"May I present, Mistress Rosalind Hayes."
Stanwick announced me as I stepped into a study as grand as the Minerva Press Library, with floor to ceiling bookshelves accessible by rolling ladders, and a dark wood bar stretching the length of one wall. The duke sat with the prince regent in a pair of velvet wingbacks, each with a drink in their hands. Their heads popped up at the announcement.
"Rose!" Philip waved me over with his glass. "George and I were just speaking of you not minutes ago."
"I apologize for the intrusion, your highness. Your grace. I had only stopped by to make an inquiry."
The prince regent stood, looking more like a nobleman than the son of a king in his riding breeches and vest. "Mistress Hayes, your timing could not be better if it were divinely guided. Come. Join us for a drink."
A drink? With the prince regent? I knew time was of the essence, but how could I refuse a royal invitation? I could not. "Thank you. I hate to be any trouble. As I said, I came on a whim to manage a small situation."
As I approached, his highness reached for my gloved hand and lifted it to his mouth. "Your wish is my command, if only to repay you for the ray of sunshine you have delivered upon your arrival."
The duke chuckled into his chest, which earned him a scowl from the prince.
"Philip doesn't appreciate the sensibilities of a woman and the benefits of well-executed prose."
While I agreed that the duke rarely used flowery sentiments, I did believe he understood the sensibilities of a woman. Although, he likely didn't convey that in the presence of his male counterparts.
"What is your pleasure?" The prince waved to the bar as he walked toward it. "We have anything a young lady might desire; brandy, port, absinthe?"
"A small glass of port would be perfect. Thank you, your highness." I glanced at the door as Stanwick shut it behind him, and I suddenly felt as if I had been left in the company of hungry wolves. While I knew the duke had a great deal of respect for me and my circumstance, the prince regent and I had not established such a rapport.
The prince seemed perfectly at ease behind the bar, and he kept a close watch on me as I took a seat beside the duke. After hearing Stanwick's revelation about Prince George's desire for a mistress, I was beginning to regret my choice to drop in on his highness. The complications were mounting by the minute.
In a maneuver I hoped would not be observed by the prince, I offered the duke a pleading look, lifting my brows and biting my lip.
"Here we are." The prince returned with my port, and I quickly took a sip. "May I say, you look radiant. I expect that's your hair giving off such a glow. The sea air must agree with you. What did you think of the Surety? She is a fine vessel, is she not?"
"Very fine. And a fine crew as well. Colonel Robert Smith managed my company. I learned a lot under him."
The two men exchanged sly glances, and I knew just where their minds had gone.
"Well, I will have you know that I am doing my best to see that our initiative is passed so those brave soldiers do not continue to suffer after they return from war. In fact, I will be hosting a gala at Almack's Assembly room to butter up the noblemen who will be debating it. I wish for you to accompany me. Your enthusiasm, humour and rapier wit is sure to secure a few votes."
"I am flattered by your faith in me, your highness. I would be honored to accompany you. Has a date been chosen?"
"The last Saturday of the month. If you need help purchasing proper attire, I will send one of my maidservants to assist you. I know you have recently taken yourself out of the courtesan arena, and I would hate to see you struggling to manage your finances or needing to sell off items of sentimental value."
He gestured to the pendant around my neck, and I automatically reached for it. "My finances are still quite flush. But thank you for the kind offer." While the statement was not exactly true, I did not want to feel I owed the prince a favor. It was going to be tricky enough navigating the next bit of business. I took a healthy swallow of port and pressed on.
"I have intruded long enough. If you will allow me to forward my inquiry, I will get out of your hair."
"It is no trouble," said the prince. "But, please, proceed with your inquiry."
Oh, dear. How was I to manage this so that it appeared I did not actually need his help in particular. "I received a missive from a General Abram Hayes whom the duke and I met recently in Chatham. It was suggested that he may be my maternal grandfather. And while our meeting did not go as well as it could have, he saw fit to write me and offer the name of a man who might know how to find my parents."
Again, the statement was not completely false, but I preferred to withhold the full truth until I had a better grasp of the situation.
"The name of the man he offered is Robert Malcolm Erskine ̶ the Earl of Perth. After learning this, I set off to discover if this earl is currently sitting in the House of Commons. It turns out that he is. As you likely surmised, I am unable to meet with the earl until I submit to a lengthy enquiry or I am able to secure a vote of confidence from someone of merit. The session ends today, so time is of the essence. I had hoped to enlist the duke's help in this matter, but I did not know his schedule. Hence, how I ended up on the doorstep of the palace on the chance I might solicit a letter of recommendation. It was serendipitous the duke was here."
I turned to Philip with another subtle plea. Would he read the meaning behind my earnest smile? I knew him to be a clever man.
"Perth, you say," said the prince. "How does this Scotsman know about your parentage?"
"The general was not very telling, your highness. If I were to guess, I would say he was merely attempting to clear his conscience by providing me some sort of trail to follow."
"I see. Well, I would be happy to provide you with a recommendation. Let me fetch Stanwick so he might bring a pen and the palace stationary." The prince stood and walked toward a bell pull, and I counted my heart beats in time with his steps. Oh, the trouble I had caused myself. Would it all be worth it?
The duke had been uncharacteristically quiet during the whole of the conversation, which I didn't care to puzzle out. I just needed the man to find himself and save me from accepting the prince's offer. Was he aware of the prince's plan to take me as a mistress? Surely, he knew what a terrible position that would put me in.
"Don't bother, George. Let's sit and enjoy our drinks." Philip finally spoke up as he waved the prince back to his chair. "As I said before, I am needed at another engagement shortly. I will manage Mistress Hayes's request so she can follow this trail and satisfy her curiosity. Why don't you tell her about your surprise discovery of King Charles?"
The prince stopped in his tracks, and I thought he might condemn the duke for making such an ill-mannered request. Instead, the prince wore a ready smile as he walked back, detouring to the bar to freshen his drink as he began the tale of how he and his servants discovered the hidden crypt as they prepared to intern his deceased mother-in-law.
The duke and I finished our drinks well before the prince appeared ready to conclude his story, and I waited nervously until the duke reminded his highness of the time sensitive nature of my quest. After pressing another kiss to my gloved hand and confirming my promise to accompany him to his gala, the prince finally excused us. Stanwick remained mute as he escorted us through the palace, and the guards finished the task to the duke's carriage. By then, the rain had gotten fully underway.
When the horses were en route to our destination, I broke down and revealed the true contents of the general's letter. As expected, the duke had already surmised this was the case.
"I had a feeling you were descended from Scottish lineage. And it makes perfect sense you would have noble blood running through your veins." He chuckled. "A royal courtesan. Now there is something you don't find every day."
I thought it interesting that he mimicked the reverend's sentiments. But, regardless of the outcome, I could still credit Clementine for my royal manners. "I hope you understand why I withheld the full contents of the letter to his highness. I was already in danger of becoming indebted to him."
"Your subtle facial cues were not wasted on me. I am wounded you doubted my ability to read them. In fact, I would have attempted to intervene had you not censored yourself. I happen to know that the prince intends to ask you to be his mistress should you decide that marriage does not suit you."
His brows lifted as he anticipated my reaction. How could I disappoint him? "Is that so? Well, that news is indeed troubling. Surely, he knows the difficulty I would face to say yes to his request."
"I doubt he is thinking of you at all. George is as self-serving as any royal I have known. Although, I must say, I am heartened to find him working so hard on the initiative you forwarded to help the disabled soldiers of war. Perhaps, it is due to his fondness for you."
"Could it be he truly has compassion for these unfortunate men?"
The duke chuckled again. "Oh, Rose. Just when I think your cleverness knows no limits, your belief in humanity shows up and ruins it." Strangely, I appreciated his coarse humour. I was thankful to be in his debt rather than the prince regent.
Without the sun to determine the time, when we arrived at the Palace of Westminster, I was afraid we were in danger of being too late. Like a true gentleman, the duke held my parasol and helped me navigate the puddles as we took the stairs and found our way to the lobby. After drying off, we made for reception where the same well-dressed man tidied up his desk.
"Good afternoon, Lowell, isn't it?"
The man nodded, and a small smile appeared on his face.
"This is my dear friend, Mistress Rosalind Hayes. I take it we have arrived before the House of Commons has adjourned."
The secretary glanced between us, and I could see him putting two and two together. "I expect they'll be adjourning any moment, your grace."
"Very good. Mistress Hayes wishes to speak with the Earl of Perth. And I am here to vouch for her superb character. Is there a form that needs signing to make it official?"
The man slid a blank piece of parchment toward the duke and handed him a quill pen. "Just write out what you told me and that'll do."
While the duke managed the request, I smiled at Lowell. He appeared unperturbed by our demands, which likely stemmed from dealing with needy noblemen on a daily basis. When the task was handled, Lowell wrote out something on a separate piece of parchment and handed it to a nearby clerk who scuttled away.
"We will see that the Earl of Perth is informed of your presence. If you wouldn't mind waiting in the main lobby until the assembly adjourns."
He waved us toward a well-appointed sitting area dotted with wingbacks, tea tables and footstools. Once again, the duke politely escorted me to a chair. When he made himself comfortable in the next wingback, I worried he was feeling obligated to stay.
"Thank you for managing this for me, your grace. Please, do not feel compelled to miss your next engagement on my account. I will be fine."
He smiled as he relaxed into the cushions of his seat "There is no engagement. I just used the excuse to limit my visit with George. He is a self-centered arse, and I only pay my respects when he requests it. Today, he wanted to talk about you, of all things. He believes I possess some amount of influence over you and can convince you to break off your courtship with the captain."
"Oh, dear. May I enquire what you told him when he suggested it?"
"I told him that you would do exactly what you wished to do. And if he intends to establish any sort of amity with you, he should be prepared to do that on your terms."
I bit my lip. "Should you have said that to the prince regent?"
"To you and the rest of the world, he is the prince regent. To me, he is and always has been a self-centered arse."
Although he seemed perfectly content to remain securely at my side, I was not altogether certain I wished for him to be present when I met this earl. What if the man became furious at my queries? Was the lobby of parliament the proper place to hold such a conversation? How did I plan to approach the subject? I had not even worked that out yet.
My stomach began to protest when a number of finely-dressed men entered the lobby through a wide hallway. As I watched, one man broke away from the others and walked to the reception desk. After a brief discussion, the secretary pointed in my direction. The man nodded and turned to make his way toward us.
While I tried to remain calm, my nerves could not keep still as I made comparisons. The first and most obvious was the strawberry-coloured hair covering his head in thick waves. His eyes were lighter than mine; hazel I supposed. Perhaps, our prominent chins bore some resemblance. But that was where the similarities ended. Could this nobleman be my father? Did I dare hope? As he approached, I stared up at him like a stunned deer in the sights of a huntsman's rifle.
"Are you Mistress Rosalind Hayes?"
"I am." I stood to greet him and found him studying my face curiously.
"I am Robert Malcolm Erskine. Earl of Perth. The secretary informs me that you have gone to some lengths to secure an audience with me."
"I have, your grace. My good friend here, the Duke of Norfolk, has vouched for my character so I could see you before you left London."
The two men regarded each other, and a handshake was exchanged. "Philip Arthur Weston," said the duke. "I don't believe we have ever met. But William Kingsley has mentioned hunting near your estate."
"Ah, yes. The Earl of Oxford. He's a tenacious fellow. I say that with the utmost respect, of course."
I covered a smile with my hand, knowing exactly what he meant. I was also enjoying the earl's lovely Scottish drawl.
"Most people call it stubbornness." The duke spoke frankly as he pushed up from his chair. "Well, I will take my leave and await you in the carriage, Rose. Take your time."
I watched the duke walk off and found myself struggling with the impulse to call him back now that things had gotten underway. Then I heard the earl speak my name.
"Rose?" he whispered. "You go by Rose?"
"Yes. My closest friends call me Rose."
"And this duke is one of those friends, I take it? Do you hail from a noble family, as well?"
Oh, dear. What now? "I am unaware of my parentage. I was born in a foundling home and remained in an orphanage until the age of nine when I was fostered by a family. May we speak freely here?"
I gestured to the nearly empty sitting area. Only a singular gentleman sat in a wingback. From my vantage, the poor fellow looked to be as old as the building itself. He also appeared to be sound asleep. Around us, bodies moved with purpose, although none seemed to take notice of us.
"I am comfortable speaking here, unless you require something more discrete."
"This should be fine."
He assumed the chair the duke had vacated, and I sat back down. When our eyes met, he was studying me again. "I appreciate you taking this time to attend me, your grace. I know you are probably eager to return to your home in Perth."
"Actually, I won't be leaving until tomorrow. It is a long journey, and I try to avoid traveling at night."
"A prudent practice. Well, I am here because of a chance meeting I had with a General Abram Hayes in the township of Chatham. There was some speculation...more on the part of the townspeople than the general...that I might...I might..."
My mouth suddenly went dry, and my tongue did not relish letting the words pass over my lips. This rarely happened to me, but it might have had something to do with the earl. He appeared stricken, like I had stomped on his foot during the Quadrille.
"I apologize, your grace. What I am trying to say is..."
Before I could finish my sentiment, he finished it for me. "You might be my daughter."