Page 11 of A Torn Allegiance
“Oh, tosh. Don’tMotherme. Now, hush. Let’s display the finest manners and not limit our conversation to only the most interesting people.” She winked and then began speaking with the Duchess of Grant.
Lady Sophie grinned and followed Mother’s lead, talking with a pair of ladies off to their right. Elsie was left to herself for a moment, stunned with the realization that her father had asked her to spy on a man her mother wished her to know better. And what did Elsie think of him? Nothing. Nothing except that he was frank, cheerful, and well-read, she corrected. She shook her head in exasperation. She did not wish to be thinking of him at all, truth be told, except for thoughts that related to whether or not he was involved in nefarious doings here in England. Handsome or not, she had much more important things to occupy her mind with where he was concerned.
Chapter Four
Hayes readied himself for bedwith cheerful thoughts. He’d been in London for two days now and already met the most interesting woman of his acquaintance. He had also discovered some excellent strategies to aid his landholders and tenants. He had sent off a letter with the hopeful news for the council to pass on to those in the south who were in desperate need of a positive plan. His crops were suffering and his landowners dissatisfied. With France surrounding his country on three sides, unhappy tenant farmers posed a risk indeed.
He frowned. Perhaps the tenants wouldn’t benefit as much as anyone else with his plan to improve the crops. His frown deepened. In fact, they would benefit least of all and do the major share of the work. At least they would have food to eat. But was that to be the sum of their existence? To work hard so they would at least have food to eat? Oldenburg had had a system of tenants and, before them, serfs, for as long as their history was recorded. He fell asleep with a multitude of thoughts running through his mind, without a single solution presenting itself among many new problems regarding the tenants.
His head pounded when he woke. When his valet, Franklin, saw Hayes wince, he rang for powders from the kitchen.
“Today is important to me,” Hayes said. “I’d like to be rid of this confounded pounding.”
“The cook swears by these powders.” Franklin helped him dress carefully and handed him a damp handkerchief to hold to his head.
When the tray arrived, Hayes was grateful it also included breakfast. “What a thoughtful staff.”
“Yes, I believe they are almost as fine as ours employed at the palace.” His normally tongue-in-cheek valet seemed almost as if he were sincere. But Hayes looked closer, and the slightest lift of an eyebrow gave the man away.
“They certainly are. It would take a fine servant indeed to call for my powders and my breakfast tray without being asked.” Hayes twitched his lips, knowing Franklin had done as much. “Wouldn’t you agree?”
Franklin traded out his wet handkerchief with a newer, cooler one. “I couldn’t say.” But he stood with more decorum. “As you say.”
Franklin mixed the powders into the tea, and Hayes sipped carefully for many moments while his loyal servant readied his linens, cravat, and hessians.
His headache began to subside just as the clock ticked the hour to be readying for his walk in the park. He placed his small version of Sir Walter Scott’sLady of the Lakein his pocket, along with one of Shakespeare’s sonnets. Though he had no versions of a Jane Austen novel in his possession or in the Duke of Sumter’s library, he felt prepared. One could never go wrong with the Bard or Sir Walter Scott.
By the time he walked out his door and turned toward Lady Elsie’s home, his headache was quite recovered. Or so he hoped.
The air was crisp at this early hour, and very few were out of doors enjoying its gentle stillness. He made his way down the row of town houses, smiling to himself.
Bartholomew had wished to remain, which suited Hayes very well. Uninterrupted conversation with a woman possessing a mind such as Lady Elsie’s promised to be intriguing, to say the least. He was expecting to be fascinated at every turn. And he was not disappointed when the first things out of her mouth, were, “Have you heard? The Elgin marbles arrive today.”
He held out his arm, which she took almost too absentmindedly. “Do they? And are they open to the public?”
“They are not. But you and I aren’t the public, and I’ve already secured a private viewing, if you so desire.”
“I do, very much. When will this take place?” She’d secured it for him and for her? Had she assumed he would want to go together? The thought pleased him above most, so much so that he missed the next bit of what she had said.
“I’m sorry, please repeat what you said. I have been woolgathering over the pleasant prospect of another outing with you.”
“And the marbles.”
“Yes, the prospect of seeing them is quite remarkable. Have they come from Greece?”
“Yes, apparently Lord Elgin is bent on having them. But they’ve caused a stir between countries. You can imagine Greece is not overly pleased. I believe it was the Turks who gave them away.”
“I would think Greece to be utterly furious. Do they not come from the Parthenon itself?”
“Herself, more like to be called, as it was built in tribute to Athena.”
“Goddess of wisdom. Fair enough. She is wanting back her statues, I would imagine.”
“Too true. But I have no scruples enjoying them while they are here, do you?”
“Certainly not. When shall we go?”
“Why, this very day. You are invited in for breakfast after our walk, and then we can go together with Mother. She has been expecting the marbles and wanting to see them for months now.” She walked a little farther. “I suspect Father might also accompany us.”
