“But I’m not—” Callie began.
“Oh, and Gabriel,” Lady Gosforth called. “Your brother Nash was here looking for you.”
Gabe’s face hardened. “Nothing to do with me.”
Lady Gosforth rolled her eyes. “Well, it is to do with you—and your guests also.” She nodded at Callie and Nicky and gave him a not-in-front-of-the-children sort of look. “Nash will dine with us tonight and explain.” She peered beadily down her nose at him. “But first there will be tea—tell those other boys I expect them! Now hurry up and tend to your horses.”
He gave her an ironic salute. “Yes, General Gosforth.”
Nash Renfrew arrived an hour before dinner. “There is a fellow, a foreigner,” he told Gabe when they were alone. “A count from some obscure little country who claims that a Mr. Renfrew, the son of an earl, is illegally holding his head of state. The Foreign Office thought he meant me, but that was clearly nonsense, so the finger got pointed at you, though personally I think he must have rats in his upper story. He says you have in your custody the crown prince of his country, Zan—Zendar—”
“Zindaria,” Gabe corrected him.
Nash’s eyes narrowed. “You mean you know what he’s talking about?”
“I do. The lady currently staying in Aunt Gosforth’s best spare bedroom is the crown prince’s mother. I presume the fellow you’ve met is a dapper blond charmer called Count Anton.”
“Good God. But this is appalling.”
“He is an appalling fellow.”
Nash made an impatient gesture. “This is serious, Gabriel. It’s a matter of state. He’s claiming the crown prince has been illegally removed from his country and must be returned.”
Gabe shrugged. “His mother removed the crown prince from his country because people were trying to kill him. He’s only seven, and being his mother she naturally took exception to it.”
Nash frowned. “I wish you’d be serious. This is bidding fair to becoming an international incident.”
“I’m deadly serious,” Gabe told him. “The child’s life really is in danger.”
“This Count Anton is the regent. He’d take full responsibility for the boy’s safety.”
“He’s the fellow trying to kill the boy. He’s next in line to the throne after the boy.”
“Ah, I see.” Nash frowned. “It’s a tricky situation.”
“Nothing tricky about it—” Gabe began.
Nash shook his head. “It’s very delicate. Count Anton has made an official complaint at the highest level, which means our government will be forced to act.”
Gabe sat forward. “You can’t mean to hand over that child to—”
“Not me, the government. I am but a minor official.”
“The child belongs to his mother—”
“Not according to Zindarian law. As crown prince, he belongs to his country. And in any case, he is a Zindarian citizen.”
“His mother is English.”
Nash shook his head. “No. When she married the prince, she became Zindarian. I have spent the last two days checking every aspect of the case.”
“Even though you didn’t believe it could be anything to do with me.”
His brother gave him a withering look. “From the little I know of you, the very bizarre nature of the case seemed to fit with you perfectly.”
Gabe gave a thin smile. “You know me better than I realized.”
Nash leaned forward, his face suddenly earnest. “Gabriel, I wish we could heal this family rift. Surely, now that our parents are dead we can put their wretched folly behind us and finally behave like true brothers toward each other.”
