Even before the champagne cork had popped, Chloe had been vibrating with more good news to share. Due to the Mr. Durbridge scandal, the Duke of Faircliffe and Philippa’s father had been able to pass motions taking immediate action to better upholdexistinglaws. Citizens all over the country had been galvanized into submitting complaints about illegal conditions and naming the persons responsible. The House of Commons now had a long and growing list of unscrupulous owners, and unethical or incompetent inspectors to sanction and replace.
Those who had been ignoring abuses until now might not care about the ill treatment of laborers and small children, but they cared very much about their reputations and maintaining a veneer of honor. Mr. Durbridge and the Throckmortens’ fall from grace served as a stark warning.
The situation in Tipford-upon-Bealbrook was a precedent the House had no wish to repeat. Faircliffe named Mr. York head of a select committee formed to evaluate all future inspectors and to keep them under Westminster’s watchful eye.
The siblings cheered and toasted Parliament. Faircliffe grinned and kissed his wife.
It wasn’tquiteeverything the Wynchesters had wanted and hoped for when they’d gathered names for the original petition, but until a new employment act could be passed, at least conditions in cotton mills would improve significantly, all over England.
And Graham had begun several new intelligence journals.
Before this mission, his informants had resided primarily in London. Now, he planned to actively expand his network outside the city, to other places the Wynchesters could be of service.
But tonight, the connections he valued most were right here under this roof.
He set down his champagne and reached under the table to entwine his fingers with Kunigunde’s.
Her dark eyes met his.
“I’m glad you went with us.” He caressed her soft hand with his thumb. “You were marvelous.”
“Youwere marvelous. Villains literally stopped mid-villainy to marvel in wonder at the sight of you.”
“What I mean is…Youaremarvelous, Kunigunde. Always. Every day. You needn’t wear an ugly bearskin hat to—”
“Don’t,” she said quietly. “You’re fulfilling your destiny. Please don’t try to dissuade me from mine. Your family is here. Mine is elsewhere. Your home is here. My duty is elsewhere. Can we please celebrate our clients’ success without making it aboutus?”
Graham let out a breath and nodded stiffly. Blast it, hewantedan “us.” He was done with temporary flirtations. He wanted to be a permanent part of Kunigunde’s future and for her to be his.
But it seemed he was the only one who did.
37
Kuni did not want to spoil the joy of this celebratory moment by thinking about the future.
She had scant hours left to spend with Graham and his siblings before it was time to board the ship home, and the only emotion she wanted to remember was happiness.
The Wynchester family was every bit as wonderful as Mr. and Mrs. Goodnight had hoped when they’d made the long journey here for the safety of their grandchildren. But Kuni had come to love the Wynchesters for reasons that had nothing to do with their skills in disguise or weaponry or politics.
She loved the way they loved each other.
Kuni hadn’t known a family could be like this. A cohesive team who played together and worked together, seamlessly and cheerfully. Loyal, teasing, irreverent, encouraging.
She supposed that was part of what she hungered for in the Royal Guard. Yes, her last words to her father were a vow to bring the same honor to their family and, in doing so, to make him as proud of her as she was of him. But long before that day, Kuni had counted on her inclusion in the Royal Guard to do what her own father could not:
Make them into a family thatactedlike a family.
She and her brothers would fight side by side. Sleep beneath the same roof. See each other every day. They would respect her at last, for they’d have no other choice. She would wear the same uniform, share the same esteemed title. Perhaps then they would even have shared experiences, shared jokes.Wantto spend their free time with each other.
Of course, she and her brothers would also all be very busy. Fighting, training, protecting. The days would be long but rewarding. Kuni’s value wouldn’t be in playing dolls with the princess, but guarding Mechtilda’s life. What could be more important than that?
It was such an honor to fulfill the de Heusch birthright and continue the chain of Royal Guards. Soon, Kuni would be a respected part of tradition that began a century ago and would continue on for many more. Rather like the monarchy itself. Their futures intertwined and braided together, bringing more freedoms to each subsequent generation.
Thatwas home.
Not here.
Thishome was a fantasy. A holiday to another land that might as well be another world. She had borrowed this life, this family, this caring, handsome, talented man at her side…but none of it belonged to her.
