“As neat as that theory is, Westover,” Müller stated. “It is not the truth. I wish to God it were. It would be so much easier to get the facts through your thick skull to your brain! All you need do is accept the Prince Ernst was as mad as his sister—well, since her death, most certainly.”
“What he says is true, Westover,” Baron Haderslev assured him. “Despite Princess Joanna’s insanity and her whoring ways, Prince Ernst was devastated by her loss. He did not know how to go on without her. We—Margrave Leopold and I—hoped that with time, Ernst would make a recover. That with Princess Joanna’s death he would finally see he was free of her. And for the longest time, particularly when he was at Friedeburg Palace, Prince Ernst appeared to make a full recovery. What we did not know then, but which became apparent only after some years, was that when Ernst returned here, here to the castle, it was to spend time with his twin. In truth, he had refused to believe she was gone. He thus kept her alive. And the more time he spent here, in her rooms, the more his mind was taken over by her, until he—he—when he was in her rooms, he
became
her.” The Baron shook his head sadly and appealed to Alec. “That is how it was, was it not, Herr Baron?”
“Yes,” Alec replied quietly. “Yes, that is precisely how it was…”
“If you need convincing,” Müller stated irreverently to Westover, “pull down his breeches and take a look at his cock for yourself!”
Westover had no time to take up Müller’s offer. A great deafening boom shook the audience chamber. There was second boom. And then another.
“Dear God! What is happening?” exclaimed the Baron, grabbing Alec’s sleeve.
General Müller knew the sound of ship’s cannon when he heard it. The sound of cannon fire meant the rebel flotilla had arrived safely in harbor, a ship remaining out to sea as planned firing warning shots near the castle.
“Hear that, Westover?” the General said smugly and laughed. “That is the sound of victory!”
It was indeed cannon fire. And all four men quickly took shelter in the gallery. But the cannon fire had ceased, replaced by the shouts and grunts of men in close combat and the steady rumble of boots as more soldiers filled the corridors beyond the double doors. Finally, with the audience chamber doors being pounded by the combined efforts of half a dozen rebel soldiers, the locks gave and the doors sprang wide with a great whoosh and slammed against the oak-paneled walls. A cheer went up. Soldiers poured into the space, swords drawn, ready to do battle with any and every soldier who opposed them. And leading this final charge was a golden-haired young man with a golden mustache.
To the amazement of Prince Viktor and his victorious rebel soldiers the chamber was empty but for the lifeless body of his half-brother, Prince Ernst Leopold Herzfeld, fifteenth Margrave of Midanich.
R
UNNING
FOR
COVER
, Alec broke away and joined the three silent figures at the far end of the gallery. A wide-shouldered soldier stood protectively over two men slumped up against the wall with their legs drawn up to their chins, one silently staring at the floorboards, while the other stared at his companion. A nod to the soldier, and Alec went down on his haunches beside them. When Matthias went to scramble up, Alec put a hand on his arm and shook his head, and so the valet remained beside his master.
Alec took in the state of the men’s soiled garments, matted hair, and the way their clothes hung off their limbs, and he swallowed back his shock and guilt at what his best friend and his valet had endured as prisoners of Prince Ernst. This man sitting before him looked like a beggar from any European city backstreet, so unlike in form was he from the Sir Cosmo Mahon he knew: The fastidious dresser who was particularly vain about his long soft fingers with their buffed nails. So it was at the state of his friend’s hands, at the ragged nails, and covered in filth and sores, that was the breaking point for Alec. He finally lost mastery over his emotions, put his face in his hands and silently sobbed. But he quickly dried his eyes on the back of a sleeve and pulled himself together enough to put a hand on Cosmo’s shoulder and to say gently,
“Cosmo? Cosmo, my dear fellow. It’s Alec. I’ve come to take you home.”
It was Matthias who responded when Sir Cosmo did not.
“You’ll have to forgive him, my lord—Yes, I do know who you are—He’s been like this for the past sennight. Just staring into nothingness, and not saying a word. Before that he’d been the bravest man alive, always looking forward to this moment, when you’d come for him…” The valet, too, then lost his nerve and burst into tears, tears of joy to think their lives had been spared, and they had been rescued. He sniffed back tears. “Forgive me, my lord. I didn’t mean to cry like a babe. It’s just—we’re so happy to see you. Aren’t we, sir?” he said, addressing Sir Cosmo. “Aren’t we overjoyed to have Lord Halsey here with us. To finally come for us…”
Alec tried again to get through to Cosmo. He gently took his friend’s face between his hands, lifting it up so that their eyes were level. He looked into Cosmo’s vacant stare with a smile. “Emily can’t wait to see you, Cosmo. So too Selina. They are both waiting for you. You want to see Emily and Selina, don’t you?”
Cosmo blinked and when he focused on Alec’s blue eyes, Alec withdrew his hands.
“Emily?” he said wonderingly. “Emily is-is
safe
?”
Alec nodded. “Yes. Emily is safe. And she is very well indeed.”
“And-and Selina?”
“Yes. Both. They are but an hour’s journey from here. I am going to take you to them.”
“And Matthias and Hansen. They must come too.”
“Of course.”
“Me Hansen!” stuck in the wide-shouldered soldier. “I speak English. I come, too.”
“But poor Mrs. Carlisle can’t come with us.”
When Cosmo’s shoulders began to shake, Alec realized he was crying, so looked to Matthias for an explanation. The valet swallowed hard and found his voice.
“Mrs. Carlisle is dead, my lord. We don’t know how it happened. Hansen says she threw herself from a window—”
“Dear God, that poor woman…” Alec muttered.
“We won’t tell Emily,” Cosmo said to Matthias. “Emily must not know, Matthias!”
“No, sir,” Matthias replied gently. “We won’t tell her. Will we, my lord?” he added looking to Alec.
“Of course not. Emily will not be told how she died, that I promise,” Alec agreed, still in shock to think the woman who had bravely taken Emily’s place to allow her charge to flee to safety was dead.
“We get out now!” Hansen stated, indicating the door cut into the paneling. “Get out before we caught! Come!”
“I don’t think that’s necessary,” Alec stated in German, a look over his shoulder when a spontaneous cheer went up amongst the soldiers on the other side of the latticed screen. He saw General Muller with Westover in custody, and Haderslev following behind, leave the gallery. Such was his preoccupation with events in the audience chamber, that he was slow to respond to his name, until he realized just who was asking after him.
“Alec? Alec? Is that you?” Cosmo asked with genuine surprise, seeing his best friend as if for the first time. “Alec! Alec! It
is
you! You did come!”
“Yes! Yes, dearest friend, it is me!” Alec responded with a tearful grin, adding with a self-deprecating smile, “Sorry it took me a bit longer to get here than I’d hoped. Not the easiest place for travel, is it? Boats, barges, and a bumpy old sledge ride!”
“Not to worry. You’re here now. And that’s the main thing, isn’t it?” Cosmo said in something of his old manner, and gave his valet a dig in the ribs with his elbow. “See. Told you. Told you he’d come. Told you Alec would never give up on us.”
The valet and Alec exchanged a look, Matthias saying with a sigh, “Yes, sir. You did indeed. How many shillings do I owe you?”
“About a year’s wages, but not to worry, Alec will pay your blunt, won’t you?”
“Yes. Gladly. And for looking after you, twice that and more!”
Cosmo squeezed Alec’s arm. “Alec. My dear, dear fellow, I can’t tell you how happy—how
exceedingly
happy—I am to see you!”
“The feeling is entirely mutual, my dearest, bravest friend.”
Both men cried in each other’s arms, grateful to be alive, to have found each other again, and to know the future was all before them. They stayed that way until Cosmo broke away with a start, whispering fearfully,
“What’s that?”
Cheering and three Hip Hip Hoorays! filled the audience chamber.
“Nothing for us to worry about,” Alec assured him, giving Cosmo’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “The people of Midanich are celebrating the dawning of a new day. And we shall, too.” He stood and put out his hand to help his best friend to his feet. “Come on. Let’s go home…”
‘
W
ILL
HE
MAKE
a recover, do you think?”
“Yes. With time—and care. I’m taking him with us down to Delvin. The country air, good food, and eventually a baby to keep him diverted as doting godfather—all these things will help.”
The Duchess of Romney-St. Neots squeezed Alec’s arm a little too tightly as they strolled the Mars Reception Gallery used by the noble inhabitants of the
Schloss
Rosine for daily exercise during the winter months. This night being Twelfth Night, the room was ablaze with light, and all the guests had assembled for an evening of fun and games.
“I still haven’t forgiven you for marrying Selina without your uncle and me present!”
“We can have another ceremony when we return to London, if you wish it—”
“No. I’m just teasing you, my boy,” the Duchess replied and was suddenly teary. “I cannot tell you how-how—
happy
you and Selina have made me—all of us! To think you are to be a father in the summer… a long-held wish finally realized.”
“For us both, my dear Olivia. Though I still find myself wondering at odd times if it is truly real.”
Both looked over at Selina, who was seated at a long table, which had at its center a beautifully-painted
Cavagnole
board. At the table with her were Cosmo, Emily, Plantagenet Halsey, Sir Gilbert Parsons, and a number of the nobles from the court. Margrave Viktor was acting as banker and held the silk bag containing the green-dyed ivory beads, and this he shook from time to time and made an elaborate show of extracting a bead. This never failed to elicit a laugh from players and audience alike.
“Why do they play it? It’s such a boring game!” the Duchess said dismissively. “But they all seem to be enjoying it as if it is the most entertaining thing they have ever experienced in their lives. I suppose the Christmas season lends itself to revels, and though I wish I was back in London, it is quite magical here, now that the war is at an end and we can sleep peacefully in our beds.”
“After the events of the past six months, even a boring game of
Cavagnole
is welcomed with enthusiasm. They are just happy to be alive, Olivia. We all are.” He added to goad her, “You’re just jaded because the most exciting episode of your life happened aboard
The Caroline
, sailing into Herzfeld port with a shipload of rebel soldiers, and my uncle threatening every last one of them not to harm a hair on your lovely head!”
The Duchess’s mouth set in a prim line, ready to refute this. But then she smiled to herself, remembering that particular episode on board ship when the French frigate closest
The Caroline
opened fire on the castle. She had leapt into the old man’s arms with the first explosive boom, and there stayed; Alec was right. Nevertheless, she squared her shoulders and lied. “Rot! I’ll only be too glad to see the back of the wretched man and set sail for Copenhagen.”
“You still mean to take Emily to see her mother?”
“Yes. I’ve come this far. Besides, I don’t have a choice. Emily wants to see her. And truth be told, I’ve not seen my daughter in years. Besides, it will put distance between her and Viktor.”
“He’s halfway to falling in love with her, too.”
“I know! What a muddle. The last thing I want on this earth is for her to be a Margravina. God help us if that happens.”
Alec shrugged. “Midanich is lovely in the spring… and Friedeburg Palace delightful…”
“Don’t encourage her—or him! Time and distance will put paid to this little winter romance, of that I’m convinced.”
“Or make it stronger…” Alec countered. “Time. Distance. Age. None of that matters when one is in love, does it? Oh, and I’m sorry to disappoint you, but nothing I have said to him can dissuade him. Uncle tells me he is duty-bound to accompany you and Emily to Copenhagen—”
“What?!”
“—so he can make certain you both are returned home in time for the birth of our child,” Alec ended smoothly, a glance down at his godmother and a private smile when he detected the flush to her cheeks. “He doesn’t want to miss that, or the christening. Like you, he was most disappointed to have missed our marriage ceremony.”
“I won’t have him! Managing man,” the Duchess grumbled. Though her annoyance was directed at herself for being secretly elated at Plantagenet Halsey’s chivalry. To deflect attention away from herself she focused her gaze on Sir Gilbert and complained, “I cannot believe you’re allowing that toad to take the credit for the trade deal with Midanich. Parsons doesn’t deserve such praise, nor does Cobham. But you do. You were the one who negotiated the terms with the new Margrave.” She glanced up slyly at her godson. “If you put yourself forward, I am certain it would get you that ambassadorship…?”
Alec let out a bark of laughter that got him the attention of half the room.
“Ha! I wondered when you’d bring that up! Your persistence alone is deserving of a medal. No, my dear Olivia. In fact, a thousand times no. I am going to be perfectly content rusticating at Delvin.”
“I don’t believe you!”
“What don’t you believe, aunt? What little lies has Lord Halsey been spinning?” Selina demanded, sweeping up to them and attaching herself to her husband’s velvet sleeve. She looked up at him lovingly. “Not that I think you capable of lying, my lord… I won, by the way.” She held up a velvet pouch full of gold coins. “Enough to buy my own village, it would seem. Though I shall donate the lot to the soldiers’ benevolent fund.”