"I am a woman grown. The only person responsible for me is myself."
"Even if that were the case, I fear I would still hesitate at being taken into your confidence. Consider the prudence of your speech, Miss Sharp. A secret once shared is no longer a secret. What is it they say? Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead." A strange smile twisted the corner of his mouth. "You ought to know that I have no intention of dying."
"Heavens! I have no intention of killing you." If he appreciated her joke, he did not show it. "Perhaps it may set your mind at rest if I tell you that the other person involved is a respectable woman of advanced years?" Now she was speaking very low, so low that even he could barely hear her over the music. His eyes flickered to the Dowager Duchess. "Yes. It is she. Now will you hear me out?"
"It appears I have no choice."
"Don't be so gloomy, Captain. I assure you it is an intrigue which will interest you greatly. You see, some weeks ago – when we first arrived in London – the Duchess – the Dowager Duchess, that is, not my sister – received a visit from a young man to whom she had not been introduced but who nevertheless prevailed upon her company. He claimed some distant mutual friendship and styled himself as a helpful friend who wished to make report of her health to an old acquaintance of her husband's. That explained the first visit well enough, and as the Duchess is neither young nor unmarried she allowed the imposition. But the young man's excuse does not explain his calling a second time, or a third. Do you follow?"
"All too clearly," said Kirby, careful to let no expression slip over his face which might reveal the subject of their conversation. His gaze studiously avoided the Duchess; in fact, it remained fixed upon the music in front of him as though he would not look at Alice for anything. "And I fear I can just as clearly see how the matter ended. Was this young man after her money?"
"Sadly, it appears so. During one of their private meetings, the Duchess happened to show him a rather beautiful necklace – an heirloom of the Westbourne family, which Cathy implored her to keep in memory of the late husband who first fastened it about her neck. It will go to Cathy should the Duchess pass away, and after that will be the possession of Cathy's children by the Duke. Or, at least, it would have been – if it had not been snatched up from its box while the Duchess was distracted and stolen away."
"Am I to imagine," asked Kirby, "that it was in search of this thief that you attempted to enter that filthy hell hole, Mallory's?"
"You are very quick," she smiled. "But rest assured I did not go there lightly. The Duchess confided in me, but is quite unable to bear the thought of anyone else discovering her foolishness. She has forbidden me to go to the police – she fears the ridicule that will be heaped upon her if her mistake becomes public knowledge. So we concocted a scheme between us to describe the gentleman – fortunately he was of quite striking appearance – to all our acquaintance in case we hit upon someone else who had encountered him. The name he gave her, naturally, was not his own. And imagine our surprise when very soon Lord Farham remarked to me that the man I described seemed very closely to resemble one Mr Mallory, who ran a gaming hell in Seven Dials!"
"So you took it on yourself to enter the man's notorious establishment and accuse him of theft?"
"You do not seem impressed with my bravery."
"I cannot say that I am. Nor can I describe as bravery what seems to me nothing but the utmost folly. My advice to you is to drop this silly fantasy about Mr Mallory altogether. Lord Farham must have been mistaken. Not that Mallory is known as an honourable man – far from it – but he is more than wealthy enough from his business investments to risk theft. Your investigations have taken you in quite the wrong direction. If you must persist, I suggest you scour the pawn shops and second hand jewellers of London. Better yet, have the Duchess swallow her pride and request assistance from the Bow Street Runners."
Alice bit her lip, hindered but not defeated. "Are you acquainted with Mr Mallory yourself?"
"I am."
"A tall man? Dark of hair, blue-eyed?"
"In that manner I might also describe myself."
"But you have not the long, pointed nose which the Duchess remembers on her gentleman-caller's face."
"Regardless –"
"And you do not bear the long scar running from underneath his left eye to the corner of his mouth."
Kirby was silent. Evidently the resemblance could no longer be argued.
"It makes no matter whether it was Mallory or not," he said, after a moment. "If it is your intention to return to his establishment, it is my duty to firmly dissuade you. I will break any confidence to keep you from that place."
"But I have no intention of going back to the gaming hell. It has been impressed upon me most thoroughly the sort of establishment it is."
"What, then, did you intend by sharing all this with me?"
"Why, to engage your help in the matter. You have no need of a chaperone when you walk the streets of London. You can enter the gaming hells as and when you please. If you can but confront Mr Mallory –"
"I will do no such thing." Kirby's brows furrowed into the sternest of frowns. She observed him at an angle; he still would not turn his head from the music to look her in the eye. What was it he saw in her face that made him look away? Could it be beauty? Or was she only deluding herself to hope for that? "Mallory is a dangerous man, and I would sooner lose all my money at the tables than bring his attention back towards the Duchess – or to you."
"But you are our last hope," said Alice softly. "Our only hope. Captain Kirby, I implore you –"
"Implore away. It will have no effect. I have made my decision."
"But surely any gentleman must offer his assistance when two ladies are in such great need?"
Then, finally, he turned towards her, with a flash in his eyes that dried up her protests. "In your estimation, then, I am no longer a gentleman."
She had one last dice to throw. "So your fine red coat means nothing?"
"You will notice I am not wearing it now. And it is not the duty of the militia to investigate petty theft. Close your mouth, Miss Sharp. I counsel you to give up the necklace as lost for good and to turn your mind to matters better suited to your attention. Why should a gaming hell, a dangerous man, a criminal offence, raise your interest more than your dresses and dances?"
"You think I am a silly girl. You think I do not understand how the word works. I assure you, you are wrong!"
"Another word from you on the matter will only convince me further of my opinion. But those words are yours, Miss Sharp, not mine."
Alice's fingers stumbled over a note, producing a sharp discord that drew Catherine's attention from the gaming table.
"Have a care for my ears, Alice!" she called gaily. Alice forced herself into the semblance of good cheer.
"It was not my fault at all! The good Captain is to blame. See, Captain, you have not turned the page in time and have left me all at sea." She spoke to him smilingly through gritted teeth. "Pray turn the page now and let me resume."
"Doubtless my lack of skill in the matter is very hard on you," said Kirby, moving away abruptly. "Another hand is much better suited to the task than my own."
The Duke, wide-eyed at his friend's rudeness, immediately offered his own services, and Kirby took Harry's place at the gaming table. Alice had the Duke turn several pages until she reached an angry, booming sonata which was not at all suited to the tranquil evening but which admirably exemplified her mood.
However she thundered her hands down upon the keys, however, she could not play out the extent of her disappointment. She would soon show Captain Kirby the error he had made in underestimating her.
CHAPTER FIVE
An evening of warm lemonade and carefully chaperoned dancing at Almack's was not exactly Kirby's idea of excitement. His tastes ran to livelier venues, and he certainly had no interest whatsoever in the Marriage Mart. But he was a guest at Amberley House, and the occupants of said hou
se attended Almack's on a regular basis for the sake of Alice and her prospects. The Duke had bought him a voucher which it would have been churlish to refuse.
Kirby might not have a reputation as a generous-spirited man, but he held fast to friendship where it found him. He could – just – think of worse ways to spend an evening than accompanying Westbourne and his wife as they dangled Alice like a sweetmeat in front of the gentlemen of the ton.
Poor gentlemen, not to know the wildcat they were getting! Alice in her ballroom finery would be the most exquisite of creatures. The feelings which rose within him when he saw her were inappropriate enough without the addition of a dress in delicate debutante's white. It was enough to drive a man wild.
Almack's demanded breeches, so Kirby left behind his customary trousers in accordance with the stuffy dress code. He considered a moment before donning his red coat. True, it was the most formal thing he owned, but on the other hand, the effect a red coat had on the young Misses could on occasion be incendiary. Normally, he embraced that sort of attention, but he doubted it would play well with his hosts. Sighing for the days when the Duke had been a bachelor and they had run wild together through the darker streets of London, Kirby settled on the red jacket and resolved to speak to as few young ladies as he could manage.
The Duke had a fine town coach which accommodated them all quite nicely. Alice sat beside her sister, and Kirby took his place beside the Duke.
Alice was every bit as alluring as he predicted. It took all his effort not to be transfixed by the way a single auburn curl brushed against her neck. His hand ached to reach out and tuck it behind her ear. Knowing how inappropriate it was, knowing how angrily Harry would react if he guessed what was running through Kirby's mind, only made Alice more attractive. Kirby cursed himself. He really was incorrigible.
He could not help but notice the way Alice's eyes shone as she watched London roll past the coach window. The glamour of the city was still real for her. Kirby wondered whether there had ever been a time he had looked out at the cobbled streets with the same expression of wonder.
Now, of course, he knew that the lure of Town in the Season was nothing but a shallow swarm of the wealthy and eligible hell-bent on one purpose only: marriage. Kirby didn't object to the swarms of young Misses, but he took exception to their maddening match-making Mamas.
If there was one institution, of all the ridiculous rules and regulations Society obsessed over, which Kirby truly could not abide, it was the thought of marriage. To tie oneself to a single woman for all eternity! To make vows of love and fidelity which one could never dream of keeping! He liked to think of himself as an honest man, and he knew that nothing would ever tempt him to embark on a marital adventure which was at best foolish, and at worst dishonest.
On entering Almack's, Kirby longed to head immediately to the card tables, but out of deference to the Duke he spent some time chatting to their acquaintance and making himself agreeable. Kirby prided himself on his agreeable demeanour. Indeed, there were several notable families of the ton who had found him altogether more agreeable than was advisable for the ladies of the family, and who consequently refused to acknowledge him.
"There's very fine sport at my place in Yorkshire," Lord Arnold Rotheby was telling them. He had recently purchased a new property of which he was inordinately fond. Kirby, with no prospects of an invitation to enjoy the hunting in Yorkshire, found it difficult to concentrate on the conversation without his eyes glazing over. Why, even at White's they would be two whiskies deep by now and the talk would be much more lively! What was it about Almack's which rendered everybody senseless and uninteresting?
As his eyes wandered about the room, they alighted inevitably on Alice Sharp. She was sitting beside her sister at the centre of a widening circle of young men. Kirby's stomach tightened. Where Miss Sharp doubtless saw prospects, he saw nothing but predators, as dangerous as sharks. What were the Duke and Duchess thinking, allowing the painfully innocent girl to surround herself with fellows who didn't deserve a moment of her time?
He excused himself rather abruptly from the conversation with Westbourne and Rotheby and made his way across the room until he stood in a corner near to Alice's position. From that spot, he could easily hear the conversation without having to intrude upon it himself.
"Grantham tells me you are from Devon, Miss Sharp – I do so long to visit Devon one day. Tell me a little about it, do."
"Miss Sharp doesn't want to speak about Devon, Digby! Miss Sharp, tell me what your impressions are of London."
"London? Ha! If you wish to gain the advantage of Miss Sharp's connections in town you'll return empty-handed, Farrows. I know what you're about! Miss Sharp, pay these gentlemen no mind. I have a story or two of my rascally cousin's adventures on the Continent which I know will interest you enormously –"
"Grantham, you've more chance of catching flies than a young lady's interest with your interminable stories. Miss Sharp –"
And so it went on. Each gentleman attempting to overcome the other, none of them allowing the object of their interest more than a laugh or a flutter of her eyes. Kirby curled his lip in disgust. A bunch of puppies, little lordlings puffed up on their fortunes, come sniffing around for Alice's connection to the Duke. Almack's was exactly as dreadful as he'd imagined.
"Look over there," said Alice, turning to her sister with no more acknowledgement of the gentlemen's attention than a pretty blush blossoming on her cheeks. "I see our new friend, Mrs Davidson!"
"And there is her brother with her." Catherine spoke in a low tone, but the crowding gentlemen caught her meaning nonetheless.
"Miss Sharp –"
"Dear lady –"
"Please allow me –"
"Mrs Davidson!" called Alice, waving gaily. "Cathy, how can I be introduced to the Colonel? Should we call on the Master of Ceremonies?"
"Not at all," Catherine smiled. "I have already made his acquaintance, and can perform his introduction to you myself."
A strange anger tightened Kirby's chest as he saw Colonel Moore striding through the crowd towards them. He was at a loss to discover the source of his misgivings, for this was not a young fool like Alice's other admirers, but a man of substance and consequence. The Colonel walked with a straight back and his handsome, square chin upturned. Kirby felt an instant dislike for him. It must have been something in his attitude – there was something there that spoke of a superciliousness which Kirby resented. It was clear that the Colonel thought himself superior to most of the assembly. At least, that was Kirby's impression.
"Duchess," said the Colonel, kissing Catherine's hand.
"My dear Colonel. May I present my sister, Miss Alice Sharp?"
"Charmed." He did not look nearly charmed enough. Kirby smiled inwardly to think that he had taken the inimitable Miss Sharp for simply another ten-a-penny white muslin debutante.
"Let me take a look at your dance card, Miss Sharp," said Mrs Davidson, with a conspiratorial air. "I am simply dying to know which gentlemen have asked you. Why, I see you are not occupied for the first dance! That is simply inexcusable! Don't you agree, brother?"
"Indeed."
Mrs Davidson's eyes sparkled as she handed the card back to Alice. "Something must be done about it."
There followed a silence, in which Catherine, Mrs Davidson, and Alice herself all waited patiently for the Colonel to speak. At first Kirby assumed that the man was simply unaware of their expectations. Then he spoke, and the truth dawned.
"With such a small quantity of gentlemen in the room it is only to be expected that some of the ladies must sit down from one time to another," said the Colonel. His words might have been excused as oblivious yet polite, were it not for the smug rise of his eyebrow as he looked Alice over.
Kirby was baffled, and angry on Alice's behalf. What on earth had the Colonel found to be displeased about? Assuming a man wanted a dance partner who was pretty, elegant, and of good conversation, there was nothing more to be desir
ed.
"Brother," said Mrs Davidson meaningfully – Kirby wished she would drop the matter, as it was clear to everyone that the Colonel had no intention of asking Alice to dance – "I have recently expressed to Miss Sharp my admiration of your talent at dancing."
"That is kind of you," said the Colonel tightly. "If only I could flatter myself that I would be to Miss Sharp's tastes as a dance partner. Alas, I fear she has in mind quite another sort of man."
He bowed briskly, turned on his heel, and left them. Mrs Davidson's open mouth made her upset clear, and Catherine simply looked defeated, but Alice, to her credit, bore the snub bravely. If Kirby had not just that moment witnessed the entire incident, he would never have guessed at it from her expression.
"I am so sorry –" began Mrs Davidson helplessly.
"Please, do not trouble yourself," Catherine murmured.
"Do excuse me, ladies," interrupted young Grantham, a little breathless in his hurry. "I was meaning to go and speak to the Colonel about a certain matter – good evening – goodbye!"
It was painful yet inevitable. One by one, each of Alice's former admirers excused themselves and scattered to the corners of the room, as distant from the scene of her snubbing as they could possibly manage.
"I will speak to my brother," said Mrs Davidson. "There must have been some fearful misunderstanding."
"Not at all," said Catherine quickly, "and I beg you, speak of it to no-one. I cannot fault your brother's behaviour; he spoke from his heart."
"Am I to understand that Miss Sharp is not engaged for the first dance?"
The words spoke themselves. Before Kirby really understood what he was doing, he had stepped into the middle of the conversation without so much as a how do you do.
Alice met his eyes with a twinkle that communicated her gratitude better than words ever could. "That is the case, Captain."
"I cannot allow such a tragedy to continue. Dance with me. You must dance with me."
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