Chapter 2

2

A lexander Albright couldn’t say he was heartbroken as he watched shy, sweet Miss Ann Truesdale join his friend the Marquess of Kalvin on the dance floor. In doing so, it was clear she’d made her choice.

He felt a pang of regret, but that wasn’t the same. It wasn’t even close to what he’d felt after losing his wife, though he’d known her for roughly the same amount of time he’d known Ann. Still…

He’d known heartache, and this was not that.

In fact, he was happy for Ann, and delighted for Kal. Truly. Ann had chosen love over the safe, comfortable, but ultimately passionless romance he could offer. And she deserved that. They both did.

Indeed, even that pang of regret faded quickly as he watched them mooning over each other like a couple of daft fools.

Ann might have been a good choice for him. The idea of marrying again had even seemed appealing when he considered the sort of friendship they’d share.

But she and Kal were even more well suited. And he had to believe there were other women out there with whom he might share the same comfortable, easy friendship.

He rocked back on his heels, his attention already drifting away from the happy couple. He found Mr. Everson laughing at something The Duke of Carver was saying to the group that had crowded around him and his fiancée Meg.

The last of Albright’s disappointment was quickly replaced by irritation.

In the course of one fortnight he’d lost the prospect of a perfectly pleasant partner and any leads he’d had on the smuggling situation.

If he were being honest, the latter was far more irksome. Ann wasn’t the only woman he might find a lasting friendship with, but he was running out time to find the one man behind the thievery—the one well-connected gentleman, at least. The crew of smugglers had grown to an unmanageable size, but it was only the one leader Albright needed to find.

One might argue it wasn’t his job. Indeed, he was merely looking into the matter as a favor to his cousin who worked for the Home Office. Once they’d begun to suspect that the thieves were taking orders from a member of the ton , his cousin had drawn him in.

It wasn’t the first time his aid had been requested. Not because Albright was so very clever or oh so sly. No, it was merely that he was well connected and—as his cousin repeatedly mentioned—well liked.

But mostly he had access, and friends of influence, and could ask questions without causing a stir. Truly, he had no need of a career. He had plenty of obligations and entertainments to fill his time.

It was only…

He’d been enjoying the tasks his cousin sent his way. They gave him a sense of purpose. They were a change from the day to day, and…blast it all, he felt a sense of pride when he accomplished these missions.

And for the past few years he had accomplished each task he’d been given. Some were easier than others, but he always saw it through. And he could not abide the fact that he might very well have to admit defeat in this matter.

Mr. Everson was far from clever. But the evidence Albright had to link him to the smuggling was circumstantial at best. He’d confirmed that the Earl of Marlin’s late brother had been involved in the early days of the smuggling ring.

Marlin himself had helped to piece together that puzzle with financial documents.

It seemed his now-deceased older brother had helped the smugglers as a way to right the books for their struggling estate. And honestly, no one would have known or even cared if the ring of thieves hadn’t grown too big and too bold these past few years.

And that was the thing. This growth, the ever more blatant disregard for any laws or even common decency…

That had occurred after the late Earl’s demise.

Whoever had been heading the operation upon the late Earl’s demise had grown abominably greedy. And he didn’t seem to have a care for who got caught in the middle of his crew’s skirmishes with the law.

As the late Earl of Marlin’s closest friend, Everson had been an obvious suspect from the start. And as Albright had looked into the man, a picture became clear. Everson was well connected and well liked—but also had nary a farthing to his name. He lived like a dandy, but only off the generosity of his friends and distant relations.

He frowned as the crowd shifted and he lost sight of Mr. Everson.

Just as he had the other day.

His brows lowered further at the memory of that particularly awful incident.

It was desperation that had him following Everson himself. Since the smuggler’s base had been discovered by Marlin and his fiancée Jane, the trail had grown ever colder and more elusive.

The fiends were aware that they’d been caught and had gone into hiding. And Everson too seemed to be watching his every step. But he’d been making calls of late, and those he visited were not obvious friends or even acquaintances.

Miss McGovern’s uncle among them.

What had he gone there for? He might have found out if a certain beautiful little brunette hadn’t dropped out of the sky.

He took a deep breath and held back another sigh.

He found himself sighing often lately, every time he thought of that encounter. Truly, he’d been doing his best not to recall that particular afternoon. It wasn’t one of his finer moments.

He winced as he recalled the way he’d clapped a hand over her mouth.

In his defense, she’d been speaking too loudly, and if Everson was indeed the culprit and suspected that Felicity knew this…

Well. Even now Albright couldn’t stop the rush of anger that flooded his veins at the thought of Miss McGovern in harm’s way.

Felicity, she’d said to call her. And the name fit. It had a sort of melody to it, and it meant happiness. Yes, indeed. Very fitting for the young lady who always seemed to be brimming over with effusive cheerfulness.

His brows lowered as he found his thoughts once again dwelling on the young lady. He’d been aware of her for a while now, of course. She was friends with his friends, and they’d spent ample time in the same company. And he’d felt from the start that she was…different.

Peculiar.

In truth, her peculiarities had made him keep his distance from the start. She seemed kind enough, but there was something about her that set him on edge. Like he was waiting for a sudden catastrophe.

He couldn’t be the only one who felt it.

She practically hummed with a level of energy that made everyone around her seem sleepy. Her eyes were forever sparkling with a hint of mischief and amusement. And while he’d long been aware that she was pretty, with her dark curls and her delicate features, it wasn’t until he’d been forced to touch her, to stand so close he could not ignore the warm, sweet scent of her…

He swallowed hard and tugged at his cravat.

Well, it was then he realized that spark was inside her. It made her skin burn his hand. It made the very air around her crackle like a summer night just before a storm.

He tugged at his cravat again, entirely too warm just thinking about that encounter.

It had been a disaster. He’d been a blundering fool. And yet, he couldn’t regret that he’d kept her from being discovered. He’d do whatever he must to keep Felicity safe from the likes of Everson.

But also…he’d do best to keep clear of her himself. This much he’d understood from the start. She seemed a nice enough young lady, if her friends were anything to go by. But Miss McGovern did not inspire the comfortable, quiet, placid feelings of long term friendship.

No, indeed. She inspired a riot of sensations that would only drive a man mad.

“Good evening, Lord Albright,” a voice said beside him.

And then, as if summoned by his thoughts—there she was. Miss Felicity McGovern, her curls now wrapped around her head in some sort of ornate crown. She smiled up at him with a dimpled, mischievous grin.

She might as well have leapt from a tree again, her appearance was so sudden.

“Miss McGovern!”

“Felicity, please.” Her voice was lower than most, and deceptively gentle. It was completely at odds with the spark in her eyes that set him on edge.

But despite his alarm, and the warning pound of his heart, he fell back on the good manners that had gotten him through over the years. “Are you enjoying the ball?”

She ignored the question, her gaze darting over him, then glancing over to the dance floor where Ann and Kal continued to make fools of themselves. Her lips hitched to the side in a little knowing smile. “She made the right choice, you know.”

He let out a little huff of surprise at her blatant acknowledgment of the awkward situation. “Yes. I know.”

Her nose wrinkled a bit in sympathy. “It cannot be easy to be the odd angle in a love triangle.”

This time he choked on a laugh. “The odd angle?”

“That’s how I picture it.” She held her hands up to form a triangle. “Two of them fit together neatly and the third is left out in the cold.”

He was torn between shock, horror, and amusement that she was speaking so plainly of something so personal. But it meant that he was able to admit the truth. “I am happy for them.”

Her smile was surprisingly sweet. “I’m glad.” She followed his gaze to the happy couple. “So am I.”

For a moment they shared a companionable silence. It was almost…pleasant.

Until she broke it suddenly. “Now then, I came over because I wish to discuss what transpired the other day.” She arched her brows. “When you were eavesdropping?”

“I was not eavesdropping.” Blast. He sounded like a stuffed-shirt ninny.

She met his gaze evenly and said nothing.

He huffed. “Oh, all right. Yes. Fine. I might have been…” He tilted his head to the side as he strained to find another term.

Felicity tilted her head as well. “Eavesdropping?”

His shoulders sagged. “Was there something that you wished to discuss, Miss—” He caught himself as she arched a brow. “Felicity?”

“Actually, I was hoping you might have something to discuss with me.” When he didn't respond, she added, “Why you were eavesdropping, for example. Shall we take a turn about the room?”

Eavesdropping. What a horrid term. He had to bite his tongue to protest that word again. It sounded so…unseemly. But he didn’t relish the idea of explaining the difference between eavesdropping and investigating. Because truthfully, in that particular circumstance…there was none.

He cleared his throat and aimed for polite but firm. “As I told you, it does not concern a young lady?—”

She cut him off with a scoff that had him reconsidering the ‘young lady’ part of his speech. She was most definitely female, and she was of a young, marriageable age. But lady did not seem to fit. Especially now as a pink hue tinged her cheeks and her lips pinched. “I’d say it most concerns a young lady.”

He frowned and lowered his voice. “Miss McG—Felicity,” he altered when she pursed her lips. “Perhaps I did not make myself clear. You see…” He paused to consider how much he might tell without revealing too much. “I’ve been tasked with looking into a criminal matter?—”

“Yes, yes, the smuggling.” She waved a hand as if smuggling was a topic she was so familiar with, it didn’t bear repeating. “I know all about that. Your cousin asked you to investigate and?—”

He hushed her as he looked around meaningfully. Her sigh made him feel a full decade younger than his years.

“We wouldn’t have to worry about what passersby might hear if you’d merely done as requested and escorted me on a turn about the room.”

He opened his mouth. Then he shut it. She had a point. He held out his arm abruptly in what had to be the least chivalrous gesture of his life. But egads, this woman was irritating.

Her smile was smug as she slipped her hand onto his arm with far more decorum than he’d managed. She murmured her thanks and didn’t speak again until they were walking. “I understand why you suspect Everson?—”

“You do.” His disbelief was clear.

“Of course. He was friends with the late Earl at the time the Earl was involved with the smugglers, and he and Everson were thick as thieves—” She shot him a sidelong glance. “Er, forgive the turn of phrase. I did not mean it so literally.”

Her dry tone had his lips twitching up at the corners and some of his normal good humor returned. “An accurate turn of phrase, I believe.”

“So then you do believe he’s responsible for their rapid growth and expansion into the north?”

He whipped his head to the side so quickly the room spun. She didn’t look up and he found himself staring at her dark curls, which tonight had been wrangled into submission in a manner that looked…pretty.

His gaze caught on the countless pins that sparkled in the dark depths of her locks.

Pretty…and perhaps painful.

“How do you know about their expansion to the north?” he demanded.

She looked up then, wide eyed. “Was it a secret?”

He clenched his teeth. Yes, it was a blasted secret. The whole torrid affair was meant to be a secret.

“Jane and Marlin didn’t seem to think so,” she murmured.

He held back a huff. Of course. He made a note to talk to Marlin and his bride-to-be about just how much they relayed on this topic.

“Now, what I’d like to know is what proof you’ve found regarding you-know-who.” She cast a glance in Everson’s direction.

“Felicity, how many times must I tell you this does not concern?—”

“A young lady?” She stopped walking and whirled around to face him. She was so close, he could feel the brush of her skirts against his legs and her sweet, warm scent made him feel temporarily dizzy. “Lord Albright.”

The way she said his name would make any man flinch, but Albright felt a surge of amusement. She was such a small little thing, and yet her tone was more alarming than most generals he’d met, and her chin was notched high with pride.

“...er, yes?” he finally said when he realized she was waiting.

“You do realize that Mr. Everson has of late been more flirtatious than ever with the young debutantes of the ton , do you not?”

Albright frowned.

“First Jane, then Ann…” She arched a brow. “Who do you think will be next?”

“I—”

She didn’t give him a chance to finish. “Honestly, I’m surprised I wasn’t first on his list.”

Albright blinked. And then he tensed in a way that was as overwhelming as it was unexpected. A wave of something hot and sharp struck him between the ribs.

Everson was a gregarious sort, and yes, possibly even flirtatious. But the idea of him flirting with Felicity?—

For a moment he was too overcome with fury to speak.

“Has he been making…untoward advances?” he managed.

She gave one of those scoffs again. Oddly, the unladylike noise was starting to grow on him. It made him want to laugh even though he’d been in a foul mood tonight even before this little minx had joined him.

“He has not yet, but I imagine that’s because he knows I’m after a title.” She made a face. “At least I hope that’s the reason, otherwise I might be offended.”

His brows arched at her easy admission. “You’re after a title?”

She lifted a shoulder. “My parents are. And that’s what matters, isn’t it?”

He didn’t like this tone. Not on her. It was bitter and resigned and…not at all fitting for this little spitfire.

But once again, she moved on too quickly for him to respond. “So, you see, Lord Albright?—”

“Albright,” he said. “Just Albright. No one ever uses my given name, and my friends just call me Albright.” He wasn’t even sure why he’d said it. But it felt wrong for him to call her Felicity and her to be using his title.

She nodded. “You see then, Albright, why this is very much my concern.”

He did see. Blast it all. It was beyond irritating that she had a truly valid point. But when he met her gaze, he saw the notched chin and the determination…

But he also saw the sweet cornflower blue shade of her eyes, and the pale gown that hugged her curves and accentuated her small waist, and the way that one curl refused to stay in place. He itched to tuck it behind her ear.

Despite her feisty nature, she was still a young lady.

And Everson was a threat.

He didn’t want her anywhere near the man.

“I’m sorry, Felicity,” he said gently.

And he was surprised to realize he truly meant it. It might be nice to have someone to discuss this investigation with. There was no denying she was clever. She’d likely be a help.

His regret grew when he saw her disappointment.

His gut churned with the uncomfortable feeling she wasn’t just disappointed at not being let in on the gossip, but that she was disappointed in him .

He frowned. “Felicity?—”

But he was too late. “Very well.” She was already turning away with a dramatic sigh. “Then I suppose you don’t wish to know what Mr. Everson wanted from my dear uncle.”

His mouth opened but she was walking quickly away.

He watched her go—and his one and only lead went with her.