“Your Majesties.” Lady Bessington swept into a curtsy. “We shall retire to Cresswell Castle for the summer and would be honored if Your Majesty would care to come for some shooting.”
“Fox, you scoundrel,” the King shouted as Charles James Fox made his leg. “No blood in my drawing room, hear? The Queen won’t have it.”
“I would not dream of subjecting Her Majesty to such a scene,” said the politician. “I hope Minister Pitt feels the same.”
A somber-looking, elegant man entered behind Fox and made his bow. Henrietta reached out a hand.
“Mr. Equiano. I ammostpleased to make your acquaintance.”
His eyes twinkled as he bowed to her. “I believe we share some common interests, Miss Wardley-Hines. Lady Bess told me of your work for the settlers in Sierra Leone. The Sons of Africa approve.”
“My daughter is also a benefactor of the Sisters of Benevolence Hospital for Foundlings and Women in Distressed Circumstances,” Clarinda put in. She stood composed and graceful on her husband’s arm, yet somehow drew every eye in the room to her and the rounded swell of her middle. “She and Sir Jasper support several workhouses and hospitals throughout Lancashire, Cheshire, and Derbyshire as well.”
This proud litany, a pointed reminder to Pitt, who was looking more irritated by the moment, gave way to surprise when the herald opened the door to announce the Earl of Warrefield.
“Why, Papa!” Clarinda murmured. “What a pleasure to see you.”
“Eh? You invited me,” said Warrefield, making his bow to Their Majesties. “Is my granddaughter up to more mischief? Can’t say I’m surprised.” His eyes raked Darien. “Though if she’s game to take on this one, she’s primed for anything, I’d guess.”He blinked at the marquess. “God’s teeth, Langford! Down from the wild reaches of the north?”
“Warrefield!” The marquess grinned. “New wife keeping you in trim?”
“More lords here than in session,” the earl exclaimed. “Highcastle! What in blazes?” He greeted his crony with a hearty clasp on the back. “Not down in the mouth about that worthless gel of yours, I hope?”
“How sharper than a serpent’s tooth,” the duchess murmured.
Henrietta looked around to find that more people had filed into the room. Several of them ranged behind Pitt. Fox and Equiano stood against the far wall, opposite the monarchs’ thrones, forming an impromptu spectator’s gallery. Many more moved behind Henrietta—her family, the Bales men, the Bessingtons. As Pitt cleared his throat and began a brief and highly biased summary of the events of the evening that led to her arrest, Henrietta noticed that Havering, Warrefield, and the ducal family, while appearing to promenade slowly about the chamber, ended by arranging themselves among her supporters.
She had supporters. Darien stood at ease beside her, leaning on his back leg, his hand on his sword. He looked elegant and careless and in complete command. Her eyes stung with tears.
Once again, he had come to her rescue, and he had brought a small army with him. She wanted to weep with joy, save that looking like a witless pea goose would undermine her claims completely.
He met her eyes with an amused smile. “I invited the Spickeys, but they, for some reason, declined to support your cause.”
Henrietta sniffled. “How did you know they were in attendance?”
“Because I was there also, seated on the pro side, I’ll have you know. If I hadn’t paused to untangle James, we’d have seen where you were taken.” He squeezed her hand with his warm larger one. “James knew where to find your uncle, if not Charley, and he knew every holding cell in the city. It was sheer misfortune we came to the Bishopsgate watch house dead last.”
Darien looked up and addressed the King. “I should like it known, Your Majesty, that in his haste to judge her a traitor, Mr. Pitt’s men placed my betrothed, a gentleman’s daughter, in a cell with…common women.”
“Six of whom she persuaded,” added Lady Bess, “to seek refuge at the Sisters of Benevolence Hospital, which is run by the Minerva Society.”
“Seven,” Henrietta said, on the verge of tears and exasperated with herself for it. “Mame came to the Sisters after she was beaten and turned out by her husband because she refused to sell her alehouse to settle his debts. Her children have been taken from her, and she nearly lost her life. He sold it, of course, without her consent.”
She looked over the small crowd, then to the prime minister. “I am grateful to you, Mr. Pitt, for the women I met that night. Their stories were illuminating. Do you wish to hear them?”
She went on despite his gesture of dissent. “Alice’s brother sold her to a friend to settle a gaming debt. Belinda’s mother thought she was apprenticing her daughter to a seamstress; it was a brothel. Lena’s father refuses to acknowledge her because her mother was enslaved. Phoebe sells herself because her father spends the family’s income on gin. Tabitha and Cecilia have no father at all.”
She lifted her chin. “Their stories, Mr. Pitt, prove the points I put forward at my debate. I do not believe it is treason to acknowledge what happens to the vulnerable in this society we have built. Not just women and children but the lame, the ill, theelderly—what happens when they have no one to protect them and no means to see to their own welfare?”
“You propose that they revolt against their guardians,” Pitt said sternly. “To cast down the rules they believe have failed them.”
“Not at all,” Henrietta replied. “I propose?—”
“To rebel,” Pitt emphasized, gliding forward. “Against the King, our protector and provider under the law.”
“To reform the law,” Henrietta said stubbornly, “so that it benefitsallthe King’s subjects.”
“You call to bring down the monarchy, a noble structure sanctioned by God,” Pitt thundered. “To tear apart the fabric of a society that has nurtured the greatest fruits of civilization. Scientific progress. Unrivaled literature. You would undo the achievements of centuries.” He paused. “Like the French, among whom Miss Wollstonecraft has spent a great deal of time. I understand you borrow very much from her.”
