On the short ride from Windsor Station to the castle, Susan finally thought of something to distract the princess from her miseries. “Prince Leopold will be pleased you’re back.”
Louise brightened at once. “Dearest Leo. How he misses me.” Then her smile faded. “He sounds miserable in his letters. Oh, that odious brute, Archie Brown. Why Mama ever made that man Leo’s personal servant …”
They knew why. He was John Brown’s brother, and the queen would not hear a word against either of her Highland servants.
“You will cheer the prince. You always do.”
“Leopold must be my object. His terrible bleeding … I wish I understood it better. I must ask Doctor Lewis the next time I see her.”
For all of Louise’s self-absorbed misery, she threw herself into schemes of happiness for those she loved. The princess spent the rest of the ride listing them: sketching with Prince Leopold, challenging him to backgammon, riding around Windsor Great Park, and playing duets at the piano.
“Leopold always feels better when I’m near.”
Susan knew it was true. He loved her best among his siblings. Princess Louise often read aloud his letters addressed to “My dearest Loo.”
The carriage reached the top of Castle Hill, rolled through the twin-towered gateway, and stopped. They parted at the doorway, Louise to her apartment near the queen’s chambers. Susan followed a footman to her guest room in Lancaster Tower.
“The queen will receive you in Her Majesty’s private study at five, my lady,” the footman said.
“Thank you. I know the way.” Susan glanced at the mantel clock.An hour.
At ten minutes to five, Lady Styles headed down the Grand Corridor. Two hundred feet of crimson carpet separated her chamber from the apartments in the Queen’s Tower. The busts of kings, generals, and statesmen stared down from their plinths, looking haughty and disapproving. Susan knew thecastle well enough to have exchanged her open-knit gloves for a kidskin pair and to wear her warmest shawl. Still, she shivered.
She was curious about Victoria’s summons to her private study. Susan’s fluttery insides felt as if she’d swooped down on a high swing. She touched the nape of her neck and smiled.A few centuries ago, I’d worry about my head.
The imposing, scowling John Brown waited at the curve of the corridor. Susan nodded. “Good evening.”
“Aye, that’s as may be.” He cocked his thumb. “She’s in her study. Don’t make her wait.”
Charming as ever,Susan thought.
Brown turned on his heels, led her down a short hallway, and opened the door. “Lady Styles to see ye.”
The queen sat at her desk. She closed the notebook she’d propped against a large inkstand’s base and set aside a silver-nibbed pen. Victoria picked up an ivory fan, twisting awkwardly to face her visitor. Brown strode forward. He lifted the ebony-and-gilt chair by its armrests and turned it forty-five degrees. Although the room was frigid and Brown had done all the work, the queen’s beet-colored face glistened, and she fanned herself rapidly.
“Woosh, woman, yer an armful.”
The queen laughed coquettishly, a light musical sound at odds with her solid bulk. “Thank you, my good Brown. That will be all.”
“As ye say.” Brown closed the door behind him.
“Majesty.” Susan made a deep curtsy.
The queen regarded Susan from a round, unsmiling face, her light blue eyes slightly hooded. “The queen understands that Lady Styles accompanied the Princess of Wales to the offices of a doctornoton the list of royal physicians. A female person.”
Good lord, her spies are everywhere,Susan thought. “Your Majesty is correct. Her name is—”
“The queen knows her name,” Victoria said, snapping her fan shut.
Whatever happened next, Susan thought, her days as a courtier were numbered in any case.Thanks to Lionel.
Julia climbed the stairs from her ground-floor office and reached the landing as the knocker clanged. Mrs. Ogilvie opened the front door to Inspector Tennant.
“I’m not interrupting the doctors’ dinner?”
“The doctors are having drinks in the library.” Julia waved a copy ofThe Lancetmedical journal. “If you stay to dinner, we’ll happily postpone our discussion of head wounds.” She felt a pinch of disappointment when he said he had a cab waiting.
“Sir Richard expects me. I have two questions, and he’ll press me for the answers.”
