A Principle of Honour

Chapter 26

'Good evening, Colonel Mitford,' Lord Harrington said as he stood up from his chair, 'please sit down by the fire. I will get you a drink.'

'Thank you,' James replied, 'I have just ridden from Genappe, and the weather is just awful. It has not stopped raining for hours.'

Lord Harrington returned with a drink and gave it to James, and then sat back down in the chair opposite his visitor. 'I am afraid Miss Stanford is not here. She has been out all day helping a local doctor with the wounded. I was hoping she would be back by now. Would you like to stay and wait for her?'

'Unfortunately, I must return,' James said, 'I have been away far too long already.'

'I am sorry to hear that,' Lord Harrington replied, 'is there any message you would like me to pass onto her?'

'Yes, my lord,' James said, 'but the news will be difficult for her to hear.'

'Is it her brother?' Lord Harrington said quietly.

'Yes, I am afraid it is.' There was a pause while James reached into his satchel and pulled out the bundle he had been given earlier. 'Wrapped up in this handkerchief are the personal effects of her brother. He died today during the fighting a Genappe. Please, could you tell Miss Stanford that his commanding officer said that her brother died with valour, thinking only of others and not himself.'

'I will tell her, but that will be a small crumb of comfort knowing that her brother is now dead.' Lord Harrington said, carefully taking the small bundle that had once belonged to her brother.

'Thank you,' James replied as he got up, 'but I am afraid I must go.'

'Before you leave,' Lord Harrington said as he got up and walked over to his desk, 'there is something I think you should see.'

'What is it?' James asked, a puzzled look on his face.

After Lord Harrington had put Stanford's possessions carefully on his desk, he picked up a copy of a newspaper. He brought it over to James and gave it to him. 'Half-way down the second column, you will find a notice that will be of interest to you.'

James read the notice and then said, after a long silence, 'may I take this? I would like to show it to my brother.'

'Of course,' Lord Harrington replied, 'I take it that this has come as a shock.'

'Yes,' James said, 'I thought I had made it clear to her father, that I was never going to marry her.'

'Lady Caroline was here yesterday afternoon, visiting Miss Stanford,' Lord Harrington then added, 'and I am certain that she showed this to her.'

James folded the paper and put it into his leather satchel. 'Thank you, for bringing this to my attention.'

James then left the Harrington's and immediately went to his brother's house. His brother's butler let him in and informed him that the family were all taking tea in the drawing room. James did not want to have a confrontation in front of his whole family. He just wanted to talk to his brother alone. 'Please tell my Lord Wrexham that I would like to see him in his study, by himself,' he told the butler.

After a couple of minutes, his brother greeted him with a handshake and beckoned him to follow him. When they reached his study, Lord Wrexham sat down in the chair and motioned for his brother to do the same. Lord Wrexham looked pleased to see his brother, but James was in no mood for a friendly chat. He shook his head and said, 'I would rather stand.'

'Please yourself,' his brother replied, as he leant back in his chair and folded his arms. There was a long silence as James paced up to the fireplace and leant against the mantelpiece and looked at the dying embers in the grate. 'To what do I owe the pleasure?' Lord Wrexham then said, 'or have you just come to stare at the dying fire?'