‘And from Sir Neville Knatchbull,’ he boomed. Thea held her breath. If Neville had germinated theProtea,she was going to give up here and now. ‘A uniquePassifloraof red and blue,’ went on the loud voice. The plant was paraded across the stage; the queen nodded her thanks to Neville who bobbed like aduck multiple times. Then the next gift was in the wings. Thea swallowed nervously.
‘From The Duchess of Hartford,’ came the announcement. ‘A forest of king protea. One provided here and another thirty already in residence in the queen’s glasshouses.’ The room went silent. Thea watched as the queen’s eyes grew wide, and then she couldn’t resist a look at Neville. He looked like he might explode, and his mouth dropped open like a fish. A fishy weasel, she thought, uncharitably. Poor man couldn’t help how he looked. He could, however, help his objectionable personality, she thought.
Before she knew it, the queen had motioned the gift bearer over towards her so that she could peer at the plant more closely. Her eyes met Thea’s, full of delight.
‘You did it,’ she said, full of admiration.
Thea curtseyed before speaking and was about to respond when a voice came from her left. ‘The Duke of Hartford, God rest his soul, was an excellent grower,’ said Neville’s voice. ‘I am delighted to see that he has succeeded where I could not. What a legacy after such a tragedy.’
Thea wanted to disagree with him, but it was borderline truth. Nevertheless, she opened her mouth to speak but the queen responded first.
‘How right you are about the duke’s soul,’ she said tactfully. ‘And I am sure he had his many talents, but, Sir Knatchbull, we must not use the dead to diminish those living. It was clear to me from my visit that it is the duchess and her excellent team of explorers and growers who have been active and successful in this endeavour.’
Neville shut his mouth, bowed again and receded.
‘I hear you had a misfortune with your glasshouse, Your Grace,’ said the queen. ‘I do hope that you will be rebuilding so you can bring us more of these gems?’
Thea thought of Emma and the improvement society, of Doctor Travers and his inspirational words and of Martha and Frankie, her team, as the queen had put it. The incredible people who had made this happen.
‘Indeed, I will,’ she spoke up, finding her confidence. ‘Hawkdean House will become a place for the study of natural philosophy. Of science and of plants. We will rebuild bigger and better and help more people to do more incredible work, changing the course of knowledge.’
There was a pause as the room did not know how to react. Then the queen broke into the widest smile Thea had seen her manage all night. ‘Then I will look forward to my next visit to see it,’ she said. ‘I do hope that your glasshouses will be impressive. You and I will have to see who can flower these excellent plants first, and of course, you will now join my advisory board for the new garden.’
‘I shall make sure of it, Your Majesty,’ said Thea. ‘And I will take the challenge.’
As soon as the queen had nodded her amusement and looked away, she sought Martha in the crowd who was staring at her, red eyed and with the proudest grin Thea had ever seen.
Thea and Martha headed out of the hall, pleased with their endeavours. As they ascended the steps, Thea found herself walking next to Miss Bellegarde.
‘Oh,’ she said, wondering how she had managed to get an invite to the court. ‘Who are you...?’ Then she noticed the well-dressed man who Miss Bellegarde gestured to. ‘I see,’ said Thea. ‘Is he good to you?’
‘Much better, thank you,’ said the mistress.
‘I’m glad to hear it,’ said Thea. She stopped on the pavement and turned to the mistress, considering that she might never get the chance again. ‘I should thank you for your intervention at Hawkdean,’ she said. ‘Without the tip off you gave me, I am not sure that Herbert would have stayed quiet.’
‘You are quite welcome,’ said the mistress, ‘but I cannot deny that it was in my interests.’
‘You can’t?’ asked Thea. ‘You would have been implicated as all the rest of the household with the laudanum, but no greater.’
‘You are very generous,’ laughed Miss Bellegarde, ‘but had they examined him any further I am sure they would have found it.’
‘Found what?’ asked Thea, an uneasy feeling in her stomach.
‘It was none of the other household,’ Miss Bellegarde said. ‘They all tried but when I went to check on him on the fourth day to make sure he was definitely going, he had roused further than I had seen him since the night of the fire. He got up and made water and everything. So, when he dropped back to sleep, I got some of the arsenic that goes in the makeup and rubbed it round his gums. Didn’t last five minutes after that.’ She paused. ‘He was starting to be violent with me and when I saw him with you that time, I knew we couldn’t go on, but he also wouldn’t let me leave.’ Miss Bellegarde’s carriage drew up, and the footman jumped down to open the door. There was something in his manner that Thea recognised, although he was trying to hide his face.
‘Fletcher?’ she said, astonished. A footman was a step down, but positions were difficult, without a recommendation.
‘Your Grace,’ he said grudgingly, and closed the door after Miss Bellegarde. She leaned out of the window.
‘Keeping them all in their place, I see,’ was all Thea could think of to say.
‘Whenever I can,’ said Miss Bellegarde, as Fletcher jumped up to the footplate of her carriage.
Thea reached the top of the stairs and found Martha already in the Hartford carriage. As soon as the door shut Martha pulled her in for a gentle kiss.
‘Do you know how proud I am of you?’ she asked, settling her shoulder on the boards at the back of the carriage so she could look at Thea fully.
‘And I of you,’ said Thea, a little breathless. ‘I had been so busy trying to find my own place that I lost sight of the whole. The queen was right; we are a team.’
