Page 28 of The Captain Claims His Temptress

The gargoyle’s trousers came to his calves and his shirt didn’t button over his chest. When he bowed, the seams of his pants threatened to split. “Good eve, Captain.”

Stephen clenched and unclenched his fist.

“Aren’t ye happy to see us?” asked the troll as he flourished his hat.

Stephen rolled his eyes. “The two of you look absurd in livery.”

“Well, what a fine how-de-do. We thought ye’d be more hospitable to a couple of old mates.”

Mates his arse. “Have you been following me?”

“Mayhap just a lil’.” Diggins held up his thumb and forefinger to measure an inch. “We seen you knock the piss out of that bloke in London.” He wrinkled his nose and spat in disgust.

A repulsive blob of mucus landed beside Stephen’s foot.

“Bloody pickpockets,” Myrle mumbled.

Quite a statement coming from the no-good rat.

“And we seen you last night with your tongue down a lass’s throat.” Diggins traced a feminine hourglass shape in the air. “We was just about to come on up and say ‘hello there,’ and out she run onto that fancy balcony in her fancy dress. And then…”—his smile was lecherous—“Woohoo wowee!”

Even though every obscenity he knew brewed inside him, Stephen remained calm. “What do you want?”

Diggins tapped his chin. “What do we want?”

Myrle shrugged. “We might just wanna say hello to our old mate and favorite captain.”

“Out with it,” Stephen said.

Diggins’s cheeks puffed up. He exhaled and blurted, “The earl is the son of Satan, and that redheaded duchess is friggin’ insane.”

So, they were terrified of his siblings. Good. They should be. Stephen snorted.

“The Duke of Astleyshire might be a blood-lusting monster. So, we need yer help,” Diggins said.

William Harrington had quite a reputation, but this was the first time Stephen had heard that his brother-in-law liked to drink blood. He chuckled despite the wary situation.

“But that pretty little thing… What’s her name, Diggins?”

“Lady Evangeline.” Myrle licked his lips.

“That’s right. Lady Evangeline. Now, she is a sweet thing indeed.Mmm.Mmm.” Diggins slurped.

Then the arses slapped their thighs as they chuckled manically.

Stephen’s chuckle had morphed into a predatory growl. His siblings could take care of themselves, but how dare they mention his sweet sister-in-law, especially after they had once kidnapped her. He slid his hand to his pistol.

At the same time, Myrle retrieved his weapon. The pistol slipped from his hand, landed with a clang, and a bullet ricocheted off the seahorse sculpture in the fountain.

Stephen aimed his barrel between Myrle’s eyes. “What do the two of you want?”

“Hands behind your heads,” Major Blythe said from the shadows.

Calhoun stepped forward, his pistol also on the men.

“Bloody hell. We ain’t done nothin’,” Diggins said.

“Of course not. You two are the epitome of law-abiding citizens.” Stephen circled around behind them. “Let’s go.” He pressed his gun into Diggins’s back.