Lady In Disguise (The Langley Sisters) (26 page)

“He won’t tell, Livvy, because he thinks he has won as we are merely three silly, brainless women. He won’t believe we have ulterior motives. By the time he begins to spread his tales we will be far away and somewhere he’ll never find us.”

They were silent while Phoebe poured her a cup of tea heavily laced with sugar. Taking the cup she sipped the hot brew and began to feel her strength returning.

“The other option is to tell Lord Ryder, Livvy, he cares for you and is not a man who will worry about what our cousin says.”

“No!” Livvy spluttered, spitting a mouthful of tea into the bathwater. “He, of all people, must never know. I will neither have his pity, nor will I have his name linked to mine if the scandal breaks before we can leave. His brother is a Duke, Phoebe, I could not do that to him.”

Once again Phoebe was silent; although this time her eyes were intent as she looked at Livvy.

“You love him, don’t you?”

Livvy didn’t look at her sister as she spoke, instead keeping her eyes on the wall before her. “It matters not anymore, all that matters is that I win the Twoaks Derby and then we shall flee.”

“I’m so sorry, Livvy.”

“So am I,” she whispered, dropping her head to her knees.

            CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Will had spent the afternoon inspecting houses that were for sale in London. The first two had not held his interest; the third, however, had been perfect. Honey-coloured stone with white-trimmed windows and doors had welcomed him as he walked up a path heaped on either side with shoveled snow.
 

“This is a smart home, my lord,” Freddy had said and Will agreed.

He had wandered through the empty rooms studying each with an eye to what he would change and what he would keep and it was when he placed his bed in his chosen bedroom he knew this was the house he would buy. Will had wondered what colours Olivia would chose to decorate the rooms, and when he had walked through the gardens with Freddy grumbling about his frozen appendages, he realized that he wanted her by his side as he made plans for the future, their future.
 

Knocking on Olivia’s door later that day, Will felt anticipation surge through him at seeing her. He would ask them if they needed anything and then suggest that they dine with him in his suite and to hell with how it looked.
 

“Hello, Phoebe, this is for you from Freddy,” he said handing her a copy of ‘La Belle Assemblee’ as she opened the door. “May I come in?”                        

“Hello, my lord, please thank Mr Blake for me.”

Alerted by Phoebe’s subdued tone that something was not right, he dragged his eyes from the opening behind her and looked at her face. She was pale and he could tell by her eyes that she had been crying.

“What has happened?”

“Nothing,” she said too quickly.

“Where is Olivia?” Will reached for the edge of the door above her head and gently pushed it.

“Olivia is not feeling well, Lord Ryder, I must insist you leave!”

“No.” Will eased her aside and walked into the room. He found her on the sofa, staring into the fire that was roaring in the grate. Her face was pale and she, too, had been crying. Reaching her side, he dropped to his haunches before her, taking her chilled hands in his.

“Tell me,” he ordered, his words sounding gruff. “What has happened to upset you?” She didn’t speak just looked at him. “Tell me, Livvy, please. When I left you a few hours ago you were laughing and happy.”

“I… I there is nothing wrong, my lord, merely a headache,” she said, looking over his shoulder.
 

“Liar. There is something you’re not telling me and I want to know what it is,” he demanded, taking her chin in one hand and making her look at him. “Your eyes are filled with pain, let me help you.”
 

“My head is very sore, my lord, nothing more. I wish only for solitude and sleep.”
 

“Your eyes tell a different story, Olivia.” Will watched as Phoebe took the seat beside her sister in a show of solidarity.

“Livvy and I wish to return home as we are worried for our sister, Lord Ryder, nothing more than that. We should not have left her and come to London. It was irresponsible,” Phoebe said looking at him, her eyes filled with the identical anguish that clouded her sisters. “We need to go home tomorrow, my lord, and if you are unable to take us, then we shall organize to catch the stage.”

Will released Livvy’s chin and took the handkerchief out his pocket. Leaning forward he wiped the tears from her face and she made no effort to stop him. Something had happened to these women since he had seen them last and he would find out what.

“Shall I call for a doctor?”

“No, please, Lord Ryder, I have need of nothing but what my sister can provide and I urge you to leave us so I can rest.”

Her eyes were now on the hands she held clenched in her lap.

“Why won’t you trust me enough to help you, Livvy? I am now a rich man and my brother is a Duke, surely between us we can be of some use to you.”

She looked at him then and he saw the emotions she was trying to hide.

“Livvy, I cannot stand to see you hurting,” Will begged her.

“Please, Will, say nothing more,” she whispered, placing her fingers over his lips. “Phoebe and I must go home tomorrow and you have already helped us so much.”

They looked at each other for several seconds, both uncaring that Phoebe sat only inches away and then she closed her eyes and Will knew she would say nothing further.
 

“I will find out your secrets, Olivia Langley.” He gave her fingers a last squeeze before he regained his feet.

“We hide no secrets, my lord, we are merely missing our sister and Livvy has a headache,” Phoebe said.

“Have you ordered your evening meal?” he added, deciding to do some investigating to see if he could find out what had put the Langley sisters into a spin, seeing as neither Phoebe or Olivia was going to tell him anything.
 

The sisters both shook their heads but remained silent.
 

“I shall do so and I’ll organize the carriage to take us home in the morning. We shall leave at ten,” he said, pocketing the damp handkerchief.
       

“We have no wish to inconvenience you further, my lord, therefore we can take the stage home to Twoaks.”

He stood looking down at Olivia when she finished speaking. All the fight had gone out of her. She sat huddled against her sister, seeking Phoebe’s comfort and strength and that frightened him the most. Before today he had never seen her cowed, he had seen her feisty and funny, even sad, but never beaten.

“I would never allow you and your sister to return home unescorted, Olivia, especially in your current condition.”

“I will be better tomorrow, my lord, my head is very painful.”

“I’m not a fool, Olivia, don’t insult me by repeating that lie. However, I will leave you for now as I have no wish to distress you further, but I’ll have the answer to my questions soon. Someone has hurt you and I want to know who that someone is.” He bent and kissed the top of her head and then brushing a reassuring hand over Phoebe’s he walked towards the door.
 

“I must leave the hotel briefly but both Freddy and Luke will be near. Should you need me ask one of them and they will send for me immediately.”

Phoebe nodded; Olivia looked silently at her hands. Walking away was almost as hard as what he had done five years ago; however this time he was not leaving, this time he was retreating to think and regroup and gather information. He would be back because Olivia Langley was his now whether she believed it or not.

An hour later Will walked into his old club. His mood was dark with worry for Olivia. He knew she was safe because Luke would discreetly watch the door to her room until he returned, however that did not stop him from worrying or wondering. Many scenarios had played through his head since he had seen her and after talking to the porter who had seen Olivia into a carriage that afternoon; his mind was a riot with speculation.
 

Someone had hurt her and the only person that someone could be was her cousin. Will’s first instincts had been to simply confront the man and beat the truth out of him but something had stopped him. He needed to know what he was dealing with so he had to get Freddy to start investigating and when he was armed with all the facts then Will would deal with Lord Langley as he saw fit. For now it would be enough to get the Langley sisters out of his reach and safely home.

Taking a deep breath he inhaled scents of brandy and cigars as memories of the last time he was here washed over him. Some were good, others made his toes curl inside his shoes as he remembered his callous behavior. The hum of voices was not overly loud as most of the members were still from town; however the gentle rumble was not unpleasant.
 

“May I help you, my lord?”

“I have arranged to meet Lord Levermarch here,” Will said to the footman and was then led to a wood-paneled room where his friend was seated before the fire. The carpets had been replaced but not much else had changed. Various pictures and plaques hung on the walls of the male bastion and newspapers and ashtrays were sitting on the surfaces.

“Will, take a seat. I have taken the liberty of ordering you a brandy, bloody chilly out there.”

He and the Marques of Levermarch had disliked each other intensely before Will left England. An unsmiling, serious man known to be ruthless in business and boring in play, Finn was the opposite of what Will had once been.
 

“My thanks, Finn.” He took the seat beside him. “I’d forgotten how this cold seeps into your bones and stays there,” he added, picking up the glass of amber liquid on the table before him and taking a sip.
 

“Did you find a town house that was to your liking?”

“I did actually—Freddy will negotiate the price tomorrow while I return to Twoaks.”

“So soon?” the Marques said, raising one black eyebrow.

As big as he, Finn had hair black as midnight and liberally laced with silver and eyes so blue they were piercing in their intensity.
 

“I am to escort two old friends who need to return home immediately.”
             

“Old friends? Why do I sense there are women involved?”

The Marques had come across Will in India when he was attempting to educate a thief not to steal from him. The thief had had friends and Will had only Luke so they were outnumbered, Finn had evened the odds. They had then shared a drink to nurse their bruises and talked, and when Finn realized that Will was no longer the spoilt nobleman that had left England, he had stayed with him and they had become friends.
       

“Sisters who grew up not far from my home,” Will added, staring hard at the fire.
How was she?
He should be there watching over her.

“I sense there is more to this story, my friend.”

“What do you know of Lord Langley?” Will asked

Finn snorted. “More than I want too. He’s a man with licentious hobbies and very little sense. I have heard rumors of late that he is rapidly running through his inheritance and incurring debts all over town.”

“I am friends with his cousins and they are the ladies I am to escort home,” Will said. “It was their father who was the previous Lord Langley.”

Finn gave him a steady look before he spoke, however he did not ask the questions Will saw in his eyes and for that he was grateful.
 

“Supposedly he has redecorated his house with lewd paintings and statues and throws wild parties for his friends when they are in town. Apparently these parties are orgies with many of the women in attendance being young enough to be his daughter.”

“Does he live in London all year?” Will questioned.

“Yes, they say life in the country does not suit his carnal appetites; however he has been known to attend a house party or two, especially when the entertainments suit his needs.”
 

The thought of Olivia under the same roof as the man Finn described made Will feel ill. Is this why she was upset, had Langley done something to her?

“I’ve heard rumors that he is marrying soon, however no one seems to know the bride’s identity,” Finn mused.

Marry! Will would kill the man before he reached the church if he attempted to marry one of the Langley sisters.

“So why the interest in Lord Langley? Don’t tell me a woman has finally captured your interest.”

Will’s instinctive response was to deny it but instead he said, “Perhaps.”

“About time you returned to us, William!”

A bell clanged in Will’s head as two men appeared before he and Finn.
Round two
, he thought. Of course he had known that he would eventually run into the men he had befriended in his rebellious years, he had just thought it would be during the season.

“Lord Rathbourne, Sir Humphrey,” Will said, gaining his feet and bowing to the men. Rathbourne slapped him on the back and then pumped his hand.