“I’m not interested and I’m not pretending to be either. I’ll be civil to him, but don’t try to sell me out to him.” My words echo over the rippling waters.
Lennox doesn’t say anything for a few seconds. “It would solidify the relationship between the two countries if you were to be involved.”
“What happened to your engagement and future queen giving me more freedom, Lennox? This isn’t resonating with that.”
“I know. And I’m not asking you to, just maybe do as much as you can while we’re still in talks.”
Talks that have lasted years, from before William Goldsmith was Prime Minister. “Where are you leading these talks? What’s your endgame?”
It’s the first time I’ve asked him so bluntly. So far, Lennox has been acting on our father’s behalf, but recently, his own ideas have taken forefront.
He shakes his head.
“Len, tell me. Where are you trying to take us?”
“Reunification. But nothing as straightforward as it being a monarchy or with a parliament as it is now. It didn’t work before; we can’t go back there. But this fracture isle doesn’t work for anyone.”
I freeze with his words. Our father has worked for strengthening the bonds without reunifying, making England and Scotland one country again. This is maybe a step too far.
“You’re going to cause war.”
“We already have war, Blair. We have extremists in every camp. Goldsmith’s of the same mind as me; we just need to work on this treaty and how it’s delivered. My speech next week is around the closer trade links. Making it cheaper to import and export to each other. Build reliance between us and not with the rest of Europe and America.”
I don’t go into detail about the economics of it. I understand what he’s trying to do, and the implications.
“What’s Dad said?”
Lennox shrugs.
“Tone it down. Slow it down. There’s too much unrest. Why not make your engagement the focus, get people on your side more?” Make the most of his blushing bride-to-be. “Dad’s health is going to hit the news and we’ll have to cope with people’s grief. Changing too much of what he’s done now will turn people against you.”
I see his jaw clench. He doesn’t like my words.
“You need to be less impulsive, Lennox. It could get you killed.” I start to head back to the path, the wind rustling through the leaves. We’re in for an early winter, the squirrels are already starting to stash food for it.
“You’re okay about Elise?”
Suddenly I am. There are bigger worries than Lennox marrying someone for something other than love. “Yes. I hope you’re happy together.”
* * *
Franklyn is hovering for me when I return to the castle. He doesn’t ask about Elise or what was announced, probably because he knows, probably because he’ll hear me talk about it later.
“You have a parcel, Blair. It was hand delivered this morning.”
I follow him through to the family sitting room where my mother is sat at the table, going through papers.
The package is on a side table, a long thin shape, wrapped with green paper and tied with gold-coloured ribbon.
“It’s been checked, of course.” Franklyn means it’s been scanned. No explosives or anything chemical.
I undo it with my mother’s eyes watching.
It’s a jewellery box and before I open it up, I know what’s inside.
A gold chain, cleaned and restored, with three emeralds set into it.
“Let me fasten it.” My mother is there, taking it out of my hands, inspecting it as she places it around my neck. “It’s beautiful. I think I recognise it.”
