There were others who she’d danced with prior who for one reason or another could not come. Lord Ryland had called off as soon as he’d received his invitation, as he was chairing a meeting of his criminal society that night. Lady Mendleton had not been at all offended as everybody knew that nothing short of a direct word from God would ever tear him away from his project. Mr. Cahill was escorting his mother to something or other and Lady Mendleton could not care less. She had her doubts about whether the gentleman would ever marry, as he seemed far too married to his mama. As far as Lady Mendleton was concerned, a man who would never marry was useless.
Georgiana did have hopes of seeing Mr. Vance, one of the few gentlemen who had so instantly and completely put her at ease. Perhaps Mr. Vance might take her into supper?
Jenny bustled in and said, “Right, I’ve squared away the mistress, though don’t ask me how I did it so timely what with all the ruckus that went on.”
Georgiana smiled to herself, thinking that Jenny really was uniquely talented at hinting there was a story in the offing. She said, “Pray, what ruckus, Jenny?”
As Jenny heated the tongs to take Georgiana’s curls from one way to another way, she said, “I was just finishing Lady Mendleton’s hair when Lord Langley came to see her. She’d called for him because she was fretting that her lord had not overseen Perry’s preparations close enough and she would put her son to the task. It’s just nerves, you know, Mr. Perry knows what he’s about. Anyway, that was all well and good, but then came the suggestion about Lady Annabelle.”
Jenny had paused dramatically, tongs in hand, staring at the now dark window as if the sparrows had decided to come out of their box to hear her tale.
“And?” Georgiana asked.
Jenny nodded to herself and went on. “You see, she says to him that he ought to take Lady Annabelle into supper. Then he says he won’t take anybody into supper. She nearly fell over. Can you guess why he won’t?”
Georgiana certainly could not guess. What did he mean to do? Go in on his own? Take a plate above stairs?
“He tells Lady Mendleton that he’s been summoned to the palace at midnight! Well, you can just imagine how she takes it! What could be so important that he’s got to go there at midnight on the night ofherball?”
Georgiana, of course, could not know. Though her heart sank.
“Then, things get interesting and I was quiet as a mouse ‘cause I think they both forgot I was there. Never, in all the time that Lord Langley has worked for the queen, has he ever said what he did. Now, though, he’s faced with a mother on the verge of hysterics. So, he says,the very crown may be at stake.”
Jenny took to wrapping her hair round the hot tongs. Georgiana glanced up at the maid, reflected in the looking glass. “That sounds rather dire,” she said.
“Maybe to you,” Jenny said, “but Lady Mendleton was having none of it and told him that the queen could put down her horrible dill sandwiches and fix something on her own for once.”
Georgiana thought if she was not so disturbed, she might have laughed at Lady Mendleton’s mention of the dill sandwiches. Theywerehorrible.
“Then he said something about duty and marched out and Lady Mendleton was in fits over it. She’s better now, though. I got her a glass of Canary and she was calmed by it. She’s decided she’s going to advertise far and wide that her son was called away because the crown is at stake. She reckons that ought to satisfy the duchess and Lady Heathway.”
Georgiana nodded, hoping her attempt at a serene expression did not belie her roiling thoughts. At first, she was distressed because Lord Langley would leave her ball and it would be noted. Then she was distressed that Lady Mendleton was so distressed. Finally, though, she was distressed because she wondered what sort of danger came along with a midnight meeting and the very crown being at stake. There must be something happening, it would be too absurd and unnecessary to use such a story as an excuse, only to avoid her. It was too elaborate to be a ruse.
Certainly, Jasper would not leave his mother in the lurch unless it was both serious and unavoidable. He may have failed to make a showing at the masque, but he would not abandon his mother in her own house. He would not offend Lady Mendleton so deeply in some further effort to avoid herself. In any case, there was no need to absent himself at supper to avoid Miss Wilcox, he simply need not take her in. He might have taken in Lady Annabelle and all would have been satisfied, except for himself and Lady Annabelle.
To upset Lady Mendleton in such a way spoke of something very significant. A circumstance that had not left him with a choice.
She wondered if something had happened to the king and it was being kept quiet. Perhaps there was a panic in the palace, as they did not know how the public would welcome the regent as their new king. It would not be a concern out of place—everybody hoped the regent would settle himself. It would be natural that the palace thought they had time on their side in that regard and had been taken aback to discover they did not. But if that were the case, what were they to do about it at midnight?
“Now then,” Jenny said, “let’s get you into that dress. I never did see anything so fine.”
*
Jasper had onceagain taken his neckcloth from his valet and tied it himself. He was becoming convinced that Marcus was never going to get it right. Though, his neckcloth was the least of his concerns just now.
“Tell Carstares to have my horse saddled at half past eleven,” he said.
Marcus nodded and Jasper was grateful that for once the fellow didn’t have a thousand questions. He was rather pleased by it, actually. Perhaps the valet was finally figuring out how to act as a proper valet—never question, never raise a brow, never admit surprise. Of all times to need a horse, itwasrather surprising that it should be on the night of his own house’s ball.
It could not be avoided though. He was getting very close to the Stuart. Just when he’d thought he had hit a firm dead end, Ryland had delivered information into his hands and had more still to give. Ryland wrote enough to make him certain they could close in on the Stuart, but had said he had to reveal it in person. He arranged a midnight meeting at the northwest corner of Gloucester’s Riding House nearby Grosvenor Gate.
That, of course, was an inconvenience and rather ridiculous, though not particularly unexpected. Ryland had one of his Society for Advancing Criminal Knowledge meetings this night and Jasper was well aware that a team of horses could not pull him away from it. As well, he was certain Ryland liked the cloak and dagger aspect of meeting at midnight in the park. Jasper thought they could have just as easily met in his library, but he wouldn’t dare communicate that opinion to Ryland.
Jasper dismissed Marcus and sat in his chair by the window to re-read Ryland’s letter.
Langley—
A certain gentleman I have spent a great amount of resources to investigate does not appear to be who he says he is. I believe him to be the person we have had recent concerns about. I do not disclose anything further, for if the plot is as deep as I suspect, there are likely spies everywhere. Meet me at midnight at the northwest corner of Gloucester’s Riding House nearby the Grosvenor Gate. Come alone and see that you are not followed.
