course, he was famously short-tempered, and it would be foolish of her to provoke him.
But then he achieved such remarkable things in the House of Lords.
She had two choices: they could engage in twenty minutes worth of silent dancing, or she could speak. He clearly considered his duty to end with the dance itself. “I read the description of your recent speech in the House of Lords, Your Grace.
”
He looked marginal y more awake. “In the London Gazette ? I’m afraid that the majority agreed with the opposition, more’s the pity.”
“Are you quite certain that you are right about Mr. Fox’s intent to make the East India Company accountable to commissioners?”
“Am I certain that it’s a blatant attempt to seize the Company’s wealth for themselves? In a word: Yes.” He didn’t look very pleased by her question anymore.
“I mention it because I was greatly struck by the wording of the actual bil . I am in sympathy with your wish to force an election, but should not companies be accountable? Someone must look over their shoulders, Your Grace.”
“The Whigs look over the Company’s shoulders only to seize its wealth.”
“How hard it is to tel the difference between an anti-corruption measure and greed,” Charlotte said. “It did occur to me—”
She stopped.
“What occurred to you?” He looked interested, bending down slightly, and Charlotte’s heart thumped again. “Curses, we’re going to the end of the measure,” he said. “Don’t forget your thought.”
A moment later they were reunited. Charlotte looked at him over their raised hands. “You understand that I have only read the accounts in the Gazette .”
“They have been fairly accurate, which is unusual.”
“I thought that perhaps you might emphasize the question of treason in your next speech,” she said. “As I understand it, you are trying to drum up support against Fox. But if I were you, I would swing this particular discussion to support for the King, rather than antagonism against the Secretary of State. Fox is so very popular.”
His eyes narrowed. “I suppose I could. But Fox is the problem and he absolutely must be removed.”
“Tel the House of Lords that anyone who votes for the bil would be regarded as the King’s enemy. Don’t even mention Fox.”
For a moment he lost his step in the measure and then recovered. “Miss Charlotte, I’m grateful indeed that I asked for this dance.”
Charlotte’s heart sped up again. He drew her to the side of the room. “Did you have a chance to read the debate published in the Gazette between Lord Temple and Fox?”
Roberta knew that she should be in the bal room. She knew that al she had to do was walk down that last flight of stairs and she would enter the buzz and hum that was drifting through the house. She had been dressed for at least forty minutes.
The problem was that her dress was al wrong. She stared at herself in the mirror again. “You wil be a perfect jeune fille ,”
Jemma had told her that morning. “We’l dress you very simply, some rosebuds here and there, a strand of pearls.”
“I don’t want to be a jeune fille ,” Roberta had protested.
But Jemma had been firm. “I realize that you are a Reeve at heart. But your first appearance in the ton must be as an exquisite bud of young innocence. Later you can show your true colors. After you’re married.”
Roberta sighed. She had dreamed of going to a bal . But it was difficult to pretend to be docile and modest. She tried casting down her eyes again. No one could be innocent who had lived with her father for long. She felt like a fool. A wolf in lamb’s clothing.
Just then the door burst open. “There you are,” Jemma cried. “You look adorable!”
Roberta looked back in the mirror. Her hair had been careful y curled and powdered by the lady’s maid assigned to her.
She was wearing pearls, and there were sprigs of apple blossom in her hair. Her panniers were large enough to be
But then he achieved such remarkable things in the House of Lords.
She had two choices: they could engage in twenty minutes worth of silent dancing, or she could speak. He clearly considered his duty to end with the dance itself. “I read the description of your recent speech in the House of Lords, Your Grace.
”
He looked marginal y more awake. “In the London Gazette ? I’m afraid that the majority agreed with the opposition, more’s the pity.”
“Are you quite certain that you are right about Mr. Fox’s intent to make the East India Company accountable to commissioners?”
“Am I certain that it’s a blatant attempt to seize the Company’s wealth for themselves? In a word: Yes.” He didn’t look very pleased by her question anymore.
“I mention it because I was greatly struck by the wording of the actual bil . I am in sympathy with your wish to force an election, but should not companies be accountable? Someone must look over their shoulders, Your Grace.”
“The Whigs look over the Company’s shoulders only to seize its wealth.”
“How hard it is to tel the difference between an anti-corruption measure and greed,” Charlotte said. “It did occur to me—”
She stopped.
“What occurred to you?” He looked interested, bending down slightly, and Charlotte’s heart thumped again. “Curses, we’re going to the end of the measure,” he said. “Don’t forget your thought.”
A moment later they were reunited. Charlotte looked at him over their raised hands. “You understand that I have only read the accounts in the Gazette .”
“They have been fairly accurate, which is unusual.”
“I thought that perhaps you might emphasize the question of treason in your next speech,” she said. “As I understand it, you are trying to drum up support against Fox. But if I were you, I would swing this particular discussion to support for the King, rather than antagonism against the Secretary of State. Fox is so very popular.”
His eyes narrowed. “I suppose I could. But Fox is the problem and he absolutely must be removed.”
“Tel the House of Lords that anyone who votes for the bil would be regarded as the King’s enemy. Don’t even mention Fox.”
For a moment he lost his step in the measure and then recovered. “Miss Charlotte, I’m grateful indeed that I asked for this dance.”
Charlotte’s heart sped up again. He drew her to the side of the room. “Did you have a chance to read the debate published in the Gazette between Lord Temple and Fox?”
Roberta knew that she should be in the bal room. She knew that al she had to do was walk down that last flight of stairs and she would enter the buzz and hum that was drifting through the house. She had been dressed for at least forty minutes.
The problem was that her dress was al wrong. She stared at herself in the mirror again. “You wil be a perfect jeune fille ,”
Jemma had told her that morning. “We’l dress you very simply, some rosebuds here and there, a strand of pearls.”
“I don’t want to be a jeune fille ,” Roberta had protested.
But Jemma had been firm. “I realize that you are a Reeve at heart. But your first appearance in the ton must be as an exquisite bud of young innocence. Later you can show your true colors. After you’re married.”
Roberta sighed. She had dreamed of going to a bal . But it was difficult to pretend to be docile and modest. She tried casting down her eyes again. No one could be innocent who had lived with her father for long. She felt like a fool. A wolf in lamb’s clothing.
Just then the door burst open. “There you are,” Jemma cried. “You look adorable!”
Roberta looked back in the mirror. Her hair had been careful y curled and powdered by the lady’s maid assigned to her.
She was wearing pearls, and there were sprigs of apple blossom in her hair. Her panniers were large enough to be
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