A Duke in Turmoil: Dangerous Dukes Vol 9 Page 18

  Miss Courtney was barely visible in the midst of a dozen young men who were keen to make an impression upon her. Sophia couldn’t get anywhere near her so she would have to manage without the questionable benefit of Sophia’s advice. She wasn’t surprised by the attention the young woman had garnered since she was an heiress reputed to possess a massive dowry and she recognised some of the supposedly well-heeled gentlemen surrounding her as those teetering on dun territory.

  ‘It doesn’t matter what you look like provided you are well situated,’ Fanny Beaumount remarked as she drifted up to Sophia’s side.

  ‘That’s unkind, Fanny,’ Sophia said, smiling. ‘Miss Courtney cannot help the way she looks and I know nothing to her detriment, other than that she is wealthy.’

  ‘An unpardonable sin,’ Fanny decreed, smiling too.

  ‘I feel rather sorry for her in actual fact, since she will never know if any of the gentlemen paying court to her like her for herself or for her fortune.’

  ‘Oh, take no notice of me.’ Fanny wafted her face with the back of her gloved hand. ‘I’m being a crosspatch because I really thought Mr Darwin liked me. But now I see him with all of the other hopefuls, playing up to Miss Courtney.’

  ‘I was not aware that Edward Darwin had engaged your affections,’ Sophia said, giving her friend her full attention. ‘You have been holding out on me.’

  ‘I didn’t want to jinx matters,’ Fanny said with a sigh. ‘He is so very handsome, very charming, intelligent and well-read, and he makes me smile at life’s absurdities. But now he is being absurd himself and looking desperate. Clearly, he requires an heiress of greater stature than me. But still, I suppose everyone has to have something to live on.’

  ‘You are ten times prettier than Miss Courtney,’ Sophia commented, ‘and not exactly a pauper yourself.’

  ‘Even so, I shall think my interest in Mr Darwin misplaced if it transpires that he is a fortune-hunter and consider myself lucky to have escaped his clutches.’ Fanny smiled, but Sophia could see the strain behind the gesture and wondered if her friend was more in love with Darwin than she cared to admit. Sophia chastised herself for being such a poor friend. Fanny had supported her wholeheartedly over the wretched business with Maria, knew all the particulars and would never repeat them, and yet Sophia had been too distracted even to notice Fanny’s partiality for Mr Darwin.

  ‘I am a sorry excuse for a friend,’ Sophia said, squeezing Fanny’s hand. ‘I am surprised you bother with me.’

  ‘Oh, you have more important problems to wrestle with. I’m sure time will persuade me that my heart is not broken. I have too much pride to allow it to be. If I was misled by Mr Darwin’s attentions then it will not take me long to recover my spirits.’ Fanny linked her arm through Sophia’s as they strolled slowly around the increasingly packed ballroom. Sophia tried not to make it obvious that she was keeping half an eye out for Ross’s arrival. ‘Now, tell me what you have been getting up to since we last met. I want to hear all about the duke, what he had to say to you and how you responded.’

  ‘Not here!’

  ‘Ah, so there is something to tell.’ Fanny flashed a mischievous smile. ‘I thought as much.’

  ‘It is not what you suppose.’ Sophia lowered her voice, despite the fact that there was so much noise in the room that there wasn’t the slightest possibility of their being overheard. ‘I took him to see Maria.’

  Fanny’s mouth fell open. ‘I’d have liked to have been a fly on that particular wall,’ she said, grinning. ‘Maria will be livid to have been caught unprepared and jealous of your closeness to the duke.’

  ‘We are not close.’ Sophia threw her head back and sighed. ‘But yes, you’re right about Maria. I don’t think she will ever speak to me again.’

  ‘And why is that such a bad thing? I have told you many times that Maria is a spiteful witch who is jealous of her own sister. You were not ready to believe me before, but now perhaps you will.’

  ‘I will call and see you very soon and tell you everything.’

  ‘Are you expecting someone?’ Fanny asked playfully when Sophia stood on her toes to see who was creating so much interest in the doorway to the ballroom. She decided that it couldn’t be the duke. There was a pack of bodies between her and the door, but the duke was tall enough for his head to be visible above the crowd. A tall gentleman whom she didn’t recognise had arrived and was responsible for the stir, but it wasn’t Ross. ‘One assumes the duke will be in attendance, which would account for the lovely gown you are wearing that I haven’t seen before. Green silk complements the colour of your hair and the cream lace flounces are an inspired touch.’

  ‘It’s yet another of Maria’s cast-offs that Phyllis took it upon herself to alter.’

  ‘If Phyllis ever gets tired of your employ then she is assured of a position with me. I have never come across a maid more skilled with a needle.’

  ‘Leave her alone!’ Sophia smiled. ‘Phyllis is perfectly content in her current position and you can’t have her. Besides, you can afford to purchase new gowns and don’t need to reinvent old ones.’

  ‘Well, I suppose she wouldn’t be able to work miracles for me even if I could lure her away. One has to have your face and figure in order to showcase her skills to their best advantage.’

  ‘Honestly, Fanny. You accuse me of believing Maria’s put-downs but you don’t need anyone’s help to denigrate your own charms.’

  ‘This isn’t about me. It’s more a case of the gorgeous duke having an eye for you.’

  Sophia laughed. ‘Don’t be so ridiculous!’

  ‘I saw the way he looked at you at our last engagement. So did half of this lot,’ Fanny added, waving an airy hand around the crowded room. ‘And the gossip has been about little else since then.’

  ‘Oh lud.’

  Fanny grinned. ‘They say that the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.’

  ‘Do they? Well for my part I would prefer to be left alone. Anyway, let’s not argue the point,’ Sophia said, ‘and instead agree that we are the most eligible parties in the room.’

  Fanny smiled mischievously. ‘Well my dear, it cannot be boasting if it’s true.’

  They both laughed but Sophia’s smile quickly faded when she noticed Emily glaring at her from the opposite side of the room. Fanny saw her too.

  ‘Why is the duchess frowning at you?’

  ‘She probably listens to the gossip you insist is doing the rounds too.’ Sophia wasn’t prepared to explain about her visit and create even more speculation. ‘She has taken me in dislike, it seems. Probably because of Maria’s involvement with Andrew.’

  ‘That would explain it,’ Fanny said, fixing the duchess with a look of haughty disdain. The same look that Fanny had used on her governess to great effect when she tried to prevent her charge from skipping her French vocabulary in favour of climbing trees with her brother. ‘But still, I—’

  ‘Miss Beaumont, I have been searching all over in the hope of finding you here.’

  ‘Mr Darwin.’ Fanny turned to face the handsome young man and offered a minuscule curtsey. She did not smile. ‘You cannot have looked very hard since I have been here all this time.’

  Darwin appeared taken aback, clearly having expected a warmer welcome. ‘Your servant, Miss Kennard,’ he said, offering Sophia a bow.

  Sophia dipped a curtsey and then excused herself, hoping that Darwin’s interest in Fanny was abiding. Her friend deserved to achieve her heart’s desire.

  Alone, Sophia wandered about the room, avoiding the area where Emily held court. She accepted Mr Erkhart’s hand for the first dance, pleased to see that Fanny had stood up with her Mr Darwin and that they seemed to be finding a great deal to laugh about.

  The dance came to an end and Erkhart returned Sophia to her aunt’s side. Restless and in no mood to linger amongst the ranks of the chaperones and endure their intrusive questions about the duke, Sophia excused herself. She prowled the edge o
f the ballroom, careful to keep out of sight of any potential dance partners. There was only one gentleman whom she had any interest in standing up with, and he hadn’t deigned to show his face yet.

  Where was he? Why hadn’t he come? It was gone midnight and he would be aware that she’d worry. It was most unreasonable of him to leave her in a state of turmoil, wondering how his exchange with the duchess had played out and if that lady had said something to keep Ross from her. Emily had sent Sophia several superior looks whenever their paths happened to cross in the crowded room, almost as though she had come to an understanding with Ross.

  She would give him another half-hour and then persuade her aunt to return home, even though it was still comparatively early. Any pleasure that Sophia might otherwise have taken from the occasion was marred by Ross’s absence—an absence that had also brought her to her senses. She had allowed herself to believe what he’d said about the attraction being mutual and had got carried away with unrealistic notions, which was a grave misjudgement.

  His absence spoke volumes. She got the message loud and clear and would be more circumspect in her dealings with him in the future.

  ‘Stupid, Sophia. Stupid,’ she muttered beneath her breath.

  A commotion, voluble even above the racket of a ball that had reached its zenith, caused Sophia to glance towards the door.

  And there he was. Tall, suave, impeccably attired and oh so desirable. Their gazes briefly clashed across the crowded room, her heart lurched and pain ripped through her as she accepted what could never be. The suspicion of Maria’s involvement in Andrew’s death would eventually drive a wedge between them. She quickly looked away from him, aware that the stir his appearance had caused had also resulted in a number of speculative glances being cast in her direction.

  ‘Let him come to me,’ she muttered, joining Fanny and a group of other ladies at the side of the room.

  Ross had dressed early for the evening, keen to join Sophia as soon as he could rather than leaving her to the not so tender mercies of the rogues he had noticed watching her with speculative intent at Lady Carpenter’s. But Tanner hadn’t returned from watching Emily and he couldn’t leave until he knew what had happened to detain him. Ross restlessly paced the length of his drawing room, pausing to peer occasionally through the window or to tap his fingers impatiently against the marble mantle.

  ‘Come on!’ he muttered, glancing at the clock. It was gone ten, and Sophia would think that he had abandoned her.

  Ross became increasingly concerned as the minutes ticked slowly by. Tanner was tough and could take care of himself, so wherever Emily’s maid had led him to, he should have been back long since. The streets weren’t safe after dark, as Andrew should have known and Tanner definitely did. On the point of sending out a search party, he let out a sigh of relief when he heard the back door open and Tanner’s heavy tread rapidly approaching.

  ‘What kept you?’ Ross asked acerbically.

  ‘Sorry, guv’nor,’ Tanner said. ‘I lost the wench and I’ve spent the last few hours trying to figure out how she slipped past me.’

  ‘Did she see you?’

  ‘Don’t see how she could have. She left the duchess’s abode at a fast pace not long after you did and didn’t once glance back. She knew her way—’

  ‘She had taken that route before?’

  ‘I’d say so. Anyway, she disappeared into a labyrinth of back alleys off Shoe Lane in the East End. A right hornet’s nest, so it is. Poverty and overcrowding are rife and some of the ruffians gave the impression that they’d slit your throat for the boots on yer feet.’

  ‘Glad they had more sense than to take a fancy to your boots.’

  ‘Yeah well…’

  ‘Why would Greenacre live somewhere so downtrodden?’ Ross asked.

  ‘Easy to lose himself, I imagine,’ Tanner said, rubbing his hands briskly together and warming them in front of the fire. ‘I frequented a few of the local taverns, spread coin and gave Greenacre’s description, but no one claimed to know him. They’re like that in those parts. Keep themselves to themselves and mind their own business. I didn’t want to press in case word got back to Greenacre.’

  ‘Never mind. At least we know which area of London he’s in.’ Ross rubbed his chin. ‘I’m just not sure what good that will do us, though.’

  ‘I got one man to say that he thought he knew where to find the person I was looking for. Obviously, I didn’t give his name. Blind Alley off Garvin Street is the place to look, so I set up watch there for several hours. That’s why I’ve been so long. I figured that if Emily had summoned Greenacre, he would emerge from the rabbit warren eventually and meet her somewhere, but there was no sign of him. Eventually, I figured that if Emily plans to socialise this evening she’d have gone off to keep her engagement and I’d missed my opportunity. I’ll go back tomorrow and watch for Greenacre.’

  ‘No, don’t go yourself. Arrange for some of our people to do it.’ Ross had several reliable contacts in London; men whom he had spent time with in America but who had not enjoyed the same success as he had. As a result, they were tough, honest and needy enough to serve Ross dependably. ‘It could be a wild goose chase.’ Ross sighed. ‘If word gets back to Greenacre that you’ve been asking after him then he’ll up sticks and move again. As things stand, he seems to be one step ahead of us all the time.’

  ‘He will know you’re back and looking for him, and doesn’t want to answer your questions. Anyway, assuming it is him hiding away in Blind Alley, it’s obvious that he’s known and accepted in the area. Perhaps he has family there.’

  ‘Possibly.’ Ross shrugged. ‘I have absolutely no idea.’

  ‘Hadn’t you better be getting off to your swanky ball?’ Tanner asked. ‘It’s gone midnight.’

  ‘Damn, so it is.’

  Ross didn’t want to go. He didn’t need the distraction and wouldn’t show his face but for the fact that he had one compelling reason to do so. The prospect of seeing Sophia again made him smile.

  ‘Emily mentioned that she will be there this evening,’ Ross said, reaching for his evening cape.

  ‘That’ll be pleasant for you.’

  Ross fixed his man with a mildly castigating look. ‘She might use the cover of a society ball to meet outside with Greenacre. It would be easily achieved. Don’t get too warm, Tanner. You’re going out again.’

  Tanner pulled a doomed face. ‘You do know it’s started to snow, don’t you?’ He too reached for his outdoor garments with a martyred sigh. ‘You want me to linger in Lady Courtney’s gardens, I assume, freeze to death and then follow Greenacre if he puts in an appearance.’

  ‘If it wouldn’t be too much trouble.’

  Tanner rolled his eyes and didn’t respond.

  ‘Keep your wits about you,’ Ross cautioned as the two men neared the brightly lit mansion where the ball was now in full swing. The sound of music, laughter and dozens of cultured voices reached them. Carriages clogged the road and the jarveys stood in groups, laughing, swigging from flagons and stamping their feet to keep warm. A brazier was alight and the aroma of roasting chestnuts filled the air.

  Without saying a word, Tanner melted into the shadows without anyone appearing to notice him. Ross approached the house and soon found himself descending the stairs to the ballroom on the lower ground floor. Lady Courtney greeted him with civility and introduced him to her shy daughter. He sensed that the entire rigmarole embarrassed the poor chit and he felt sorry for her. If asked to hazard a guess, he’d say that she would prefer to curl up alone in a comfortable chair with a book, and perhaps a lapdog, for company. He had heard she was an heiress so she could take her pick from those who admired her purse. Why put the child through this agony? Ross shook his head, unfamiliar and uncomfortable with the ways of society.

  ‘Your servant, Miss Courtney,’ he said, walking into the crowded room and pausing as he surveyed the scene.

  He saw Sophia immediately, his gaze drawn to her svelte form like
a moth to flame. A vision in green silk, she met his gaze for a protracted moment before turning her head and walking away. He sensed her anxiety and her self-doubt and longed to speak with her. To reassure her and share with her what he had learned, and what he now suspected. But before he could do so, his path was barred by a man even taller than him, which was a rarity.

  ‘Ellwood, or I suppose I should call you Alton now,’ the man said.

  It took Ross a moment or two to recognise his old school friend, Ewan McIntyre.

  ‘Good heavens.’ Ross raised both brows. ‘Where did you spring from? I thought you were dead.’

  ‘Only the good die young,’ Ewan replied, offering Ross his hand, which Ross took in a firm hold. ‘Sorry,’ he added hastily. ‘That was crass of me. I heard about Andrew. I should have written but I thought at the time you were still buried in the wilds of America.’

  ‘I was on my way home to answer a family summons. Didn’t get here in time. Where have you been hiding yourself?’

  ‘I’ve followed a call to family arms too. Been up in Scotland on the estate attempting to knock it into shape. The old man had let things slide. Haven’t been in London for months.’

  ‘You have two older brothers to take care of their inheritance, surely?’

  ‘Ha! The pair of them couldn’t organise an orgy in a cathouse. I’ve had to bash heads together and insist upon economies.’

  ‘Sorry.’

  Ewan shrugged a massive shoulder. ‘Not your fault.’

  ‘Even so, and not to speak ill of the dead, I know a thing or two about wastrel brothers.’

  ‘You don’t look best pleased to be stepping into his shoes.’

  ‘It isn’t the future I’d envisaged for myself, but there’s not a lot I can do about it.’