Page 17 of Romancing the Rifleman
Chapter8
Izzie had obviously told Lucy that she and Harrington were engaged in a flirtation.Diana found she didn’t mind.Perhaps he had no designs on her and was merely using her for political advice.
But she had decided that she wanted to flirt with him, and she didn’t much care who knew it.
Harrington chuckled, seeming unperturbed.“Good old Izzie.”
The corner of her mouth curled up.“Subtle, as ever.So”—she looped her arm through his and started after the twins at a discreet distance—“tell me what happened with Lord Kinwood.”
He recounted the conversation, and she chuckled when he came to the part where he advised the earl not to call a man an idiot before asking him for a favor.“Well done, you!”
He smiled, but his expression was rueful.“It turned out all right in the end.But I would have floundered without your advice.”
She studied him a beat.“I take it that the conversation has left you feeling uneasy?”
He tore his eyes from hers.“You could say that.I’m in over my head.I’m not up to speed on the issues of the day.”
She considered her words carefully.“Staying abreast of the issues is a full-time job.That is why most politicians, especially those with other responsibilities, as you do to your regiment, employ a secretary.My brother certainly does.”
He laughed bleakly.“That’s a good strategy, if you can afford it.Which I can’t.”
She squeezed his arm.“I think you are being overly severe on yourself.You’ve been thrown into this rather suddenly.But you will find your bearings.Give yourself a chance.”
He didn’t look convinced.“Well, I made it out of the frying pan last night.But I seem to have leapt straight back into the fire.I mentioned last night that I had received a summons from Horse Guards…”
He told her about his meeting with William Windham and how the Secretary of State had asked him to drum up votes for the Pensions to Soldiers Act.
“I was hoping to ask your opinion about Windham.Is he a scoundrel, like Kinwood?”
“He’s not,” Diana said at once.“He’s a good man, but…” She paused, considering how best to describe the Secretary of State.“He’s an academic at heart and is sometimes out of his depth when it comes to Parliament.His ideas are lofty, but often impractical, and he has no talent for political machinations.But I don’t think he is the sort to deliberately mislead you as Lord Kinwood attempted to do.”
He pulled some papers from his coat pocket.“These are the acts he’s asked me to support.I didn’t see anything objectionable about them, but I’d like to hear your opinion.”
I’d like to hear your opinion.The words were as sweet to her ears as honey on her tongue.Who gave a fig about marrying a lord?Diana found she much preferred this man, who valued her thoughts.
They paused in the dappled shade of a tree, ignoring the lovely view of the Serpentine beside them, while Diana pored over the proposed acts.After she finished reading, she looked up.“This seems fine to me.”
His eyes flared with hope.“Do you really think so?”
“I do.”She looped her arm through his, resuming their stroll.The twins were well out of earshot.In the distance, she saw them peering back at them, curious about what she was getting up to with their brother.If only they knew…
Harrington exhaled.“That’s what Edward said as well.If both of you think it’s all right, I can’t do better than that.Now I just have to figure out how to persuade the holdouts to support our side.”
“Indeed.What is your strategy?”
He pulled another sheet of paper from his pocket.“Mr.Windham provided me with a list of opponents to the bill.”
They stopped again, and Diana began scanning his list.
“I’ve asked Edward to write me a speech,” he offered.
“No,” she said at once.
He looked adorably flustered.“I know any speech I put together wouldn’t be any good.But if Edward writes it?—”
“I’m sure it would be brilliant.But do you know who is very good at delivering high-minded speeches?William Windham.”She gestured to the list of names he had handed her.“Those who can be swayed by logic and reason already support this act.There’s a reason he turned toyou.Look.”
She turned the list of names toward him.“How many of these men do you know?”
