“God’s Teeth! What the hell have you been doing? You can’t join the debate like that! Bloody hell, I can’t let any of our undecideds catch a glimpse of you like this. You look like you’ve been drinking all night and all day.”
Alexander felt guilty. He couldn’t have anticipated that Ambrose would attempt to steal away the time he and Sebastian had been counting on.
How can you go from plenty of time to running out of time in no time at all!
He bit back the flash of anger at Sebastian’s harsh words, telling himself it was justified.
“What do you suggest? Do we have time to send for a change of clothes?” Violet asked pragmatically.
Sebastian looked at her with barely concealed frustration, then mastered himself.
“Lady Violet. I apologize for my rudeness. I had eyes only for the condition of our champion here. I do not know what has brought you here today but I note another Ravendel is already present. Am I to expect your Uncle to appear next?”
“We left my Uncle at the house. I do not know if he intends to come,” Violet replied.
“I should bally well hope not. He has refused to support us but has refused to support the Tories either. He has committed to abstaining. When I saw your sister earlier it put the fear of God into me. I thought Ravendel had stabbed us in the back. Forgive my language.”
Violet lifted her chin, disliking the tone used to describe members of her family. “Forgiven. Now, the matter at hand. What do we do to remedy the situation? Alexander and I were caught out of doors in the recent heavy rain. That explains our condition. Will it do?”
Sebastian looked quickly from Violet to Alexander. He had spotted that she did not use the title or honorific but instead called Alexander by his given name.
“Yes, you heard correctly and have already guessed what that entails,” Alexander said abruptly. “Can we move on?”
“The Earl of Chesterfield is present and he is the only peer who shares something of your stature. And he is a Whig so I will ask him for the loan of his coat and shirt.”
He reached for Alexander’s coat, parting it to look critically at his friend’s waistcoat.
“Your waistcoat will do, the coat will cover it anyway. And the breeches can be brushed. As can the boots. Lady Violet, you will forgive me for banning you from sight until the debate and vote have taken place. I do not know any nearby Ladies who could lend you a dress.”
Violet flushed but Alexander was proud to see her put a smile to her face, showing a hint of teeth.
“Lord Sebastian. I will be occupied finding my…sister, Lillian. Could you point me in the right direction?”
“You will find her in the Whispering Room. It is one of the few chambers other than the Painted Chamber that survived the fire and is serving as a waiting room for those wishing to follow the progress of business in the Lords.”
“Then I will go to her at once,” Violet said.
Sebastian looked over his shoulder and snapped his fingers. A young man with a harassed expression hurried across a courtyard, clutching a sheaf of papers.
“Show Lady Violet to the Whispering Room and do it discreetly. Avoid any Tory eyes,” Sebastian ordered.
Violet nodded her gratitude and turned to Alexander who was glowering at Sebastian.
“Go win the day and come find us after,” Violet said and touched her fingers to her lips, blowing the kiss towards Alexander.
Sebastian grunted at the intimate gesture and Alexander grinned fiercely. He watched Violet leave, head held high, and thought that he had never met a more magnificent warrior of a woman.
Chapter 27
The young aide moved as though he were a soldier behind enemy lines. Violet walked calmly, a step behind him, but he moved in crabbed clusters of hurried steps, punctuated with furtive glances. The hallways through which he led her were either open to the air, the ceiling consumed by fire and with only blackened spars remaining of the joists that had once held up a roof, or were intact but blackened by fire and smoke. The smell of char was acrid and ever-present. Presently, he opened a door and ushered Violet into a room untouched by the blaze. The walls were paneled in dark wood and the ceiling was molded stone, giving an impression of great age and majesty.
The room was cluttered with bookcases and chairs, as though furniture from elsewhere had been deposited there, either in haste to find a home for it or to provide facilities to those making use of the room. There were half a dozen people there, talking quietly, studying papers spread onto an assortment of tables. Violet breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Lillian seated by awindow. She approached, taking a seat opposite and receiving a smile of welcome.
“Violet, I thought you would be alone. I gathered that peers were being called in from all over London for the debate.”
“Was it Godstone that told you that?” Violet asked.
“Indeed. Despite his hubris, he was very informative, I must say. I know a lot more about how our Parliament works now than I did.”
