Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
Trying to converse with Victoria Everill when Ginger was only twenty yards away was distracting. Noah lifted his glass of water as Ginger’s eyes met his. He didn’t react—her family was watching her too closely for that—and forced himself to look away.
He’d noticed her the instant she’d come into the room. Good God, she looked beautiful. He’d only ever seen her dressed for a dinner like this once before and it had been here at Shepheard’s. But what was she doing in Cairo?
Ginger wouldn’t be happy to see him with Victoria.
Though his false engagement to Victoria had been dissolved in the eyes of the public, his continued association with both Victoria and Lord Helton had provoked whispers.
Whispers that neither Ginger nor her family would have heard, as they’d been removed to Alexandria.
The whispers he could explain to Ginger well enough.
What he’d have a harder time dealing with was the way Victoria continued to behave as though nothing had changed between them. His requests that she squash the rumors had been met by tepid shrugs. Then again, she’d made clear she didn’t care how those rumors affected Ginger or him.
Sipping his wine, he forced his focus back toward Victoria, who was still speaking.
“… going back now would be madness—you must see that.” Victoria dabbed her mouth with her serviette. “Give it a few days. Speak to the American. William Yale is his name, I believe. He may assist.”
“I’ve met the fellow. I don’t see what he could do about it. Or any other American. Jack wasn’t there on behalf of the Americans.”
“He’s not there officially on the behalf of the British either,” Lord Helton said pointedly. “Acknowledging that we sent him could bring us further problems.”
Noah bristled and returned his glass to its place.
His fury over Lord Helton’s apathy at Jack’s situation when he’d arrived in Cairo two days prior had barely waned.
Jack had been risking life and limb to gather vital intelligence for Helton for the last couple of years.
“Then we just leave him there? Fisher is lying. He had me over a barrel, but I’m not simply—”
Victoria reached across the table and put a cool hand on his. “Don’t be hasty. I know how deep your friendship with Jack is, but you need to consider that he could be dead. You’re able to keep a cool head in these situations. It won’t do for you to be brash now.”
Her touch was obviously possessive. He’d need to put Victoria in her place about this once and for all.
Damned Shepheard’s. Of all the places he could have accepted the invitation to dinner, this was the most likely one where he’d encounter people he knew. Though he’d never cared much about who saw him, until he’d seen Ginger.
“I fear Colonel Benson has been distracted by Lady Virginia Whitman.” Lord Helton carved his steak as he spoke, not lifting his gaze.
Of course he noticed. Helton’s eyes were as sharp as Noah’s.
Victoria paled and discreetly appraised the room. “What on earth is she doing here?”
Noah offered a wry smile. “It appears she’s here for dinner.”
Victoria scowled. “Hilarious.”
He returned to the topic they’d been discussing. “I need more than the bumbling ineptitude of diplomats and government aides to settle my fears about Jack. If you won’t authorize my going back there, I’ll do it on my own.” Now he looked at Lord Helton. “Consequences be damned.”
Lord Helton chewed slowly on his piece of steak, then swallowed. “Victoria is right, Benson. Rushing back there is likely to get you killed—or worse. You should know there are many things worse than death.”
“Who is that with the Whitman women?” Victoria interrupted, staring more boldly now. She leaned forward, as though the change of posture would help her sight.
Noah raised a brow. Seeing Victoria this nonplussed was rare.
Noah caught the eye of Ginger’s sister, who was clearly discussing him or Victoria. What was her name again? The man at the table he didn’t recognize. He wore a crisp black evening jacket but lacked panache.
Now you sound like Victoria.
He detested this charade. Why shouldn’t he go to the woman he loved? Being separated from her was challenge enough. He remembered her tears when he’d found her in the desert, the feel of her soft body in his arms.
And after what had happened with Jack, he wanted nothing more than to embrace her.
But she’d promised to stay away. And he doubted she was ready to own up to her continued relationship with him to her family in the middle of Shepheard’s.
Victoria rose from her seat. The jeweled combs in her dark hair sparkled in the chandeliers’ light. “Well, if we’re all going to sit here staring at them so shamelessly, we may as well go over there. I’d rather face this head-on.”
Victoria’s black satin gown swished as she headed toward the other table. Noah groaned inwardly. Lord Helton raised his eyes to the ceiling as if to show he had little control over her. “Victoria can’t stand the thought of idle gossip about her.”
Noah guffawed. Victoria reveled in idle gossip about her. When Lord Helton made clear that he had no intention of moving from his seat, Noah folded his serviette in his lap.
“Don’t you dare go over there, you fool.” Lord Helton sawed through his steak neatly. “You’re well aware of the trouble it can cause you both.”
Eyes peered in his direction. The Anglo-Cairo society was small enough that this encounter would be part of the night’s entertainment. “You overstepped when you forced her into that ridiculous promise,” he said through gritted teeth.
“Ridiculous, is it?” Lord Helton’s gaze snapped toward him. “Since that woman entered your life, you’ve lost your ability to think clearly. You’ve defied me time and time again with her. I need not remind you that your duty is to your country, Benson. And I’m out of patience with you.”
“I’ve bled for my country more than once.” Noah’s jaw set as his eyes flickered toward the exchange of pleasantries between Victoria and the Whitman women. Ginger didn’t dare look his way.
She was a better actress than Helton had ever given her credit for.
“And you’re still standing, aren’t you?” Lord Helton stabbed a piece of steak with his fork, blood running onto the plate below it. “You think you can compare your sacrifice with those who have given their lives for this cause? Your country still needs you and the unique services you can provide.”
Noah’s appetite was fading fast. “This is one area of my life you have no right to control. The army can order me to do many things—but not to stay away from the woman I love.”
Helton leaned closer. “Yes—but fornication, adultery … those are all punishable acts.” His eyes hardened like flint. “I’ll do what it takes to rein you in, Benson. I’d advise you not to cross me.”
Just what was he threatening?
Noah had been too careless. Allowed his love—and lust—to put both Ginger and himself in a compromising situation. And he’d given Helton the upper hand.
Before Noah could say anything more, Victoria returned to the table. Her face was flushed. “Was that entire scene really necessary?” Noah glowered at her.
“Quite necessary. Consider it my favor to you. You and that woman were infamously linked. Congeniality sends a powerful signal that there was nothing to the matter.” Victoria sat, then dusted her hands on her serviette as though ridding herself of the grime of the moment.
Her smile was eager. “And you’ll never guess who’s with them. ”
Noah settled his features to a purposefully bored look. “Do I care?”
“The Earl of Braddock. He’s come to Cairo to see to the estate. But according to Lady Braddock, she’s thrilled to have him join the family for the winter season. I think she’s hoping for a new son-in-law. And he seems quite taken with Lady Virginia.”
Resisting the urge to take another look at the man, Noah’s shoulders tightened. Lady Braddock’s hopes were natural, but they represented yet another way in which Noah would be measured and found wanting.
Lord Helton had nearly finished his dinner.
Noah stared at his uneaten meal and frowned.
This entire night was wrong. The colorful dresses of the ladies, the gaiety of laughter trilling through the air, the fuss of the Egyptian waiters over the British colonizers they increasingly felt betrayed by.
And who could blame them? Ever since arriving back in Cairo, Noah had sensed the angry simmer on the streets that pulsed in the heart of the native Cairenes.
“You look positively triumphant, dearest.” Lord Helton dabbed his mouth with his serviette.
“You should have seen Lady Virginia squirm.” Victoria gave Noah a sharp look. “Promise me you’ll keep away from her this time, Noah. She’s no good for you.”
Noah set his serviette on the table. “As I came to discuss the matter with Jack, I think I’ve had quite enough of the company for the evening.” Standing, he bowed his head toward Lord Helton, then Victoria. “Good evening.”
The shocked expression on Victoria’s face was satisfaction enough. He headed for the exit without waiting for another word from either of them. After all, he’d never promised to stay away from Ginger, despite Lord Helton’s demands. Victoria had no reason to assume his feelings had changed.
Suffocated as he made his way toward the lift, he stopped. Walking away from that dining room was torture, but not because of Victoria’s actions. Now that he knew Ginger was so close, he needed to see her, to speak to her.
A grimmer thought occurred: he needed to tell her about Stephen’s sudden reappearance in their lives. Before she heard about it from someone else.
He paced, then went directly to the concierge. “I need to give a note to a lady in that dining room.”