Read Online Deadly Peril by Lucinda Brant - Free Book Online

Thus, wherever he is, so is the department. And so the letter, being here in your drawing room with his lordship present means the letter is in effect still in the department. Thus, once Lord Cobham leaves this room, and you retain the letter, it no longer remains in the department. Do I make myself clear?”
    “As mud!” Plantagenet Halsey stated. He looked to his nephew, and said with heavy sarcasm, “And you survived three years as this punctilious pontificator’s subordinate without poking him with your blade?” When Alec merely lifted his eyebrows by way of reply, he slowly shook his head. “I’m in awe of your self-possession, m’boy.”
    “Sir Gilbert is in the right. But you have my permission to keep the letter for as long as you need it, Halsey,” Lord Cobham replied haughtily. He coughed into his fist and continued, gaze firmly on Alec, though he could not help a nervous glance at his aunt as he spoke. For all his self-deluded importance as Head of the Foreign Department, with dozens of men’s livelihoods dependent on his favor, when it came to his female relatives, particularly this aunt who was a duchess, he was little more than a quivering blancmange in their presence. A prickle of heat spread across his scalp under his wig, and his cheeks flamed to match the color of his thick red eyebrows as her indignation grew in magnitude with every word of his explanation.
    “I had hoped to inform you of the department’s decision in private, but I am sure you—er—um—would prefer that I just get on with it so you can continue with the arrangements for the journey as expeditiously as possible. Sir Cosmo Mahon’s letter requests your presence to negotiate his and Miss St. Neots’ release, and makes no mention of anyone else. But, given the seriousness of the situation, I have decided Sir Gilbert will accompany you. Put more correctly, you will be accompanying him . He is—and I don’t need to remind you of the facts, Halsey—the senior member within the department, with vastly more years of experience with Continental types. He was the Minister Plenipotentiary and you his subordinate as chargé d'affaires when you were both last in Midanich, so—”
    “ Wh-What ? Clive? This is outrageous! Outrageous .”
    The Duchess had jumped up on her two-inch heels, and so quickly she almost overbalanced. But as Plantagenet Halsey had reacted in a similar fashion and was now standing beside her, he was there to grab her elbow before she fell flat on her face. She hardly noticed, such was her fury.
    “I understand you are upset, Aunt Olivia,” Lord Cobham stuttered into pompous explanation, “but this is departmental business and not your concern—”
    “Not my concern? So—you—think! It most certainly is my concern! And I will make it the concern of the Privy Council if you attempt to belittle my godson by this—”
    “Your Grace—Olivia—if you will allow me to—” Alec began, but was just as rudely cut off.
    “Alec Halsey is a marquess, a marquess , Cobham! Do you know what that is, Clive? Of course you do! One title below a duke. To point out fact, he’s higher up the aristocratic precedence ladder than you’ll ever be! And this, this person ,” she continued, rudely flapping her fan in Sir Gilbert’s round face, “is-is a— nobody who has as much consequence as a-a— flea . Do you truly expect me to allow a nobody to rescue my granddaughter from a Continental maniac? Well, do you, Clive? Do you ?”
    While Lord Cobham’s brain worked to find a suitable response that would placate his infuriated aunt—his lower lip wobbled uncontrollably—Alec stepped into the breach, and before his uncle could add fuel to the Duchess’s fiery tirade. He said mildly, but not without a hint of exasperation at wanting this meeting concluded,
    “Lord Cobham’s decision is an astute one, Your Grace. Not withstanding Sir Gilbert’s experience and intimate knowledge of the Midanich court, by sending him