The King's League Box Set: Regency Romance

by Lucy Adams

  “Forgive me,” he said, turning around so that he might face her properly. “I…” The words stuck to his lips as he took in the young lady glaring back at him, seeing her as an ethereal spirit rather than the flesh-and-blood young lady that he knew she must be. She had white gold hair, resplendent on her head, with shining lights seeming to dance through her tresses. Her cheekbones were sharp and flooded with color, which highlighted all the more the dark flickering shades in her eyes. There was a deep anger and embarrassment in her expression, but for whatever reason, Phillip found her all the more lovely with it. The gown of silver she wore seemed to him to be like a cloud, floating gently about her, as though drawn to her. He felt himself begin to be pulled towards her also, as though there was something about her that he could not release himself from.

  “Your words are cruel, sir.” Her voice was high pitched and thin now, her eyes narrowing slightly as she held his gaze steadily, although there was a slight tremor about her frame now. “You ought not to speak so. It does your character great ill.”

  “I can only apologize,” Phillip said at once, managing to find his voice. “I–I was not thinking.”

  “No,” the young lady answered, turning about in a whirl of silver and walking away from him. “No, you most certainly were not.”

  Phillip wanted to go after her at once; he wanted to put out his hand and pull her back towards him, but he felt his feet stuck fast to the floor. His mouth opened to call her back, but no sound came out. Instead, he was left with one hand grasping the air, the other loose at his side as regret and shame crashed over him, leaving his face hotter than before. Closing his eyes, Phillip let out a long, heavy breath and berated himself for ever speaking so foolishly. The young lady had only been conversing with him, teasing him, almost, and he had reacted very badly indeed. Having already felt a little on edge, it had not helped him to hear her speak so, and thus, he had retorted sharply when he ought not to have said anything.

  “And I do not even know her name,” he muttered to himself, pushing one hand through his dark brown hair and feeling more ridiculous than before. Taking in a long breath, Phillip lifted his head once more and tried to set the ethereal young lady to the back of his mind. He had to go and speak to Lord Dayton now; he had to ensure that their acquaintance continued in the same amiable, relaxed fashion as before. Then, tomorrow evening, he would be taken to this card game where all manner of secrets might soon be revealed. That was his only goal, he reminded himself, turning again to look for Lord Dayton. It had to be the only thing to occupy his thoughts, the only place to steer his intentions. The young lady had to be forgotten, his shame and regret set to one side. There was too much else at stake to make a misstep now.

  Making his way slowly across the ballroom floor, he smiled at one person and then the next, never quite letting his gaze fix on Lord Dayton. Then, as though he had only just spotted him, he turned his head a little more and smiled, nodding towards the gentleman.

  “Ah, Lord Monteforte!” the gentleman exclaimed at once, appearing quite pleased to see him, a glass of brandy in his hand. “Are you enjoying the ball this evening?”

  “I am,” Phillip lied, looking all about him as though overwhelmed by what he saw. “It is quite magnificent, is it not?”

  The man nodded, his blue eyes still sharp no matter how much liquor he had already consumed. “I must ensure that you meet my daughters,” he said, sending a sudden shock through Phillip’s heart. “They would be glad of another partner to dance with, I am sure.”

  Phillip put a smile on his face at once, inclining his head as if he had been truly touched by the offer. “I would be more than glad to meet them, Lord Dayton,” he said, praying that the man would believe him to be genuine. “And to dance with them would be an honor.”

  “Very good, very good!” Lord Dayton cried, grasping Phillip’s elbow with a firm hand and tugging him towards a group of three women, who were standing together. “Here they are.”

  As Phillip let his gaze travel over the group of ladies who were, by now, turning to greet him, he could not help but see the silver-gowned young lady from only a few minutes before standing just behind the two dark-haired young ladies. Her expression was icy, her eyes still narrowed, and her lips pulling thin. His heart turned over, a sudden anxiety filling him—even as he was forced to bow in greeting.

  “Might I present the Earl of Monteforte,” Lord Dayton said, looking expectantly at Phillip as he rose from his bow. “Lord Monteforte, this is my wife, Lady Dayton, and my two daughters.” He gestured to the first. “Lady Margaret and Lady Louisa.”

  Phillip inclined his head again, wondering why Lord Dayton had not introduced the young lady standing just behind his daughters. It was clear that she was with the young ladies, but he had not thought to make her known to him.

  “I am very glad to meet you both,” he said, as the young ladies rose from their curtsy. “And I should be very happy to dance with you both – that is, if there is any space left on your dance cards!” He chuckled despite the confusion in his mind, growing almost sorrowful when the unknown young lady turned away, her expression a mixture of despondency and frustration. Not that he could allow such emotions to show, he reminded himself, turning his full attention back towards Lady Margaret and Lady Louisa and ignoring the other young lady completely.

  “There is certainly a space for you, Lord Monteforte,” Lady Louisa murmured, almost purring as she held out her dance card for him. “Please, choose whatever dance you wish.”

  He took it carefully and looked down at the dances, finding it quite difficult indeed to fix his mind solely on what was expected of him at the present moment when all he could think of was that strange young lady and wondering why Lord Dayton had all but ignored her. With an effort, he put his name down on one dance card and then the other, seeing how Lord Dayton smiled his agreement with such a thing taking place.

  A small wave of relief crashed over his soul. At least things with Lord Dayton appeared to be going as well as Phillip had hoped.

  “And that is your dance, I believe, Margaret!” Lady Dayton exclaimed, who, thus far, had said nothing more than a simple greeting. “Lord Monteforte, if you will.” She gestured towards her daughter, who was now waiting expectantly, a small smile lifting the corners of her mouth.

  “But of course,” Phillip answered at once, painting a smile on his own face as he bowed towards Lady Margaret and then offered her his arm. As he did so, the very same face caught his eye, the very same young lady standing and watching him only a short distance away. Something like shame crept into his face once more, but Phillip forced himself not to feel anything at all. Turning his head away, he led Lady Margaret out to the middle of the ballroom, determined not to look over his shoulder for the mysterious young lady.

  And yet, despite his fortitude, despite his determination, Phillip heard the very words he had told himself not to express being expelled from his mouth.

  “Do you have another sister, Lady Margaret?” he asked, as they found a set. “The lady in the silver gown seemed known to you.”

  Lady Margaret’s face tightened, but she smiled demurely, although her eyes did not light up even a little. “Our cousin, Lady Olivia,” she said, with a wave of her hand. “Now, do tell me whether or not you are an excellent dancer, Lord Monteforte, so that I shall know if I need to watch my toes from your feet!”

  He laughed and assured her that he was quite competent and that she had nothing to fear from him. The name Lady Olivia stuck to his mind however so that, even as he danced, he could not help but go over it again and again, as though he feared he might forget it.

  He had to push her from his mind, he knew, but neither her face nor the pain in her voice when she had berated him for his outburst left him for the remainder of the evening. He laughed, smiled, and conversed—just as he might do on any other occasion—but deep within his heart, that young lady lingered. And no matter what he did, Phillip could not remove her from there.
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br />   Chapter Three

  “Do you really think it is wise?”

  Olivia knew she ought not to eavesdrop, but something in her aunt’s tone seemed to force her to stop. Hesitating just outside her uncle’s study, she held her breath as she waited to see what he might say.

  “I do not think there is anything particularly wrong with the fellow,” Lord Dayton said calmly. “What is your concern, my dear?”

  Olivia frowned, wondering just whom they were speaking of. Her needlework in her hand, she pressed herself against the wall, making sure to stay a few steps away from the door which was, she noted, a little ajar. Inwardly, she shrugged, trying to tell herself that it was her aunt and uncle’s fault for not closing the door properly instead of admitting that she was deliberately listening into what was a private conversation.

  “We do not know him very well at all,” Lady Dayton protested, sounding more than a little concerned. “And now he is to call upon your daughters this afternoon?”

  Lord Dayton chuckled. “I thought you would be pleased, my dear!” he said, laughing. “To have an earl call upon our daughters is a magnificent thing, is it not?”

  “But we know nothing of his character!” Lady Dayton said, as Olivia rolled her eyes heavenwards, realizing precisely who they were speaking of. “You have not had a long acquaintance with him, I believe.”

  “I have known him for some time, my dear,” Lord Dayton answered, his tone now a little gentler than before. “I have watched his behavior in society, I have enquired about his character, and I am convinced that he would do very well for one of our daughters.”

  Lady Dayton sniffed disparagingly, as though to suggest that she did not quite believe her husband’s remarks. “I suppose I must trust you in this,” she said, as Olivia made to walk quietly past the study. “And if he does not suit, then we could easily throw Olivia in his path.”

  Olivia froze, her heart thudding furiously in her chest. After her first meeting with this Lord Monteforte last evening, she could think of nothing worse than being flung at him by her aunt and uncle. She knew very well that Lady Dayton had high hopes for her daughters, wanting them to be wed to someone who bore a higher title than that of their father – namely a marquess or a duke – but she might have to be contented with an earl for at least one of them. What Olivia did not want was to be forced into any sort of engagement. She had never once thought that her uncle would do such a thing, given his willingness to allow his daughters to make their own choices. Although…he would guide them towards respectable gentlemen, of course.

  “That is a wise thought, my dear,” she heard Lord Dayton say, making a cold shiver run down her spine. “But for the moment, let us consider him first for one of our daughters. I am sure you will find him as agreeable as I, even if he does not hold the title you desire.”

  Olivia did not wait to hear more. Instead, she hurried away as quickly as she could, careful to make as little noise as possible as she practically ran up the long staircase to her bedchamber. She could not bear the thought of being given no say in the matter as regarded her future, of being forced to marry someone she did not know and did not care anything for – and yet that appeared to be what both her aunt and her uncle were thinking. If Lord Monteforte did not suit either Louisa or Margaret, or if Lady Dayton insisted that he was not a good match for her daughters, then there was very little else that Olivia would be able to do. If she refused, then her uncle could easily refuse to allow her to come back to London again, and whilst she had her own fortune at twenty-one, it was only to come to her if she was a married lady. If she was not wed, then what would become of her? Most likely, when she was old enough to be classed as a spinster, her uncle would force her to become a companion to some young debutante or an aged relative so that she would not be a burden to him. The very thought had her stomach roiling, her heart quickening with tension and fear.

  Lord Monteforte had made such a poor impression on her that the thought of having to be wed to him filled her with a sense of dread. She did not want a husband with a cruel tongue and with no regard for those about him. That, she was sure, was the worst possible characteristic for a gentleman to possess, for those with a cruel arrogance would only bring pain on those near to them without any regard or consideration.

  “Oh, my lady!”

  Just as she threw open the bedroom door, Olivia was shocked to discover Betty standing by the window, with something held in her hand that caught the light, sending rainbows all through the room.

  “Betty?” she said, closing the door slowly and seeing the maid’s face turn ashen. “What is it you have there?”

  Betty let out a strangled sob, one hand flying to her mouth. “I was only looking at it, Lady Olivia,” she said, hurrying towards Olivia and holding out the beautiful piece of jewelry. “I had no intention of–”

  “Where did you get this from?” Olivia asked darkly, feeling herself becoming upset with the realization that her maid had taken something of note from one of her two cousins and brought it into Olivia’s bedchamber. “And why did you bring it here?”

  Betty stopped dead, her mouth a little ajar and her eyes wide. She stared at Olivia for a few moments, silence enveloping them both.

  “I–I did not take it from anywhere, Lady Olivia,” she said eventually, her voice rasping just a little. “I mean no disrespect, truly. I found it under your pillow when I was plumping them and thought only to look at it.”

  Olivia blinked in confusion, looking down at the beautiful silver necklace that held one large ruby pendant, which seemed to dazzle her with the wonder of it. Lifting her head to look back into Betty’s face, Olivia frowned and tilted her head slowly to one side, regarding her maid closely.

  “It pains me to ask this,” she said, deftly picking up the necklace and holding it carefully in her hand. “But I must know the truth, Betty.” Seeing the paleness of her maid’s cheeks, Olivia felt her spirit fill with compassion but steeled herself against it. She had to know what had happened. “You did not take this from another bedchamber?”

  Betty stumbled back as though shocked, one hand now pressed to her heart. “No, my lady, I did not!” she said at once, although her cheeks were all the more pale. “I came in to ensure your gown was prepared for this afternoon’s calls, and even though your bed was already prepared, I thought the pillows could do with a little more attention.” She moved towards the bed, as if re-enacting what she had done and, for the first time, Olivia realized that one of her two pillows was sitting away from the first. “I picked up the first pillow and set it on the bed just here,” Betty continued, pointing to it. “Then I picked up the second to give it a shake and, just as I did that, I saw that necklace sitting there.” Her eyes turned back to Olivia, an earnest expression on her face. “I couldn’t help but pick it up, Lady Olivia. I was just looking at it, I swear.”

  Swallowing a sudden lump in her throat, Olivia closed her eyes and drew in an unsteady breath. “Oh, no.”

  Betty was beside her in a moment. “What is it, Lady Olivia?”

  Olivia opened her eyes and looked down at the necklace in her hand. “Lady Margaret was very angry with me last evening,” she said quietly, feeling a sense of dread creep over her. “Apparently Lord Monteforte asked my name and she was most displeased about that, telling me that I should have stayed out of sight and away from Lord Monteforte as he was being introduced.”

  “And you think she has set this here deliberately?” Betty asked, sounding quite astonished. “Whatever for?”

  Again, Olivia felt a kick of hurt as she realized precisely what her cousin was doing. “Lord Monteforte is to call upon Lady Margaret and Lady Louisa this afternoon, Betty,” she explained. “I will have to be in attendance also, I am sure. Therefore, because Lady Margaret is afraid that I will somehow garner Lord Monteforte’s attention, I am sure she will say something about the necklace in his presence and, thereafter, suggest that the staff search for it.”

  “And if it is found t
o be in your bedchamber, then you will be disgraced.”

  “With Lady Margaret making quite certain that Lord Monteforte knows where it was found,” Olivia finished, her heart sinking to her toes. She had known that her cousins cared very little for her but had not thought for a single moment that Lady Margaret would ever do such a thing as this. “Goodness, Betty. How glad I am that you take such good care of me that you thought to plump my pillows a little more.” She smiled gratefully at her maid and put one hand on her arm. “I am sorry for thinking that you might have taken it.”

  “A reasonable suggestion,” the maid said, without any malice. “But what am I to do with the necklace now, Lady Olivia?”

  Olivia hesitated, looking down at the necklace and wondering what was best to do. “I think you shall have to have it for the moment,” she said quietly, knowing that she was asking Betty to take on a good deal of responsibility. “If you can hide it somewhere where it will not be found, then all the better.”

  Betty, her face still a little white, nodded.

  “Here,” Olivia said, hurrying to pull out a handkerchief from one of her drawers so that she might fold up the necklace within it. “Take it now and, when Lady Margaret makes her way to the drawing room in time for afternoon calls, you must put the necklace back in her bedchamber.” Seeing how Betty nodded despite the slight trembling that had taken a hold of her frame, Olivia let out a long, slow breath, realizing precisely just how much she was asking Betty to do. There was a good deal of responsibility resting on her shoulders, and for that, Olivia could not apologize enough. “I would do it myself, but if Lady Margaret was to see me entering her room, then–”

  “There is nothing to concern yourself about, Lady Olivia,” Betty interrupted, firmly. “I will be able to do as you’ve asked. I’m sure no one will stop me, and I certainly can’t imagine what it would be like to be blamed for something that you had nothing to do with!” She shook her head, a flare of anger bursting through her expression. “I don’t much like it, Lady Olivia. They don’t treat you as one of them, even though you’re their equal in everything.”