“How will you see that?”
As if he would be more than ten feet away from her all evening. “I’ll see it. Will you?”
“Yes. If I feel that something is wrong, I will tuck my hair behind my left ear.”
One thing was for certain. After he left Phillipa and sat for her father to remind him what a damned beast he was, he was going to the Adventurers’ Club. Because he was not going to survive the night at Almack’s without a drink and an hour or two to cool down and find some patience. Or rather, David Langley wouldn’t survive the night if he didn’t do those things.
Chapter Nineteen
Leopards are solitary creatures, prowling the night at the fringes of herds or lurking in trees waiting for their unsuspecting prey to pass beneath. It is known that men are killed by lions every year, but I suspect that many, many more are dragged off by leopards. It’s much easier to see a pride coming than one lethal animal.
THE JOURNALS OF CAPTAIN BENNETT WOLFE
I’m telling you, she has no suitors.”
David Langley sank back against the far wall of Almack’s assembly room to examine his fingernails. “She has one suitor, Bradley.” He gave a slow smile. “Well, actually, at this moment she has two.”
Another group of chits approached to chat with him, the third since he’d arrived. They all held on to one another in their excitement at meeting such a famous fellow. He’d lately been encouraging Bradley and his other friends to refer to him as the Conqueror of the Congo, but it didn’t seem to be catching on yet.
He wrote his name on the dance cards of the pret tiest ones, telling the others that his own card was filled. As he was assessing whether the stunning redhead in the lead admired him enough to take off her clothes, Lord Frizzel nudged him.
Lord and Lady Leeds and their daughters entered the main room. His eye went immediately to the honey-haired older sister. She had just come out into Society when he left for Africa, and he had danced with her a handful of times. How the lovely chit had thus far avoided marriage, he had no idea, but he did know which of the Eddison sisters he would be after if he had a choice.
“I’d best go say hello,” he muttered, pushing away from the wall. He paused, and a second later Frizzel joined him. Generally he enjoyed hangers-on, but in this instance cronies were vital. Wolfe could make an appearance anywhere, and he refused to be attacked again by the heathen.
As he approached Lady Phillipa, he wondered why Wolfe seemed to have focused his attention on her. Yes, she was pretty enough, he supposed, but she might as well have been a tree stump with her sister present. She wasn’t as willowy as he liked, though her curves were certainly generous. No suitors, Frizzel had said. Did she lack refinement? Grace? Conversation?
It was a curiosity, though it didn’t much signify. Bennett Wolfe kept company with her, and that was all that mattered. Because he’d spent three years in Wolfe’s company, and if he’d learned one thing it was that the man didn’t give up. Whether he could steal the chit away or not wasn’t as important as whether he could coax, charm, or trick her into revealing everything she knew of Wolfe’s plans and intentions.
More than anything he wanted to burn the damned journals and sketches, but he wasn’t ready yet to give up the only leverage he had. Little liking as he had for the man, he’d be foolish to ignore the fact that Bennett Wolfe was a formidable opponent. And he was not a fool.
“Good evening, Lady Phillipa,” he said with a smile as he reached the family.
“Captain Langley. Oh, you’ve come after all. I thought you might have been teasing.” She patted him playfully on the arm. “You’ve met my family, haven’t you? Lord and Lady Leeds, and this is my sister, Olivia. Everyone, Captain David Langley.” She gave an excited giggle. “The Conqueror of the Congo.”
Ah, so the moniker had begun to spread. Excellent. He took her hand and bowed over it. “I’m only hoping that Captain Wolfe hasn’t stolen your heart completely, and that there’s a bit of room still for me there.”
“Keep saying such nice things, and I shall forget him completely.”
Not completely, he hoped, deepening his smile.
Out of the corner of her eye, Phillipa could see her family looking at her like she’d grown a second head. For the moment she pretended not to notice; it was difficult enough to be…giddy without having to worry about them.
Bennett hadn’t yet arrived—which was unsurprising considering that she’d asked him not to make an appearance until half nine. He would distract Langley when she needed to charm the captain, and he would distract her. Having him walk in just before the first waltz would serve them best—however much she might prefer to be conversing with him and gazing at him rather than at Langley.
“May I escort you to the refreshment table?” the captain asked, everything about him impeccable, from his manners to his dark blue trousers, light blue waistcoat, and gray jacket. Everything except for a fading bruise beneath one eye and the bandage still covering the tip of one ear.
For a moment she wondered whether Bennett would bring Kero with him. She almost hoped so, however counterproductive it would be to her—their—plan. “That would be delightful,” she exclaimed.
For a second she worried that Livi would insist on joining them, but then Sonja and Lucy appeared to drag her away. She took Langley’s arm, very aware that she was on her own in this, except that she wasn’t. In fact, she wouldn’t be at all surprised if Bennett was spying on her through one of the tall windows that lined the near wall. She risked a glance in that direction, but the room was too well lit for her to be able to see anything on the far side of the glass.
Generally when she wanted to know something, she asked a question. That was one of the things that many of her peers didn’t much appreciate, and while Bennett did, she couldn’t risk being so obvious with Langley. “I read your book,” she said instead, fluttering her eyelashes at him. She nearly stumbled, and had to catch herself.
“Did you now? You did say this morning that you were looking forward to meeting me.”
“Oh, yes. When I met Sir Bennett I asked whether he would be able to make an introduction. He assured me that he could, but then he made several cutting remarks about you.” She leaned closer. “I think your assessment of him in Across the Continent is rather accurate. He does seem a bit…unsophisticated.”
“Unsophisticated?”
Oh, dear. Had she already made a misstep? She needed to find words with fewer syllables. “I think that’s the right word. At least, he walked straight up to me without an introduction, and I never know when he’s going to appear, or whether he’ll have that monkey on his shoulder or not.” Inwardly she hesitated. “Shouldn’t Kero be yours, anyway?” she ventured, unable to resist a little jab. “Your book tells how fond she was of you. What happened?”
“Ah, yes. Kero. Wolfe’s the one who rescued her, but he hadn’t a clue how to keep her fed and healthy. That fell to me. She had disappeared at the time I left, and I can only suppose that he taught her to fear everyone but himself.”
“How terrible.” An even worse lie, but this was all about charming him. The truth could come later, after she’d discovered the location of the journals. “I thought it must be something like that.”
“You’re not interested in being pursued by Wolfe, then?”
This was where she had to be careful. Bennett had said Langley would enjoy the idea of stealing her away, so she couldn’t make it too easy. “Well, he is quite handsome,” she said slowly, as though genuinely considering. “And I like adventurers. And he does have five thousand a year.”
“So you’re waiting to receive a better offer.”
She giggled. Heavens, what an awful, shallow person this Flip was. “I have to look out for myself, don’t I?”
“Indeed you do.” He handed her a chocolate-dipped strawberry. “And I hope you’ve saved that waltz for me.”
“You’re the first gentleman I saw when I came in.” Pulling the card from her ret
icule with her free hand, she gave it and a pencil to him. As he wrote in his name, she took a bite of the sweet strawberry, attempting to form her lips into a kiss the way Livi did. And she dearly hoped she wasn’t drooling.
He looked up from the card. “I wish I could have a dozen dances with you,” he said, his gaze on her mouth.
Hm. The lip trick actually worked. “That would be terribly improper, I’m afraid.”
“Flip?”
She’d been concentrating so hard that her sister’s voice startled her. “What is it?”
Livi stood behind her, Lord John accompanying her. Clearly they both thought she’d gone mad. “Mama wants a word with you.”
Langley gave a slight bow. “I’ll see you for our waltz.”
Phillipa led the way to her parents, setting a course that would take them by a less crowded side of the room. No one could be allowed to overhear whatever it was Livi wanted to say to her.
“What in the world has gotten into you?” Livi demanded, just as she’d expected.
Squaring her shoulders, Phillipa turned around. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Captain Langley? Bennett—” Livi lowered her voice and stepped closer. “Bennett Wolfe has practically proposed to you. They are enemies.”
“So you support Bennett’s suit now? That’s good to know.”
“He is not a man to play about with, Flip,” John put in, his expression more serious than she was accustomed to seeing him wear.
She sighed. Clearly they were alarmed and intended to save her from herself. She would have to tell them something. In a moment. First she wanted to enjoy her unexpected fame for the tiniest second. “Are you certain you’re not jealous because I’m being pursued by two of the most famous adventurers in England?” she asked aloud.
“All I know is that someone is going to get killed, and that it’s more than likely to be me.” John put a hand on her shoulder. “Do you have any…any idea how much Bennett cares for you?”
Abruptly this wasn’t amusing any longer. “Before I answer that or say another word, you have to promise me something. Both of you.”
“What are we promising?” Livi demanded, glancing around them.
“Promise that you’ll help me, and not hinder me.”
“In breaking Bennett’s heart? In collaborating with the man who ruined his future? I think not.”
“Hush, John. This is for Bennett.”
Silence. “Now I’m even more confused,” John whispered.
“I’m looking for clues about where Captain Langley is hiding Bennett’s journals. To get any clues, I have to speak with him. I therefore have to be nice. And charming.” She frowned. “And I have to let him think that he’s stealing me away from Bennett.”
“You cannot do this,” Livi hissed.
“I am doing this. So kindly don’t ruin it.”
“Flip, you could get hurt.”
She swallowed. “I know.”
Yes, she could get hurt, but not in the way Livi was imagining. Because if she succeeded, she would have to choose. She would have to decide whether she had any real courage. Compared to that, fooling David Langley for a few days seemed…easy.
“I think you need to explain this a bit further,” John said, offering an arm to each of them.
“Promise me first.”
“As long as Bennett isn’t going to kill me, then I promise.”
Livi looked as though she’d swallowed a bug. “I will promise unless it looks as though you will be hurt. Then I do not promise.”
“You’d best take me over to Mama, then, or Langley will become suspicious. But walk slowly. And stop scowling, Livi. For heaven’s sake.”
Phillipa didn’t like him cursing in her presence, so Bennett made good use of every word of profanity he knew in every language he knew as he paced outside Almack’s. He could curse himself, as well, for allowing her to entangle herself in this mess between him and Langley, but it hadn’t precisely been up to him.
He’d fought off a crocodile with the butt of his rifle and his hunting knife. He’d walked a thousand miles through jungles and deserts and savannahs. And that slip of a woman had him befuddled and dazzled and twisted in so many directions he didn’t know which way to go.
This had been her idea. The problem was, it was also her risk. And he didn’t like that. Not a damned bit. He flipped open his battered old pocket watch again. Twenty-two minutes after nine. Bloody close enough.
Passing by the footmen at the entrance, he strode into the main assembly room. Trying to look like an about-to-be-thrown-over beau made him feel stiff and awkward, but entering the room like a charging rhinoceros wouldn’t get him anything but an invitation to leave.
The level of his obsession was such that he searched for and found where Phillipa stood before he even thought of Langley. That idiot held court in the center of an admiring circle, mostly chits, all of them cooing and preening like doves.
Phillipa, on the other hand, stood a short distance away from her parents, Olivia and Jack her only companions. And while her color was high and her hands fidgeting with nerves or excitement or both, the other two looked decidedly dismayed.
Slowing his pace to a more respectable stroll, he approached her. She’d worn an ivory and blue silk that shimmered with beads in the chandelier light. Stunning. Nearly as lovely as she was. “Good evening,” he said, taking her hand and drawing it to his lips. Kissing her knuckles wasn’t nearly enough. His body craved her as much as his heart did.
“Flip says this nonsense is all her idea,” Jack said in a low voice. “I find it difficult to believe that you didn’t have something to do with it. You being the one who most benefits, after all.”
“Ah. She told you, then. We thought we might have to let you two in on it so you wouldn’t step into the middle of everything and ruin it.”
“Speaking of ruined,” Phillipa’s older sister began, her voice stiff and low, “you do realize you’re sending her to feign an affection for the man you intend to ruin. There are her marital prospects to consider here, Captain Wolfe. You may plan to trot off to Africa or…or…Siberia, but what about Flip?”
“I told you this was my idea,” Phillipa stated, before he could conjure a defense that didn’t exist. “I didn’t actually give Bennett a choice.”
“You.” Jack raised an eyebrow. “You ordered Bennett Wolfe to assist you. And he agreed.”
Bennett sighed. At the same moment he glimpsed Langley leaving his admirers to head toward them. Two of his cronies from earlier in the day flanked him. At least Langley had learned one lesson about approaching him alone. “Unless you wish to stand here and play ‘state the obvious,’ your prince approaches, Phillipa.”
“Oh. Oh. Walk away, you two. Bennett and I have to argue now.”
“I think I’ll stay to protect you,” Jack commented.
“No, no.” Phillipa nudged him a little closer to where Bennett stood. “If you’re staying, then protect Langley from Bennett.”
“I don’t want to.”
“The more convinced Langley is that Phillipa will side with him, the sooner we can be done with this bloo—blasted charade.” Bennett risked a quick glare at Jack. “So hold me back.”
“Ah, Phillipa,” Langley said smoothly. “It’s time for our waltz, unless you’ve changed your mind.”
“She has changed her mind,” Bennett retorted, wishing both that they’d had a bit of time to rehearse this, and that he actually could take a swing at Langley. “She’s going to dance with me.”
“Bennett, Captain Langley asked me first.”
He pinned her with his glare. “You’ll do as I say.”
Her eyes flashed, and for a moment he worried that he’d said the wrong thing and turned the argument real. Then she stomped her foot in a very un-Phillipa-like manner. “You do not get to dictate to me, sir. I’ll dance with whomever I please. And I please to dance with Captain Langley, and—”
“David,” Langl
ey interrupted smoothly.
“—with David. In fact, if you cannot conduct yourself like a proper gentleman, I don’t wish to see you at all.”
“I don’t believe that. And this fool certainly doesn’t deserve you.”
“Steady now, Bennett,” Jack put in, a touch too dramatically.
“Lady Phillipa, we’ll miss our dance.” Langley offered his hand.
At least Langley didn’t seem to notice the theatrics. Her chin in the air, Phillipa strutted by him. And disguised by the folds of her pretty skirt, she brushed her fingers against his. And then she was gone onto the dance floor. With Langley.
One thing was for damned certain. She wasn’t going out there alone. “You two,” Bennett growled, jabbing a finger at Jack and Olivia, “go dance. Now.”
Olivia blinked. “But I—”
“He’s correct,” Jack broke in, offering his arm. “We should attempt to stay close by Flip.”
“Yes, you’re right. Of course.” The sister took Jack’s proffered arm, and they stepped onto the dance floor. Just before they twirled away, Jack managed to send him a grateful look.
It was well and good, Bennett supposed, if his—and Phillipa’s—tribulations aided Jack in his pursuit of Olivia, but his friend had best remember that that was not the aim of this dance. Bennett turned around. Luckily he was supposed to be jealous and annoyed, because he doubted he was capable of acting any differently.
He spied a chit standing fairly close behind him, no partner in view. “Waltz with me,” he said the moment he reached her.
She blushed furiously. “But we haven’t been introduced.”
“Bennett Wolfe. And you?”
“I…uh…Catherine. Miss Patterson.”
Bennett took her hand and placed it over his arm. He wanted to be on the floor already, but he couldn’t drag her there. The rules at Almack’s were fairly strict about that. “Now we’ve been introduced, Miss Patterson. Shall we?”
The Care and Taming of a Rogue Page 25