Page 102 of Crash Landing
Althorpe and the princess remained silent a long moment once she had finished.
“Had I been aware of Frampton’s taking possession of my letters,” Althorpe spoke up, confirming Florence’s suspicions that he was the writer, “I would never have allowed you to undertake this task. He isan extremely dangerous character and has been under watch by the Home Office for several months now.”
“Those letters should have been burned years ago,” the princess confided. “But my dear friend simply could not bring herself to part with a single one. They were her treasures. Please believe me when I say we had no idea the dangers you were facing, or we would never have considered asking you to get those letters back.”
“But you were quite brilliant and brave,” Althorpe added. “We are all very much relieved to see you safely back in London.”
The princess turned to him. “Lady Simmons was afraid to tell you. She ought to have gone to you first and admitted all, but she was so terrified you would be angry with her. Of course, we had no idea what a fiend Frampton was, or she would have swallowed her pride and told you at once.”
“Weymouth, I am very much in your debt,” Althorpe said, “for I think the result would have been tragic had you not protected your wife so ably. Frampton will be dealt with now, and quite severely.”
“And what of Lady Frampton?” Florence asked, concerned for her friend.
Althorpe handled this response as well. “No charges will be brought against her. Obviously, she had to do her husband’s bidding for fear of the dire consequences to herself. But she showed bravery in helping you get them back. I hope she will continue to cooperate with us, for I know he is holding similar damaging information on others.”
“He is,” Florence said. “I considered grabbing everything I could, but that would have given us all away, and I could not risk our plan failing.”
“A wise decision,” Althorpe said. “This is a task better left to agents of the Home Office. They will gather and destroy whatever else he has.”
She wasn’t sure if the information on others would be destroyed or used for Althorpe’s gain. But he had the trust of the entire royal family,which said a lot about his honor and intelligence, because many in the family despised each other and would not trust another’s ally. Althorpe seemed inclined to work for the good of England rather than for his own personal gain.
But what did she know? Shehopedthat he wielded his power far more wisely than Frampton ever had.
“Frampton worked his way up to his position of authority by threats and extortion,” Althorpe went on to explain, as though reading her expressions that were much too transparent. “But he overstepped all bounds when he killed one of our Home Office agents last month. Well, we suspected he was the one who gave the order, but we did not have the direct evidence to prove it. And now it appears he tried to kill you, too. This must be beyond what even a loyal wife would support.”
“It is,” Florence assured him. “Lady Frampton will cooperate. I am certain she will. Her life is as much in danger as any of your agents. She will need the protection of the Home Office against her husband’s retribution.”
“She will have it,” Althorpe replied.
Florence was relieved her friend would be safe. And even more relieved that the Home Office would now come down on Frampton and take away his claws.
With matters resolved and their tea finished, the princess dismissed them.
Florence was never more relieved to be sent packing. They returned to the Weymouth townhouse, and she was too drained to say much on their ride home. Nor did Trajan appear to want to talk as his barouche made its way through the bustling London streets.
To their surprise, Durham, Fiona, Bromleigh, and Ramsdale awaited them in Trajan’s study.
“Thank goodness!” Fiona cried, rushing forward to greet Florence. “Tell us everything!”
Florence hugged her. “I’ll let my husband tell you, for heunderstood the nuances of our royal meeting. Much of it went over my head.”
“It was extraordinary,” Trajan admitted, settling Florence in one of the plump leather chairs beside the hearth and then taking a seat beside her on the fat, padded arm of it. “But we are not at liberty to tell you who was in attendance along with the princess.”
Florence looked up at him. “You peeked at those letters, didn’t you? You knew who had written them. This is why you were not surprised when you saw him beside the princess.”
“Yes, and I’m gladhewas there.”
“You aren’t referring to Althorpe by any chance, are you?” Fiona asked.
Florence groaned. “Why did you mention him?”
Fiona gasped. “Oh my goodness! Itwashim!”
Trajan slapped a hand to his forehead and muttered an oath. “You cannot repeat this to anyone, Fiona. Nor can any of you. How in blazes did you know?”
“It is an open secret,” Fiona said. “Everyone is aware he was Lady Simmons’s first love. They wanted to marry, but her family thought he was a man of little merit at the time. He proved them wrong, didn’t he?”
“I’ll say,” Bromleigh said with a snort.
