The Mortality of Queens

2 Misadventure in the Other Realm

Stanton

≡

Umbra of note

Keeper Claw and his British ally Penny Midden

≡

The morning light played in the haphazard line of polished glasses that dotted one end of the breakfast table. That was the first clue.

Keeper Claw squatted among the glasses. His practised scowl deepened as he saw Stanton enter. The strength and reach of the scrawny Umbra's stale reek, redolent of dank unlit passages, was the second clue. Its intensity Stanton took for a barometer of Midden's anxiety.

The maid stepped guiltily from the window now and another glass was fetched from her busy cloth and chinked down next to her Umbra upon the crowded table.

He caught the clandestine glance between Midden and Keeper Claw.

Stanton had been around maids for much of his childhood, although not in a position to order them to tasks; more the butt of their whispered comments, puckish humour and baffling giggles. His wife, Isabella, understood maids and he normally left her to supervise Midden, but an eleven glass agitation should be commented on.

'Is there something worrying you, Midden?'

'Oh, sir, it is the message we received last night when you and my lady were out.'

Stanton had arrived back late from a meeting of Pitt's Cabinet Council. The house had been dark and quiet. He'd known that Isabella intended visiting a ball across the square that night. He'd insisted that his absence on government business should not deprive Isabella of entertainment, so she'd attended with only her Umbra, Twoshrews. She was already abed when Stanton returned.

She had announced in a sleepy chuckle, with a certain wine-stained pride, that she had caused 'quite the stir', by attending without her husband. 'Some ladies commented that I was "uncommon daring", but Lady Rochester chased the suggestion away as "too meek for the age".'

The message Midden referred to, awaited Stanton on his plate at the far end of the table. He saw the cause of her turmoil immediately. The envelope was already ripped open. He read its address: 'For Minister Stanton, alone, and to be opened only by his hand.'

The broken seal was the 'His Majesty's Business' one that Stanton used for his own government correspondence. The message was more out than in. He recognised the official Parliament-headed notepaper. It was the same as he kept both in his desk at home and used at the Ministry.

'Who opened it, Midden?' Stanton had already guessed.

'Please, sir,' another glass had already found refuge in her cloth, 'mistress did, last night. She arrived home in gay humour and quite late enough for a lady.'

'I dare say.'

'I handed mistress the letter, saying, "This has been lately delivered, m'lady, by the most dashing and sharply attired post boy you could set eyes upon. And he arrived in a curricle drawn by two, with the initials M.o.R, upon it in gold. The King's own messenger could look no finer."

'Oh sir, mistress snatched up the envelope, ripped off its seal and pulled out the letter.' Midden's hand was a blur of burnishing. 'She read it to me, sir. I protested, mercy on me, I did, saying as it was not fit for ears such as mine to hear.'

'Calm yourself, Midden, the fault here is not yours.'

Isabella poked her unusually tousled head around the door, interrupting her husband. 'Has he been? Please, Sebastian, tell me I have not missed him.'