Also by Maggie Dallen
Bluestocking Battalion
Miss Minerva's Pirate Mishap
Miss Abigail's Beastly Beau
Miss Sally's Unsuitable Soldier
Crazy Crush
Tall, Dark, and Nerdy
Too Nerdy to Handle
The Man, The Myth, The Nerd
Dashing Lords
A Rake's Redemption
A Duke's Distraction
A Gentleman's Gamble
Falling in Friar Hollow
The (Not So) Perfect Day
The (Not So) Perfect Fiancé
The (Not So) Perfect Match
Fall in Love Like a Princess
A Shot With Prince Charming
No Place Like Homecoming (Coming Soon)
Never Have I Ever Land (Coming Soon)
Geeks Gone Wild
Love at First Fight
My Virtual Prince Charming
Once Upon a Comic-Con
Geeks Gone Wild Series
How to Catch a Crush
Striking Out with the Star Pitcher
Saved by the Crush's Brother
Playing Hooky with the Hottie
First Kiss with the Quarterback
Sleepover with the Enemy
Love's Imposters
The Reluctant Spy
The Reluctant Bride
Summer Love
Senior Week Crush
Senior Week Fling
Senior Week Kiss
Summer Love Boxset
The Bet Duet
Charming the Cheerleader
Dating the Quarterback
The Bet Duet
The Glitterati Files
All-American Princess
Princess of Hollywood
Wicked Earls' Club
Earl of Charm
Earl of Davenport
Standalone
A Lady's Luck
Dashing Lords Series: Books 1-4
Crazy Crush Series
Audible Love
Miss Sally’s Unsuitable SoldierBluestocking Battalion #3
Maggie Dallen
Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Epilogue
About the Author
Prologue
One week earlier…
Sebastian rocked back on his heels as he took in the sight before him. The ramshackle old stone frigate that housed the naval encampment on these shores had certainly never seen so much excitement as it had tonight.
And sadly for whomever planned the evening’s fete, the excitement was not of the dancing and gossip variety.
He eyed a large brute who was limping his way toward a wall, where he rested with a grimace.
No, tonight’s excitement was more of the pirate variety.
At least, they appeared to be pirates. Captain Jones assured Sebastian and his father, along with their guests, that the men who’d raised the alarm that had led to the ensuing ruckus were, in fact, privateers.
“This is what we get for patronizing a place such as this.” Lady Gertrude was murmuring behind him, no doubt talking to her daughter as his father herded them toward the doors.
The military ball was cut short. Not surprisingly given the fact that a smuggler was on the loose, the Captain’s daughter had been held captive, and the largest man Sebastian had ever seen had been stabbed in the thigh.
“I should go help,” Sebastian started for the third time since the excitement had started.
“Nonsense.” His father snapped at him before turning to hand Lady Gertrude her cloak. “You shall do no such thing. This is no place for you, and it’s certainly not appropriate for the ladies.”
He stared at the back of his father’s head. His father was already back to ignoring him. “Did you just compare me to the ladies of this group?”
His father either didn’t hear or was pretending he hadn’t.
The question went unanswered. Probably for the best. Sebastian likely would not have enjoyed the answer. “You do know that I am a lieutenant colonel in the British army, correct?”
He was speaking to himself at this point, but at least Sebastian found himself amusing. The same could not be said for his father.
“Come, help me get our guests back to the carriages,” his father ordered. “I’ll stay behind and assist here.”
Oh yes. Certainly an elderly earl would be far more useful during a smuggling raid gone bad than, say, oh...a young, healthy lieutenant colonel who’d won his regiment’s last boxing championship.
But a glance around the room that had been a ballroom mere moments before showed that there likely was little he could do.
This was a naval establishment, after all. And while the captain’s crew was young and untested, and their mission was typically to keep the sleepy shores of this coastline safe and...well, sleepy, they were surely up to the task of tracking down what seemed to be one rogue smuggler without his help.
And so Sebastian went about the task of escorting the guests from his father’s house party back to their carriages. They’d no doubt be grateful to get back to the opulence of Hampton Manor after mingling with such a lowbrow crowd.
The thought had Sebastian’s lips curving up in a grin. He’d enjoyed this outing immensely, if only for a breath of fresh air after the stuffy atmosphere and boring chatter he’d been enduring since his return.
He returned to the fort to fetch his father, when he stopped short in surprise. He’d thought all the ladies had been taken to their homes after tonight’s excitement. He’d seen the townsfolk heading back to their homes as he’d assisted the Hampton Manor guests to their carriages.
But there she was. A young lady in a dark pink gown, her hair pulled up in a coif that was more severe than elegant, and her pretty, youthful features pulled tight in concentration.
His brows arched in surprise as she tugged up her skirts so she might squat down beside the large, bleeding brute.
He recognized Dr. Roberts, of course. The physician was a regular guest at Hampton Manor, and no doubt would be joining them again for their house party.
His father insisted that he needed a physician at his side at all times. What with his impending death and all.
It wasn’t laughable, of course—or it wouldn’t be if anyone in this world believed the earl to be ill other than the earl.
But as the Earl of Elwood was alone in this belief and exhibited no symptoms to back up his claims of knocking at death’s door, Sebastian did indeed find some humor in it all.
But that good humor was temporarily replaced by shock at the sight of this girl, so capable and so serious. The physician seemed to be speaking to her and with a nod she moved some of the bandages.
He watched the physician nod in approval, his gaze filled with the sort of fatherly pride that Sebastian witnessed in his own father...toward his elder brother Maxwell, of course. Not him. But still, he knew the look when he saw it.
How odd. How curious.
Who was this young lady?
He had a vague memory of an introduction being made when they’d first arrived, but then he’d been inundated with introductions as he
