The Forgiven Duke (A Forgotten Castles Novel) by Jamie Carie Page A

butler looked half frightened to death.
    “Well, don’t keep him waiting in the hall!” Gabriel barked. “I’ll need you to stay and write down what he says if he’ll abide it.”
    The butler hurried away, coattails flapping. How he wished for Meade’s steady presence. He had looked into that too since being home and discovered that his stalwart secretary was well on his way aboard a ship he’d hired, a little schooner named Mary-Ann , probably some fisherman’s long love. It wouldn’t be a comfortable ride aboard such a small craft, but Gabriel could just picture Meade enduring it with those gritted teeth and that calm-eyed surety he had when it came to getting a job done. Especially a job concerning himself or Alexandria. Gabriel expelled a breath with a smile. Meade would do just about anything for Alexandria Featherstone.
    The prince regent walked into the room, chin up and glaring down his nose at Gabriel.
    Gabriel swept into a low bow. “Your Highness, I must first tell you that I am having an affliction with my ears and cannot hear well. My butler will have to write down what you say in a speaking book so we may converse.”
    Gabriel turned to the butler. “See that His Majesty has anything he needs before we begin.” He turned back to the regent, who appeared deep in consideration of this turn of events. “My deepest condolences on your blessed mother, the queen.”
    The regent started to say something and then stopped, appearing confused. He nodded instead and sat on the edge of one gilt-edged crimson chair. It looked to creak under his ponderous weight. Gabriel threw out his tailcoat and seated himself across from the man, wary and watching. As soon as the regent seemed settled and the butler had the speaking book, seated in the chair next to Gabriel, they began.
    The regent started on a long and animated discourse about something that his butler was obviously having a hard time keeping up with.
    Oh, please God, help me. This is going to go badly indeed. Gabriel pressed his fingers against the bridge of his nose while watching a bead of sweat trickle down Hanson’s temple. He finally passed the speaking book over and Gabriel tried to read through the scratching lines.
    He says thank you for condolences, et cetera, et cetera. He mentioned something about the Sloane manuscript and your guardianship, et cetera, et cetera. He’s here to check up on it and discover what’s what. More, but I didn’t catch it.
    There was no reason under heaven that Gabriel would tell the regent that his butler had missed most of what his esteemed Royal Highness had said. Time to improvise.
    “Your Highness, might I tell you a story? It’s about this mysterious manuscript.”
    Like a child come to life, he brightened and nodded.
    Gabriel told him of the last six months, trying for his best tone of voice, though he couldn’t know how he sounded, but he tried to let the emotion of the story color his voice as he explained about Alexandria. He told it from her point of view and from a child needing her parents as much as a government needing a manuscript. He told of Hans Sloane’s collection and the hidden mystery that men like the kings of Spain and France had reason to believe could be valuable to their country.
    Then Gabriel glossed over his part, how the regent had appointed him guardian and he was doing his best to complete the task, but Alexandria, God bless her, just wanted her parents found. He painted her more a pretty child than a woman. He painted her like him, the regent. Impetuous, a little reckless maybe but so full of heart, someone who needed guidance and help . . . support.
    “So you see, Your Majesty, while it is of the utmost importance that we find this manuscript before Spain and France do, don’t you think we should also help Alexandria find her parents, dead or alive, so she can put this to rest and go on with her life?”
    The regent sat back, the heavy folds of his boyish face rapt and