The Viscount's First Love (The King's League)

“Yes,” Lord Templeton answered, with a wave of his hand. “Yes, precisely that. You should host it, Lord Watt, given that you are acquainted with Lord Stevenson. He will be more likely to attend if he knows that Miss Williams will be present also, I think.” He gave Miss Williams a broad smile, and Matthew had to force himself not to turn his head and look at her again. He needed to keep his thoughts focused.

“Very well, I shall have the invitations sent out today,” he stated, as quickly as he could. “Although I shall have to invite a few ladies and not all of the gentlemen will be from the League.”

Lord Templeton waved a hand. “Do not fret, Lord Watt. Have at least five present – not including yourself – and thereafter find a way to set up a meeting of sorts with Miss Williams, yourself, and the gentlemen of the League being the only ones present.”

Matthew nodded slowly, his mind beginning to race. There was a good deal to think about and very little time in which to do it.

“And you might wish to set up another occasion thereafter,” Lord Templeton continued, his voice catching Matthew’s attention again. “But this time to ensure for Lord Fitzherbert.”

Miss Williams caught her breath. “I could ask Lord Northgate and my sister to have some sort of soiree,” she said quickly. “I am sure that they would invite anyone I wished.”

Matthew held up one hand, his expression tight as he rubbed his forehead with his fingers. “Very well,” he said, knowing that there was no need to argue over Miss Williams’ involvement. “Do as you wish, Miss Williams. I will give you the names of some of the gentlemen in the League – gentlemen you are already acquainted with, of course – so that you might have your sister invite them.” He saw her smile, saw the hard glint in her eye, and felt his spirits buoyed. Miss Williams was more than capable, he knew. He could rely on her. He could trust her. This matter might be over very soon and then…then, mayhap, he could begin to think about her in an entirely new light.

“Capital!” Lord Templeton boomed, startling Matthew. “Then it seems we have a plan. I look forward to being at your dinner party, Lord Watt.” He grinned, and Matthew could not help but smile back. “I am sure it will be very interesting indeed.”

Chapter Eleven

Daisy did not know when she had last been this nervous. The dinner was going very well as far as she could see, even though Lord Stevenson was saying very little. That was not a peculiar thing, of course, for she knew him to be a fairly quiet gentleman, who watched everything but kept most of his thoughts to himself.

“Perhaps we should leave the gentlemen to their port?”

Daisy jerked with a sudden awareness of what she was expected to do now. The ladies were all rising steadily from the table, one after the other, and Daisy quickly followed suit. She could not help but glance at Lord Watt, seeing him sitting at the head of the table with an easy smile on his face, his eyes roving around the room until, finally, they landed on her.

His gaze locked on hers for just a moment, sending her strength, courage, and determination. She took a breath, feeling the butterflies beginning to flutter in her stomach and lifted her chin. She could do this. It was of vital importance that she spoke to Lord Stevenson as she passed to make her way out of the room, but without attracting the attention of the other guests.

Lord Watt had told her that she would have the opportunity to do so and that he would make all the arrangements. As it was, she had to trust him.

Stepping back from her chair, Daisy turned and began to make her way slowly towards the door, walking behind the chairs of the other guests. Lord Stevenson was near the end, and she let her gaze fix on him, seeing how he turned his head to glance at her and feeling the immediate flush of heat to her cheeks. Heat that came from her nervousness, from the knowledge of the part she had to play—and certainly not from any feelings she might have for the man.

“Goodness!”

There came a loud crash from behind her and, despite herself, Daisy turned around to look. A large glass decanter had been dropped to the floor by one of the other gentlemen, where it had shattered. Port was spilling out all over the floor, and most of the other gentlemen were now on their feet, trying to move their chairs out of the way of the glass and the port.

“Lord Stevenson.”

Quickly, Daisy realized that this was, most likely, what Lord Watt had planned so that she might speak privately to Lord Stevenson. Lord Stevenson had been craning his neck to see what had occurred and only now turned his head to look at her, a curiosity still flickering in his eyes.

“Miss Williams?” It was a question more than a greeting, and Daisy seized her opportunity.

“I must speak to you,” she said, in a low voice. “I will be in the library.” She said nothing more but lifted her head and continued on her way, hurrying towards the door whilst footmen, maids, and other staff all rushed to the scene of the shattered decanter, clearly ready to tidy things up. She did not dare glance back at Lord Stevenson for fear that he would see the worry in her face, the anxiety that plagued her. Had she said exactly what she had been told to say? Her heart began to hammer furiously as she moved along the corridor. Most likely, one of the ladies would begin to talk about what had happened with the decanter, and the ladies would discuss it at length until the gentlemen appeared. She did not think that anyone would notice her absence other than her sister, who had been invited along with her. But Lord Watt had assured her that Lady Westbrook, who was due to go into her confinement next week, would keep Susanna distracted and, therefore, entirely unaware that Daisy was absent from the party. All she had to do now was go to the library and wait.

The library was well lit, which was a relief. However, it did not prevent Daisy from feeling practically sick with nerves. This had been a plan of her own making, of course, but she had not given much thought to how she would be feeling about such a responsibility. If Lord Stevenson was the man responsible for her father’s death, then she knew she might be in very great danger. Lord Stevenson could be a spy, could be loyal to another country’s power rather than to the Crown, and she could easily be removed from his sphere if he so wished.

“They will come soon,” she told herself firmly. “You need not worry.” Her breathing quickened regardless, even though she reminded herself constantly that she was not going to be alone, that she was not going to face Lord Stevenson by herself. Closing her eyes as she began to pace up and down in front of the hearth, Daisy let her mind fill with thoughts of Lord Watt.

Her heart began to ache with a renewed desire that she knew, as yet, could not be satisfied. She had tried hard to set her feelings for Lord Watt aside, to force herself to focus on the task at hand rather than what strange emotions his very presence drew up within her, but it was becoming harder and harder to ignore. When she pressed his hand, when their fingers had touched, such a fire had roared up within her that she had felt herself burn up completely. How she had longed to step into his arms, to have herself surrounded by his strength! The thought of being close to him again, even though it had been years since she had last done so, was a thought that kept her entrapped and that would not let her go. And yet she had forced herself to push those thoughts away, to keep them from her mind. She could not become distracted, not now, not when there was such severity of circumstance upon them. Once matters had come to an end, once the culprits had been brought to justice, then she might allow herself to think of what might be between them. There was something in his heart for her still, she though

t, her pace slowly decreasing as a small smile caught her lips. She could tell it was so when she looked into his eyes.

“Miss Williams.”

Her breath caught, as she heard her name being whispered from the shadows. Turning, she pressed one hand to her heart to try and calm herself, only to see Lord Watt beckoning to her from the corner of the room.

She had not even heard him enter.

“Lord Watt,” she murmured, her skirts rustling as she hurried towards him. “Is everything quite all right?”

He nodded, his face half hidden in shadow. “The others are to make their way here within the next few minutes,” he told her quietly, his eyes filled with the very same determination that she felt. “I wanted to ensure that you were all right, however.”