intention of outliving me, I doubt it will, and for that I remain profoundly grateful to the old man.”
“Unfortunate for us, though, as it deprives us of a member who would be useful to our side.”
“I like that!” Bain cried. “You assume I won’t side with the Tories, then?” Leo shot him a withering look. Bain laughed heartily. “I suppose you’re right.”
“Still, I had thought perhaps the Whigs would manage to oust him this year, what with all that to-do after the Reform Act passed last year,” Anders said, his mind still on the choice of Speaker.
“Do you think we could talk about something other than Parliament for a few moments?” Leo asked.
“We are in the Palace of Westminster tea room,” Anders said. “Don’t you think Parliament is a rather pertinent subject?”
Ford cleared his throat. “If there’s nothing else, My Lord?”
“Yes, yes, go back to your work. I’ll meet you in the lobby after the session.”
“Very good, My Lord.”
When Ford had gone, Bainbridge said, “Bit of a stickler, isn’t he?”
“He’s young still,” Anders said, taking a sip of his tepid tea. “I think he puts a little more stock in the rules than we do.” He looked pointedly at Leo, who had, after all, suggested that the three of them meet here this afternoon.
“Well, then,” Leo said. “I suppose you know that Georgina and Maris are having their come-out this season.”
“Don’t tell us you’ve had their dance cards printed with our names already on them,” Bainbridge groaned. “I don’t mind dancing a few with your sisters, Sidney, but your mother can’t have marked either Stowe or me down as a prospective husband.”
“Actually...”
“Oh, no, Leo. Really?” It was Anders’s turn to groan. The twins were charming girls, but they were just that: girls. Anders knew for a fact that they had barely turned eighteen in October. Indeed, he had been invited down for the house-party to celebrate. During that weekend, both Lady Georgina and Lady Maris had thrown themselves at him—separately, thank God. Still, it was not a scene he wanted replayed, especially given the fact that the girls were eleven years younger than he was and not what he considered good candidates for the position of Countess of Stowe.
“I wanted to give you both fair warning,” Leo was saying. “Mother has decided she’ll take no less than a baron for each of them, and since there are few eligible bachelors of rank on the market, her list is rather...short.”
“Lord,” Bainbridge swore again. “I think I’ve already sent my acceptance for their come-out ball.”
“I haven’t,” Anders said, but when Leo shot him a desperate look he added, “but I’ll gladly dance with both your sisters there. Your mother must be patient. I don’t know exactly how many eligible men of rank there are in London this season—”
“Twenty-two,” Leo muttered. “Including the two of you. She told me three times just at breakfast this morning. I think she might even have the list memorized.”
“Well, I’m sure she’ll find someone suitable for each of the girls. Anyway, let your mother worry about that. We’ve more important things to do at the moment.”
“Oh, yes,” Bain said as Leo and Anders rose to return to the House. “Go off and play at kings and governments. I’ll be here, finishing up the cakes.”
True to his word, Lord Stowe met Clarissa in the Peers’ Lobby almost immediately after the session was finished. It had been a rather short affair, as the only matter of business had been Charles Manners-Sutton’s declaration that the choice of Speaker had once more fallen on him, and the traditional speech expressing his humility.
“Could he have been any more obsequious?” Lord Stowe asked as he climbed into the carriage. “He gives that same speech about how he’s not worthy of the post each year. ‘And if His Majesty should be graciously pleased to disapprove’,” he quoted. “I
“Unfortunate for us, though, as it deprives us of a member who would be useful to our side.”
“I like that!” Bain cried. “You assume I won’t side with the Tories, then?” Leo shot him a withering look. Bain laughed heartily. “I suppose you’re right.”
“Still, I had thought perhaps the Whigs would manage to oust him this year, what with all that to-do after the Reform Act passed last year,” Anders said, his mind still on the choice of Speaker.
“Do you think we could talk about something other than Parliament for a few moments?” Leo asked.
“We are in the Palace of Westminster tea room,” Anders said. “Don’t you think Parliament is a rather pertinent subject?”
Ford cleared his throat. “If there’s nothing else, My Lord?”
“Yes, yes, go back to your work. I’ll meet you in the lobby after the session.”
“Very good, My Lord.”
When Ford had gone, Bainbridge said, “Bit of a stickler, isn’t he?”
“He’s young still,” Anders said, taking a sip of his tepid tea. “I think he puts a little more stock in the rules than we do.” He looked pointedly at Leo, who had, after all, suggested that the three of them meet here this afternoon.
“Well, then,” Leo said. “I suppose you know that Georgina and Maris are having their come-out this season.”
“Don’t tell us you’ve had their dance cards printed with our names already on them,” Bainbridge groaned. “I don’t mind dancing a few with your sisters, Sidney, but your mother can’t have marked either Stowe or me down as a prospective husband.”
“Actually...”
“Oh, no, Leo. Really?” It was Anders’s turn to groan. The twins were charming girls, but they were just that: girls. Anders knew for a fact that they had barely turned eighteen in October. Indeed, he had been invited down for the house-party to celebrate. During that weekend, both Lady Georgina and Lady Maris had thrown themselves at him—separately, thank God. Still, it was not a scene he wanted replayed, especially given the fact that the girls were eleven years younger than he was and not what he considered good candidates for the position of Countess of Stowe.
“I wanted to give you both fair warning,” Leo was saying. “Mother has decided she’ll take no less than a baron for each of them, and since there are few eligible bachelors of rank on the market, her list is rather...short.”
“Lord,” Bainbridge swore again. “I think I’ve already sent my acceptance for their come-out ball.”
“I haven’t,” Anders said, but when Leo shot him a desperate look he added, “but I’ll gladly dance with both your sisters there. Your mother must be patient. I don’t know exactly how many eligible men of rank there are in London this season—”
“Twenty-two,” Leo muttered. “Including the two of you. She told me three times just at breakfast this morning. I think she might even have the list memorized.”
“Well, I’m sure she’ll find someone suitable for each of the girls. Anyway, let your mother worry about that. We’ve more important things to do at the moment.”
“Oh, yes,” Bain said as Leo and Anders rose to return to the House. “Go off and play at kings and governments. I’ll be here, finishing up the cakes.”
True to his word, Lord Stowe met Clarissa in the Peers’ Lobby almost immediately after the session was finished. It had been a rather short affair, as the only matter of business had been Charles Manners-Sutton’s declaration that the choice of Speaker had once more fallen on him, and the traditional speech expressing his humility.
“Could he have been any more obsequious?” Lord Stowe asked as he climbed into the carriage. “He gives that same speech about how he’s not worthy of the post each year. ‘And if His Majesty should be graciously pleased to disapprove’,” he quoted. “I
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