been invited, and the Foreign Office will season the attendees with their eager young men, your target audience,” Georgiana said.
Lily already felt sorry. If I see Sahin Pasha in public, I may cause an international incident. The Marble Marquess won’t like that.
That thought perked her up.
“That’s all?” the marquess demanded.
The dispatch rider, still in his road dirt cringed in the face of Richard’s fury. He arrived unannounced at Horse Guards, went through the desk used to screen out frivolous requests and importunate beggars, and was dragged bodily into the marquess’s private office overlooking Horse Guards Parade.
“No, I mean yes, my lord. This is the message exactly as John Thornton gave it to me. He didn’t explain anything else.”
Richard scanned the unsealed velum again, but the message remained the same.
Ship floundered. We regret we are detained in Copenhagen pending repairs. Estimated departure 30 days. I will take the opportunity to explore Danish commercial interests and make use of the archives here.
J. Thornton
He folded it back and tapped it absentmindedly on his desk. We should have sent a more strongly worded warning. Still, the bodyguard knows his duty.
He laid the message down on the desk, calculating the time it took to send this message overland. He won’t leave for another two weeks and then take three to four more to get here. John Thornton couldn’t arrive in less than a month; six to eight weeks were more likely. He didn’t appear to be in a rush.
I don’t suppose the man bothered to send word to his daughter.
“Was this his only message?”
The hapless courier opened and closed his mouth like a carp. The man looked ready to drop. Richard reined in his temper.
“What I mean is, did he notify family in any way?”
“Oh! No, sir. At least I don’t think so,” the man said.
Damn. Until her father returns, the Thornton woman remains my problem.
“Go clean up and seek your rest.” Richard punctuated his words with a shooing motion. “You made admirable time. I will see that your superiors hear about it.”
The man turned to go, but Richard interrupted him. “Send in Mr. Heaton on your way out, if you please.”
“Anything new regarding Volkov?” Richard demanded of Heaton five minutes later.
“No, my lord. He hangs on the edges of the Russian delegation. He gambles, but never to excess. He visits particularly sordid houses of—”
“Yes, yes, we know his vices. Has he approached Lilias Thornton?”
“No, my lord, no change since yesterday.” If Heaton intended it as a rebuke, Richard saw no sign.
“We’d know if he did,” Heaton continued. “Since we frightened that one ruffian off behind her square two weeks ago, we’ve seen no other sign of anyone.”
As I know perfectly well.
“If I may be so bold, my lord,” Heaton began. “Have we had word about John Thornton’s return?”
“A messenger arrived a short while ago. Not good news.” Richard showed the young man the message.
“Does she know?” Heaton asked, concern obvious on his face.
“No. Her father left that to us.”
“I’d be happy to call on Miss Thornton,” Heaton said hopefully.
The damned puppy looks like a boy anticipating a sweet.
“No,” Richard said. “I’ll handle it. You may go.” He watched the crestfallen young man leave and considered whether he should assign a different agent to the Thornton woman issue.
Don’t be a bloody fool, Richard. Heaton would make her an unexceptional husband. At least he would if the puppy didn’t bore her to tears, if he could be broad minded enough to overlook—
Richard frowned. His actions had, at the very least, complicated her marriage prospects. That thought hounded him out the door to call for his carriage.
An hour later, irritated and impatient, he let himself out in front of his sister’s townhouse.
Lily Thornton had not been home. She had not been at Chadbourn house. The ladies, he was told, went
Lily already felt sorry. If I see Sahin Pasha in public, I may cause an international incident. The Marble Marquess won’t like that.
That thought perked her up.
“That’s all?” the marquess demanded.
The dispatch rider, still in his road dirt cringed in the face of Richard’s fury. He arrived unannounced at Horse Guards, went through the desk used to screen out frivolous requests and importunate beggars, and was dragged bodily into the marquess’s private office overlooking Horse Guards Parade.
“No, I mean yes, my lord. This is the message exactly as John Thornton gave it to me. He didn’t explain anything else.”
Richard scanned the unsealed velum again, but the message remained the same.
Ship floundered. We regret we are detained in Copenhagen pending repairs. Estimated departure 30 days. I will take the opportunity to explore Danish commercial interests and make use of the archives here.
J. Thornton
He folded it back and tapped it absentmindedly on his desk. We should have sent a more strongly worded warning. Still, the bodyguard knows his duty.
He laid the message down on the desk, calculating the time it took to send this message overland. He won’t leave for another two weeks and then take three to four more to get here. John Thornton couldn’t arrive in less than a month; six to eight weeks were more likely. He didn’t appear to be in a rush.
I don’t suppose the man bothered to send word to his daughter.
“Was this his only message?”
The hapless courier opened and closed his mouth like a carp. The man looked ready to drop. Richard reined in his temper.
“What I mean is, did he notify family in any way?”
“Oh! No, sir. At least I don’t think so,” the man said.
Damn. Until her father returns, the Thornton woman remains my problem.
“Go clean up and seek your rest.” Richard punctuated his words with a shooing motion. “You made admirable time. I will see that your superiors hear about it.”
The man turned to go, but Richard interrupted him. “Send in Mr. Heaton on your way out, if you please.”
“Anything new regarding Volkov?” Richard demanded of Heaton five minutes later.
“No, my lord. He hangs on the edges of the Russian delegation. He gambles, but never to excess. He visits particularly sordid houses of—”
“Yes, yes, we know his vices. Has he approached Lilias Thornton?”
“No, my lord, no change since yesterday.” If Heaton intended it as a rebuke, Richard saw no sign.
“We’d know if he did,” Heaton continued. “Since we frightened that one ruffian off behind her square two weeks ago, we’ve seen no other sign of anyone.”
As I know perfectly well.
“If I may be so bold, my lord,” Heaton began. “Have we had word about John Thornton’s return?”
“A messenger arrived a short while ago. Not good news.” Richard showed the young man the message.
“Does she know?” Heaton asked, concern obvious on his face.
“No. Her father left that to us.”
“I’d be happy to call on Miss Thornton,” Heaton said hopefully.
The damned puppy looks like a boy anticipating a sweet.
“No,” Richard said. “I’ll handle it. You may go.” He watched the crestfallen young man leave and considered whether he should assign a different agent to the Thornton woman issue.
Don’t be a bloody fool, Richard. Heaton would make her an unexceptional husband. At least he would if the puppy didn’t bore her to tears, if he could be broad minded enough to overlook—
Richard frowned. His actions had, at the very least, complicated her marriage prospects. That thought hounded him out the door to call for his carriage.
An hour later, irritated and impatient, he let himself out in front of his sister’s townhouse.
Lily Thornton had not been home. She had not been at Chadbourn house. The ladies, he was told, went
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