Dangerous Knight by Elizabeth Johns

Chapter Nine

Jack and Philip had just returned to Everleigh House from seeking out Mr. O’Connell—to no avail—when a messenger, garbed in the Mottram livery, delivered a letter.

“I do not recognize the handwriting,” Philip said, looking over his shoulder.

“What the devil?” Jack asked as he broke the seal and saw the signature.

They proceeded to read the words together then looked up at each other. Philip was clearly as perplexed as Jack was.

“Have you ever heard suspicion of Lloyd?”

Philip shook his head. “Never. He is a hard one to read, to be sure, but Wellington trusts him implicitly.”

“Do you think he could be acting as a go-between or double agent?”

Philip sat down in the chair near the fire. “Perhaps, but I do not wish to contemplate such a thing.”

“Nor do I. Should we simply confront him? It could have an innocent explanation.”

“While I appreciate you are giving him the benefit of the doubt, you know we can never be too careful and it is likely the papers were stolen by someone within the War Office.”

“Let us keep this between ourselves for now. We must tell Miss Rafferty to say nothing,” Philip warned.

“And find out if she has spoken to anyone else about it,” Jack added.

Philip hit the desk in frustration. “Our families are very close. It would be devastating.”

“Hopefully, it is nothing. All of it could be innocent—a simple coincidence.” Jack held out his hands.

“It is funny how we play devil’s advocate for one another.”

“It keeps us in line,” Jack agreed.

“What do you propose we do next?”

“I think, for now, we need to dress for your mother’s ball. I think we should watch Lloyd and Feathers closely tonight and then, tomorrow, begin looking for the other three men.”

“I have shown the drawings to my father’s man. He can be trusted and, most likely, he will find them before we have any hope of so doing.”

Jack nodded. “At least our time at the ball will not be wasted.”

“Do not let my mother hear you say that!” Philip teased.

“You know as well as I that I have no business in looking for a wife.”

“Perhaps not, but you may certainly dance with all of the young and desperate females who will be there tonight.”

“Ah, that is the way of things, is it? Well, then, if that is her expectation, I am at her service.”

Jack left Philip to return his lodgings and dress for the ball, thinking as he walked. Were they hunting down the wrong rabbit hole? He and Philip had been spying and reconnoitering for many years—as had Major Lloyd—and one had to follow one’s instincts but not dismiss other paths of enquiry. Thus far, they had no other path to follow and London was a much larger world in which to try to narrow down the field. In war, the suspects tended to be more obvious—though not always.

He dressed in his regimentals and returned to Everleigh House for dinner.

Most of the guests had already gathered in the drawing room; as he surveyed the assembled, his eyes immediately found his ward’s. She was, in a word, glorious. Her gown of medium blue somehow made her eyes look fathomless, even from where he stood, and provided the perfect counterpoint to draw the fire from her hair, which glistened in the candlelight.

He shook himself out of his musings. It really would not do for him to be salivating after his ward. He went forward to greet her, nonetheless, and bowed when he reached her and Lady Maria.

“Ladies, may I say, you will put all others in the shade this evening?”

“Oh, indeed you may, sir.” Lady Maria smiled as she held out her hand to him.

“Have you any dances left for me to claim?” he asked smoothly.

“The first waltz is mine,” Philip’s voice interjected from behind him.

Jack pretended to sigh heavily in dejection. “Then I shall have to settle for the second.” He turned to Miss Rafferty. “Is your first waltz available?” He leaned forward and whispered loudly, “’Tis the only dance I have any talent for.”

“I do hear it is one of Lord Wellington’s requirements for his officers.” Maria laughed.

“Indeed, it is,” another voice boomed from behind him. Jack turned to see his commander standing there, putting them all in the shade in his own regimentals.

“Good evening, ladies. Everleigh. Owens.” He nodded to Philip and Jack.

“Sir! I was unaware you would be joining us,” Philip said, greeting the duke with a smile.

“You did not think I would miss the celebrations, did you?”

Jack and Philip exchanged glances. Had he not said that very thing?

“I believe I will take those waltzes remaining, if you will be so kind as to introduce me to this new young lady.” Wellington bowed gracefully. “Lady Maria and I are old friends.” He took her hand and bowed over it.

“Sir, may I introduce Miss Rafferty, my ward?”

The duke also bowed before her but as he straightened, he cast a look at Jack. “I have a feeling the three of us should speak. Apparently, a great deal has happened since you left me. Will you excuse us, ladies, while I have a quick word with my men?”

“Of course, Your Grace.” Both ladies curtsied to Wellington before walking across the room to greet some other guests.

He moved closer and spoke quietly. “What have you discovered?”

“Besides having an unexpected ward?” Jack teased.

“That we can discuss later, the poor girl. I meant, as you well know, with regards to the other matters you have been asked to look into.”

Philip moved closer and explained their investigations into Mr. O’Connell. Then Jack more quietly described what he had seen in the park with Mr. Feathers, and what the ladies had seen several times in front of Mottram Place.

“I need not tell you what the implications of that could be,” Wellington said with a frown that would make enemies quake. “We cannot be too diligent in this case, however. While we will give Lloyd the benefit of the doubt, we should also be cautious. I will be speaking with him next.”

Wellington left them and went on to speak with Lord Mottram and Major Lloyd as if he had not just heard they might have a traitor in their midst.

“He is a cool one,” Jack remarked, watching him with admiration.

Philip’s mother walked by and Jack made her a bow.

“I trust the two of you will do your duty tonight?” she asked both of them in a matronly way.

“Of course, Lady Everleigh. I am at your service.”

She rapped his arm with her fan. “I knew you were a good one, Jack. Do keep Philip in line.”

“When did you know Wellington would be here, Mother?”

“About five minutes before you did, my dear,” she said with a smile.

“If you need me to leave so you shall have a seat at the table…” Jack allowed his voice to trail off.

“Not a bit of it, you rogue.”

“I am only trying to be helpful,” he said, winking at her.

Ignoring this impudence, she began to pair the gentlemen with those ladies they were to lead in to dinner, and Jack was none too put out to discover he was paired with his ward. Socially, they were at the bottom of the barrel, so to speak.

“What is your opinion so far?” he asked as she took his arm.

“Thus far, I have had Lady Maria constantly by my side and it has only been half an hour. The real test comes when the ball begins.”

“Surely you are not concerned you will be left without partners?” he asked, taken aback.

“Of course I am. No one knows my name.”

“Allow me to reassure you, Ward. I fully expect to be fighting off gentlemen with my sword!”

“You would not!”

“It was an allegory, my dear. Nonetheless, I do think you will be sought out far more than you think. Your name is already on the lips of many a hopeful gentleman.”

To a typical debutante in the ton, this would have been splendid news, but Miss Rafferty looked mortified.

“I take it you are not pleased?” Jack asked, trying not to laugh.

Her brow furrowed. “I suppose the truth is, I do not know what to think. After all, no one knows of my portion or anything about me. Why should my name be on their lips?”

“To be seen on the arm of the Season’s beauty is enough for now,” he said, hearing the thick sarcasm in his voice.

Then she surprised him by making an indelicate snort.

They entered the dining room last in the procession and soon found their place cards next to each other. He helped her into her chair and then waited while the other ladies were seated.

For someone who spied for a living, he was staggered by his reaction to Miss Rafferty. Spies were renowned for their ability to remain calm in stressful situations, yet he could feel his pulse racing and his palms were clammy. How his colleagues would laugh at him, to know he was bested by a female and one who was out of bounds to him at that!

“I think, Miss Rafferty,” he said, once he was seated beside her, “that we should probably discuss exactly what your wishes are for the future.”

“If I knew, I would be more than happy to tell you, sir.”

*

Kate was nervous.She knew she was being ridiculous, but she could not help it. She had never been to a ball and she felt distinctly out of place. She was reassured of her looks based on the reaction of Captain Owens and Captain Everleigh, but she knew very well that it was not the gentlemen of the town she had to conquer, but the females. Some—no, most—of the girls at school had hated her because of her beauty. Maria was one of the few who had always been kind to her despite everything.

Having Lady Mottram’s support, and possibly Lady Everleigh’s too—if only reluctantly—would mean a great deal.

Nevertheless, she intended to stay out of the way and not put herself forward. She knew there would be those who would dislike her regardless of how demurely she behaved.

She stayed mostly by Maria’s side while guest after guest was announced. More officers in regimentals arrived and the group of bright uniforms stood out amongst the crowd.

By the time the dancing began, there had to be over five hundred people in the ballroom.

“Would you care to dance?” Captain Owens asked, appearing out of nowhere. “Since Wellington stole my waltz, I thought I might as well lead you out for the first set.”

“I thought you only waltzed,” she remarked as she excepted his proffered arm.

“I said the waltz was the only one I was accomplished at. I at least know the steps to the others.”

She laughed and very much doubted he was poor at any of them.

“And thus far, does the ball meet your expectations?”

“Do you mean, since you asked me last?” she replied, taking her place in the set.

“That was before dinner; practically a lifetime ago,” he countered with a grin. “Now you have seen a true crush, at the height of the Season in one of the most fashionable houses of the beau monde,” he said with added aristocratic inflexion intended to make her laugh, which it did.

The music began and she curtsied while he bowed and they stepped forward and their hands met. Kate was taken aback at how the touch of a man’s hand could affect her. Would it be this way with every gentleman?

She hoped not, because she did not care for the disorder her senses felt.

“Have you any dances left?” he asked knowingly as they spun about, elbow to elbow, face to face—well…almost. She had to look up into his face.

“I have two remaining.”

“They will not be free for long. Has Wellington taken the supper dance?”

“No, Lord Philip has.”

A flash of danger, or perhaps anger, flashed across his face before he hid it. She looked away, not wanting to dwell on it. The dance separated them and she was forced to take a turn with another gentleman. When she saw Mr. Feathers coming toward her, she had to fight the instinct to recoil in disgust. At least that answered one question, but she could not yet ponder its meaning.

His countenance was stiff and cold, as was his clipped tone. “Good evening.” Beyond her own cool greeting, they did not converse, and Kate was relieved when she returned to her place in the line to await another turn with Captain Owens.

“Are you quite well?” he asked when they met again in the center.

“He is a cold man,” she answered.

“You must be careful not to display your opinion so openly.”

“How can I not when you warned me away from him and when his actions grant such suspicions? You did not explain your warning, and I took my instinctual feelings toward him as justification of your comments. I think now you had better explain what you meant by it.”

Captain Owens smiled down at her as though they had been discussing the weather. She forced a smile to her own face, knowing he was correct. Her face had always spoken her thoughts even when her mouth had not.

She next met Major Lloyd in the center for a turn, and while he was certainly not a warm man, her senses did not recoil as they had with Mr. Feathers. Was this a sign that he was innocent? She certainly hoped so, for Maria’s sake.

“Are you enjoying your first ball, Miss Rafferty?” he asked.

“I am, though it is certainly a little overwhelming. I had not expected so many people.”

“I have always found great irony in the fact that a hostess does not consider an entertainment a success unless there are too many people there to breathe or converse easily. The purpose is only to see and to be seen and never truly know anyone well.”

“Yet this is where one is supposed to choose a mate,” she responded, adding after a slight pause, “on the great Marriage Mart.”

“Precisely,” he said with a hint of approval in his gaze. It was likely to be the most she would ever see from him, she reflected, lowering her gaze in case her face betrayed her.

When she took her last turn with Captain Owens, he smiled but did not look pleased.

“You were very friendly with Lloyd,” he remarked.

Was that a hint of jealousy she detected? Why did that please her?

“He was quite pleasant,” she said, knowing it might make him bristle.

“He is another one to be cautious with, I need not tell you.”

“Yes, you need not tell me.” She bit back a smile as she turned away from him.

Captain Owens had been correct; she had partners for every dance. Gentlemen said the oddest things to her. They were full of false compliments and requests to drive her to the park. What nonsense it was when they had no notion of her at all! They had discussed no more than where she was from and the weather!

Now it was time for the supper dance and she looked about for Lord Philip, who had claimed the set. As he would be hard to miss in his regimentals, and she desperately wanted some fresh air, she slipped just outside the terrace door and waited until she could see him approaching.

The fresh evening air was a welcome reprieve from the crush of sweaty bodies and overly fragrant perfumes. It was a unique experience to be at a ball like this, to be sure, but it was not something she would ever long for again if she retired to the country.

She continued to look into the ballroom from just outside the open doors, but while she still could not see any sign of Lord Philip, she was unconcerned. It was his home and his mother might have needed his assistance. Kate was perfectly content to remain where she was.

The music began and she gave a slight shrug. The Duke of Wellington came to claim Maria, but there was still no sign of Lord Philip. The hairs on her neck began to rise and she had the distinct impression that she was no longer alone on the terrace. Hesitating to move and give away her position, she leaned slightly backwards into the shadows, while continuing to watch for Lord Philip.

In all likelihood it was someone else seeking a reprieve from the heat indoors, but something heightened her awareness and the feeling only grew stronger. The sensible course would be to step back across the threshold into the ballroom, but supposing whatever or whoever was there was connected to the threats against the prince or even the Duke of Wellington?

A slight movement behind her caused her to tense, and slowly she turned her head to see what it was that had her nerves strung as tight as a bow.

She could see nothing in the darkness; whatever it was was well hidden in the shadows of the night. As her eyes adjusted to looking from the terrace out to the garden, she could have sworn she saw a pair of eyes staring back at her. She shivered unconsciously and her blood froze with indecision.

“There you are!” a familiar voice said from behind, startling her.

She turned and forced a smile to her face, more grateful to see Captain Owens then she probably should be.

“Captain Everleigh was detained and asked me to find you.”

“When I did not see him, I stepped out here for some fresh air.”

He looked down at her with concern. “Is something amiss?”

She could hardly answer truthfully. “I think I became overheated.”

“Why do we not go in to supper now? I know I do not care for these routs without fortification.”

She clutched his arm with relief and stepped back into the safety of the ballroom.