Page 23 of The Heir
Victoria smiled her well-rehearsed smile and spoke her lines. “I believe, Lady Norreys, that you are recently returned from Ireland?”
“Yes, indeed, Your Highness. A most interesting and informative trip. Tell me, do you form any opinion on effects of the emancipation bill?” Lady Norreys was a troublemaker. She wanted to see if Victoria dared to form any opinion at all on a law the king had signed only with great reluctance.
“My uncle, the king, pays the greatest attention to developments in Ireland as well as in the capitol, and I believe he is being most soberly advised on the current state of affairs.”
The countess looked openly disappointed and quickly withdrew. Victoria glanced toward the doors again. Her gaze caught Aunt Sophia’s, and Aunt Sophia winked.
Victoria smiled.
A pinprick of pain shot up her arm. Mama pinched her. Victoria dropped her smile at once. No one noticed. Except possibly Aunt Sophia, who shook her head and turned away.
“Mr. Van der Weyer!” Aunt Sophia boomed. “How do you find yourself? We were all so sorry to hear about that business with your sister—”
Motion caught the corner of Victoria’s eye. Finally,finally, the doors opened. But it wasn’t Lehzen. Instead, Sir John slipped through.
Victoria’s shoulders drooped from disappointment.
Sir John was very much in his public persona. He smiled and glided effortlessly between the milling guests until he reached her and Mama. He bowed.
“Sir John,” said Mama. “You have been playing the truant this evening.”
“I beg your pardon, ma’am,” he said. “But there is a matter on which I must report to Her Highness.”
The conversation in the room dropped to a bare murmur. Even Aunt Sophia stopped talking. He drew himself up. Victoria felt her heart thump.What is this?Her eyes reflexively searched the room for Lehzen, but Lehzen was not there. Whatever was about to come next, she must face it alone.
Then Sir John bowed to her, very low. “I fear, ma’am, I owe you an apology.”
Chapter 10
Apologize?Victoria stared at Sir John. He remained in his deep bow, and his face, what she could see of it, was filled with contrition.
Victoria stared, frozen.How do I answer this?Sir John did not apologize. He blustered, he excused, he circumnavigated, but never once did he say he was sorry.
Even Mama looked startled. As for the rest of the gathering—they didn’t even pretend not to hear this extraordinary declaration.
“Why, Sir John!” Mama exclaimed. “What can you possibly have done?”
“Indeed,” boomed Aunt Sophia. “I can’t wait to hear this.” She toddled forward until she stood directly beside Mama.
This was the moment the door opened, and Lehzen slipped quietly into the room. Victoria’s heart leapt into her throat. But however much she wanted to, she couldn’t run to her governess or even call her over. Lehzen must take her place against the wall with the other waiting ladies and women, and Victoria must stay where she was, caught between Mama and Sir John and whatever game he was playing now.
Because it was a game. It must be. Sir John straightened and gave them all a thin smile. It was meant to look sheepish, but Victoria saw the knife-edged gleam in his eye. He was set to deliver a move he was certain would mean checkmate for her.
“I am afraid that after Her Highness informed us this morning that she had seen a corpse on the green, I did not believe her.”
Victoria’s heart thumped.What is happening?Sir John apologizing . . . and apparently accepting her story. And this after he had tried so hard to convince her she’d been imagining things.
“A corpse, Sir John!” cried Lady Cowper.
“Yes. It is shocking indeed. But, you see, Her Highness fell from her horse—”
This announcement was met with a chorus of horrified gasps, some of which might even have included genuine feeling.
“Let me say at once there is no cause for alarm,” said Mama. “As you can see, Her Highness is quite well.” Mama’s gaze bored into Victoria’s own. The message was plain. She was to do her part to reassure the assembly.
Victoria lowered her lashes and made herself murmur, “In fact, Dr. Clarke said distinctly no material harm came of it.” Hopefully, her display of decorous self-effacement would soften Mama’s glower. “Indeed, he commented that members of our family in general are blessed with sturdy constitutions and hard heads.”
The laughter was general and nervous. The guests, clearly, were not certain it was correct to appear amused at such a joke.
