Page 104 of The Moonstone Hero
“She’ll tire of me if I continue to tread on her feelings.”
“She understands what you are going through. Let’s find out why the foreign secretary is so desperate to see you.”
“They’re not going to let you into the meeting, Stafford.”
His friend shrugged. “I never expected they would. I’ll wait outside. You’ll tell me whatever it is they allow you to tell me. Do you think they are going to ask you to take over as governor in Fulke’s stead?”
“It was the first thing that crossed my mind. I’m not going back there, at least not now. There is too much of importance to be done here.”
“Marrying Lady Ella, for one,” Stafford muttered.
Caden nodded. “She is at the top of my list, although I seem to set her aside too often. No more, Stafford. I am marrying her tomorrow, even if it has to be done at the crack of dawn.”
“You do realize the government is in turmoil, don’t you? New king. Wellington has just stepped down as prime minister and Earl Grey has yet to officially take his place. You are England’s hero. Everyone loves you. They are going to rely on you heavily.”
“Let them find another hero.”
“It is not that easy,” Stafford replied. “I doubt there is anyone in England at the moment who outshines you.”
They rode on and arrived apace at the Foreign Office.
As expected, Caden was ushered into a small meeting room while Stafford was told to wait outside.
Lord in heaven.
He came face to face with Wellington and Earl Grey. Also present was the Duke of Wooton, known as the Duke of Ice and legendary among the agents of the Home Office. It calmed Caden to know Wooton was participating in the discussions, for he had been home secretary for years and provided much-needed continuity in the affairs of government.
Finally, Viscount Palmerston entered carrying maps of West Africa in his fisted hands, and set them on the table as he began to bark questions at Caden. “This is an unholy mess, Mersey. What do you know of Fulke’s activities? Is it true he had mercenary soldiers under his private hire? Did he claim Ashanti gold mines for himself? I’ve heard about your speeches and how you are railing about the way territorial governors are appointed and the powers they are given. Talk to us now. What is wrong with our system?”
Caden was surprised by the urgency when he had been trying to gain Lord Palmerston’s attention for weeks now. His stomach began to roil, for this meant something terrible had happened beyond the loss of his entire regiment several months ago.
“Fulke was a greedy arse who purposely stirred up rebellion for his own aims,” he said, taking a seat at the table as the others did. “He cared not a whit for the good of the Crown. If anything, he was subverting Crown goals for the purpose of enriching himself and his friends. I suggest you bring Lord Abbott in for questioning, for he appears to be at the heart of this matter.”
“What do you mean?” Wellington asked. “I’ve heard he has been putting together investor groups to explore opportunities in various areas of the world. I see nothing wrong with that. Does it not bolster our ties to those countries?”
“Not if we are outright stealing their richest assets, which is what Abbott does. He finds the crooked territorial governors, has them stir up trouble, and then has them send in British soldiers to quiet the unrest. But it does not stop there. Those governors then seize the properties of these supposed rebels, claiming it is done on behalf of the Crown.”
“Should these properties not be taken? After all, we must protect our interests,” Earl Grey intoned.
“Yes, if ever they were Crown interests. However, the Crown never acquires control, nor does it see a shilling of profit. Those seized properties are turned over to Abbott and his investors. The crooked governor is given a cut for himself. This is where Abbott’s mercenaries come in, for they are tasked with guarding the properties so they are not reclaimed by the original owners or the Crown.”
“This sounds quite wild,” Wooton muttered. “Do you really expect us to believe that Abbott has mercenaries?”
“Who do you think Fulke used to protect himself?” Caden shot back.
Palmerston frowned. “Was this not your duty?”
“Yes, but he would not allow me or my men near him. Because of the unlimited powers granted to him, as with all territorial governors, I had no authority to override his decisions. You made it very simple for him to shut me out and prevent me from acting on behalf of the Crown.Me.A commanding officer in the Royal Marines, and you had me taking orders from that oaf.”
Caden could see Lord Palmerston’s face getting red with anger, but he had no intention of stopping now that he had everyone’s ear.
“As far as I know, Abbott has not dared bring his mercenaries onto English soil. I don’t know the exact arrangement between Abbott and other governors like Fulke, or between him and his mercenaries, but they all played a role in cheating the Crown. Get rid of these crooked governors and you will fix most of the problem. Remove their authority over British troops and more of the problem will be solved.”
“You are familiar with Fulke, but do you have the names of other such governors for us to start our investigation?” Palmerston asked.
“Not offhand, but I know exactly where to look first. The areas with recent rebellions against the British. Focus your attention on those regions known for their gold, diamonds, and other precious stones. I would not rule out those with profitable trades in salt, cocoa, vanilla beans, tea, or pepper. You will find Abbott’s influence wherever there are riches to be made.”
“You would have us look at every country in the world,” Wellington said, dismissing the notion out of hand.
