Page 32 of Sands of Sirocco
“… 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.”
