Luke was stunned.
For the first time in his life, Luke was speechless.
That smile. It ought to be illegal. And her voice, when it wasn’t a whisper, it was...
It was beautiful and melodious and...
Who was this woman?
She’s a victim, that’s what, he reminded himself. The thought had him shaking off the temporary delirium. “The masquerade...at Sir Cedric’s—”
“Yes, that’s the one,” she said.
That smile was fading, along with that sudden burst of confidence, and he didn’t want to see it go.
“Will you save me a dance?” he asked, his tone teasing.
Her eyes widened in surprise, and her lips parted...and his heart reacted as if she’d just punched him in the gut.
Lud, but her eyes were hypnotic when they glinted with surprise and pleasure. And her lips...
His lungs seized as the urge to tug her into his arms overtook him. His fingers clenched and unclenched as he fought the urge.
They were in public. In broad daylight. And this woman was working with the enemy.
But nothing in him believed her to have dastardly motives. His gaze took in her gown. It was simple, but good quality. She did not seem poor, but who knew what her story was?
Maybe she had family that relied on her. Siblings or even children of her own.
Protectiveness swelled in him so quickly it threatened to destroy reason.
“I will take care of you,” he said.
Mainly because he couldn’t not say it. He needed her to know that whatever it was that troubled her, he would handle it.
And then what? His mind was already racing ahead. Would he make her his mistress?
The thought was unsettling. This girl was delectable, yes, but she should not be a mistress. She ought to be cherished and protected and...
He blinked.
And he needed to keep his head on straight until this was all over. Once she was safe, then he would decide what to do with her.
Her brows drew together in confusion. “T-take care of me?” she repeated. “But—”
“I meant I will find you,” he said. “Tonight. I will find you and we will talk.”
Someone called after a child in the distance and the mystery woman looked over her shoulder. “I ought to go.”
“Yes, of course,” he said. And yet, he didn’t want her to go.
He didn’t want to lose her again.
He wondered if she felt the same because she lingered for a moment, and then her head tipped to the side as she considered him. “Until tonight?”
His smile was so very real it terrified him. The pleasure that bloomed in his chest, the rapid beating of his heart as his mind began to count down the moments...
What was wrong with him?
But he couldn’t stop himself from reaching for her gloved hand and bringing it to his lips. When he glanced up, he saw her eyes grow dazed and, sweet mercy, all he wanted to do was hold her close and kiss those lips.
His voice was too gruff as he said, “Until tonight.”
He watched her walk away and smiled when she cast a glance over her shoulder, her answering smile shy and sweeter than honey.
What was he doing?
That was the question his mind asked him at least ten times as he walked back to his own home.
He was still asking himself that question hours later as he prepared for the evening.
He didn’t have an answer. Not for himself, and certainly not for Richard, who’d made himself at home in his quarters as he watched Luke prepare for the masquerade.
“I thought you hated these sort of parties,” he said, his tone vaguely accusatory.
Luke made a vague ‘mmm’ sound. Truthfully, he was more than a little embarrassed by his own eagerness for tonight’s encounter.
He was Captain Luke Hogan. He was an agent of the crown.
Or...he had been.
His hands stilled as he adjusted his cravat. He’d sent his valet away as he always did when the man started to fuss too much.
His father had been right the last time they’d spoken.
Luke was bound to make a terrible Earl. He couldn’t even stand being fussed over by his own valet. And that was the man’s job!
And as Richard so helpfully pointed out, Luke despised these sorts of self-indulgent parties. They were nothing but an excuse for gossip and a place for beautiful people to see and be seen.
“So...” Richard prompted.
“Yes?”
Richard huffed. “You know, for a former spy, you’re not nearly as difficult to read as you might think.”
Luke grinned. “You’ve never seen me try.”
Richard chuckled. “Fair enough. But even so, it is abundantly clear to me that you are up to something. You might as well tell me what it is.”
“Why? So, you can attempt to talk me out of it?”
“Of course. That is my role here, is it not? You are the adventurous hero and I...” He paused to dramatically gesture to himself. “I am your humble, intelligent, debonair best friend.”
Luke cast him an amused sidelong glance. “Ah yes, your humility is indeed something to witness.”
Richard smirked. “I’m waiting.”
“For what?”
“For you to reveal the true nature of your attendance at this masquerade.” He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. “And the reason for that...” He waved a hand toward Luke’s face.
Luke arched a brow in question.
“That smile, man,” Richard said with a laugh. “You look like a cross between a wily predator and dumbstruck fool.”
Luke paused in his fussing to stare at his own reflection. Blast. Richard was right. His expression was just as addled as he felt.
There was a certain smug anticipation about his features, and his gaze was as distant and dazed as Richard claimed.
Luke sighed. He’d spent the better part of the afternoon telling himself his eagerness for the party tonight wasn’t about seeing her again. Or not just that, at least.
But he’d never been good at lying to himself.
“You look...” Richard tipped his head from one side to another and then his eyes widened. “Smitten! You look like a man in love.”
Luke’s good-natured smile fell flat at that.
Was that what this was? The protectiveness. The possessiveness. The desire to make her happy and ease her concerns. The overwhelming desire to see her again...
No. It couldn’t be. He barely knew the lady. One didn’t fall in love with a stranger.
Richard was watching him expectantly, no doubt waiting for him to brush aside the comment or make a jest about how wrong he was. The best he could manage was to turn the tables on his friend. “I’ll defer to your judgment on the matter.” He paused to give his friend a sly smile. “After all, you’re the one pining after some fantastical creature who can’t possibly be real.”
Richard chuckled as he fell back in his seat. A smile lingered on his lips, as well as that expression he’d just accused Luke of wearing. “Guilty as charged,” Richard said. “And she’s not fantastical—”
“She’s as clever as she is fair,” Luke said, adopting a melodramatic tone as he teased his friend. “She’s graceful, and kind, and—”
“And she is,” Richard said resolutely.
“And you know all this from one encounter with the lady?”
The moment the jest came out of his mouth, and said with such disbelief, Luke recognized the hypocrisy of it. He couldn’t stop thinking about his mystery woman, and he didn’t even know her name.
At least Richard knew his dream woman went by the name Miss Farthington.
Luke frowned. But he wasn’t smitten with his mystery woman. Of course not.
Richard shrugged. “Sometimes one encounter is all it takes for a soul to recognize its mate.”
Luke tried to scoff, but it came out sounding like a cough. “You’re a man of science. Surely you don’t believe the nonsense you’re spouting.”
But Richard merely shrugged, his expression unperturbed as if he’d long ago come to accept his own dichotomous ways.
Luke met his own gaze in the mirror and stared, his hands still and his heart pounding. He couldn’t possibly actually have feelings for this woman.
He barely knew her. Just as Richard barely knew this Miss Farthington lady.
“If you feel so strongly about the matter, then why have you done nothing?” Luke said, more to distract himself than anything.
Richard lifted his shoulder, a wry smile curling his lips. “It is pointless and I well know it. She’s younger than I—”
“You’re hardly ancient,” Luke pointed out.
“You say that because we’re the same age,” Richard shot back.
Luke grinned. “Even so, it’s true.”
Richard touched his hair near the temples where hints of gray could be seen. “We’re not getting any younger, either.”
“Now you stole my mother’s line,” Luke accused, only half teasing. Every time he pushed aside talk of marriage and children his mother liked to point out that he was getting on in years.
Then his father would undoubtedly chime in on how it was no longer a matter of comfort and preference, marriage was a matter of duty.
Duty.
His lips curled up in a sneer. It was not the word itself he took umbrage with. No, in fact he’d lived by words like duty and honor for as long as he could remember.
It was this particular duty that was wrong. It wasn’t his duty. It never had been. His brother had been raised for this life, not him.
He tore his thoughts away from all that. For tonight, he had only one duty, and that was to the crown. If there was a leak, it was his obligation to ferret it out.
With a deep breath, he looked away from his reflection to study his friend. “If you’re so in favor of love and marriage, then why have you not attempted to court your paragon of virtue? Is it really because of age?”
“No, no, it’s not just that...” Richard sighed. “Her father is a viscount. Heir to an earldom.”
Luke stilled and then turned to face his friend. “Ah.”
“Precisely.”
“And you think they will not find you worthy.”
He shrugged. “You must admit, I am not exactly what any lord looks for in a son-in-law.” He ticked it off on his fingers. “The third son of a baron, with no title to speak of. My income is decent, but hardly the fortune she deserves. And then there’s my occupation...”
“There’s nothing wrong with being an academic,” he pointed out, defensive on his friend’s behalf.
“Perhaps not. But you and I both know I’ve gained quite a bit of attention for my more eccentric beliefs about welcoming women into the academic world alongside men.”
Luke wished he could argue, but the point was valid. His friend had become, if not a scandal then at least a notable figure for his beliefs. Though many in society admired him for his views, and all respected him for his great mind.
“And has the lady had any sort of say in whether or not she’d be horrified by your attentions?” Luke asked, because he already knew the answer.
Furthermore, Richard knew that Luke knew, and his response was to snort with amusement. “Yes, very well. Perhaps I ought to try and speak to her once more.”
“If she’s a viscount’s daughter, perhaps she’ll be at the masquerade this evening,” Luke said.
“No, thank you,” Richard said.
“All I’m suggesting—”
“You want an ally when the marriage-minded mamas realize the new Viscount Galena is in attendance, but I am not about to spend my evening being your personal bodyguard.”
“Fine,” Luke sighed.
“So, what is with this change of heart?” Richard leaned forward again, his earlier curiosity back in full. “Why are you really going to the masquerade?”
Luke considered hedging. He wasn’t in the mood for a lecture. All he wanted was to get to this party, prove to Sir Cedric that he has a leak that needs to be dealt with, and then seek out his mystery woman...
“Is it a young lady in particular who’s put that foolish grin on your face?” Richard said. “Admit it. You’ve met someone.”
“I’ll admit nothing,” he said.
Richard laughed. “So, I’m to believe that you’ve suddenly acquired a taste for ballrooms, is that it?”
“Of course not. I wish to attend a function at Sir Cedric’s house, that’s all.”
“Ah,” Richard said.
“Indeed.”
Richard pinched the bridge of his nose. “Are you sure this is wise? Didn’t Sir Cedric tell you to cease investigating this matter?”
“Yes, but—”
“And didn’t your father threaten nothing short of cutting off your every fund if you did not stop your work for the Home Office.”
“Of course, but—”
“As your most intelligent friend, it is my duty to tell you this is a foolish idea,” Richard finished.
Luke crossed his arms. “How many times has my father ordered me to attend society functions, hmm?”
Richard pretended to start calculating and Luke chuckled. “You see my point, I presume. In this, we can all be satisfied. I will make an appearance in good society, and dance with some eligible women while I’m at it...”
His mind filled with the image of one beauty in particular. Why would she be there? On someone’s orders to infiltrate Sir Cedric’s home?
Or would she attend in disguise, pretending to be an honored guest?
He couldn’t wait to find out.
“And then?” Richard urged.
Luke blinked and cleared his throat. “Then I shall find a moment to share my most recent findings with Sir Cedric.”
“Mistake,” Richard muttered.
Maybe. But his instincts wouldn’t allow him to just walk away from a threat.
And his heart wouldn’t allow him to miss this chance to rescue his mystery woman.