“I don’t wantyou, Captain West. I wantJulian, and he no longer exists.”
She wasn’t prepared for his reaction. He flinched as if she’d hit him, but then his face went so dark with pain she could no longer bear to look at him. She hastened to the door. If she could make it as far as the foyer she could lose him in the crowd—
“What’s your hurry, my lady?” He came up behind her and pressed his warm body into hers, his hands flat against the door so his arms were on either side of her head. He buried his face in the loose curls that had escaped her chignon, and she felt his lips in her hair. “Off to find Devon even now?”
She would not whimper. She wouldnot—
He nuzzled his face into the back of her neck and drew in a long, deep breath. “You smell of sweet lemons, just as I remember. I remember everything, Charlotte.”
She fought the urge to lay her head back against his chest, to bare her neck to his mouth. “Release me, Captain.”
A low groan rumbled in his chest, but after a long moment he backed away, and Charlotte pressed her hands flat against the door to steady herself.
His hand brushed her hip as he reached around her to open the door. “Shall we go find your friends?” He didn’t wait for a response, but caught her hand and pulled it through his crooked arm.
Charlotte gritted her teeth as he led her toward the ballroom, away from the cardroom and back to the widows, who’d spend the rest of the evening seeing to it she never left Julian’s side. She had to find a way—
“Oh, Lady Hadley! How lovely to see you!”
“Lady Avery.” Charlotte disguised her impatience with a smile and a polite curtsey. Lady Avery was kind enough, but she was a dullard, and she never ceased talking—
A dullard who never ceased talking. Of course.
Charlotte sent up a quick prayer of thanks to whatever entity made Lady Avery cross her path just when she needed her most. “My lady, may I have the pleasure of introducing Captain West? CaptainJulianWest, that is, of the 10th Royal Hussars, lately back in London from serving with the Army of Occupation in Paris. Surely you’ve read about him?” Poor Lady Avery would need every detail available in order to connect the man in front of her to the stories of heroism in the newspapers.
“Captain West?” Lady Avery gave her a blank look. Charlotte held her breath as the woman’s eyes slowly widened. “Oh,thatCaptain West! How wonderful!”
God bless you, dear Lady Avery. You’ve done it.
“Yes, indeed, the very one. My dear Lady Avery, I know what a patriot you are. You must have a thousand questions for Captain West, and he does so love to talk about his heroism on the battlefield!”
Julian gave her a fierce scowl as she withdrew her arm from his, but there was nothing he could do but make his bow to Lady Avery. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, my lady—”
“Mrs. Barrington!” Lady Avery shrieked. She beckoned to a lady in an orange turban on the other side of the entryway. “Oh, Mrs. Barrington, do come and meet Captain West! Yes, of course you must bring Lady Euston with you!”
Julian tried to disguise his horror as two plain-faced matrons, one of them in a dreadful puce-colored gown hurried across the entryway toward them. Charlotte let out a low laugh. “Heroism truly is its own reward, Captain. Do enjoy the rest of your evening. I know I will.”
He made a grab for her, but she skipped nimbly out of his reach. “You won’t get away from me so easily,” he muttered through gritted teeth.
“Don’t be silly, Captain. I already have.”
“Think carefully, Lady Hadley. Iwillfind you, and when I do—”
Charlotte didn’t bother to stay and hear the rest of his threat. She waved cheerfully at him, then turned and flew down the hallway like a bird who’s unexpectedly found the door to its cage thrown wide open.
A few hurried steps brought her to the entrance of the cardroom. She craned her neck to scan the room, her heart pounding. Where was Devon? She wouldn’t have a second chance to escape Julian.
Ah, there.As always, Devon was just where he’d promised he’d be. She breathed a sigh of relief as she watched the tall, golden-haired figure detach himself from a crowd of gentlemen hunched over a table scattered with discarded cards and piles of coins, and make his way across the room toward her, a lazy smile on his exquisite lips.
And just like that, she made up her mind. She would accept him.
She didn’t love him. Her belly didn’t leap with anticipation when she saw him. Her heart didn’t pound with joy when he smiled at her, but he was her friend, and for all his wicked, scandalous ways, she cared for him. What’s more, she trusted him.
A sad little smile twisted her lips. How ironic that she should feel safer with a scoundrel than with London’s most celebrated hero.
“My lady.” Devon took her hands in his. “You’re smiling. Are you having a pleasant evening, then?”
Charlotte shook her head, but her smile widened. “No, not yet, but I have hopes I soon shall be. May I have a private word with you, my lord? I’ve something important to tell you.”
