* * *
“Andrew,have you finished looking at all the exhibits?” Bella asked when she found her brother in the Great Room.
He nodded. “All the pieces I am interested in,” he said. “There is a wonderful collection of paintings and sculptures this year dealing with our illustrious war effort.”
“Illustrious for whom,” Bella said caustically. “Not illustrious with all the veterans returning home. Especially for those injured without a means to support themselves. And all this art does is romanticize war. There is nothing either romantic or illustrious about war, Andrew,” she said bitterly.
He looked at her, his brow furrowing. “What has turned you so sour now? Did you see a particular artwork that disturbed you?”
“More like a particular man.”
“Who?”
“Aidan Nowlton,” she said.
“I don’t understand,” he said, a frown pulling at his handsome features.
“I believe Mr. Nowlton would have asked for my hand in marriage if I hadn’t married Harry.”
Andrew shrugged. “Oh, well, Harry was a splendid chap. And at least you have adequate funds, so you do not need to take a position as a governess or a companion.”
Bella rolled her eyes. Her poor brother. “You have no romantic soul, Andrew,” she said.
He considered that for a moment. “Yes, that’s true. Don’t know what I’d do with it if I had one.”
“Oh, Andrew. Unfortunately, I know you are not joking.”
He shrugged again, unconcerned, then he brightened. “Guess who I met in one of the rooms?”
“I have no idea who that might be that I would know,” Bella said dryly.
“Reggie Stafford.”
“Candelstone’s secretary?”
“Former secretary,” her brother said. “Temporarily he’s a tutor for Lord Tresham’s son. He brought the boy to the Royal Academy today to view the Waterloo paintings.”
“That’s quite a change in position,” Bella said, as they walked around the room. There was art everywhere. Paintings hung so high her neck ached staring up at them.
“Yes, and he’s not happy about it. Said he didn’t have a chance to ask Lord Candelstone for a reference before he left, and Stafford didn’t realize how much Lord Candelstone would be in poor graces with his superiors for how he handled the stolen subsidies affair.”
“Allowing the gold and guns intended for our allies to be stolen as a way to capture the traitors was insanity!” Bella said. “But you did all right, if I recall.” she added, remembering the stories.
Andrew nodded. “I wasn’t in London. I was a military liaison with the smugglers that were helping the war effort—that protected me from the backlash.”
“True.”
“Did some pretty stupid things following Lord Candelstone’s direction as much to the letter as I did. He stressed any means to an end was a fair means to an end. I followed his orders. Thought it would further my career. Almost ruined it.”
“But it didn’t, and you are an exemplary officer,” his sister soothed.
“More like an exemplary messenger boy,” he said, disgruntled.
“You are better off out from under Candelstone’s eye.”
He brightened. “I do like the regiment they have assigned me to.”
“At this point in your life, that is what matters,” she said.
