Lady Victoria is to marry James, the Earl of Stanwick and future Duke of . She begs her father to allow her to go to the colonies (or maybe the West Indies) to visit her sister before she has to marry. On the way back, her ship is attacked by pirates and she is kidnapped.
I am still trying to work out the pirates detail as I need to have dates that correspond with when they ran roughshod over the ocean. I know 17th century was the start, but when was the finish? There are technically still pirates around, but I want it "Pirates of the Caribbean" style.
Nicholas is a Captain of a ship. After all, he is a second son, he wasn't supposed to inherit, nor has he been prepared to inherit. Like most spares, his father paid for a stint in the navy. While in the Queen's Service, Nick excelled in subterfuge and spying, and of course being a Captain of a ship.
One day, while Nick is busy doing whatever it is Captains do, they stop in a Pirate town and witness an auction. Most of these auctions held were for prostitutes, but this particular auction held a drugged Lady Victoria, selling her as the virgin of Antigua (or some other Caribbean town). He is intrigued, shocked, and oddly fearful for what he would think was a prostitute. Against his better judgement and going with his intuition, he purchases Lady Victoria and takes her on board his ship.
Nicholas, having received word about his brother's fall from grace, shortly learns upon Tory's awakening that she is his betrothed. Tory doesn't know about the change in brothers because she has been in America. Even if she did, she would not relate Nicholas the pirate with Nicholas the future husband. While on the ship, Nicholas falls in love with the beautiful Victoria and compromises her, not feeling the least bit guilty, knowing he is going to marry her.
When they arrive in England, Nicholas coldly and callously deposits her back at her father's house and leaves without a trace. Tory is beside herself with grief, knowing that she will never see him again and also accepting her punishment for her foolishness in falling in love with him.
Then, after about a month of endless balls and parties, Tory is called into her father's study to meet her future husband. Who should it be but the elusive Nicky. Tory is furious and refuses to marry him. Now Nick must convince her to marry his lying arse. But no! Skyzy is not going to go down that tired path where the headstrong woman denies what her heart desires because she is too stubborn for her own good.
Victoria is furious with Nick and refuses to marry him, but gets over it pretty quickly that night when Nick comes to visit her in her room, unbeknownst to her father. After some frivoulous plot-filler and boring exposition, setting up book three, Victoria and Nick marry and Victoria gives birth "prematurely" shortly thereafter.