Page 2 of The Dandy Lyon

“It’s hardly been that, but the prospects may be looking up.” Marcus caught the older man’s puzzled gaze and shrugged. “You have news for me?”

“I do.” Lord Hamilton pulled a small cream-colored card from his inside coat pocket. “I had a devil of a time convincing my wife to issue this without telling her the real reason.” He sighed and extended the card toward Marcus. “In the end I told her it was a favor for Lord Somersby which, knowing his reputation, explained it tolerably well.”

“Thank you, my lord.” Marcus took the card, holding it reverently as though it was the Holy Grail. “I am in your debt.”

“As long as I am out of yours, Dandridge.”

Marcus chuckled and opened the desk drawer. Carefully, he stowed the card in a safe corner while at the same time withdrawing a piece of paper with the letters IOU scrawled across it and Lord Hamilton’s signature. “There you go, my lord.” He handed the earl the equivalent of five thousand pounds and deemed it money well spent.

“Much obliged, Dandridge.” Hamilton tucked the paper into that same inside pocket, bowed and turned for the door. “I suppose I’ll see you next week.”

“I am very much looking forward to it, my lord.” The earl left and Marcus took the card out of the drawer, rubbing his finger along the edge, careful not to smudge the pristine invitation that read “Mr. Marcus Dandridge is requested to attend the ball at Lord Hamilton’s Townhouse on Friday, 5th of May current, at 8:00pm.”

Oh, yes. If this invitation ended up procuring for Marcus the last thing his heart desired, it would have been money very well spent.

Chapter Two

London

May 5, 1820

While not a usual denizen of Mayfair townhouses, Mr. Marcus Dandridge felt strangely at home in Lady Hamilton’s elegant ballroom. Gazing about at the expensive appointments—the numerous gilt-edged mirrors, the myriad crystal chandeliers, the massive floral arrangement in the center of the dance floor—Marcus nodded, noting that the aristocratic home had décor very similar to his gaming club, The Dandy.

“Dandy! What the devil are you doing here?” Lord Somersby, the young heir to the Marquess of Thaxted and a steady customer at the club, grinned at him as he came up beside Marcus, stationed just inside the ballroom. “Not your sort of entertainment at all, is it?”

“Well met, my lord.” Marcus bowed to the young ne’er-do-well. “You are correct. This isn’t my normal venue. However, as Lord Hamilton was kind enough to secure an invitation for me, I didn’t think it polite to refuse.” Not exactly the way it had happened, but Somersby didn’t need to know that.

“Deadly dull after the excitement at The Dandy last night.” Somersby looked wistful. “Wish I’d have been there to see the altercation. Rumors have been running rampant.” He leaned toward Marcus and lowered his voice. “Did you take down Donalson? Some say it was you, some say it was your man, Johnson.”

“It was Johnson, my lord. I wasn’t there at the time.” Marcus wished to God he had been. He might have been able to persuade Lord Donalson not to take a swing at the dealer. Such notoriety was the last thing he wanted for his gentlemen’s club while he was trying to look respectable, especially after that fiasco at the Copper Penny only weeks ago. “And I assure you, it wasn’t nearly as exciting as some have made it out to be.”

Somersby shook his head. “I still wish I’d been there. I would have been, but my allowance for the quarter is gone and father’s not been keen on advancing the blunt. Instead he’s been insisting I attend these ton entertainments instead. Your club is much more inviting than dancing attendance on women who bore one to tears.”

“I take your meaning, my lord.” Marcus had been watching the guests arrive and had just spotted the party he’d been expecting. “And I think I have a solution for you.”

“Indeed.” Somersby’s brows rose.

“I might be willing to forgive your current debts at The Dandy.” Marcus turned away from the doorway, and Somersby turned toward him, shielding him from the guests just entering.

“That would be most generous of you, Dandridge.” Somersby’s eyes lit up. “I’d be quite in your debt.”

“But not for long, my lord.” Marcus glanced over his shoulder at the three people just entering the ballroom. “That debt can be paid this evening if you would be so kind as to engage Lord Longford in the card room for the next half hour.”

“Longford?” Somersby frowned. “Why?”

Marcus shrugged. “Let us say the gentleman holds a grudge against me and I would rather not provoke an argument while I’m here. I don’t plan to stay long, but I don’t wish for him to make a spectacle of our disagreement at a ton function.”

“Very well, Dandy. I’d be happy to distract Lord Longford until you’re ready to leave.” Somersby grinned and turned toward the doorway. “And there he is now. Longford!” The earl hurried toward the tall, daunting gentleman whose fierce gaze took in the entire ballroom at a glance.

With his back still to the doorway, Marcus moved a little further away, counting silently until he was reasonably certain Somersby had spirited Longford off to the card room. Now he had almost half an hour to put the rest of his plan into play. He scanned the room for his hostess, but before he could locate her his gaze fell on Lady Joanna Longford and Marcus stilled, holding his breath.

The lady and her mother had moved to the side of the ballroom, Lady Joanna looking about eagerly. Her gown of cream satin, with an intricate braided trim down the front and a series of large satin leaves all about the hem, became her complexion exquisitely so that she seemed to glow in the light of hundreds of candles. But it was her face that always arrested Marcus, ever since the first time he’d seen her. Flawless alabaster skin, a heart-shaped face with pink cheeks and rose-petal lips that made her look angelic, framed by deep chestnut curls always made him think she should be painted as a Madonna in one of the pictures in the British Museum.

With a shake, Marcus forced himself to look away and begin searching for Lady Hamilton. He didn’t have much time and couldn’t stand here mooning over the lady if he wanted to actually meet her. Spying his hostess to his right, Marcus strolled purposefully toward the lady, attired in an elegant gray gown encrusted with small crystals. He presented himself and bowed. “Lady Hamilton, I wanted to thank you once more for your kind invitation.”

The lady’s brows rose, her eyes fixed on his face as though trying desperately to remember his name. “You are most welcome Mr.…Dandridge.” She came up with it at last. “I am always happy to include those friends of my husband with whom I am not already acquainted.”

“If I might make a request of you, my lady?” He nodded toward Lady Joanna, now speaking with a blonde young lady. “Would you be so kind as to introduce me to the young lady there?”