A man only a few years older than Toad, dressed as formally as Toad had ever seen outside a state occasion, was seated on a high-backed silk-covered armchair, reminiscent of a throne. Toad was left alone with the king with alacrity, two sets of French doors closing tightly to Toad's left and behind him. He made his Court bow and the king waved him to a seat on a less comfortable chair about five feet away.
"Marquess of Abersham? Is that correct?"
"Yes, Your Majesty, heir to the Duke and Duchess of Wellbridge and Seventh Sea Shipping. And I speak German, if Your Majesty would prefer it, and can indulge any small errors."
"You do? Excellent." The king switched to German as easily as Toad might switch from French to English. "Tell me why you are here in Greece."
"Do you not know the story, Your Majesty? I am the new Managing Agent for Delphinus Shipping, an old and respected Grecian company that has lain dormant some forty years. My uncle, the Marquess of Firthley in England, is a native son of Greece, and would have been heir to Delphinus, had Napoleon not had his way. He cannot take on the rigors of building a shipping line, but he can certainly fund one, and my education in France has been entirely in service to such an enterprise."
"Yes, you trained as a sailor. Quite a novel occupation for a duke's son. I was glad to hear from Leopold's court that it did not give you a distaste for your own class."
Toad tried saying nothing first, in the hopes he would not be expected to answer, in part because he did not have a distaste for his class. He simply didn't have one for any other class, either, and thought there should be less division between them, overall. He breathed easier when the king began speaking again. "You have heard talk of this constitution?"
Ah, there was the silence that required a response. "Of course, I have, Your Majesty. It is the topic of conversation the length and breadth of Greece, to say nothing of the rest of Europe. At the very least, no man with business interests is unaware, and I have business interests across the Continent and beyond."
"I have heard from Italy that you are both a businessman and a monarchist, which is, itself, odd."
"I'm sure many businessmen are monarchists."
"Not many noblemen engage in business."
"Every nobleman I know engages in business. Most do not keep an office outside their home."
"You are clever, Lord Abersham. If eccentric."
Toad raised his brows and sat back, declining to answer again.
Fortunately, the king took that as agreement, for Toad might see himself ejected, or worse, detained, if the king took up against him. Still, his father had impressed upon him that one should never lie to a monarch if it could possibly be avoided, and sometimes it could be avoided just by letting them talk about themselves. Prinny's ire when Toad had dissembled at age six was enough to drive the lesson home.
"I am concerned I will need transport away from Greece for myself and my family. I am told you have a ship adequate to such a royal journey. Since you are a member of the nobility and an avowed royalist, and your family here have been loyal to me, I think it more likely than not you will see the wisdom of supporting the throne in any such rebellion."
"I have ships," Toad said tentatively. "But you have ships, Sire."
"I prefer to arrange travel in a manner unknown to the Grecian military."
"I see." Toad drew in a breath and called upon the ghost of his mother's first husband, who had navigated throne rooms and royal politics with an expertise unparalleled in modern mercantile history. "The ship you to which you refer, the Delphinus ambassadorial frigate, is currently on loan to Grand Duke Leopold. But I can provide other ships, not so well-decorated, until we can offer a similar conveyance."
"Excellent."
"From all I have heard, Your Majesty, you will not be forced to flee, as long as you will cede just a bit to the opinions of your people. I cannot think but it is a small thing to trade for one's life and the chance to live outside exile."
Toad knew better than to continue after spouting even mildly populist rhetoric at royalty, but the man across from him seemed contemplative and had briefly nodded at something in the back of his own mind, so Toad took a chance that might cost him his life or his livelihood.
"We are both young men, Sire, and as one who was exiled from his home country until very recently, I cannot overstate how it can wear a person's spirit down, to be unwelcome in one's homeland, among one's own people. I will be pleased to offer your family transport at a moment's notice to any locale you choose—I can even offer you respite at any of my family's estates in England or on the Continent—but I do hope sincerely such an outcome can be averted."
Without acknowledging any of the political sentiment at all, the king's face closed, and he ended the conversation. "You are based in Piraeus, so I will plan accordingly, and will pay your company personally to outfit a ship and keep it in port."
"I have one there now, which I will replace with something more appropriate to your station as soon as I can. Before four weeks have passed, in any case, for I will leave Greece then, for a time. Your safe passage will, of course, remain."
"Thank you, Lord Abersham. You will please assure the Andreadises of the crown's continued custom, and may return to Piraeus at your convenience, or remain a guest of the palace, if you wish to see more of Athens."
At no signal Toad could see, the secretary who had delivered him to the palace opened the door, stepped into the room, and bowed. When the king waved a hand, Toad and the king's lackey both bowed their way out.
Toad and Franks were on the way back to Piraeus within the hour.
***
Sally and her friends strolled back along the beach towards the port, trailed by two of Sally's bodyguards. It was Wednesday, so today's companions were Huala and Melody, and today's duties included a visit to Albert Island where both girls lived. The girls had joined Huala's large family for lunch, and were now heading for their next lessons, to be delivered to a motley group of port children in a little schoolroom established by the missionaries. After that, they'd take afternoon tea with Melody's family before Sally and Aronui crossed back to Victoria Island.
Tomorrow, Clara And Tuiara would take their three-day turn as Sally's companions and Her Grace's ladies in waiting. One day at whatever activities had been planned for the Governor's lady, and two days helping at the mission, making calls in the various European settlements around the islands, and visiting the local villages. And on Sunday, all four girls attended church with Sally and Aronui, then spent the afternoon enjoying one another's company.
The pattern had been established for several weeks, and Papa was delighted with the feedback he received through the council that advised him. "They all love you, Sally, and you and your friends are showing them that they can work together."
Sally had needed to find unexpected skills in diplomacy to overcome the prejudices and preconceptions of her new friends, but if Papa was pleased, she was pleased.
And certainly Huala and Melody had become friends, though Clara and Tuiara both considered themselves superior to all the others except Sally, which was mostly amusing but could cause problems, especially when it came to Sally's insistence that her maid be treated with the courtesy due to a friend.
At the mission, the girls each taught a class in the school at Tuiara's village: mathematics from Sally, English from Melody, palm frond weaving from Aronui, and healing chants from Huala, who had been apprenticed to the village healer on Albert Island until the woman had been killed by rioting sailors a few months ago.
Paradoxically, the accident had healed a breach between the port and the local natives, since Melody's father had taken swift and decisive action to find and punish the perpetrator, thus averting a war of revenge. Unfortunately, Huala's father and Melody's were out of sympathy with one another again since the Haverfords arrived. The chief was petitioning the Governor to clamp down on the gang of outlaws, led by a man who called himself 'the duke.' They hid in the port and used it as a base to raid the rest of the island and the nearby ocean, or so rumour said. The harbourmaster denied the existence of any such gang, insisting that any incidents were random and unconnected, and prompted by high spirits on the part of shore-going sailors.
Certainly, Sally had seen no signs of such outlaws. Her father's insistence on her bodyguards following her everywhere was becoming more than tedious. Surely nothing could happen to her in such a tropical paradise, especially when she was surrounded by her friends.