The Sins of Lord Easterbrook (11 page)

Elliot would be useless. What a nuisance.

T
ong Wei took a position right in front of the carriage door. Leona rearranged her silk shawl so it dipped around the puffed short sleeves of her ivory ball gown.

“There is no need for you to stand here the whole night,” she said. “The coachman will probably walk the horses, and you might as well ride along.”

“I will be here.”

He glanced at her bare skin showing above the low, straight neckline of her dress.

“It is the fashion,” she said.

His stony expression communicated what he thought of fashions that permitted obscene glimpses of flesh that should be covered.

Leona gave up trying to placate him. Tong Wei understood that she had to enter assemblies without his protection. He just wondered about these parties that he never saw, and perhaps imagined proper formalities breaking down as people drank and men leered.

Leona approached the door, inserting herself into the
river of good society. Both Phaedra and Easterbrook had insisted she accept this invitation. A ball hosted by Lord and Lady Pennington, a baron and his wife, the sheer size of the event promised the potential for meeting many of the right people.

Their advice on the invitations had borne fruit already. The last week Leona had enjoyed a very active social life, and harvested many tidbits that gave her some encouragement about her missions. In particular, she had sat at a dinner party last night during which she discovered some astonishing information. The man seated on her left thought that he remembered a notice published upon her father's death.

She had not known such a notice had been printed. Her father had not been a notable in England, and it made no sense. Finding that obituary was now at the top of her list of things to do in London. She was eager to read it.

Her hostess approached her immediately after her announcement, and guided her through the throng to a quiet spot near a wall. “We are pleased that you agreed to join us. You have been noticed for the prestigious company that you keep and we are all eager to know you better.”

Lady Pennington smiled conspiratorially, like an old friend confiding good gossip. Only she wasn't an old friend, and Leona was the subject of the gossip.

“The marquess is an acquaintance from my girlhood. He has been generous to aid me here in London.”

“He is known to be most generous when he chooses to be, which is not often. And most amiable when he
also chooses, which is even less common.” She looked over her shoulder meaningfully.

Leona looked in the same direction. Near the opposite wall a tall man with a beautiful, severe face was being generously amiable with two elderly women who flushed like schoolgirls.

Easterbrook appeared both very lordly and vaguely dangerous. The latter she attributed to his dark garments and reckless hair and the intensity in his eyes that he could never completely hide.

He spotted her and walked across the room with a deliberate purpose. Eyes followed and heads turned even while conversations continued.

She suffered it. Nor could her annoyance stop how her pulse beat harder with each of his steps. Her hostess discreetly moved away, to permit the marquess a few private words.

“Miss Montgomery.”

She curtsied. “Lord Easterbrook. I am astonished to see you here. I was told you never attended such functions. Dinners on occasion, but not crowded gatherings such as this.”

“Since you would not accept the convenience of being my guest at Grosvenor Square, I am forced to pursue you through more traditional paths. In order to do so, I have had to mend my isolated ways.”

She would never be able to accuse him of not giving her fair warning, that was certain. “Lady Pennington must be delighted to have her ball chosen for your first stitch. I daresay your presence alone makes the evening a success.” Her pique broke through her pretense. “Did
you let it be known that you would attend if I were invited?”

“I never spoke a word on the matter. If hostesses are hopeful it might work that way, it is not my doing.”

Except it
had
been his doing. That ride in the park, so rare for him, had announced his pursuit to the world. He had encouraged hostesses to calculate that if they invited the object of his interest, the elusive Easterbrook might come too. The implications had been reinforced by his presence tonight.

“It would never have happened otherwise, Leona.”

It irritated her even more that he had all but read her thoughts. “If I have traded my reputation for a chance to meet the best of the best, I should make good use of the opportunity. I trust that you will not be a constant escort. I will never learn anything of interest if you are.”

She excused herself and plunged into the crowd. She quickly found Lady Wallingford and exchanged a few pleasantries. Lady Wallingford in turn introduced her to some other ladies. Within an hour Leona was surrounded by a little clutch of people, regaling them with stories about Asia.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Denningham advanced on Christian, looking like a man in shock. “Are you unwell?”

“Perhaps I am finally well, not unwell.” Denningham puzzled that, then gave up and smiled. “I am glad you are here no matter what your health. You
can help me decide which young ladies I should petition for a dance.”

“I recommend that you dance with them all, and twice with the ones who are not too impressed by your title.”

“Easy for you to say. My title is all that is impressive.”

“That is not true.” Although it probably was, for the ladies in question. Young girls did not favor simplicity and decency, which were Denningham's notable features.

Denningham surveyed the girls in question. Christian struggled not to look at the knot of people twenty feet away. Leona stood in their midst and all attention was on her, in particular that of a young naval officer.

Suddenly laughter erupted in that group, loud enough to draw many eyes, including Denningham's. He noticed the raven-haired woman with dark eyes who clearly had told the good joke.

“Is that her? It is, isn't it?” he asked. “That is why you are here. A handsome woman, Easterbrook. Not typical, is she?”

No, not typical. Right now the handsome, atypical Leona was favoring the naval officer with too many smiles.

“Here comes the King of Spades, to scout out the fun,” Denningham said. “He probably cannot bear that he is not in the thick of it.”

The Duke of Ashford's attention was on Leona's group while he approached them. He would probably
ask for an introduction to her, so he could indeed be in the thick of things.

If so, he could rot first. Christian did not think that young officer could be true competition, but Ashford was another story and not only because he was a duke.

For a man of at least forty-five years and with hair shot through with silver, the duke wore his age with an-noyingly youthful grace. But then much about Ashford was annoying. His social skills were unsurpassed, his elegance legendary, his mind brilliant, and his political shrewdness the stuff of legends. Tall, broad, and fit, he accepted it as his right to be noticed and admired wherever he went. He fit the role of the ultimate peer, and was held up to the world as an example of the aristocracy at its best.

They greeted each other and Ashford only noted Christian's uncharacteristic presence with one raised eyebrow. Arch still in place, he looked meaningfully at Leona.

“I heard that you had a new interest, Easterbrook. I had no idea it was serious enough to get you to a ball.”

“I decided to enjoy the season before it was over.”

“You should stick close to her or she may be distracted. Young Crawford there is flirting hard. I could warn him off if you like. I still have friends in the Admiralty and he knows it. I got him his commission, after all.”

Ashford tended to drop mention of his influence like this, another annoyance. Everyone knew the role he had played in government during the war. Re minders like this one, of his frequent consultations with the Admiralty back then, were unnecessary.

“If he requires warning off, I can manage it,” Christian said. “If you want to insert yourself into a friend's affairs, help out Denningham here. Tell him which of these hopeful girls he should marry.”

“Marry?” Denningham reddened. “I spoke of one dance!”

“You were born to marry if ever a man was, and it is long past time,” Ashford said. “As for which one, let me see. …” He scrutinized the ballroom, examining girls with seriously critical eyes.

Denningham obediently suffered it. Christian had to smile to himself. He was being too critical tonight, and too quick to feel jealousy if any man looked at Leona. Ashford deserved his praise. If he actually did choose a girl for Denningham, it would probably be a perfect match.

Christian turned his attention back to Leona. Beside him, Ashford exuded an exhausting amount of intrusive noise.

That was the real reason he was not fond of the man. If he welcomed the King of Spades’ frequent absences from the whist tables, it really had to do with his intensity. Within the elegance and grace a tiger waited, tensed as if to pounce.

The noise remained abstract and did not translate into emotions. It was just there, an unceasing, unchanging hum. This eternal alertness had probably produced the incisive thought and shrewd analysis that made Ashford so useful and successful in government and politics.

“That one there, Denningham. Near the wall in the white gown, near the woman in cerulean. That is Miss

Elizabeth Talorsfield, third daughter of a good family in my county. She is known for her virtue, modesty, and good heart. The settlement should be at least respectable. Come with me, and I will introduce you.”

Like a sheep to the slaughter, Denningham dutifully followed Ashford across the ballroom. Christian assumed his friend would have a fiancée soon.

His aunt caught his eye, something she had been attempting for some time despite his resolute avoidance. She beckoned him to join her and Caroline, and angled her head toward a nearby young, unmarried peer. Aunt Hen clearly wanted introductions to be made.

Since Hen stood close enough to Leona to keep an eye on her, Christian strolled over to do his familial duty.

Easterbrook was never far away. She saw those eyes on her when she looked in his direction. She sensed his attention even when he was out of sight, a presence charging the air like a summer storm.

His awareness settled around her, evoking a lively patter in her heart. She engaged in her conversations with more spirit in an attempt to thwart his power, but her heart ruefully admitted that his mere proximity excited her.

People joined her circle and left, but one young man remained by her side. Blond and wiry, he wore a uniform that marked him as a naval officer. He had been introduced as Lieutenant Crawford. Since he had also traveled in the Far East, he joined in her tales to the delight of their audience.

“Miss Montgomery, allow me to spirit you away to some refreshments,” he whispered during a lull while the guests rearranged themselves. “Some conversation with you privately would be more charming than entertaining a crowd. I daresay we share acquaintances and similar sympathies.”

She allowed him to extricate her from the circle and guide her to the dining room where a supper could be had.

“Where did your ship take you?” she asked once they had settled at the long table. “Were you in the East long?”

“My commission took me to India, and from there to the China Sea.”

“Did you go to China itself?”

He nodded. “We anchored at Lintin. We had a passenger of some importance who had business in Canton, and we waited at Lintin while he disembarked and went there.”

“I assume that he was someone with the Company. It is odd that he traveled upon one of His Majesty's ships and not one of the Company's own.”

Lieutenant Crawford ate four full bites of food before he spoke again. “This passenger was not with the Company. Not officially at least. He represented other interests, I think.”

Powerful ones, if they could gain him a berth on one of the king's ships. She itched for him to go on. When he did not, she sought to encourage him.

“I have always been interested in the other interests in the China trade. Besides the Company's, that is. Legally they are the only traders between China and

England, but there are ways around that. And, of course, there is trade between the countries in the East itself.”

He noted her suggestion with a confidential, meaningful nod. “I know nothing for certain. I merely had cause to speculate. It would not do to be overheard, however.” He appeared so serious that one had to assume the revelations were dangerous. He dipped his head closer. “There should be less of a crowd on the terrace. Would you honor me by taking some air with me, Miss Montgomery?”

If it meant hearing tales of secret visitors to Canton, she would. He excused himself. After a few minutes she did the same. She aimed for the terrace doors.

She did not see Lieutenant Crawford upon exiting to the terrace. Finally she spied him at its far end, deep in the shadows.