A Scandalous Adventure by Lillian Marek

do.”
    â€œIf we simply vanish, it will put the prince in danger, will it not?” asked Lady Olivia, looking at him solemnly with those huge brown eyes. “And he does not even know that there is danger.”
    Why on earth was she so worried about Conrad? It was all very well and good for a woman to have a tender heart, but…Conrad was the prince. It was not for women to rescue the prince. He turned to Lady Susannah. “Lady Susannah, Suse, you saw at the very start that this was a foolish endeavor. Now you cannot let these other ladies persist in an escapade that has turned seriously dangerous. Make them see sense.”
    She looked at him for a long minute, but finally shook her head. “I admit that I thought it was foolish at the beginning, but that was because I did not think it would be possible to make people believe that Olivia is the princess. Obviously I was wrong about that. And I also admit that I thought it improper for us to get entangled in your country’s situation. We could, and perhaps should, have refused to involve ourselves.
    â€œHowever, things have changed. Whether properly or not, we are entangled in this situation, and what we do, or fail to do, will affect others than ourselves. You cannot expect us to turn aside just because we have encountered a few difficulties.”
    Then she smiled at him, as if she expected him to understand.
    She looked reasonable. She sounded perfectly reasonable. How could she sound reasonable when she was uttering such idiotic nonsense?
    â€œA few difficulties?” Max exploded. “Are you out of your mind, woman? You could all get killed and it would be my fault.”
    â€œYou must keep your voice down, dear boy,” said Lady Augusta. “The footmen at the door are not deaf, and I have no idea if they can be trusted.”
    He sat down abruptly and closed his mouth. He was losing his self-control as well as his mind, and he’d had to be warned about the most elementary precautions by a white-haired old lady covered in silk ruffles.
    â€œThat’s better,” said Susannah. “Now, Lady Augusta is right. It would be dishonorable of us to abandon this cause when we are in part responsible for the current situation.”
    â€œYou are not responsible!” He wanted to shake her. “ I am responsible. The general is responsible. But not you ladies.”
    â€œActually,” said Lady Augusta, “the people responsible are the ones who kidnapped the princess. That would be your friend Hugo, it appears.”
    Max made a strangled noise.
    Lady Augusta ignored him and continued, tapping her chin thoughtfully. “Or one might say that the fault lies with whoever made the decisions that led to the unrest in the country, which in turn made an alliance with Hechingen so necessary. That, I gather, would be Hugo’s father, Count Herzlos.”
    â€œOr Prince Conrad,” put in Lady Olivia regretfully, “for failing to take charge of the country himself.”
    â€œAt this point it no longer matters who is to blame,” said Susannah. “But if we run away, we leave the field to Horrible Hugo and Helga the Hag. It may sound petty, but I cannot bear the thought of letting them win.”
    â€œNeither can I,” said Olivia. “Imagine her setting herself up to give orders to the princess. I know I’m not, really, but she didn’t know that.”
    â€œStop that!” Max was outraged. “You cannot turn this into a joke by giving them silly names. These people are dangerous. You must not forget that at least one man has already been killed.”
    â€œTrue enough,” said Susannah, “but silly names remind us that they are not infallible. If they were, we would not be here and they would not be so confused. And I refuse to let them drive me away as if I were some timid little mouse.”
    â€œBravo!” said Lady Augusta, beaming a smile at Susannah. “I knew