A Spy's Devotion (The Regency Spies of London #1)(38)

He had been glad to save her from Edgerton, and asking her to dance was the first excuse he thought of for extricating her. If there was anything that excited his anger, it was a gentleman trying to take advantage of a lady.

Edgerton had become dissolute, given to gaming and dissipation since he left school. It made Nicholas’s blood boil to see Edgerton holding Miss Grey’s arm and speaking to her in that intimidating manner. It would have made him angry to see any gently bred girl treated that way, but Miss Grey . . .

He had wanted to tear Edgerton apart.

He admired the way Miss Grey cared about her old tutor, Monsieur Bartholdy, how devoted she was to her cousin, as well as the kindness she showed Henry. He even had a notion that she had begun to admire him as well. Perhaps he had been mistaken. Besides, as long as he was investigating her uncle, who seemed very likely to be involved in something nefarious, possibly even high treason, he should not think of Miss Grey as a possible marriage partner. It was foolish in the best of circumstances, since neither of them had any fortune.

He watched Miss Grey walk toward her friend, Miss Mayson. The two young ladies stood talking, their heads close together. What was she telling her? About her horror at Edgerton’s overbearing conduct toward her? Or her fear of the gossipmongers who saw Nicholas dance with her a second time?

Just then, Edgerton caught his attention. The man was leaning against the wall, coolly staring at Miss Grey and Miss Mayson.

Nicholas strode over to Edgerton. “What do you think you were doing in there, treating a lady that way?”

Edgerton curled his lip in a sneer. “Do you mean Miss Grey? She is soon to be my wife. I may treat her any way I wish.”

“What do you mean? Has she accepted your proposal of marriage?” Nicholas said.

“No, but she will. Her uncle, Wilhern, will persuade her to accept me.”

“Why would her uncle do that?” Heat bubbled in the pit of his stomach. What kind of man forced his ward to marry someone she did not wish to? Oh, he knew it was done in order to secure a fortune and to improve a family’s prospects, but why Edgerton? He did not have a large fortune, and his debts were enormous.

Edgerton feigned a shocked expression. “Do you not think it is the most advantageous match Miss Grey could make? For an orphan of no fortune? Her uncle simply wants what is best for her. And why do you want to know, Langdon? Do you have designs on her yourself?”

“You once told me your father would never sanction any bride who doesn’t bring a substantial fortune. Why would your father allow you to marry Miss Grey?”

“Perhaps Wilhern is willing to give me a large sum if I marry her and save her from the terrible fate of becoming a governess.”

That didn’t seem likely, not after the way Miss Grey’s aunt had spoken of her.

“Then why grab her and manhandle her the way you did just now?”

Edgerton opened his mouth and then closed it, glancing down as if examining the toe of his boot. “I don’t know. I . . . I wanted to speak to her alone, but she refused to go to the courtyard with me. The truth is, Nicholas, I do love the girl.” He looked up and grimaced. “I’m sorry if I upset her, truthfully. I have never been very good at wooing. I intend to marry her, but she doesn’t quite fancy me yet.”

Nicholas debated with himself what to say to Edgerton, whether to believe he was sincere. Finally he said, “She will never fancy you if you treat her in such a way.” His stomach sank at the thought of poor Miss Grey trying to make herself love a man like Edgerton simply to please her uncle and avoid becoming a governess. “But if you ever treat her in that reprehensible way again . . . she is a friend of my sister’s, and, as such, you are never to go near her again unless you are sober and ready to treat her like the lady that she is.”

Edgerton looked askance at him. Finally, he used his elbow to push himself off the wall. “Very well, I shall take your advice. Any other tips you might have to make her want to marry me?”

Nicholas clenched his teeth. He didn’t want to be giving Edgerton pointers on how to woo Miss Grey. He still wanted to punch him in the face. “No.”

Miss Grey still stood talking with Miss Mayson. Had Nicholas harmed her situation with her family, with her aunt and uncle and cousin, by dancing with her twice in one evening? Though he hated Edgerton for pointing it out, Miss Grey probably was a bit desperate to avoid becoming a governess. But would she be desperate enough to marry Edgerton?

Either way, Nicholas could not help trying to see that she would get home safely. There was something almost sinister about the way her guardians, the Wilherns, treated her.

Nicholas had no desire to dance anymore that night, but while Miss Grey spoke with her friend, he turned and asked the first girl he saw, pasting a smile on his face and vowing that no one would say he favored Miss Grey or was paying her undue attention.





CHAPTER SIXTEEN


As Julia walked away from the dance floor, the crowd around her blurred. Thankfully, she noticed Felicity subtly waving her over, so she headed in the direction of her friend.

The hand she reached out to Felicity was shaking.

“Julia!” Felicity said in an excited whisper. “Mr. Langdon danced with you twice.”

“Please don’t speak of it,” Julia whispered back. “Just imagine what Phoebe will say, what my aunt and uncle will think.”