Dangerous Knight by Elizabeth Johns
Chapter Ten
Jack could not find Kate anywhere. Having seen Feathers creeping about, Philip had asked Jack to take his dance for him. It made admirable sense, since Philip knew his own house and grounds better and could follow the man without raising questions. When Jack could not find her, he had been surprised at the degree of panic he felt. His relief, on finding her unharmed, was equally unlooked for.
As they entered the supper room, there were no other guests present and a number of servants were making what appeared to be the final preparations. Jack led Miss Rafferty to a table tucked into an alcove where they could have some privacy.
“What are you not telling me?” he asked, pulling out a chair for her.
“How did you know?” Her eyes widened with surprise.
He spread his hands and gave a slight shrug. “Experience. Did you overhear something or see something?”
“I cannot be sure, but I would swear someone was watching me while I was standing on the terrace.”
“Why, then, did you stay out there?”
“Because I could not be sure. It was more of a feeling, and I thought if I discovered who or what it was it might be useful.”
He leaned forward and growled, “Do not try to help. You put yourself in jeopardy by doing so.”
Her face tightened at the scold. “Therefore you now think to tell me how to behave? I was merely trying to be useful.”
“I do if it is on my behalf; much of my work is dangerous,” he said quietly.
She narrowed her gaze and he could tell by the way she compressed her lips that she had bitten back a retort.
“Look,” he said more softly, “It is my belief you do not understand who we are dealing with. These people kill for a living and they would not hesitate to snap your neck. Your death would be explained as a terrible accident, swept under the carpet so as not to raise ticklish questions.”
Miss Rafferty looked mortified.
“Indeed.” He nodded. “Therefore, while I appreciate your telling me of your discovery of the fourth gentleman’s identity and the possibility he was signaling to someone at Mottram Place, you will put yourself in danger by doing anything more. Do you understand? I am not simply being a tyrannical guardian who thinks females incapable, I assure you.”
She pursed her lips, but also gave a slight nod.
“Some of the most effective spies are females,” he muttered.
She leaned forward. “I will be more careful, sir, I promise. I only went outside for a little fresh air and was there but a few minutes.”
Guests began trickling into the supper room and Jack looked up to see Philip approaching. He raised his arm in greeting.
“Miss Rafferty, forgive me. I trust you were not too distressed by my absence,” Philip said as he took her hand and kissed it in regal fashion.
“I was perfectly content, I assure you. I assumed you had something more pressing to attend to.”
“You are very gracious. Would you like me to fetch you a plate of refreshments?”
“That would be very welcome.”
Lady Maria came over. “May I join you? My partner had to leave unexpectedly.”
“Of course,” Jack said, standing up and inclining his head. “I will fetch you a plate. We will be back shortly, ladies.”
As soon as they were out of hearing range of the ladies, Jack immediately looked at Philip. “Did you discover anything?”
“Feathers definitely went to the garden. I saw him watching Miss Rafferty on the terrace, but he slipped away after you took her inside. I do not know if she interrupted an intended assignation, but he left after that.”
Jack cursed.
“Just so. I was hoping to catch him in the act, but perhaps he just wanted to watch her. She is not exactly a chore to observe.”
“Stow it,” Jack growled, but Philip only laughed. “You may cease at any time.”
“It is very amusing to watch you play a parental role.”
“I am not her parent.”
“No, but you want her and do not think you can have her. It is highly entertaining.”
“I am glad to be of service. Now, what should we do about Feathers?”
“I have put Sheldon on the task. He will follow him and see if anything comes of it. In the meantime, we are to watch Major Lloyd’s movements. I really do not care for him being our villain,” Philip remarked as he piled a plate high with lobster patties, roast fowl and prawns. “Maria likes lobster,” he murmured to Jack. “And strawberries,” he added.
“Perhaps we should trade?” Jack suggested.
“No, no.” Philip shook his head. Jack suspected there was more between Philip and Maria than either was ready to acknowledge, but he would store that tidbit away for later.
They returned to the table and settled down to enjoy their meals.
“Thank you,” Kate said as she accepted her plate. “There is a veritable feast on this plate!”
“Enough for a small army,” Maria agreed, surveying her own with a chuckle.
“What do you think of your first ball, Miss Rafferty?” Philip asked.
“It is quite delightful, though I admit it is more overwhelming than I would have supposed.”
“Yes, my mother will be delighted with the turn-out.”
Maria leaned forward and spoke quietly. “I saw Gabriel slip outside before the supper dance, but I was unable to follow him, for I was dancing with Wellington at the time.”
Jack and Philip exchanged glances.
“Where did our fearless leader have to go?” Jack asked.
“I believe the Prince called him to the Palace.”
“I suppose that is a valid reason to leave.”
“What do you suppose Gabriel is about?” Maria asked. “And at what point should I warn my father?”
“I would say nothing,” Philip responded immediately. “As far as we know, he is trying to gather the same information we are.”
“Lady Maria, I will say to you what I said to Miss Rafferty before you arrived,” Jack interposed. “I appreciate you telling us what you saw, but you must be careful and promise not to seek to discover anything further.”
“This is not child’s play,” Philip added.
“I have never thought it was,” Maria answered as if she had been slapped.
“People kill without thought in our line of work,” Jack added hastily.
“Speaking of brothers, yours has just entered the room alone,” Miss Rafferty remarked.
Lady Maria turned to watch. “He looks very harassed. Not that he ever looks very happy.”
When supper ended, Jack and Philip escorted the ladies back into the ballroom to their next partners. Jack noticed Major Lloyd leaving.
“I think we should also make our exit,” he said to Philip, inclining his head toward the door.
“And risk my mother’s wrath?” Philip shook his head. “No, you go, and I will meet up with you later.”
“Sometimes there are benefits to having no attachments,” Jack reminded himself as he gathered his hat from the majordomo and stepped out into the night. His first inclination was to head toward the club, so he followed it, but stopped off at his house to change into less conspicuous attire. As he made his way down Piccadilly, he reflected on the evening and how much he had enjoyed his ward’s company. She was more than a beautiful face, certainly, and it would not be long before suitors started knocking on his door for permission to call on her, take her driving in the park and—heaven forbid—pay their addresses. He ignored his primitive reaction to that thought and stepped inside the club.
“Good evening, Captain Owens,” the porter said.
“Evening, Sergeant Hathaway. Have you seen Major Lloyd this evening?”
“As it happens, I have, sir, but he came in and left quick-like. He met a couple of other gentlemen and took off to Benedict’s, they said.”
“Thank you, Hathaway. Could you be so good as to pass that on to Captain Everleigh if he should come here tonight?” Jack asked as he slipped the man a coin.
“It would be my pleasure, sir,” he replied. Turning, Jack went back out into the night.
Gaming hells were not Jack’s pleasure at all, and he hesitated before going alone. Benedict’s was a place where reputation mattered not—only the depth of a man’s pockets. He could return to the Everleigh ball and wait for Philip, but he would be more unobtrusive on his own.
He climbed down the steps to the dark entrance and was admitted upon knocking. His eyes had difficulty adjusting to the dark room, which was filled with smoke and had only a few candles near each table. It was surprisingly quiet for the number of bodies packed into such a tight space, but he could feel the tension in the air, as the stakes here were high.
No one turned at his entrance, thankfully, and he slipped through the crowd like a predator stalking its prey. A large crowd was surrounding a spinning wheel; he saw someone roll the dice and heard a gasp as they waited for the outcome.
A loud cheer went up as the roller was successful, and Jack slid past as the tension was relieved in the room, if only for a brief moment. As he neared the far corner of the dim saloon, he spied his target. Feathers was sitting at a table with the other three men Jack had seen in the park. But how was he to breech their sanctum?
After watching discreetly for some time, he realized they were not actually playing cards, but were deep in discussion. If only he could get close enough to see and hear! This would be an excellent time to be a female, he thought ruefully. If he could pretend to be a serving girl or light-skirt, he could have sidled right up there with no one the wiser. Alas, he would never be able to accomplish that disguise.
Some movement alerted him to the fact that he was in danger. He spun about, only to come face to face with Major Lloyd.
“What the devil are you doing, Owens?” he growled.
*
Kate watched CaptainOwens leave and felt dejected. It was ridiculous, of course.
“What, do you suppose, they meant by that?” Maria asked, joining her to watch them leave.
“I wish I knew. It was quite a scold they gave us. I had had the same lecture myself, minutes before you joined us.”
Maria made a huff of disapproval. “What shall we do next?” she asked. “I do not mean to sit idly by while my brother might be suspected of treason.”
“I do not know what else we can do, Maria,” Kate remarked. “We do not have access to the same places as they, nor do we have their experience. I believe them when they say these people will kill without hesitation.”
“We must do something,” Maria protested.
“I think we have already done something by being observant. They will not say anything without irrefutable proof, and I am certain they will try to keep their investigations as discreet as possible in consideration for your family’s standing in Society.”
“Perhaps you are right. I have had my fill of observing for tonight. My feet do not want to take another step.”
“There I must agree with you. They really ought to make dancing slippers more comfortable,” Kate remarked with a chuckle, stretching the toe of one elegantly encased foot until it was visible and rotating it beneath the hem of her gown. The pointed shape was pinching her toes even though the goatskin was very soft.
“Do not let Mama see you doing that! She would at once deliver a considered and lengthy discourse on the evils of displaying one’s appendages in public.”
On that note, they sought out Lady Mottram, and as the hour was by now rather advanced, they made their curtsies to their hostess and soon were on their way home. Having listened to Lady Mottram prattle all the way back to the house, Kate was grateful to seek the solace of her chamber. However, once she was lying in bed, her mind would not settle. She kept recalling the warnings from her guardian and Lord Philip, but also the sensations Major Lloyd and Mr. Feathers had elicited within her during their dances. If Mr. Feathers had indeed been on the terrace, then Captain Owens’ warnings were well placed. She had no doubt Feathers would snap her neck without thinking twice about it.
Part of her wanted to fetch her book from the library so she could escape into the much more pleasant world of Sense and Sensibility, where, the worst things to have happened so far were the Dashwood ladies having to move to a new home and Mr. Willoughby’s subsequent betrayal. Not that those were not significant events, of course, but no one was being murdered.
That reflection made her think of Gothic novels she had read where a visiting young lady would be attacked were she to venture downstairs alone in the dark. Kate laughed at her silliness. It was surely at least four o’clock in the morning. At this hour no one in the household would be awake; not even the servants would be about.
She threw back her coverlet and lowering her legs over the side of the bed, found her slippers and robe. Taking up her taper, she carried out into the passage and lit it at one of the wall sconces before climbing down the stairs to the library. Despite her admissions to silliness, her heart still beat faster and she hurried along the empty corridor.
She stopped short when she saw a light coming from beneath the library door. Who could be awake at this hour? She blew out her taper and edged closer.
There were two voices she was able to make out—both masculine—and she was quite certain one belonged to Major Lloyd. Who, though, was the other man? The tone was low and gravelly and she strained to hear the words.
“I believe they have rumbled us,” it said.
“Nonsense. Drink?” Lloyd asked. She heard the sounds of liquid pouring and glass clinking against glass.
“I am telling you, they are suspicious.”
“Be that as it may,” Lloyd replied, “suspicions are not proof.”
“No, but it makes our task that much harder if they are watching every move.”
“You just keep them occupied. No one can know what we are really about if they are busy worrying about the celebrations.”
“Aye, I suppose you are in the right of it,” the other voice said, “but I’m telling you we need to be chary, what with Owens turning up at the hell and Miss Rafferty…”
Kate gasped at the mention of her name.
“I took care of Owens. He and I are on the same side, so I do not think there will be any trouble on that front.”
Kate frowned. What did it all mean?
“You think he believed you?”
“Why would he not?” Lloyd asked haughtily. “You and the others continue to divert their attention and I shall do the rest.”
“It is too risky,” the other argued.
“I do not see we have any choice,” Lloyd argued. “I fully intend to carry this through.”
The tone in his voice caused Kate to shiver. She knew she should leave before she was caught eavesdropping, and yet did not want to miss any pertinent information to pass on.
“Have you any suspects for the stolen papers?”
Kate leaned closer to the door with anticipation. She had heard nothing of stolen papers.
“No. They are deeply concerned, but they have no clues. Now that Wellington has arrived, I expect a fire to be lit at Whitehall with what was stolen.”
“It is best to continue to divert attention, then.”
“You concentrate on the task at hand and I will worry about Wellington.”
“What about Miss Rafferty and your sister?”
“What about them? They are silly young girls.”
“There is something about that Miss Rafferty which gives me pause.”
“You and every warm-blooded male in London,” Lloyd snapped. “Forget about her—and my sister. They are harmless as long as you are not looking to wed.”
Kate scowled at his tone. She would very much like to know the identity of the other man in the conversation.
“I am for my bed now. I have an early meeting,” Lloyd said, causing Kate to jump. It was hard to think rationally and not seize up with fear. Move, Kate.
The door opened before she had convinced herself to action. She shrank back into the shadows, trying to become one with the paneling behind her. Her heart was thumping so loud and her breath was so shallow, she was certain to be discovered. Her eyes strained to see, to discover who the second man was.
Although the odor of cigar registered upon her senses as the two men left the library, from behind Kate could not make out who the second was.
Turn around, turn around, she willed, to no avail.
As they reached the front door, Lloyd stepped forward and opened it for his guest.
The man passed through without uttering another word or turning back. Lloyd shut the door and paused, looking around as if he sensed her presence. He shook his head and then proceeded up the stairs, each step echoing on the marble and sending fear up her spine. When she finally heard the door to his chamber close, she stood still for several more minutes, trying to let her breathing slow.
She then hurried back up to her room without daring to relight her taper. She climbed into her bed and trembled with fear, wondering how she could make it until she could tell Captain Owens everything.