The Viscount's Vendetta (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic)

The Viscount’s Vendetta

Damon Royston saw a lady berating a chimney worker, and Rook, his friend, tells him she is Caroline, Lord Halford’s only child. Damon is stunned. She is the daughter of his sworn enemy, the man he holds responsible for his father’s suicide and the one he has planned to ruin.

Sparks fly when they meet, but Caroline fights her attraction to him. Damon bargains with Lord Halford. If Caroline marries him, he might not ruin him financially. Her father refuses, but Caroline discovers her father’s problems and agrees to marry Damon. They go to live at his estate, in his new house, as Damon refuses to live in the ancestral home where his father died. Caroline meets the staff and instantly dislikes Damon’s cousin, Charles, the estate manager.

When Damon travels to London, Caroline visits the ancestral home. On one of her visits, she finds a diary Damon’s father wrote, and after reading it she suspects his father didn’t kill himself. Someone else was involved.

Genre:
Historical, Regency

Length:
93,409 words

Paige Cameron

EVERLASTING CLASSIC

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com

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IMPRINT: Everlasting Classic

THE VISCOUNT’S VENDETTA

Copyright © 2014 by Paige Cameron

E-book ISBN: 978-1-62741-640-5

First E-book Publication: April 2014

Cover design by Les Byerley

All art and logo copyright © 2014 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED:
This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com

Letter to Readers

Dear Readers,

If you have purchased this copy of
The Viscount’s Vendetta
by Paige Cameron from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

Regarding E-book Piracy

This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book.

The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment.

This is Paige Cameron’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Cameron’s right to earn a living from her work.

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www.SirenPublishing.com

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This is dedicated to my son, Rob, who always takes time to help me when I’m having difficulties with my computer. I appreciate your patience. You are a good son. Love, Mom.

PAIGE CAMERON

Copyright © 2014

Chapter One

As Caroline Winters stepped out of the bonnet shop, the altercation across the street caught her attention. A tall, brawny man gripped a chimney boy’s thin arm. His harsh voice rose above the noise of the passing traffic and hawkers selling their wares on the street corner.

Sara, Caroline’s friend, reached out to her. “Don’t, Caroline. The carriage is this way.” She motioned toward their left.

Joan, her other closest friend, moved to her side. But Caroline couldn’t look away from the fracas occurring in front of her. She stepped onto Bond Street, ignoring a wagon that almost hit her and the ugly words the driver shouted. She dodged carriages and other wagons to hurry across. Dust swirled around, coating her hair and clothes. She blinked rapidly to clear her vision from particles of dirt blowing in her eyes.

All she saw was a child’s face darkened with soot. Tears left white lines down his gaunt cheeks. When she stepped onto the walkway, she said, “Release him!”

Is the man going to ignore me?
Then, he turned.

His black eyes glared at her as he moved forward dragging the boy along. His put his face close to hers and sneered. “Ah, if it ain’t the same lady back again. I suppose you want this one, too.” He nodded at the child.

His bad breath made Caroline step back. He laughed and deliberately closed the space between them.

“If I keep givin’ you my chimney boys, I won’t have any to do the job. This is the fifth one you’ve tried to take from me.”

She tipped her head and stared at him. “Hardly take from you,” Caroline answered in her most refined tone. “You have been well paid.”

Uneasiness crept over her as she noted a crowd began to form. With a quick glance, she realized some of the people watching were members of society. Her parents would be appalled if they heard of her behavior.

The man yelled. She forgot the crowd and turned back just as the child yanked his arm free. He ran to Caroline, grabbing her hand tightly.

She leaned down to comfort him. A low murmur came from the assembled group.

“Let the lady take him home. He won’t be much good to you. He can’t last long in those chimneys as small as he is,” a workman shouted.

“Stay out of my business!” The chimney boy’s boss grabbed the child’s arm and pulled him to his side.

“You’ll need more money this time, my lady.” His face had reddened with anger. He pulled the boy’s arm up and the youngster cried out. The man grinned sardonically at her.

Inside Caroline something snapped. She struck the man with her parasol. She and the crowd gasped as the angry sweeper turned on her.

Suddenly, a tall, well-dressed man stepped between Caroline and the burly, crude man moving to attack her.

The gentleman held up his hand. “Stop right where you are.”

“Move out of my way. This is my business,” the sweeper snarled.

“I’m making it mine,” her rescuer said without raising his voice. “How dare you accost this lady?”

Caroline couldn’t move. The people and activity around her clouded. She mustn’t faint. She never fainted. After taking several deep breaths, the unreal sensation faded. The chimney boy’s boss had moved back from the stranger, although he still glared around him at Caroline.

Her rescuer turned partway and caught Caroline frowning at the man. “You need to join the ladies across the street.” He nodded toward Sara and Joan. “I’m sure they must be your friends. They look quite alarmed.”

He was right. Sara and Joan motioned frantically at her to return. She looked at the gentleman and found herself caught in his dark gaze.

Straightening to her full height of five feet three inches, she shook her head no. “I will pay the man first and take the boy with me before I leave.” She saw displeasure flash in the stranger’s blue eyes. His lips tightened.

“I will deal with the boy and this man.” He spoke in a firm tone and nodded toward where the man stood holding tightly onto the child’s forearm. Caroline silently challenged her rescuer. The air sizzled around them during their silent battle of wills.

Surprised, she realized he wasn’t going to relent and change his mind. The unrest of the crowd and din of noise finally reached her consciousness. Her face flushed with heat. Reluctantly, she turned and walked to the edge of the street. Her friends looked across at her with anxious expressions on their faces. Her maid, Mary, waved.

The small boy, covered in soot, pulled himself loose again and threw himself against her, leaving smudges of black against her cream-colored pelisse. Caroline pulled him protectively against her body.

Her rescuer had put money into the sweeper’s hand. The gentleman frowned at her and the boy. He walked to them and put his hand on the child’s shoulder.

“Come with me,” he commanded. He turned his attention to Caroline and nodded toward the crowd. “You have exposed yourself to enough notoriety. Join your friends, now.” He spoke in a low voice, but it was nonetheless commanding.

“You have no right to tell me what to do.” She directed her frustration and anger toward him, even though she knew she was being ungrateful and unreasonable.

“A well-mannered lady would say thank you.” His eyes glinted with amusement.

Gritting her teeth, she forced a smile and curtsied. “Thank you.” She managed to get the words out. He chuckled.

Before she crossed the street, she glanced at the child. “You will treat him well?”

“Most definitely.”

She nodded and hurried across to join her friends. Joan and Sara urged her to move along. Mary followed. Caroline couldn’t resist taking a quick look back. The gentleman had knelt in front of the boy and wiped soot from the tiny face. The hateful sweeper had gone back to his work, and the crowd began to disperse.