A Spy's Devotion (The Regency Spies of London #1)(4)

Instead of worrying about her appearance, she turned her thoughts to how to influence Mr. Langdon to think favorably of Phoebe.

Julia rather liked matchmaking, and she always enjoyed pleasing Phoebe. And if Mr. Langdon were to ask Phoebe to dance a second time tonight, the girl would be in raptures.

“You are smiling. Are you enjoying the dance so much?” Mr. Langdon quirked an eyebrow at her.

“I enjoy dancing very much, thank you.”

“I should think you were ready to get away from the pianoforte for a bit.”

“Indeed. You are very kind.” His words seemed to suggest he was fishing for a compliment, but when she looked him in the eye . . . What was it that was so unnerving about his eyes that made him seem as if he cared?

She certainly could not allow herself to be silly about this man. She thought a moment and then said, “I am no great dancer. Not like my cousin Phoebe, who is such a spirited girl. She dearly loves a ball.”

The look in his eye changed. Had she said something wrong?

At that moment, in the natural course of the dance, they were forced to change partners. When they came back together again, Mr. Langdon said, “You play and sing exceptionally well, Miss Grey. And I don’t say that lightly, as my mother is something of a connoisseur. But I remembered this about you from the several occasions when we attended the same parties two Seasons ago.”

“Thank you.” She was surprised he remembered. “Are you pleased to be home? I am sure your family was very glad to see you.” She blushed, remembering he had come home due to the grave nature of his wounds. “I should say, once they were sure of your complete recovery.”

“Yes, of course.”

“You are quite recovered, then?”

He smiled down at her. “Yes, thank you. My broken leg healed quite nicely, don’t you think?”

“Nicely enough to allow you to dance.” She almost smiled back at him but then remembered that Phoebe might be watching. And she didn’t want Phoebe to suspect what Julia was thinking at that moment, which was how graceful a dancer, how charming a conversationalist, and how handsome he was.

“Do you enjoy playing and singing as much as you enjoy dancing?” he asked.

Was he only trying to make polite conversation? Or was he thinking that her aunt and uncle had forced her to play so that their daughter could dance? At a ball, they would engage a small orchestra to play, but at a smaller party such as this one, Julia usually ended up at the pianoforte. It wasn’t as if she had no choice. But she knew Phoebe wanted her to, and she would do almost anything for her cousin. Some people no doubt characterized Julia as the Wilherns’ “poor relation,” but she owed so much to Phoebe’s parents. The Wilherns had taken her in when her own parents had died, leaving her very little inheritance. How could she refuse such a small act of service?

“I do enjoy playing, and I would rather play than sing.”

“And would you rather play than dance?” She must have looked uncomfortable, because he said, “Forgive my impertinent questioning. I’ve been amongst men, some of them quite rough, for too long. You are equally graceful at playing and singing and dancing.”

Of course, it was the polite thing to say, but he did say it most charmingly.

“Your sister plays well,” Julia said. “She is very gracious to take my place at the pianoforte.”

“Leorah does play well and is gracious but still not quite grown up at heart, I’m afraid. She’s only three years younger than I. Tell me, Miss Grey, would you believe that my elegant little sister used to put toads and lizards in her pockets, walk through muddy creek beds in her bare feet, and defeat her brothers in archery competitions?”

Julia couldn’t help laughing, but then she immediately felt guilty, hoping Phoebe hadn’t seen her merriment under the gaze of Mr. Langdon’s overly cheerful face.

His smile was too appealing for anyone’s good.

“You shouldn’t tell such tales. Your sister would not like it.”

“On the contrary, she loves to tell those stories even more than I. She regaled the entire company of guests at my parents’ last dinner party with how she wrestled a poor defenseless rabbit from the jaws of a fox when she was ten.”

Their turn came and they obeyed the rules of the dance, taking each other’s hand and whirling to the music. When they had another chance to speak, she said, “Your sister reminds me of my cousin Phoebe. Even now she enjoys a good tromp through the woods on the family’s country estate. She would go fishing with the groomsmen if my uncle would allow it.”

They switched partners for a few moments, Julia congratulating herself on again turning the conversation to Phoebe. When she faced Mr. Langdon, he had a strange look on his face.

“When you dance with me, I want to hear about you, not your cousin.”

Blushing as if she’d been caught doing something wrong, Julia tried to think of what to say. Should she give him a good set down? He was rude to tell her what she could or could not speak of. But she sensed that he had caught on to her scheme of trying to manipulate him into an attraction for Phoebe.

How annoying to be so transparent.

“So when a lady dances with you, she must stick to the subject you choose?”

“No.” He leaned his head nearer hers and said softly, “But you should know that I find you quite as interesting as your cousin Miss Wilhern.”