“The widows are storming London’s drawing rooms now, are they?” Devon asked. “I suppose Lady Tallant was there to discuss her rout this evening.”
“Yes, among other things,” Charlotte murmured. She glanced sideways at Devon, as if she wished to say more but couldn’t with Julian and Amelia so close.
But as close as he was, Julian may as well have been a thousand miles away for all the notice they took of him. Sweat gathered in his palms and under the tight knot of his cravat, and began to trickle down his back as the truth dawned on him.
This was no mere flirtation between Charlotte and Devon. The level of intimacy between them was far deeper than Julian—or Cam or Ellie—had suspected. Charlotte had taken Devon into her confidence, and from there it was only a matter of time before she took him into her bed.
Whatever Charlotte was hinting at, Devon understood it without further explanation. He glanced back at Julian, then leaned closer to her. “Is there some difficulty about your attending the rout?”
“No, it’s only that—”
“Lady Hadley doesn’t wish for my escort.” Julian, who’d had quite enough of being ignored, interrupted her. “But her family does wish it, and I intend to accommodate them. Do you have some objection to that, Devon?”
Julian’s voice was pleasant enough, but under his polite enquiry was an unmistakable note of challenge. Devon couldn’t fail to hear it, but his only reaction was another amused curl of the corner of his lip.
Julian was starting to hate that lip.
“No objection at all, Captain. Naturally Lady Hadley should do as her family wishes. And when you arrive, my lady,” he lifted Charlotte’s hand to his lips again, “I’ll be waiting for you.”
Julian stiffened. With those few words Devon had delivered a message of his own, and it was as clear as if he’d spoken it aloud.
She may begin her evening with you, but she’ll end it with me.
“Oh my goodness! Charlotte, look at that pelisse—pink silk taffeta with scalloped lace trim!” Amelia was staring at a blonde-haired lady riding by in a phaeton. “We must get a closer look.”
Charlotte smiled. “Very well. Gentlemen, if you would excuse us?”
Devon laughed indulgently, as if he’d seen this all a dozen times before. “By all means. Never let it be said I stood in the way of pink silk taffeta with lace trim.”
Amelia and Charlotte rode off in pursuit of the pelisse, leaving Julian and Devon to follow. By silent agreement they slowed their horses to a walk, both of them aware their discussion was far from over.
Julian spoke first. “Lady Hadley’s family wants her out of London, Devon.”
“Yes. I’m aware of that. Mr. Camden West—your cousin, I believe? Mr. West and Lady Hadley’s brother, Robyn Sutherland, have made themselves quite clear on that point.”
“Not clear enough, because here you are, still trying to get a hand under her skirts.”
Devon made a disgusted noise. “How vulgar.”
Julian chose to misunderstand him. “I agree. The decent thing to do would be to heed her family’s wishes and stop giving Lady Hadley a reason to dally in London.”
Devon laughed. “You think she remains in London only for me? I’m flattered.”
Julian ignored this. “But then you’re not a decent man, are you Devon?”
Julian sensed rather than saw Devon tense in the saddle, but the man’s voice was as calm as ever. “Listening to the gossip? You disappoint me, Captain.”
“Do I? I’m devastated to hear it.”
“As to what’s decent,” Devon continued, as if Julian hadn’t spoken, “it’s a matter of opinion. Abandoning Lady Hadley to the tender but misguided mercies of her family hardly seems the decent thing to do.”
“Misguided? Christ, you have a bloody nerve. Do you pretend to know better than her family what’s best for her?”
“I don’tpretenda thing, Captain. Her family cares for her. I don’t dispute that, but none of you have the slightest inkling what to do for her.”
Julian fought to keep calm. “And you do?”
“Let’s just say I understand what it feels like to suffer as Lady Hadley suffers now.” A mocking smile drifted across the perfect lips. “Her family’s bumbling has only made matters worse, rather like a surgeon who treats the toothache with a bloodletting. Painful to witness.”
