The Lady Plays Her Ace (The Langley Sisters) (16 page)

"I know what you are doing, and you can stop it now."

"What?" Ace said, looking around them at the other guests. He was not looking for Thea. He was just taking note of who was in attendance, he reassured himself.

"You were protecting me like you always do…like you do with all of us."

"No, I just was trying to limit the amount of time that anyone sees me in your company," Ace drawled. "I have a reputation to uphold, you know."

"If you cared a damn about your reputation you'd cut your hair."

Ace returned his eyes to his brother. "What is wrong with my hair?"

"It's just another statement from you saying, ‘I will not conform to the standards set by society. I'm big, intimidating and will be exactly who I want to be.’"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Ace glared as his brother.

"Peers, people of rank and birth, those who were spoon-fed from their first steps. You don't trust them, nor do you like them, and you have small rebellions that define you as different from them, Oliver. Point of fact is your hair and your refusal, until recently, to sit a horse." Daniel took a step back as he said the words, because he could no doubt see the storm clouds brewing in Ace's eyes.

"I like wearing my hair long, as do other people in society," Ace protested, to which Daniel replied by scoffing.

"Not many of them."

"Yes, many of them," Ace added. His brother was astute, he'd give him that. However, he would never admit to any truth in his words.

"You like people to be intimidated by you because it makes them on edge and that suits you."

"How about I show society what I'm truly capable of by rearranging your teeth, little brother," Ace said softly. Daniel laughed, proving to Ace he was losing his edge, and he blamed it all on Lady Althea Ryder. She was making him soft. He needed to forget about her and refocus on what was important—finding who wanted him dead and building his empire.

"Ace." The word came from behind him so he turned, and there she was on the arm of a man he did not recognize. Jealousy shot through him as he noted the man had his other hand over hers, as if securing her to his side. A statement of ownership was how it looked to Ace, and one that made him instantly angry.

Marry the man your brother wishes you to, Thea.
Ace remembered the words he had said to her that night. Was this that man? Ace had no rights to the rage that gripped him, so he controlled his expression and even forced a smile onto his lips before dragging his eyes from her.

Directly to her left was her brother Lord William Ryder and behind them came the rest of their family, having just arrived also.

"Lord Ryder," Ace bowed. "You remember my brother?"

"I do indeed. How do you do, Daniel."

William Ryder was tall, handsome and like his elder brother, intelligent. He and Ace had been involved in several business ventures together and he was a nobleman Ace could tolerate, because his brother was correct—most of society set his teeth on edge.

"Lady Althea." When he was in control, he turned back to face her, bowing over the hand she held out to him.

"Mr. Dillinger, I’d like to introduce you to Lord Howarth."

"Lord Howarth." Ace bowed again and the man reciprocated.

"Good evening, Mr. Dillinger." He then held out his hand and shook Ace’s, and it was a good handshake—damn the man.

If he had expected her to lower her gaze or be embarrassed to see him after what they had shared, he was mistaken. She held her eyes steady, her expression calm.

"It is good to see that you are well and suffering no adverse effects from your near miss."

"I am. Thank you, my lady," Ace wasn't sure what else to say, as he had no idea just what the rest of her family knew.

"Yes. I heard about the incident from Luke, and can I say thank you for protecting my sister, Ace."

"It was she who saved me, Lord Ryder; there is no thanks necessary. Had your sister not come running from that building, I would never have known someone had a gun aimed at me." He glanced at Thea before adding, "I am just relieved both she and Luke are unhurt.

"And you also, Ace. It is a relief you are unharmed," Lord Ryder added.

"My concern was not for myself," Ace said. "I have long ago stopped worrying about the possibility of a bullet ending my life." As soon as he finished speaking, Ace thought those words had perhaps been better left unsaid. He may be comfortable with them, but it was obvious from the color filling Thea's cheeks that she was not.

"That's a dismissive attitude to have, Mr. Dillinger, considering someone is intent on ending your life."

She was no longer calm. Her words high pitched and angry.

"Thea," Will cautioned his sister. "Ace did not mean to be dismissive, I am sure, only make light of the situation."

She inhaled through her nose, and Ace thought she was swallowing down several words that she wanted to hurl at his head. Instead, she released Lord Howarth and turned away from Ace to converse with Daniel.

Her pale emerald coat was buttoned to the neck and covered her completely, but with just a look, he wanted her with an urgency that he knew was unhealthy.

"May I add my thanks to what Lord Ryder has said, Mr. Dillinger? If anything had happened to Lady Althea I, too, would have been deeply distressed," Lord Howarth added, looking at Thea.

Ace wanted to growl loudly, but he could not. After all, hadn’t he told her there could be nothing between them? Hadn’t he told her to turn to this man, if indeed he was the one the duke had chosen.

"She does not say she is unsettled by what happened, yet that, coupled with the man robbing her, has made my sister question her shadow, and that is not something any of us have ever seen in her before."

William Ryder was speaking softly so Thea didn't hear, but Ace heard, and he hated that she was suffering.

"Mr. Dillinger, I'm pleased to see you here this evening."

"Your Grace," Ace bowed to the Duke of Stratton, who approached, followed by his wife, Lord and Lady Levermarch and lastly, Bella and Luke.

"Lady Ryder is not accompanying you this evening, my lord?" Ace asked the question of William Ryder, as his wife was the only member of their family absent, and he felt he should speak instead of standing there fuming and lusting after the man's sister.

"Our son has a sniffle and my wife believes that only she can tend to him. Therefore, she has stayed home this evening, Ace," Lord Ryder replied.

"And as I am a cold-hearted mother and more than happy to leave my child in the care of her nanny, I have braved the cold for a night with adults," Lady Levermarch said, joining the conversation.

She was a beautiful woman and drew the eye of any man just by entering a room. Her hair was golden brown and her eyes the color of aged cognac, with thick, long lashes and soft lips. Her skin had just a hint of blush to it. She had a body any woman would envy and most men would lust after. However, she did not interest Ace. His tastes ran to gray-eyed, raven-haired women with tart mouths and strong opinions, more fool he. Beside him, Daniel had stopped talking with Thea and his mouth now hung open.

"Daniel." Ace reminded him of his manners.

"It's quite all right, Ace. My wife has that effect on most men. It is just on a closer acquaintance that they see the error of their ways."

Lord Levermarch slipped an arm around his wife's waist as he spoke, and she, in turn, jabbed him in the ribs, to which he dutifully grunted.

"Horrid man. Tis just as well I adore you," Lady Levermarch then said.

"Where are you seats, Mr. Dillinger?" The Duke of Stratton asked Oliver.

"As to that, Your Grace, I would need to ask my brother as he received them from Lord Higgley as a thank you for some work we have been overseeing for him," Ace said the words to let the man know that like he, his brother, worked for a living.

"You will have the worst seats in the house if that old nip-farthing gave them to you. Let me see them, young Dillinger," the duke then said, holding out his hand.

Ace watched as Daniel hastily pulled the tickets from his pocket and handed them to the duke, a bemused look on his face. Ace understood his brother's confusion. It was likely he had never met a duke before, especially not one willing to converse with him.

"Just as I thought. No, this will not do. Will, look at these," the duke said, handing them to his brother. "You shall share our box. Come along, everyone. I have no wish to miss the start."

"We will be quite happy with these. Thank you, Your Grace." Ace took the tickets back from Lord Ryder. "Although we thank you for your generous offer." There was no way he wanted to sit through an entire performance watching Thea interact with Lord Howarth. Just knowing they’d be in the same theatre was taxing enough.

"You and your family have rescued our sister twice this week, Mr. Dillinger; I would like to offer you and your brother a seat in our box as a gesture of our gratitude. As you have siblings, I'm sure you understand how important Thea is to both Will and I."

The duke had a ready supply of convincing words. However Ace was not one to be swayed easily, no matter how titled the gentleman was.

"I think it would be best if my brother and I took our own seats, Your Grace."

"Give in, Ace. My brother rarely loses," Will said, a twinkle in his eyes. "Although now that I think about it, he may have met his match in you."

Ace eyed the duke, who looked steadily back. He wanted to refuse because he did not want to be near Thea, and that was unfair on his brother, who would never get this chance again. But to concede would be hell on him.

"You owe my family nothing, Your Grace. They and I did what anyone else would have in their situation."

"Not everyone, Mr. Dillinger," the Duke added.

"Then we will gratefully accept your offer, Your Grace." Ace bowed. "My brother will enjoy his first experience at the theatre better if he does not have to look over several heads to do so."

"I'm not actually sure you won that round, Joe," Will said, clapping his hand on the duke's shoulder. "He managed to agree in a backhanded way, you could say."

"Yes, he's good, I'll give you that," the duke added. "Ever thought about politics, Mr. Dillinger?"

"No, and as I am a coal miner's son, Your Grace, I fail to see how I could."

Thea, who had just slipped her other arm through Daniel's to lead him, along with Lord Howarth, up the stairs, turned back at his comments and rolled her eyes.

"Your brother is very fond of his birth, isn't he, Daniel? In fact, I would go so far as saying he uses it when it best suits him to win a point," she added.

Daniel snorted loudly then apologized profusely to the Duke, who waved his words away.

"My wife snorts when she laughs, young Dillinger, think nothing of it," the duke added.

"Sad, but true," the duchess agreed before returning to her conversation with Lord Levermarch.

Ace and Daniel were then swept along with the Duke of Stratton's family and soon found themselves seated in a sumptuous box overlooking the stage. He could feel eyes on them as everyone settled themselves, and Ace knew that people would be wondering why he and Daniel were seated in the duke's box.

"Pinch me," Daniel whispered, looking over the edge at the many guests milling below. "I am sure seated this close I will be able to see the eye color of each actor."

Ace obliged and left his brother rubbing his thigh while he tried to look everywhere but at the neck of Lady Althea. She was seated in front of him beside Lord Howarth, who in turn was leaning slightly towards her as they conversed.

"For future reference, Mr. Dillinger," the subject of his thoughts said, turning to face him. "You should know that authority comes as naturally as breathing to my brother. He has always been pompous; it is what comes of being a duke."

"I am not pompous, sister. I am a leader, and as you lot will dally unless given direction, I provide it as the highest ranked and most superior amongst us," the duke added.

Hoots of laughter followed this comment from the rest of the party.

"The only thing superior about you, brother, is your girth," drawled Lord Ryder.

"And his ego," Lord Levermarch added.

"They're just like us," Daniel whispered minutes later as the conversation carried on around them. "Insults and all."

Ace was not sure what he'd expected, but it wasn't this warm camaraderie that these people so obviously shared. The woman gave as good as the men, and Ace found himself laughing as they challenged each other. Had he not been so tense, he may even have enjoyed himself, but the longer he watched Thea and Lord Howarth, the stronger his jealousy became. It was a hopeless emotion, and one that had been foreign to him up until today. He needed to get through this night then go away on a business trip somewhere—anywhere. It was simply imperative that he put some distance between himself and Thea.

"Is it true there are eight in your family, Dillinger?" Lord Ryder asked him.

"It is, my lord ."

"I can imagine that must have been challenging, considering what living with these two was like."