He hesitated a moment, then did as she had asked and took the seat next to her. Fenshaw climbed up and sat opposite, his stout knees pressing between Arthur’s boots and the folds of Kitty’s skirt. The groom clambered up on to the driver’s bench, took up the reins, and gave them a deft flick as he clicked his tongue. The carriage lurched into motion and rumbled back down the track towards Dublin.
For a while no one spoke, not even Kitty, and they gazed unseeingly across the passing countryside, until at length Fenshaw cleared his throat.
‘Colonel, I must apologise if I offended you in some way. It would distress me to think that a good friend of Kitty’s was discomfited by something I had said.’
Arthur flapped a hand. ‘Think nothing of it. I was in an intemperate mood. I shouldn’t have reacted as I did. It was just that your remarks surprised me, coming as they did from a king’s officer. I imagine that you were playing devil’s advocate for the sake of debate.’
Fenshaw stiffened. ‘Indeed, sir, I was not. I stand by my opinions.’>
‘And how do your opinions stand beside your duty to your king and country? Surely sympathy for the enemy must lead to some conflict of interest, given that you may be forced to kill them?’
Kitty slapped her hand down on her thigh. ‘Arthur! You go too far.’
Fenshaw raised a hand to calm her. ‘It’s a fair question, Kitty. Let me answer.’
‘Oh, very well, then!’ She turned away from them and rested her chin on her knuckles, staring fixedly into the middle distance.
Fenshaw looked at Arthur. ‘It is true that my politics are on the radical side. Even for a Whig. But I am first and foremost an Englishman and I know that my first duty is to my country. If France tries to invade England then she will tangle with the Royal Navy first, and I swear to you that I will fight to the last drop of my blood to prevent French soldiers from setting foot on our shores. That is how things stand with me, Wesley. So do not doubt my loyalty. Do not think me a traitor. May we leave it at that?’
Arthur glanced at Kitty, profoundly wishing that he had bitten his tongue earlier in the afternoon, when it would have made a difference. But it was too late now, and he would not be satisfied until he had tested the other man’s point of view, and hopefully shown Kitty that her new beau was playing fast and loose with his principles.
‘We could, sir, but I confess I am intrigued to discover how one who has such perverse obligations will cope with them should he come into contact with French forces.’
‘Trust me, sir. I have thought this through, and my mind is clear on the matter. I will fight them as tenaciously as the next man. And given that it is the Navy who forms our country’s first line of defence, it is likely that I shall be called upon to prove myself far sooner than you are.’
It was a point well made and Arthur saw no further profit in continuing the debate, not least because he sensed Kitty’s growing fury and had the good sense not to strive for a Pyrrhic victory over his rival.
It was dark when the carriage dropped him at his lodgings in Fostertown and he politely bade the others good night before mounting the steps to the front door. As he entered the hall Arthur discovered a letter waiting for him in the mail rack, and at once recognised the hand of his brother Richard. He broke the seal and began to read. Richard was as terse as ever, and informed Arthur that he had managed to persuade Lord Camden to appoint him to a useful position within the government of Ireland.To be sure it was not as significant a post as Arthur might hope for, but it would provide a sound basis for further advancement.
Arthur read on, then frowned and read the last paragraph again before lowering the letter with a sick feeling.
‘Oh, Richard,’ he muttered. ‘What have you done to me?’
Chapter 13
‘This is just what I needed first thing on a Monday morning,’ Lord Camden grumbled. He leaned forward in his chair and continued testily, ‘It was my understanding that you wanted a government appointment. And yet here you are, bearding me in my bloody office on a matter of some vital urgency - so your note said - and now you tell me that you don’t want the job.’
‘That’s not quite it, sir,’ said Arthur anxiously. ‘Of course I want the position, and I’m very grateful that you have considered me worthy of it.’
‘I haven’t, but your brother was a most eloquent advocate on your behalf.’
Arthur did not doubt it, and wondered what political favour had been promised in return for his appointment as Surveyor General of the Ordnance. It did not matter. There was no question of his taking the post. Not if he wanted to stand any chance of finally winning Kitty as his wife.
‘My lord, may I explain?’
‘Please do.’
‘The present Surveyor General is Captain Pakenham.’
‘I know that, thank you.’
‘His niece is Kitty Pakenham.’
Lord Camden stared back at him for a moment and shook his head. ‘Never heard of her.’
‘She is the woman I intend to marry, my lord. As soon as circumstances permit.’
Lord Camden’s eyes widened as he grasped the point. ‘Ah! I see, young man. It would not be good form to depose your lady’s relative.’
‘No, my lord, it would not. Particularly as I have to seek her brother’s permission to marry Kitty, and he already thinks ill of me. So, as you can see, I am forced to decline the offer.’
‘A bad business, Wesley,’ Camden said sadly.
‘Yes, my lord.’
‘And it’s about to get worse.’
Arthur’s eyebrows rose questioningly, even as a sick feeling of dread welled up in his guts. But what could be worse than his current predicament?
‘I’ve already informed Captain Pakenham that he is to be replaced. The letter was sent three days ago.’
Arthur lowered his head, and the nausea within briefly made him feel as if he was teetering on the edge of a precipice. Three days ago. Even if it hadn’t been delivered already there was no hope of overtaking the message. More likely Captain Pakenham had fired off a bitter protest to Lord Camden and sent a letter to the other members of his family to denounce the move. Good God, he thought in a panic, it might already have arrived. For a moment Arthur visualised the scene as Kitty opened the letter, read the contents and turned her face for ever away from him. It was too bleak a vision to entertain and he shook it off, and concentrated his thoughts once again.
‘My lord, I most humbly request that you rescind the decision to replace Captain Pakenham with me. Even though I know the damage is already done, I cannot allow other people to think that I was complicit in this matter. I must be able to defend myself against any accusations of dishonourable conduct. You must see that.’
‘Of course I do!’ Lord Camden shouted. ‘What do you take me for, an idiot? Once this gets out I think you’d be lucky if some young man in that family didn’t call you out to eat grass before breakfast.’
‘That’s my fear. If it should be Kitty’s brother . . .’
‘Then you’re damned if you win, and dead if you lose.’
‘Quite.’
‘Blast you and that interfering brother of yours!’ Lord Camden slapped his hand down on his desk. ‘How do you imagine this is going to look for me? First I take the man’s job away from him, to give to someone less than half his age, then I toss it back to him as if I’m teasing a damned hound. It won’t do, sir!’
‘No, my lord.’
For a moment neither spoke as the Lord Lieutenant glared at his aide, and Arthur stood and endured the burden of disapproval, and the dread of the consequences of Richard’s intervention. If only Richard had consulted him first . . .