A Royal Kiss and Tell

“I’ll serve lamb,” Priscilla said, waving the girl over when Caroline had finished pinning the hem. “The butcher in Newgate has taken a liking to me.” She took the girl’s hand again, and Caroline leaned closer. There was no mistaking that Weslorian green.

She watched the girl go out with the stool.

“Caroline! Where are you?”

Caroline started and whirled around. Priscilla had presented her back to be unfastened out of the gown. Caroline was breathless. She’d found a Weslorian. “What about marzipan cakes?” she suggested.

How would they rescue this poor girl? They? Yes, of course, they! She and Leopold. He’d come to her for help and she was going to help him. She had to do it. For him, and for herself.

But the other thing suddenly beating in her chest was the knowledge that once Leopold had them all, he meant to leave.

He would be leaving very soon. Too soon.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

The Pennybacker ball was held in Mayfair to much fanfare. At midnight, a light supper of ham and potatoes was served, as well as ices to keep the guests from sweltering.

The best of summer evening gowns made their appearance at the ball, the most desirable including the latest in French fashion of having elaborate bows cascading down the front of the dress.

Prince Leopold of Alucia has announced his imminent departure from England. He is expected to set sail in a matter of days and return to Helenamar to formally announce his engagement to a Weslorian heiress. It shall come not a moment too soon, as Lord Pennybacker has accused him of trying to seduce one of his maids during the ball.

—Honeycutt’s Gazette of Fashion and

Domesticity for Ladies

LEO WAS INDEED being followed. The day after Caroline had told him about the two men from the foreign secretary’s office, he’d noticed a man walking briskly behind him. Kadro and Artur were strolling behind him, too, but either they hadn’t noticed the gentleman, or...or was it possible they were part of the conspiracy against him? Leo wouldn’t have believed it, but then again, he wouldn’t have believed there was a plot to kidnap his brother last year, either. And yet there was. What possible reason would anyone have to plant such a terrible rumor about him? To keep him from discovering the identity of these women?

He didn’t know how or what, but he knew instinctively that it had something to do with Cressidian.

He decided he would think about it when it was necessary. For the time being, he had something pressing to think about. Time was running out to find the last two Weslorian women and free Rasa from Lord Pennybacker’s shackles. He had to at least find the women he knew about. He couldn’t begin to guess how many more there were that he didn’t know about. Young women. Poor women. Helpless women.

He hoped to have Rasa in hand very soon. Tonight was the night of the Pennybacker ball, and somehow, Caroline had managed to see him invited to attend.

Last week, a footman from the house on Upper Brook Street had delivered a note. It said simply, Please do accept any and all invitations you might receive. He’d thought it odd advice, seeing as how he wasn’t receiving any invitations, his name having been struck from all the rolls of suitable guests. But then, curiously, an invitation to dine at the Farrington home arrived a day or two later. In spite of Caroline’s note, he was rather surprised by it—he scarcely knew Lord Farrington. Nevertheless, Lord Farrington had issued his invitation and seemed eager to make Leo’s acquaintance. The date was set for Saturday next.

The invitation to the Pennybacker ball arrived the day after that, along with a personal note from Lady Pennybacker, begging His Royal Highness’s forgiveness for not having sent the invitation sooner. The ball was to be held in just four days’ time, and three days before the dinner at the Farringtons’.

The note said the invitation had been “inadvertently misplaced.”

“Inadvertently misplaced,” Leo repeated. How the devil had Caroline managed it?

“Shall we accept?” Josef had asked, his expression inscrutable. “It is Wednesday evening, and your calendar is free.”