Page 23 of King Takes Queen
Isadora marched up to Diana. “Are you calling your future brother-in-law, my husband-to-be, a liar?”
“I am. While I’m fully aware it’s all for the greater good, Minerva needs to be on her guard. It is highly unlikely Camdon will reveal his true intentions.”
Marriage suited Minerva’s youngest sister, as it would Isadora, but what of her?
“The both of you stop fretting and have faith that I shall prevail.” Minerva squared her shoulders and mentally donned an invisible suit of armor, prepared to go into battle with an unfamiliar opponent.
As they descended the stairs, a wave of male laughter halted Minerva mid-step. She had always hoped her sisters’ husbands and her own would merely become an extension of their close family. Chestwick’s deep tones, mixed with that of Isadora’s Avondale, harmonized with Lord Camdon and her brother Gregory’s laughter.
Minerva’s chest tightened. Her family had been her priority for so long—would she be able to live as Madame Rose, on the outer fringes of society, not able to interact daily with her siblings? But wasn’t that the point of her plan—to seize one Season for herself? To do as she wished without the restraints of being a lady, the daughter of a viscount?
“Minerva, is something amiss?” Isadora asked.
Minerva glanced over her shoulder at her sisters. Both wore a glow of happiness. They were all grown and no longer in need of her guidance. “No. I was attempting to decipher the cause for the gentlemen’s gaiety.”
Isadora grinned. “I heard Gregory’s laughter amongst them, which leads me to believe he’s home for an impromptu visit and probably regaling them with one of his bawdy stories from university.”
Minerva picked up her skirts and continued her descent. She would miss her brother’s unpredictable visits. Paul, her youngest brother, turned eighteen in a month. Would he forgive her for missing his birthday?
Weaknesses in what she had previously believed to be a solid plan were starting to emerge. Self-doubt that she normally managed to ignore was now roaring in her ears.
What if she lost to Lord Camdon this eve?
Not only would she not marry the man she’d loved all her life, she would also be forced to give up all plans of becoming Madame Rose.
Losing to Lord Camdon was not an option. In order to win, she needed information.
She marched into the drawing room, set to disarm Lord Camdon and discover the man’s weaknesses. Except she stopped short a mere three steps past the threshold at the sight of the men relaxed, all conversing with one another. It was a picture of perfect harmony. A camaraderie that only ever existed in her fanciful fantasies of a joyful future with her siblings and their spouses.
Diana and Isadora continued into the room, and Minerva noted the broad, happy smiles of her sisters as they made their way to sit upon the settee. While her sisters chose to be seated the socially required distance from their mates, the invisible bonds that tied them to the men they had chosen to spend the rest of their lives with were clearly visible to Minerva.
The gentlemen rose, breaking her train of thought and prompting her to take another step forward. Lord Camdon met her halfway. “A pleasure to see you again, Lady Minerva. May I have a word with you…in private?”
She bobbed a quick curtsy and answered, “Shall we take a turn about the room? Or would you prefer outdoors?”
“Outdoors—however, I believe it more prudent if we remain in sight of the others.” He held out his arm for her, and as soon as her arm looped through his, he began to escort her about the perimeter of the room. “Did your sisters inform you of the Head of the Foreign Office’s decision?”
“Yes, they did. However, I must share I’m rather surprised.”
Lord Camdon chuckled. “I’m not. My superior is extremely fair and reasonable.”
Her opponent appeared to be in rather fine spirits, not at all worried about their pending match. She peered up and asked, “Will you join us for tea?”
“And give away all my secrets? I think not.” Lord Camdon gave her a smile. “The truth is, I can’t stay. I must see to a certain matter prior to our engagement later this evening.”
The tinge of frustration in his last statement prompted Minerva to ask, “What exactly did you have to agree to in order to convince your kind, dear superior to agree to my terms?”
He stared down at her with dark, serious eyes. “Nothing that I wasn’t willing to do in order to gain the opportunity to seek out your hand.”
Interesting. She didn’t think she could be charmed by such arrogance, especially not from a stranger. Oddly, rather than raising her ire, Lord Camdon’s response evoked a feeling of being singled out…chosen…sought out, which was entirely unfamiliar after years of waiting for Anthony to come to his senses. And his perspective on their match was a far cry from the views of her previous challengers, who saw her as either chattel to be won or a woman to be reined in.
Lord Camdon bowed and took his leave with long, confident strides.
A surge of exhilaration or panic, Minerva wasn’t sure which, rolled through her. Avondale was correct: it would be no easy feat to claim victory over the mysterious Lord Camdon.
Chapter Eleven
Unable to standsolitary isolation any longer, Anthony left his stifling, silent townhouse and strode down the street, headed directly to seek out the help of his best friend. Kent could assist him in his investigation into Minerva’s plans. He entered through the servants’ door to Kent’s modest lodgings that had once served as a meeting place for Cunningham, Kent, and himself.