“Oh my word, yes. Lord Sayres would like very much to ask for Lady Violet’s hand, but he fears a rejection because he has seen her on more than one occasion staring wistfully at Lord Harding, who he considers to be unworthy of her. Lord Harding, on the other hand, did go down on bended knee during the Season and is betrothed but is now having second thoughts, fears he may have acted a bit too hastily because the lady, it seems, has become quite the complainer. To complicate matters, he’s recently met an American to whom he’s taken a fancy. He wondered if it might be kinder for all concerned if he broke things off.”
In amazement, he smiled at her. “How do youdo it? How do you get people to tell you all manner of things?”
“I’m nonthreatening. I hold their gaze and let them know that I honestly care what they have to say. Nothing is trivial because to them all their worries are large. I offer them a place to set them down for a while.”
“So you can sift through them in case a treasure is buried within them.”
She wrinkled her nose. “That aspect doesn’t sound so nice of me, does it?”
“The ends justify the means. Has anyone appeared to recognize you?”
“If they have, they haven’t said anything to me.”
“The Duke of Kingsland remembers you sitting in a box at the theater with Father.”
“That’s unfortunate.”
“He won’t gossip about it,” Marcus reassured her. “If anyone else is giving you an interested look, I suspect it’s because you’re the most beautiful woman here.”
She smiled, and it caused a catch in his chest as he fought not to imagine all the future ones that she wouldn’t bestow upon him. “You’re not giving enough notice to the eligible ladies who will no doubt be vying for your attention once honor is restored to your family name and they realize that you are not in fact married.”
“They won’t give me any consideration. I’ll still be without a title.”
“You underestimate your appeal if you think itis dependent upon you having a title. Regardless, you will be celebrated as a hero, having saved the sovereign.”
“And you a heroine for the same reason.”
She shook her head. “It would be best if you take all the credit, if none learn of my part in the success of this endeavor. Wherever I go next, it’s best if people don’t know who I am.”
“That hardly seems fair—that you should do so much of the work and receive none of the acclaim.”
“I don’t do it for accolades. Besides, a good many souls do far more than I and yet no one has ever even heard of their names.”
“Like O?”
“He is one, yes. To protect queen and country so much takes place about which so few people are aware. It’s really quite remarkable.”
“You are quite remarkable.”
“While I’ve never been able to forgive Beatrix for her unkind actions, I do owe her for leading me to a life that is far more than I ever expected it to be. Without her shenanigans, I doubt you and I ever would have become friends.”
“Is that what we are—friends?”
“And more.”
“What will we be when this is over, Esme?”
As she gave her head a slight shake, her gaze slid past him. Her eyes widened, her brow furrowed, her steps faltered. “Oh my God.”
He brought them to a halt, and they weren’t the only couple to favor ignoring the music to looktoward the doorway. To his surprise, he stared at the petite woman, flanked by a tall gentleman on one side, and several ladies on the other. “My God, you were right. Mary Talbot could pass as the Queen’s twin.”
“That’s not Mary. Unfortunately, it is indeed Victoria.”
Chapter 23
What a bloody disaster!
Esme couldn’t very well march up to the Queen and demand to know what the hell she was doing here when they’d agreed she would remain in residence at Balmoral and send Mary in her stead. John Brown was beside Victoria, and Esme tried to draw some comfort from knowing the Scot would lay down his life for the woman it was obvious to anyone with a keen eye he loved.
