is desperate to find a business venture he can invest in to turn their fortunes around. Sadly, he has no head for business, preferring to spend his time engrossed in horrid novels. When Matthias finds Nick in possession of a piece of the globe, he believes the handsome young man to be in on the scheme, and decides to keep a closer eye on him. But when Nick meets Matthias, he is enthralled by the “dark and dangerous bastard” who could have stepped out of one of his novels. Despite his suspicions, Matthias is drawn to Nick, but will his suspicions destroy what is developing between them and cost Matthias a chance at happiness?

The Bastard's World

“We’ll return to it soon. And I promise I’ll arrange more outings for us in London.” Seeing her expression turn mutinous, Nick wondered what he could have possibly said wrong.


“Until you send me away to school!” Lucy’s blaze of temper was quickly quenched by a storm of tears.


“What?” At the moment Nick couldn’t afford to send her to a proper school, even if he wanted to—which he didn’t. As far as he was concerned, Lucy’s mind was far too good for any ordinary education. “Send you to…? What’s put such an idea into your head?”


It didn’t take Lucy long to realize what Nick’s astonishment meant, and she swallowed her tears as best she could. “In the carriage on the way home Charlotte told the ladies you expected to find a fine school for me and asked for recommendations from them.”


Nick’s anger at Charlotte was tempered by the fact that setting things right—at least as far as Lucy knew—was a simple matter. “Lu, Charlotte…”


Chapter 62