Page 4 of A Torn Allegiance
“Why would they do such a thing?”
“Pressured to do so by the ridiculous Treaty of Paris, in which they maintain peace with France but must be at odds with her enemies. They plan to trade with us as usual but in a manner that might not be so overt. But that needn’t concern you.”
“But, Father, I’m incredibly interested in this kind of talk.”
“Excellent, because I will need your best listening ears. Oldenburg is in a vital location for our naval forces, and they are close enough to Sweden that concerns have arisen as to their continued loyalty. We need someone to befriend the prince.”
“Prince?” She forced her hands to remain still, though a sudden fluttering rushed through her. Lady Sophie would be most interested in this development.
“Heir to the throne of Oldenburg,” her father confirmed. “He will be visiting London for a time, and we need to watch him. We are shorthanded. None of our agents with the kinds of social reach you have are available. We are going to host the prince, as a family, befriend him ourselves, and you will become close to him, be present wherever he goes, and report back your findings.”
Lady Sophie might die when she heard this. And half thetonwere in love with at least the idea of the Oldenburg princes, but Elsie couldn’t feel as excited as perhaps she might have were she to simply be introduced to him in a more conventional manner. “My... findings?”
“Yes, if he does anything suspicious—has the wrong sorts of friends here, tries to reach any French nationalists. We can’t guess why he has come and have no time to decipher, as I said. We are relying on you.”
“Where do you suspect he will go?” This could be intriguing, but something didn’t sound right.
“We will offer to aid in his introduction to Society. He will be our guest at Almack’s. You can introduce him to your friends. We need you to be everywhere he is.” Her father sat back with an overly large grin. “Perhaps he will go only where we introduce him. Perhaps everything will come to nothing, but if he steps outside the expected social circles, you will know it, and I will know it.”
Her concern only grew, a potential thorn in her happiness. “You want me to attend more things this Season?” She’d always imagined spy work to be a bit more exciting than simply following her subject around at social events.
“Exactly. Your country needs you, Elsie.”
Perhaps if she wholeheartedly accepted this assignment, there might be others. And hadn’t she already decided she wished to know the prince? “I must admit I’m intrigued by this assignment.”
“I knew we could count on you. He will be here tonight to attend the Duke of Grant’s dinner with us.”
“I didn’t think we were attending.”
“We are now. Put on your prettiest dress and your best listening ears. Let’s see if we can find out why this man is visiting England at such a time.” He picked up a quill and dipped it into his ink. “Thank you, Daughter.”
She knew she was dismissed. “You’re welcome,” she said distractedly as she left her father’s study.
Oldenburg. She’d heard of the country, naturally. Now she must find out everything there was to know about such a place and its crown prince.
Chapter Two
Hayes Wilhelm, crown prince ofOldenburg, missed his home, but England had many charms. And his trip had been successful thus far. The estate of Bartholomew, the Duke of Sumter, had live and growing crops. With the greater increase in successful crops, tenants were returning. Hayes’s sister-in-law, Aribella, would be pleased to hear this report—Sumter had been her home before she’d married Hayes’s youngest brother, Layton. The irrigation, the new plants, everything looked promising to Hayes as a good solution for Oldenburg’s own yellow and wilting crops, their dry ground. The Duke of Sumter’s offer of assistance had been more than timely and worth the trip across the ocean for Hayes and two of his brothers to visit England.
Hayes had carefully packed away many seedlings and some of the harvested seeds. They were now in the small greenhouse in the back gardens in the Duke of Sumter’s London town house. Hayes’s brothers Kristoff and Marc had been growing more impatient to spend time in London, which is why the three of them were now staying with the duke on Grosvenor Square across from a large and spacious park.
Hayes walked down the stairs in this well-kept home with the Duke of Sumter at his side. “You say you’ve never stayed here?” he asked.
“No,” the duke said, “I’ve been very distracted at my estate, as you can imagine.”
“Your hard work is paying off. And now your solutions will aid my country as well.”
Bartholomew bowed his head. “I’m grateful I can do something to repay Oldenburg’s generosity. You have saved my estate, though I know it is not for me that you did so.”
“We are happy you are the recipient. I’ve heard nothing but praise about you, and now my own experiences have confirmed it. You are a friend to Oldenburg, and to me personally. Especially in this moment.”
They were both dressed for dinner. They’d received an invitation from the Duke of Grant. And then another from the Duke of Shelby. Hayes stood beside his host. They were about the same height and breadth. He shifted his shoulders so they would both fit in the narrow corridor when they walked to the front door.
Hayes shifted his weight. “I feel as though I’m heading to a war meeting with my council.” They were to attend a dinner with a roomful of strangers. Though he should have no problem with such a simple social endeavor, he was uncertain precisely how to proceed.
“That bad?” Bartholomew grimaced. “I feel much the same, I would imagine, although I’ve never participated in a war meeting.”
“Could your ladies of thetonbe as intimidating as we are making them out to be?”
