Chapter One
Davina touched the crown of her bonnet to make sure it was still angled correctly. She smoothed the leather of her gloves. The anteroom in which she sat held two other people, both gentlemen from their bearings and garments. She assumed she would have to wait for them to be seen first.
The summons had arrived three days ago, impressive in its cream laid paper, exquisite penmanship and crested wax seal. It instructed her to arrive at St. James’s Palace at one o’clock today, and to give the summons to a page at the door of the Tapestry room. That young man had brought her to this chamber to wait.
What a commotion that letter had caused. Mr. Hume, her employer, had insisted on reading it, then demanded her attention for almost an hour while he instructed her on how to behave, what to say, what not to say, and how to subtly make threats without doing so outright. She hoped she would be spared the last. On her lap she had the letter her grandfather had received from Court. Surely once it was seen all would be rectified.
She fingered the other paper she carried, the one in her father’s hand where he explained all he knew about the legacy. He had given it to her when he became ill with the malady that would kill him.I am entrusting all this to you, for what good it will do. Still, you’ve a right to know.She wished she had him beside her now. His quiet, steady manner had always given her confidence.
A different page appeared in the chamber. He approached her. The two gentlemen did not take that well. Their glares followed her while the page escorted her out.
She was almost never nervous, but her stomach churned now. Still, she needed to keep her wits about her if she were going to speak to the king.
The page brought her to an office not far from the anteroom. A man greeted her and bade her sit on the blue-silk upholstered chair near the large window. He then sat nearby in a wooden chair that kept his posture very straight.
“I am pleased to meet you, Miss MacCallum. I am Jonathan Haversham. I am of the Household.”
He meant the king’s household, of course. Perhaps he was an important functionary in it. Maybe not. For all she knew Mr. Haversham was nothing more than a very old page. He certainly wasn’t a young one. He looked to be about fifty, his gray hair had turned sparse on the sides and absent on the top. Lean and angular, his heavy-lidded dark eyes and wide, flaccid mouth gave the impression he resented having to deal with her.
“Your petition for an audience was received,” he said.
“I have sent others.”
“I am aware of that. I am sure you can imagine how busy His Majesty is. He is not indifferent to the concerns of his subjects, however, so he has asked me to speak with you.”
So she would not see the king. At least she was being seen by someone, however. “As I explained in each of my letters, I have evidence that my great-grandfather’s estate was taken by the Crown after he died. I know that in many such cases the property was later returned to the family. I have a letter from the king’s father that he would do the same for us.” She handed over an old folded parchment. “The king himself told me when he was in Edinburgh that he would address the matter.”
Mr. Haversham perused the letter. “What makes you think your grandfather was the heir to these properties?”
“He told my father that he was, before he died.”
Mr. Haversham smiled slightly. “There have been errors on such matters.”
“The last king did not think so.” She gestured to the letter he still held.
“The last king was at times confused.” He looked down at the letter. She wondered if he wanted to claim it was a forgery. That would be hard to do, because it bore a seal. “Do you have whatever proof was sent to the palace, to convince the last king of your grandfather’s claim?”
“I assume it was kept by the king.”
“We have found no evidence of it.”
Her heart sank. She could not guarantee there ever had been evidence, so she could hardly now demand they find it.
“The king,thisking, the living one, told me personally that he would look into this and deal with it. He was in Edinburgh and I had an audience. You were not there, but I am sure he remembers and, if not, there were others like you present who certainly do. The man who obtained the audience for me does.”I have proof of this at least, so don’t try to put me off.
His lips thinned and folded like a frog’s. “No one questions that meeting, Miss MacCallum. We will indeed look into it. We have already begun. Hence my comment about the proof. It will be needed. Kings do not hand over land to claimants merely on their say-so. As for this,” he waved the letter that he still held. “It will figure in the final determination of what to do once that proof is found.”
She took the opportunity on one wave to snatch it away. “I will hold it, if you do not mind. I would not want it to be lost and I am sure you have thousands of letters here.”
“Of course. As you wish.” He glanced at the letter greedily.
“I will also endeavor to provide yet more proof, to support that which was sent all those years ago,” she said. “I am determined to settle this.”
“As are we, I assure you.” He stood and offered his hand to help her up. “You will give His Majesty’s regards to the duchess, I hope. He was delighted to receive her letter.”
Davina doubted that. However, that letter was probably why she had been received by anyone at all. If not for the Duchess of Stratton, this entire journey to London would have been a waste of time.
Again a page escorted her through corridors and chambers until he deposited her in the drawing room.
