Henry loosened his arms, let Mina slide down his body. He felt he had already lost her just as he had lost so many others.
“Swift?” Susannah asked him, and Henry nodded mutely. She went to the door, and he could hear her tell Eakins to fetch Swift.
Mina stood in front of the marchioness, and a miracle happened. His aunt smiled in a way Henry had never seen before. It was not a scheming or seductive smile. Not a gratified smile. It was genuine, warm,friendly.
“I have an admirer who sent me this.” The marchioness held out her hand, and the secretary produced a doll from somewhere. It was about a quarter of Mina’s size and dressed in a pink silk dress from the last century, complete with panniers and little purple slippers and all the ruffles a little girl’s heart could desire.
“He had her made based on his memory of my court dress from May, 1785. The hair is real. The face and hands are wax. And there are glass eyes. I would like you to have her.” The marchioness offered the doll to Mina.
Mina looked at Henry.
“Ah,” the marchioness said. “Good God, I love a house full of wise women. Yes, I see you are not a fool either, little Mina. You’re scared and won’t be placated by a mere doll. But your grandfather and all of us are going to make sure all is well with you, forever. You have a great great-great-aunt who is the most powerful woman in England.”
“The queen?” Mina asked.
“No, Mina. No. Me.”
“You only are my great-great aunt,” Mina said staunchly. “You added one too manygreats.”
“Clever, clever, clever. But, you see, the firstgreatdescribes my greatness, not the degree of our relation.” The marchioness let out a guffaw before pursing her lips. “Now, Mina. You will always have me watching over you. And when you are old enough, if you like, but only if you like, I will take you to court, and you will meet the queen and realize she is a kind, overly fecund woman with the most atrocious German accent who takes all her direction from me.”
Henry had never needed a society wife for Mina. Mina had the Dowager Marchioness of Chalfont on her side. Mina would be able to go to court or not go to court. Go to balls or not go to balls. Marry a duke or not. Nothing was impossible for Lady Chalfont.
Yes, the marchioness might die before Mina married, but it was unlikely. The marchioness had once declared she would live a century, and she did not make idle threats.
“Would you like the doll? I ask for nothing in return but your thanks.”
Henry couldn’t believe the time Lady Chalfont was taking when his world was about to end. But she was doing it for Mina. It was all for Mina. He reached for Susannah’s hand and held it, and she looked at him with her soft, brown eyes, and he took comfort. He was still in the battlefield, but she was with him. All hope was not lost.
Mina carefully plucked the doll from the marchioness’ hands and curtsied. “Thank you.”
“Do you like her?”
“She’s beautiful.”
“Yes, I am. Now what will you call her?”
“Please, my lady, what is your name?” Mina asked politely.
The marchioness shook her head. “No, child, you don’t want to call her by my name, I promise you. But I would like you to go upstairs with your nursemaid,” she nodded towards Swift who had appeared in the doorway, “and think of ten of the most beautiful names in the world and later we will talk them over with Miss Beasley and pick which is best.”
Mina nodded. Henry did not want to frighten her further, so he just patted her head and murmured, “All will be well, Mina.”
She left with Swift, hugging the doll. The door closed behind them.
“We must make a plan,” said the marchioness.
The godlike secretary took a seat at a table and prepared a quill.
“And Hastings will take notes,” she added.
“This is a private matter,” Henry said.
The marchioness poked her walking stick in the direction of the secretary. “Hastings?”
The young man did not look up from his knife and quill. “I am the soul of discretion, my lord.”
“And?” the marchioness prompted.
