by Lucy Adams
“Our card game,” Phillip repeated, realizing that the card game, whilst undoubtedly would take place, was nothing more than a cover for what sort of discussions the men might have. A thrill of anticipation rushed straight through him, sending a broad smile to his face. “I believe I understand, Lord Dayton.”
“Good.” The man spoke in clipped tones as the carriage began to slow. “Then when I signal you to follow me, I would ask that you do so without hesitation.”
“Of course,” Phillip agreed quickly, as the carriage came to a stop. “I will do as is expected of me, Lord Dayton, and I thank you again for your consideration and the kindness you have directed towards me.”
Lord Dayton did not reply until they were both standing outside the townhouse, with Lord Dayton leading the way to walk inside. Phillip hurried to walk alongside the fellow, wondering at his sudden change in demeanor. There were no chuckles now, no long bites of laughter. Instead, there remained nothing more but a serious expression, eyes filled with determination and a set to his jaw that Phillip had not seen before. An air of tension surrounded Lord Dayton and, as they set foot inside, Phillip felt a strange sense of unease grasp at his heart.
“Oh, and there is one more thing I must say,” Lord Dayton said suddenly, stopping dead and turning to face Phillip. “My daughter, Lady Margaret, I believe made some sort of mistake.”
Phillip’s throat constricted as a sudden memory of Lady Olivia sitting, stunned, hit him right between the eyes. It had all been very clear what Lady Margaret had tried to do. She had attempted to find a way to shame Lady Olivia in front of him and, thus, had come up with a plan to make her cousin out to be a thief. She had been ready and prepared to cry foul, to blame it all on Lady Olivia, and yet when the time had come, it had not been Lady Olivia’s bedchamber but Lady Margaret’s which had held the ruby necklace.
“I would ask you not to hold it against her,” Lord Dayton said, a little awkwardly. “I will not pretend that I understand fully all that occurred or why she chose to do such a foolish thing, but I must hope that you might consider forgiving her folly, Lord Monteforte.”
“I had not even thought of it,” Phillip lied, seeing the relief that came into Lord Dayton’s expression. “Truly, I had not. It was a misunderstanding, surely, and that sort of thing occurs all the time.”
Lord Dayton gave him a slightly rueful smile. “You are very kind, Lord Monteforte,” he told him, shaking his head. “Kind to decide to believe that it is nothing more than that, when your mind must know there is more to it than that.”
Phillip gave him an answering smile. “I do not think there is a single person in all of London who has not made a mistake,” he said, turning to see the line of guests that both he and Lord Dayton would need to join. “Please assure Lady Margaret that I have nothing but respect for her and that I would be glad to dance with her the next time we are at a ball together.”
“You can tell her such a thing yourself,” Lord Dayton answered, catching Phillip off-guard. “My wife and daughters are present this evening.”
Phillip blinked, wondering silently if Lady Olivia was also present but if Lord Dayton had simply forgotten or chosen not to mention her. “I see,” he said quickly. “Then I should be glad to speak to her this evening, Lord Dayton.”
“It would be greatly appreciated,” Lord Dayton answered, slapping Phillip on the back and then turning them both towards the line. “Come now. It is time to greet our host.”
It was at least an hour before Phillip finally caught sight of Lady Olivia. She was present after all, but her expression told him that she was not enjoying herself in the least. In fact, she looked entirely bored with just a hint of anger lingering in her eyes – although what specifically she was angry about, he could not say. She was standing in the corner of the room, clearly not listening to the conversation between Lady Dayton and the other lady. He half thought about going to speak to her directly, only to recall what Lord Dayton had said about his daughter Lady Margaret. He had to speak to her first to ensure that not only she but also Lord Dayton himself was gratified.
And then, Lady Olivia’s eyes met his. A sudden flash filled her gaze, making him start violently as a surge of emotion crashed into his heart. He wanted to go to her. He wanted to tell her that the gentleman she thought him to be was not truly the gentleman he was – but knew he could not do so without making those around him aware of his firm intentions. To stride across the room, to speak directly to Lady Olivia and beg Lady Dayton’s pardon for interrupting them would only garner a good deal of attention and that was not at all what was required.
He stifled the urge to do such a thing, but still Lady Olivia watched him. Her lips were pulled tight, stretching thin across her face, her eyes sparkling with some unspoken emotion. There was a clear disdain there, a clear dislike of him and what he had done – not that Phillip could blame her for that. He knew he had behaved very poorly indeed and, as yet, had been unable to make up for his own foolishness.
“Lord…Monteforte?”
Forced to drag his attention away from Lady Olivia, Phillip turned to see none other than Lady Margaret standing just to his left, her sister a step behind her.
“Ah, Lady Margaret,” he said, as warmly as he could, bowing in front of her. “How are you enjoying this evening?”
Her smile was tentative, her cheeks flooding with color. “Very much,” she said, with no evidence of the strong fierceness of character that he had seen in her before. She was not even speaking with the same strength of tone but was, in fact, a good deal quieter.
“I–I am come to tell you that my father would like for you to join him in the library,” she said, looking about him rather than directly into his face. “I can take you there, if you wish?”
A small frown caught Phillip’s brows, but he tried to smooth it away at once, knowing that Lord Dayton had sent his daughter to do precisely this so that Phillip might have the opportunity to speak to Lady Margaret and set her mind at ease.
“But of course,” he said, making Lady Margaret’s eyes flick to his, a slightly hopeful look in her eyes. “I would be very grateful for your assistance, Lady Margaret, since I do not know where I am to go.” He shot a firm look in Lady Louisa’s direction, seeing how she made to turn. “Lady Louisa, you will accompany us too, I hope?” He smiled grimly to himself as he saw the two sisters exchange glances. Just because he had accepted Lady Margaret’s offer of help did not mean that he was willing to simply walk with her alone through Lord Lincolnshire’s house. That, he knew, was quite unacceptable and might very well give Lady Margaret the opportunity to do something to bind him to her forever. Given what he had already witnessed, Phillip felt quite certain that he had to remain on his guard when it came to Lady Margaret.
“I–I am afraid I cannot,” Lady Louisa stammered, her cheeks pink. “Mother has asked me to come to speak to Lady Lincolnshire about…the new gown I am to purchase, and I can see her speaking with the lady at this very moment.”
“Then I shall join you,” came a clear voice, which Phillip knew immediately was Lady Olivia. “You are to walk somewhere, I think?”
Phillip turned his head to see Lady Olivia standing just to his left, having clearly overheard the conversation. Her expression was one of sweetness, with a lilting smile on her face but no brightness to her eyes. Perhaps she was aware of Lady Margaret’s intentions.
“And you must not keep Lady Dayton waiting,” Lady Olivia said, when neither Lady Margaret nor Lady Louisa spoke. “Especially if she wishes you to garner the opinion of Lady Lincolnshire on whatever new gown you have now purchased.” She took a small sidestep and gestured for Lady Louisa to walk past her and towards Lady Dayton. “Have no fear,” she finished, as Lady Louisa was forced to do as she herself had suggested, “I shall ensure that there is no impropriety on anyone’s part.”
Despite what had passed between them before and despite his knowledge that Lady Olivia thought very poorly of him, Phillip could not help but
smile his thanks, letting out his breath slowly as he saw Lady Olivia’s eyes flash as she turned them in the direction of Lady Margaret.
“Where is it we are to walk?” she asked plainly, as Lady Margaret’s face began to slowly flush with a deep crimson. “You cannot mean to the gardens, surely, for it has begun to rain by all accounts.”
Phillip waited for a moment or two for Lady Margaret to explain, only to see that she would not be saying a word and so, he stepped in.
“I am to be taken to the library, where a few gentlemen are playing cards,” he said, with a small shrug. “Lord Dayton has invited me to play, and I fear that, whilst I very much wish to play, I do not know where I am to go!”
“I see.” Lady Olivia’s jaw set firm, and she lifted one eyebrow in Lady Margaret’s direction. “Then shall we go, Lady Margaret? The sooner we deliver Lord Monteforte, the sooner we can return to this wonderful soiree.”
Lady Margaret said nothing but turned towards Phillip with a slightly hopeful look in her eye. One hand lifted as she looked at him expectantly, leaving Phillip wondering what she meant by it. It was only when an awkward moment had begun to crash down on him that he realized she wanted to take his arm.
“But of course,” he stammered, inclining his head and offering her his arm, which Lady Margaret took at once with a small smirk of triumph in Lady Olivia’s direction. “Thank you both for this kindness.”
“There is nothing to thank us for,” Lady Margaret cooed, pressing herself a little against his side and sending a shudder down his spine as she did so. “Come now, my father will be waiting, and I know he will be very glad to see I have managed to do as he instructed.”
Phillip threw a quick look behind him as he was led away by Lady Margaret, seeing the tight expression on Lady Olivia’s face and wondering at it. Was she jealous that her cousin had managed to capture his attentions so quickly? Surely it could not be, given just how poor an impression he had made upon her? Why, then, was she behaving in such a protective manner now? She owed him nothing, and yet now she was walking only a step behind him, making certain that Lady Margaret could do nothing to force his hand in the direction of matrimony.
“I am so very glad there is no awkwardness between us, Lord Monteforte,” Lady Margaret said, leading him out of the drawing room and up a darkened hallway that he prayed would bring them to the library. “There was such a misunderstanding as regarded the necklace – you must think me quite foolish.”
“I am only glad that you found it again,” he assured her, bringing a sigh of relief from her lips. “There is nothing to be embarrassed about, Lady Margaret.”
She sighed again. “I am very glad,” she told him, pressing his arm with her other hand. “And now, here is the library. Allow me to bring you in to present you to father.”
Phillip turned his head to see Lady Olivia watching them both, a deep frown marring her brow. Clearly, she had very little understanding of what was going on within the library, which did not surprise Phillip in the least, given that she was something of an outsider within the family. For a moment, the question of where her own parents were and why she now resided with her aunt and uncle struck him, only for him to quickly dismiss it as Lady Margaret pushed the door open and stepped inside. The door stayed open, but Lady Olivia did not come inside.
“Ah, there you are,” Lord Dayton said, smiling affectionately at his daughter. “And Lord Monteforte, you have joined us also. Very good.” He gestured to the three other gentlemen that were sitting around the room, although none were smiling. “Might I present Viscount Hawley.” He pointed to a tall, thin man who did not smile but merely watched Phillip with sharp, dark eyes. “Then the Earl of Cammish, who has joined us all the way from Scotland.”
Phillip bowed respectfully, taking in each and every gentleman with a steady gaze. The earl appeared to be the oldest of the gentlemen, with Lord Hawley the youngest, given his boyish looks and unlined face.
“And finally, Viscount Oldfield and Baron Tullett,” Lord Dayton finished, with a broad smile, although his expression was the only welcoming one. “They are very glad to make your acquaintance, I’m sure.” He gave a small yet distinct wave towards Lady Margaret. “You are excused, my dear. Thank you for your willingness.”
Lady Margaret flushed just a little, curtsied, and then, with a long look towards Phillip, made to leave. Phillip did not allow himself to watch her depart but rather fixed his eyes on Lord Dayton, who was now on his feet and pouring some brandy into a glass.
“Please, make yourself comfortable,” he said, as though this house and this room belonged to him. “Lord Lincolnshire will join us soon, although he is busy with his guests, of course.”
“Of course,” Phillip echoed, hurriedly taking a seat and looking surreptitiously about him as though someone or something was about to reveal themselves in a surprising manner. He was still not quite certain what it was he had been invited into and was well aware of the sharpness of each gentleman’s gaze, as well as the hard look on one or two of their faces. It was not a particularly comfortable feeling, sitting here with them all, for he felt as though he was not welcome even though Lord Dayton had made it plain he was to feel quite at home.
Letting his gaze rest on each gentleman individually, Phillip felt something within him shift. He was quite sure that someone here was involved with the French, sending secrets to them about the English defenses. The first he had heard of it had been from a French spy who had been caught but allowed to return to his homeland once he had furnished them with every detail of his business here. The fellow had known no particular names—which both Phillip and the rest of The King’s League had not been surprised to hear, but he had mentioned a specific group of gentlemen that met to play cards. He could not say whether it was Lord Dayton himself who was involved in passing on such secrets or working against the Crown, but he was sure that someone here was.
He was lucky to have managed to infiltrate them this way, knowing full well that he had a long way to go to earn their trust. And from the looks on the gentlemen’s faces, it was not going to be a simple task.
“Well, gentlemen,” he said, a little more brusquely than he had intended. “First of all, I should thank you for permitting me to join you here this evening—although I confess I am still quite intrigued as to why such there is such secrecy.”
Lord Hawley unfolded himself from his chair, clearing his throat so as to catch Phillip’s attention. “We find, as Lord Dayton has expressed to you, that there are certain gentlemen who do nothing but lose themselves in drink and therefore are not decent company for anyone,” he said, as Phillip nodded. “We seek something a little more than that.”
“I see,” Phillip murmured, feeling a small kick of doubt in his heart as he wondered if he had just stumbled across a group that was nothing more than a few refined gentlemen seeking acquaintances with the very same. “I always look forward to excellent conversation, I must say.”
Lord Tullett chuckled quietly, his eyes a little brighter than before. “Then you will find precisely that here,” he said, as the door opened to reveal Lord Lincolnshire. “This evening we are to discuss the latest happenings as regards the Prince Regent and whether or not something ought to be done.”
Phillip’s ears pricked up at once. “Ought to be done?” he repeated, as Lord Lincolnshire poured himself a drink. “What do you mean?”
Lord Lincolnshire laughed loudly, sending a flurry of unease into Phillip’s heart. “Nothing of any particular seriousness,” he said, as though he knew precisely what Phillip was thinking. “There are those amongst us who are close to the Prince and who might, therefore, be able to introduce others to him.”
“So that he has the very best of gentlemen to guide him,” Lord Dayton finished, as Phillip sat back in his chair, allowing himself to appear a little more relaxed. “That is all that we mean.”
“I quite understand,” Phillip answered, seeing how Lord Dayton shared a look with Lord Lincolnshire. “And
I admire your devotion and your dedication to our monarchy. I feel honored to be able to join you.”
Lord Tullett rose to his feet to pour yet another brandy for himself – having two empty glasses sitting to the left of his chair already. “We have not deemed you worthy as yet, Lord Monteforte,” he said, a hint of warning in his voice. “This is only the beginning.”
Chapter Five
Olivia did not know what it was, but something was bothering her about Lord Monteforte. She could not put her finger on it, but there was something about him, something in his manner that told her there was a lack of truth about him. She could not quite explain what it was, but only how it made her feel, aware that there was something about him that intrigued her. Intrigued her, yes, but also pushed her away from him at the same time.
Last evening at the soiree, she had seen him watching her from across the room and, whilst she had held his gaze, she had not made any attempt to walk across the room to speak to him. He had made a poor impression upon her, and she was not about to pretend that such a thing had changed simply because he had called on her cousins and had managed to speak to her cordially for a few minutes. And then she had seen Margaret and Louisa watching him, had seen them moving towards them with a small, shared smile between them and had felt her heart sink.
Lord Monteforte had not made any attempt to further his acquaintance with either Margaret or Louisa, and yet they seemed quite determined to do precisely that. Whether or not Lord Dayton had said something in order to encourage such a match she did not know, but something within her wanted to prevent her cousins from achieving their aims. A small amount of guilt had hit her as she wondered whether or not such a desire came from spite over what Margaret had tried to do, but even such an awareness had not prevented her from moving closer to them.
