Page 8 of The Lady Glass
Rolland withheld his groan. “She means well.”
“Yes, but she possesses romantic notions we cannot afford to get mixed up in. You do recall my letters? I have someone else in mind for you.”
“I remember.” He’d hoped he’d have a little more time before the inevitable happened. “Who is she that you cannot even tell Mama about her?”
“Your mother will know soon enough, as will the rest of England. Her name is Miss Shields.”
Rolland frowned, trying to connect the faceless name to a memory or any piece of information that he might have heard about her. “Lord Caspar’s daughter?”
“The very same.” His father motioned him into the empty library before continuing. “Lord Caspar’s opinion holds great weight in parliament. He’s driven, with a strong vision for England. We need to be completely unified before we present to our allies, and a marriage between our families will serve such a purpose. You know more than anyone what happens when the world powers are out of balance.”
He knew well. War. It was always war. And it had already taken too much from England and the rest of Europe. This marriage was no simple favor his father was asking. Everyone knew the outcome of the Congress of Vienna was more important than ever. It had the potential to throw one country against another or, conversely, finally allow them to find peace. Getting the committee united was not only ideal but imperative. Miss Shields and he were merely small pawns in a massive historical movement.
“This Miss Shields,” Rolland began. “Have you met her?” Would such a triviality even matter?
“Once or twice, and she is highly sought after, for good reason. Regardless, weneedthis connection, Rolland. Lord Castlereagh is our key representative, and he has offended too many here at home. Lord Caspar, on the other hand, is a popular man. A marriage between our families could sway public opinion in our favor more than anything else. It shows unity of feeling. Do you understand?”
“I do. Will Lord Caspar and his daughter be joining us, then?”
“He is an extremely busy man and regretfully cannot attend the house party, but after it is through, an introduction shall be made without further delay. Prepare yourself to make a good impression, and don’t get attached to anyone else in the meantime.”
“As you say.” At least in this Rolland had nothing to worry about.
“Good.” His father put his hand briefly on Rolland’s good shoulder. “Now, hurry back to the ballroom before your mother comes to hunt you down.”
Rolland retreated from the library, another weight added to his shoulders. A footman stepped into view—one of Marcus’s hidden guards—allowing Rolland to comfortably walk away.
It was obvious his father was too concerned about politics toworry about the threat on his life. Folding his arms across his chest to keep from tearing the suffocating cravat off his neck, Rolland thought on his father’s words. Rolland wasn’t one to play political games, but if it was for the greater good of his country, how could he do otherwise now? He’d committed long ago to take up the torch every soldier carried and sacrifice his will for his country.
“There you are,” came a welcome voice from behind him.
He turned to face Marcus, another member of his small circle of most trusted friends, and bowed. “Your Grace.”
Marcus chuckled. “If I knew you’d bow to me, I might have taken up the dukedom sooner.”
Rolland saw right through his sarcasm. Outwardly, Marcus appeared the same with his broad shoulders, the dirty-blond hair curling over his ears, and an easy smile on his mouth, but Rolland wasn’t fooled. “If only suddenly attaining a dukedom was as easy as all that.”
“No,” Marcus said. “There’s been nothing simple about any part of this process. But enough about me; it’s been good to see you again. Alive, too.” Marcus eyed him now, as if waiting for Rolland to tell him about his injury. It wouldn’t happen, though, and Marcus seemed to come to the same conclusion, so he said, “What do you think of our grand plan? It’s off to a good start tonight.”
“Grand?” Rolland scoffed. He liked strategies that surprised the enemy, but nothing about a house party with all their suspects as guests felt right. “Why am I the only one unconvinced about this whole thing?”
“You’re right to be wary. We all are. That’s why we have contingencies in place.” Marcus pointed to the footman standing guard over the library.
Rolland sized up the guard that his father had already managed to lose once. He was of a decent stature and had thebearing of a good soldier. “Very well. I’ll do my best to show a little more faith, provided you don’t start playing matchmaker like everyone else.”
“Come now, you know I value my life.” Marcus made a pretense of visibly shivering.
“I appreciate a duke who knows his place,” Rolland joked back, when really the idea of Marcus being intimidated by him was laughable. Marcus might not be a trained military officer, but none of the four members of their underground intelligence group were without their strengths—physical or otherwise. Lord Cadogen was a skilled swordsman with animallike cunning, Lewis was a skilled cipherer and a good shot, and Marcus could read people and outwit and outmaneuver them. Rolland had his own skills honed in the navy, and he liked to think his injury did not make him any less of a contribution. The four of them did not spend a great deal of time together, but there was a circle of trust that bound them together and spanned time and space. Their collective strengths would be an asset to his father, and he knew he could depend upon his friends, even if he did not have complete faith in their plan.
“Speaking of my title,” Marcus grimaced. “None of thisYour Gracebusiness. My ears haven’t adjusted to it, and I find it altogether irritating.”
“I cannot imagine the difficulties you’ve faced. Tell me why you complicated your life all the more by throwing this confounded house party so soon after accruing the dukedom and taking a wife.”
Marcus’s blue eyes darkened, and a serious demeanor settled over him. “I did it as an act of friendship, Rolland.”
Rolland stopped in his tracks. He didn’t doubt Marcus’s sincerity, but it was still hard to swallow. “Friendship is a talent of yours, many would say, but this goes beyond that. It was a dangerous move for you and the duchess.”
“I won’t deny it, but it’s also a calculated risk. When Cadogen wouldn’t give up on me, it made all the difference. I can say right now I wouldn’t be married to Tansy or have stepped into the role of duke otherwise. After hearing about your father, I thought it my chance to do the same for you.”
