“Can she not?” the chancellor asked, patting his lips. He stroked his moustaches into shape. “The signing of the treaty is tonight. Then there is only the opening of the exhibition at your club of lady explorers. After that, we return to our own country and Miss Speedwell is free to resume her own life.”
“And if Her Serene Highness is still missing?” Stoker demanded. “What then?”
The chancellor held up a hand. “There is no need to fear this,” he said. “Our princess has always come back to us. She will do so again.”
Silence held the room for a long moment.
“What must I do?” I asked at last.
The chancellor, realizing the battle had been won, did not revel in the moment, but his eyes gleamed in satisfaction. “There is a simple ceremony to sign the treaty. A representative of Her Majesty’s government to witness the affair, a French delegate, and yourself. These are the only three people who will be signatories to the document. It will be a very short meeting. The treaty itself has already been agreed and copies sent to each party. Everyone brings his own and each of the three will be signed and countersigned. Once the signatures have been placed, that is all.”
“That is not all!” the baroness put in sharply. “Have you forgotwherethe meeting is to take place?”
I turned to the chancellor, dread gripping my heart. “Excellency, where are you sending me this evening?”
“It is nothing, child,” he said, raising his hands in protest. “An entertainment, a party.”
“A formal dinner,” the baroness interjected.
“Excellency?” I asked, narrowing my gaze.
He looked from one of us to the other, then surrendered. “Very well. It is a formal dinner. At Windsor Castle.”
CHAPTER
19
I dared not look at Stoker; I dared not speak. With that perfect unspoken communication we sometimes shared, he intuited my disordered thoughts and gave voice to them.
“And who will be in attendance at this dinner?” he asked smoothly. “The queen? Members of the royal family?”
“Oh no,” the chancellor hastened to explain. “Her Majesty is at Osborne House, as is her custom this time of year, I am told.”
“And the rest of the royal family?” Stoker pressed.
The chancellor shrugged. “The Prince of Wales is also away. At his country house, somewhere in the east,” he said, waving a vague hand.
“Sandringham House,” Stoker supplied. “In Norfolk.”
“Yes, that is it. I hear there is very fine shooting to be had,” the chancellor said in a wistful tone. “He gathered there for the holidays with his children and he also plays host to his sister the Empress Frederick and her daughters.”
“So there will be no member of the royal family at Windsor tonight?” Stoker said.
The chancellor’s complexion turned ruddy again. “You arethinking it is an insult to my princess? To the honor of the Alpenwalders that there is no member of your royal family to receive her?”
“Nothing could be further from the truth,” Stoker assured him. “I merely find the choice of venue curious if the family are not meant to attend.”
The chancellor shrugged again. “It was the request of the Empress Frederick. She wishes to make it clear that although none of the British royalties will sign the treaty, it meets with their approval. A gracious gesture,” he added.
“Indeed,” Stoker murmured.
The tight band around my chest eased. I breathed a little easier. “Do you know who will be in attendance?” I managed.
“A French delegation and assorted English representatives from within your government. From our side, naturally I will escort the princess and she will be attended by the baroness.”
“And by me.” Maximilian appeared in the doorway looking like a man whose conscience had kept him awake. His eyes were a trifle puffed and his moustaches drooped a little.
The chancellor looked pained. “As you are not yet formally affianced to Her Serene Highness—” he began.
