“Right, forgive me,” corrected the prince. “How are the dear girls?”
“My nieces are well,” bit out Ian, not entirely a lie.
“You’re cross,” said the prince.
“I’m confused, Highness. You’ve a waiting room filled with loyal subjects who are about five minutes from coming to blows. Someone has broken a window. I would not wish to waylay your allotted Monday with your many adoring supplicants.”
“Ever a selfless man of the people,” mused the prince sarcastically.
“Indeed,” said Ian, still trying to gauge his motives. When the prince said nothing, Ian took a deep breath and dove right in.
“Fine,” Ian said. “Since you’ve asked, I’ve urgent need of a recall to the export duties in Bournemouth. The livelihood of my tenants—of so many craftsman in Dorset—will cease if they cannot ship their goods beyond England without being taxed to the teeth.”
“Oh yes, yes, tenants and taxes,” mused the prince. “I will see what might be done. But let us return, for the moment, to the diverting topic ofyour nieces.” He gave his wife a wink.
Ian suppressed a growl. He reminded himself that he’d expected this. His old friend had summoned him, but Adolphus had almost no power. The export levy was an issue for parliament or the king.
As to Ian’s nieces... Ian marveled that Adolphus had remembered the girls. If Ian had ever mentioned them, he had no idea why. Furthermore—
“Pray keep your dagger glares and ground teeth in check, Lachlan,” snapped the prince. “We’re not in a barracks and you’re distressing my wife. She is endeavoring to do the lot of you a very great favor.”
“Pardon, ma’am,” Ian bit out, bowing stiffly. “Whatfavor?”
“Your two nieces have accompanied you to London, have they not?” asked the prince.
“They have,” Ian said, but in his head, he thought,No, no, no, you must bejoking—No.
But of course the die had been cast.
The flame-haired woman in the antechamber had made this abundantly clear. What a terrible, seemingly unavoidable surprise. And Ianhatedsurprises.
“And you intend to host them in a Season and launch them into society?” said the prince.
“Something of the sort. If I can manage it.”
“You’re a duke of some means, Lachlan. Of course youcan manage it. If you’re worried about that scandal with the rioters, surely that’s nearly forgotten.”
Or, thought Ian,it’s been remembered vividly—as evidenced by the woman who recited a distorted version of it to me just five minutes ago.
He said, “Yes, Highness.”
“Tell me what challenges you face with the girls?”
Nothing that has anything to do with you, thought Ian, but it was clear by the look on the prince’s face that he would have an answer.
“Ah, my sister—their mother—is a bit... distractable,” ventured Ian. “And the girls are very... raw.”
“Quite,” soothed the prince, his voice sympathetic. “This is what we’d heard.”
“Heard fromwhom?” Ian ground out. Beyond sending staff ahead to open the London townhouse, he’d told no one he was returning to London. Even less had been said about the girls.
“Oh, we have our sources, don’t we, Minnow?” the prince was saying, grinning at his wife. The princess scooted as close to him as their separate chairs would allow. She leaned over to whisper something in his princely ear. She was a pretty little thing, if your taste ran to sugary and young and petite, which Adolphus’s always had. And good for him. It was difficult enough to be a duke. Ian was certain that seventh son to a king came with a great many more challenges. Dolph should have his doll-like wife, but he should have her without treading on Ian’s already complicated life.
“If you can conjure the appropriate amount of respect and courtesy for my wife,” said the prince, “she would like to extend an offer—to you, for your nieces. Regarding their advancement.”
Why couldn’t people, Ian wondered, leave well enough alone? His only wish for himself and his family was to live their lives without comment or interference except toeradicate the bloody export duties on the livelihood of his tenants.
“My wife is offering tosponsorthe girls,” said the prince. “Next spring. In their presentation at court. To Mama.”
