Page 42 of The Secret of Flirting
“Youare a delegate, too,” the count pointed out. “So if she went, she would have an unfair advantage withyou. How is that any different?”
“I am not merely a delegate to the convention. I am in charge of her safety. Which is precisely why I shouldn’t like to have the duke there. We don’t know for certain if he had anything to do with the shooting.”
The count scoffed. “Aduc? He would not risk such a scandal. The very idea is ludicrous.”
From her time in the theater, Monique wasn’t so sure. Dukes always thought they had the right to do anything in their power, scandal be damned.
Still, she’d spoken long enough with Pontalba to think he wasn’t the sort to engineer an assassination. He wasn’t so much a schemer as a man sure of his own position. And he’d seemed less interested in the results of the convention than in getting under her skirts.
That, too, was fairly typical behavior for a duke, in her experience.
A sudden commotion sounded in the hall, of boots tramping and loud voices. One rang out above the rest. “I must speak with Lord Fulkham.Now.”
Apparently that was enough to send a servant in to announce the man. “My lord, there’s a captain of the guard here to see you.”
“Good,” Gregory said. “Send him in.”
It was the same captain who’d helped them at the park. As he entered, he nodded courteously to her. “Your Serene Highness. I hope you are well.”
Monique flashed him a smile. “I am, thank you.”
“She’ll be better,” Gregory said, “if you can assure her that the villain is in your custody.”
The captain’s face clouded. “I’m afraid not, my lord. We scoured the woods, but were too late to apprehend the villain. There were enough people on horseback in the park to make it difficult to determine who might have been involved.”
“Damn,” Gregory muttered, threading one hand through his hair.
“We did find a witness who said he thought he saw a young man wearing a green frock coat and brown riding breeches, with a brown Tilbury hat, on horseback, shooting from behind a silver birch. But after two shots, the man galloped toward the Stanhope Gate and got through it before the witness even registered what was happening.”
“Did you dispatch men into Mayfair?” Gregory asked.
“Yes, and St. George’s Fields, too, but no one matching the man’s description was discovered. My soldiers are still searching.”
Gregory shook his head. “He’ll be long gone by now. Have your men see what they can learn in the stews and elsewhere. This was probably a hired assassin. We must find out where he was hired, and that may lead us to who he is, and thus who hired him.”
“Yes, sir,” the man said deferentially, clearly used to taking such orders from Gregory.
“You should also increase the patrols around the park and especially around the residences of those involved in the conference, in case the princess isn’t the only person being targeted.”
“Very good, my lord.” The captain bowed and took his leave.
As soon as he’d gone, Gregory rounded on the count. “You see, sir? We have a witness who claims the gunshots were a deliberate act and not random recklessness.Nowwill you listen to reason and remove the princess and her retinue from London?”
“Will you invite the duke to your estate as well?” her great-uncle countered.
When Gregory bristled, Lady Ursula said, “You could also invite Prince Leopold. That would make it more fair. Then there would be two delegates—you and the duke—and two candidates for ruler—Her Highness and the prince. No one could complain about that. After all, it’s not as if the entire convention could go.”
Monique gaped at Lady Ursula. What on earth had possessed the woman to suggest that another candidate be included? And why Prince Leopold, of all people? Why not one of the other candidates presently in London? Everyone knew that Prince Leopold was out in the countryside and only intended to return next week, when the convention reconvened to announce the decision on who was to rule Belgium.
“See here,” the count said to Lady Ursula, “I know that the prince is your distant cousin, my dear, and that he and your family were friendly even before you were born, but that is no reason to suggest including him.”
The prince’s connection to Lady Ursula came as news to Monique. She couldn’t help noticing that Gregory wore the same inscrutable expression as when he was trying to hide his opinions, though she could guess what they were.
So she stepped in. “I don’t think it’s terribly polite of us, Uncle, to be suggesting extra guests to his lordship, when he’s been good enough to invite us to his home in the first place. Why, we have no idea how large his estate is, or if he could manage a party of such size.”
“Canterbury Court is more than sufficient for such a party,” Gregory said, with a hint of amusement that surprised her. “Indeed, my mother will be overjoyed at the idea of having so many important guests at the estate. She almost never gets the chance to entertain.”
“So you do not mind including Prince Leopold?” Lady Ursula asked.
