A Scandalous Adventure (23 page)

“You thought I was a
servan
t
?”

“No, not a servant.” He shook his head to assure her. “Obviously you are a lady, but I thought perhaps…fallen on hard times…” His voice trailed off uncomfortably.

Suddenly things began to make much more sense. She drew in a startled breath and then began to laugh. “You thought I was all alone in the world, or at least from a poor family. You thought you needed to protect me.
That
is why you were so insistent that we marry right away.”

He stiffened and turned his head away. “I had feared that you would be offended. I should, I suppose, be glad that you find it amusing.”

“My parents will…” She stopped laughing and paused. “No, perhaps it would be better if we do not tell my parents what you thought.”

Scowling down at his feet, he folded his arms. “I do not like that I have put myself in this position with your family. I should have gone to your father, asked permission to approach you… I did not give you the respect that you deserve. It is right that he is angry with me.”

She patted his arm. “Well, if it is any consolation to you, I thought you were one of those noblemen who decorate a court, living on sinecures and gifts. I had no idea that you practically ruled a kingdom of your own.”

His head snapped up in shock. “You thought me a parasite?”

“No, no. Not that bad.” She waved a hand dismissively. “I just didn't know how important you are.”

“But anyone could have told you… Our estates cover almost a third of Sigmaringen. Everyone knows of the Staufer family. How could you not know? And if you did not know, you could have asked.” He looked outraged.

She responded to his distress with a shrug. “Well, if we were in England, everyone would know of my family. You could have asked as well.” Another thought struck her. “You aren't sorry, are you? That we are married, I mean.”

“Never that.” He reached over, picked her up, and pulled her onto his lap. “Never that. I am sorry that your parents are upset. I did not wish to offend them. But I am glad that I did not ask about your family. If we had to go through all the formality, it would have been weeks—months—before we could be wed.”

For the next few minutes, they exchanged unspoken assurances that the existing situation was just what they wanted.

Max sighed and rested his forehead on Susannah's. “Your father, is he only rich or is he also important in England's government?”

“Papa? He doesn't hold any office, but they are always sending him off on diplomatic missions. That sort of thing.”

Max nodded. “When you said his title, I thought I recognized the name. I must tell the prince.”

When Max and Susannah reached the drawing room, it was clear that Lady Penworth had not mellowed. She was standing by the fire, which did not seem to be warming her in the slightest, and addressed Max in icy tones. “Lord Penworth is with the prince. They wish you to join them.”

Max bowed and fled.

Oh, he bowed politely and murmured courteous phrases, but Susannah knew flight when she saw it. She watched him vanish through the door with envy. He was going to have the easier task. Papa was easier to manage than Mama. She put on a serene smile and turned back to face her mother. At least she was trying for a serene smile. She was not sure she was successful.

Lady Penworth shook her head. “Come sit down, my dear. We must talk calmly about this situation.”

Susannah knew her mother's “calm” talks. They generally consisted of an explanation of why what you had done or were planning to do was foolish, and why you should do as Mother wished instead.

Mama smiled gently. “Susannah, I know you. You have always been an eminently sensible girl. I realize that I was being unfair to you, sending you off with Augusta and Olivia and expecting you to keep them in check. But you have always managed to take care of the younger ones and keep them within the bounds of propriety. I hadn't realized how difficult it would be for you to manage Augusta, who is so much older. And I know she can be a bit headstrong. We will forget about that.”

She patted Susannah on the hand. “Now please tell me that this, this marriage of yours is only a joke, part of the bizarre masquerade you have all been engaged in.”

This was not going to be easy. “No, Mama. It is perfectly real.”

“You are married to a man you have known for only a few weeks?” Mama's voice was rising. “I cannot believe you would do something so outlandish, so utterly lacking in common sense. One of your sisters, perhaps, but you?”

A reputation for propriety could be something of a nuisance. “I know it all seems terribly hasty, but Max was just trying to protect me.”

“Protect you? Protect you from what, precisely?”

Susannah was not sure just how to explain without raising her mother's ire even further. “He did not know who I was, you see. He did not recognize my name, so he did not realize whose daughter I am.”

“Which only goes to show what a benighted backwater this abominable excuse for a principality is. For heaven's sake, child, the Austrian emperor had no trouble recognizing our name when you were in Vienna, and this piddling little count of yours was unable to do so?”

“That is not fair, Mama, and you know it.” Susannah was getting a bit annoyed at being treated like a wayward child. “The emperor might know who the Marquess of Penworth is, but he is not going to assume that any Tremaine who appears is a member of the same family.”

Lady Penworth sucked in a long, calming breath before raising her brows. “And was there some reason for you to be keeping your father's position a secret?”

“It just never came up.” That sounded sulky and Susannah knew it. More explanation was obviously needed, so she took a calming breath of her own. “I did not realize how important Max is. I thought he was just an ordinary officer, and I didn't want to intimidate him.”

“Really, Susannah, this is so preposterous I don't know where to begin.” Lady Penworth leaned back and closed her eyes. The silence had grown uncomfortable long before she sat up again and looked at Susannah. “Are you quite certain that this marriage is real?”

“Oh, yes, it is real. We were married in a church with a priest and any number of Max's relatives and the people from the village. Oh, Mama…” She reached out to hold her mother's hand. “I did so wish you were all there. It was all beautiful, but I missed you so.”

Her mother did not seem to be appeased. “And such little details as a license? Banns? Your parents' permission? I know you are of age, but still, those are customary even in this benighted place, I assume.”

Susannah paused for a moment, uncertain. “I don't think any of that matters. It's Max's village, you see.”

“His village? He lives in a
villag
e
?”

“Oh no. He lives in a castle. He owns the village. Quite a number of villages, actually. His estate goes on for miles and miles. I just meant that everyone does what he says.”

“That's preposterous.” Mama was beginning to sputter. “I don't care who he is. There have to be laws and such. Even Queen Victoria can't simply order a clergyman to perform a marriage out of hand.”

“It seems to be different here. It's a bit feudal. On his estates, Max seems to be pretty much the ruler.” Much as Mama enjoyed travel and exploration, Susannah suspected that in this case she was having difficulty appreciating what was “different.” Explaining all this was difficult, since Susannah didn't really understand it herself.

* * *

Max entered the prince's study and almost stumbled. Conrad was seated in the leather chair behind the broad expanse of the desk, looking very much in command and very much like his father. The resemblance had never struck Max so powerfully. It was not just a physical resemblance, he realized. It was the tilt of Conrad's head, the stillness of his hands as they rested on the desk. There was no doubt that the man sitting there was the prince. It was… Max did not know what it was. Disconcerting? Odd? Definitely new.

To the side, staring out the window, was Lord Penworth. He turned at Max's entrance and regarded him with less fury but no more fondness than at their first encounter. “His majesty has assured me that you must not be considered a fortune hunter, and I will accept that you believed this hasty marriage would serve to protect my daughter, but I tell you, sir, I cannot like it. I cannot.”

To Max's relief, Lord Penworth spoke in German. Oddly accented, but quite fluent. Max forced himself to meet the older man's eyes. “I can understand your anger, my lord. I…” He was not sure what to say, how much to say. But this was Susannah's father, now his father-in-law. Not someone who would shortly vanish from his life. He deserved the truth.

So he blurted it out. “You are in the right. I should have asked about her family. But I…I wanted so much to have Susannah for my wife that I seized on the excuse. I told myself that she was alone, vulnerable, and that marriage with me would protect her. And that much is true. As my wife she will be safe, always. I myself will protect her, of course, but my people as well. You will never need to have fear for her well-being, I swear it to you.”

“You wanted her for your wife?” Lord Penworth took a step toward Max. “That is what matters to you, what
you
want? And what of what my daughter wants? If I see the slightest hint that my daughter is unhappy, or even uncertain, I will have her home in a trice. And I don't care if you are the prince's chief advisor.”

The prince's chief advisor? What was…
Max gave his head a quick shake to clear it. That was a question for later. “You must, of course, speak with my wife”—he put a light emphasis on the possessive—“but she will not turn from me.” At least, he did not think she would.

Lord Penworth bared his teeth, but before he could speak, the prince raised his hand.

“The countess—Lady Susannah—will, of course, decide for herself. I am sure you agree, both of you, that her wishes will prevail. From what I have come to know of her, I doubt any other way will be possible.”

Max caught the twitch of a rueful smile on Lord Penworth's face before the cold mask reappeared. Yes, the father knew his daughter. But the husband knew his wife also. At least, he thought he did. He was certain. Almost.

The prince, however, had moved on to another topic. “Lord Penworth, since you appear to be the
paterfamilias
for all these ladies, I approach you. I wish to marry Lady Olivia. Do you give the approval for this?”

“Do I…? But…” The marquess looked utterly taken aback. It appeared to be an unaccustomed state.

Max took some consolation from that. At least someone else was sharing in the confusion. As for himself, his head was in a whirl as he turned to Conrad. “Marry Lady Olivia? But you were so angry…” His voice trailed off.

Conrad spread his hands on the desk and looked down with a secret smile. “It was not her fault.”

Penworth harrumphed and seemed to collect himself. “I was under the impression that you were to marry Princess Mila. Was I mistaken?”

“It is obvious that is now impossible, since she has run away. That duty has been removed of her own accord. So, is there any sort of—I am not sure what to call it—any problem, any impediment that would prevent a marriage between me and the Lady Olivia? Please, seat yourself and tell me what you think.”

Penworth settled himself and looked almost relieved to be asked to consider a less personal problem—less personal for him, at least. With a slight frown, he said, “I was under the impression that the heart of your difficulty was the need for an alliance with Hechingen. I can see that it is not possible for you to marry Princess Mila, at least at this time, but will it not anger her father still more if you immediately marry someone else?”

“Staufer can tell you that Gottfried will be angry no matter what happens. We will worry about that later. First comes the question of Lady Olivia. What say you?”

The marquess steepled his fingers while he considered how much to say. “It would be an unexpected match, certainly. Has Lady Olivia agreed?”

“She says it is impossible and tells me of her mother.” Conrad waved a hand dismissively. “English gossip.”

“Yes.” Penworth drew out the word. He was relieved that he was not the one who had to tell Conrad about the Dowager Countess of Doncaster. “But that kind of gossip reaches further when the daughter makes a marriage like this one. And Gottfried sounds like the sort of man who would not hesitate to use such gossip.”

A stubborn look came over Conrad's face. “With gossip we can deal. Let us put that to the side. Her brother, would he have objections?”

“Not if Olivia herself wished to marry you.”

“And there is no legal difficulty? Your queen, Victoria, she would not make problems?”

“Hardly.” Penworth permitted himself a smile. “Her own family is so entangled in marriages and relationships with the German states that she will doubtless be pleased by another connection.”

“Good. You will tell Olivia so.” A smile broke across Conrad's face, a happy, boyish smile of the sort Max had not often seen in recent years.

“Then if you will allow me, Sire, I would like to go and speak with my family.”

“Certainly. You may depart. I need to confer with Staufer now.”

Max waited until the door had closed behind the marquess before he turned to the prince and burst out, “What is going on?” He took a deep breath to calm himself. “I apologize, Sire, but I am somewhat confused.”
To put it mildly
. “Since when am I your chief advisor? What has happened to Count Herzlos? General Bergen?”

“Calm yourself, Max. I seem to have conducted a palace coup of my own.” His mouth twisted wryly. “General Bergen is still licking his wounds after the tongue-lashing I gave him when I realized that this stupid comedy you have all been playing was his idea. I believe he is being consoled by Lady Augusta. As for Count Herzlos, he naturally resigned all his offices when I told him of the more tragic games his children have been playing.”

Conrad stood and went over to stare out the window. “He truly has served me well, you know. After my parents were assassinated, he saved us all. Without him, there would no longer be a Principality of Sigmaringen. But now…” Conrad sighed. “Even if this had not happened, it was time for him to go. He will take Hugo and Helga with him to his own estate and keep them there. I owe him that much. And I have given orders for the Black Star Regiment to be disbanded. Those who wish to remain in the army will be distributed among other regiments. But what shall we do with Angriffer?”

Max nodded. “Yes, I see the problem. We cannot put him on trial without bringing the others into it. But we cannot simply turn him loose. He is a viper, and dangerous.”

Conrad laughed shortly. “I envy my ancestors. They could have simply wrapped him in chains and dropped him in the Danube.”

“A temptation.” Max considered possibilities. “It will have to be exile, someplace far enough away that it will not be easy for him to return. South Africa, perhaps. He could make a life there, if he chose.”

“Yes. Good. I am tempted to order General Bergen to accompany him, but I fear the trip might be too much for him. Ah, well, it will be arranged, and we will have to trust that Lady Augusta will keep the general in line. They are quite extraordinary, these English ladies, are they not?”