Page 46 of Her Royal Houseguest

‘Of course—’

‘No, no,’ Anna said in a self-mocking way. ‘He should stay. It’s about him after all.’

‘Him?’ the duchess said, her brows drawn down. ‘You walked for two hours with Lord Patrick. Why would that be about the Siamese?’

Anna looked at her mother and then at him. Her expression was tight with frustration but she held it in check. She spoke precisely, as if every word was a knife slice. Or a wound.

‘Lord Patrick will be part of the team negotiating with the Siamese. He wanted to know everything about them.’ Her gaze cut to him. ‘About you. So I spent the entire walk answering questions about you.’

Her mother gasped. ‘Not a word about marriage? Or even a hint?’

‘Nothing,’ Lady Anna said, the word heavy as if she wanted it to be the end of the discussion. Her mother was not deterred.

‘But I don’t understand,’ she said. ‘He’s not a royal. He’s Irish! Why would he be negotiating?’

‘Because he works for the East India Company. They’re the ones who are going to bargain with the Siamese.’

‘No!’ Deva said, his hands tightening into fists. ‘Absolutely not!’

Both ladies looked at him in shock at his outburst. They didn’t understand. They were women far removed from the business of nations.

‘I came here,’ he explained, ‘all the way to England to speak with your king. If I had wanted to speak with the East India Company—’ he practically spat out the name ‘—then I could have done it in Singapore!’

The duchess frowned. ‘What’s Singapore?’

‘A country a great deal closer than England!’

‘Well,’ Lady Anna said, her tone soothing. ‘Our king is indisposed right now.’

‘But the prince is not,’ he said flatly. ‘Am I a man of commerce? No. I am a prince of Siam. I will discuss with the prince Regent, not with this Lord Patrick.’

The women stared at him, both of them clearly uncomfortable. Damnation, what now? He crossed his arms as he looked back at them.

‘What do I not understand?’ he finally demanded.

‘Well, Father would know better than we do—’ Anna began.

‘Yes, you should talk to the duke. He’s in Prinny’s ear. He’ll get it explained one way or another.’

Prince Deva shook his head. ‘There is no explanation needed.’

‘Well—’ Anna said ‘—there might be. I don’t think Prinny does much—’

‘Enough, Anna!’ her mother snapped. ‘We do not know what the prince Regent does with his time.’

Lady Anna pressed her lips together. As soon as he spoke with her privately, he would find out what she was holding back. And he would tell her that Prince Vaji might know of a cure for her curse.

But first he had to get rid of her mother.

He crossed to the duchess with a warm smile. ‘This is very upsetting,’ he stated. ‘But I must fulfil my promise to your daughter or my honour is unsatisfied.’

‘You needn’t worry about—’

‘I will finish my task in this room,’ he said loud enough to startle the woman.

‘Oh! Well, of—’

‘And to do so requires Lady Anna. Because it is a large task.’