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Charity’s words proved to be fortuitous, for the pair had barely finished their breakfast before the summons arrived.

Her Majesty required them to present themselves within the hour.

The missive did not include any hint of what would happen should they choose to ignore it.

Explicit warning was not needed, given the amount of wailing Charity’s mama was doing in her head.

A footman had been dispatched to Fitzroy House to collect a change of clothes. Pritchard unbent enough to offer to act as valet. “It would not do for someone in disarray to accompany Her Grace,” he stated, making clear his motives.

Charity and Peregrine arrived at Buckingham House with five minutes to spare. As opposed to their last attempt to see the Queen, this time they were ushered straight into a vast drawing room.

Queen Charlotte sat upon a seat that more resembled a throne than an armchair.

Her most loyal retainers fanned out at her sides, standing at attention.

Two guards followed Charity and Peregrine into the room, taking up positions only a few short steps behind them.

Though it was impossible, Charity felt their hot breath on the back of her neck.

One false move and that tension heating up her spine would turn into the sharp cut of a blade.

Charity dropped into a deep curtsey, noting Peregrine executing a similar bow of obeisance. Like her, he remained bent over until a sharp word from the Queen bid them to rise.

The royal aide-de-camp stepped forward and unrolled a broadsheet, flourishing it in the air. Charlotte gave it a slashing glance before turning her furious force on the pair of them.

“Did you know of this before the story went out?” she asked.

“I did not,” Charity replied. Peregrine remained mute, leaving Charity to take the lead as they had agreed.

She continued. “When I learned of the matter, I was less than pleased, particularly once I heard that Your Majesty had not been consulted. However, Lord Fitzroy has convinced me of the necessity of the actions undertaken by himself and Lord Ravenscroft, with the Prince Regent’s permission, of course. ”

“An action taken in the wee hours of the morning, when my dear son was likely deep in his cups. That he has not sent me any word suggests he may not even recollect his part in the matter. So, do not wave Prinny’s so-called permission as though it is an excuse for what you have done.

Your marchioness funded the riot that embarrassed all of us.

The clerk she bribed felt so guilty for his part that he could not continue on. ”

“The marchioness did not stage the riot,” Peregrine said with as much conviction as he could muster. “She has nothing to gain by publicly embarrassing the Crown. She is a convenient scapegoat, to keep us all distracted from seeing who is truly to blame.”

“And who might that be, pray tell?” the Queen demanded.

“My mother, Your Majesty.”

“Your mother, who is not here in England,” she said scornfully. “And not this Order I told you to investigate?”

“I know why you would be skeptical, Your Majesty,” Peregrine took a deep breath. “It would be far easier to control events from close at hand than at such a remove. But I will explain my logic.”

“My patience is thin this morning, thanks in no small part to your own actions,” Queen Charlotte replied. “I will grant you some leeway, but if you hope to use charm to distract me, think again.”

The apple does not fall far from the tree, Charity’s mother hissed from the recesses of her mind. The Queen must not heed his lies.

He speaks only the truth , Charity replied, willing her mother to retreat again to the shadows.

It seemed that Charity was not the only one suffering from memories of a mother. Peregrine shifted his stance, his shoulders tight.

“You must understand a few things about my mother. First, she craves power the way we are born to crave air. And second, matters of conscience do not trouble her in the way it would for the rest of us. She believes she has the right to whatever she has the ruthlessness and the wit to seize, and she will play a game so patient that it spans years.” He let his eyes slide to Charity.

“She built an empire on the backs of dark dealings that I have been trying to trace, to rip it from London by the roots.”

“Much good you have done, if she is truly behind the riot, as you claim,” the Queen pointed out.

“And that should tell you something, Your Majesty. My mother remains a step ahead of us. For the past weeks, I have chased after every thread I knew, and at every turn been foiled. Cameron is dead, but there is still some agent of my mother at work here, selling her businesses and silencing her past associates.”

The Queen steepled her fingers over her lap. “It seems your mother is in retreat, Lord Fitzroy.”

“A retreat is not the same as a surrender. And just because they are cutting off the avenues of investigation I might know enough to follow does not mean that there is more I do not.”

“I would be willing to entertain that your mother is petty and vicious, but it is a much further step to see her hand at work.”

“It becomes clearer when you understand her motivations. Her targets are her enemies, but the manner of their demise is also meant to serve her larger purposes. She has struck at me and her old accomplices, because we might be able to stop her. The poisoning and the riot are because it suits her to cause this trouble for the Crown. And Harrison’s death because…

” Peregrine made a helpless gesture with his hands.

“We believe that Viscount Sidmouth or the Home Office was the target—a suspicion Ra venscroft and I were able to confirm when we arrived at the office of the Morning Post.”

The Queen’s face grew more displeased as he described the article they had found the paper about to print, rife with suggestions that its clerks could be bought and sold under the viscount’s own nose.

And his suspicions that Mr Harrison’s death was far more likely a murder designed to facilitate the lie.

“You have convinced me there is some conspiracy at work, Lord Fitzroy.” Charlotte made this admission as though it pained her; her face was hard.

“I am curious, however, to know one thing. I would like to know what Viscount Sidmouth and the marchioness did to earn a place on your mother’s black books. ”

Peregrine’s hesitation was ever so slight, Charity knew he was struggling to find a way not to reveal the truth—that the marchioness was, after a fashion, guilty of exactly what the paper was going to imply.

That she had used her influence to keep the Home Office from pursuing a charge of treason against Marian’s son.

“The marchioness has, several times over, proved herself a loyal friend to both Lord Fitzroy and me,” Charity answered for him. “Mr Hodges was a man in her employ before she sent him to work for Lord Fitzroy. And she helped me after the attack on Atholl House.”

Peregrine tipped his chin towards her, a slight loosening in his shoulders indicating his gratitude.

“Hmm,” the Queen said sourly, unsatisfied but unable to refute this.

“Fine. It is a compelling tale, and I am willing to entertain that it may be your mother’s plot and not the Order’s.

But I fail to understand why you and Ravenscroft chose to drag my granddaughter into the limelight.

Thank God you at least had enough wisdom to alter the story and leave Prince William’s name out of it. ”

Charity cleared her throat. “Lady Fitzroy is not the only one who can kill two birds with one stone, ma’am.

With that story, both the princess and the viscount are afforded some protection.

Now, more than ever, the princess needs the support of the nation.

With this article, all of society—high and low—will rally to her cause.

Who can question the Prince Regent’s haste to see his daughter wed and off to safety? And Lord Sidmouth is afforded credit.”

“And what of the benefit to yourself?” the Queen fired back.

“I seek no glory,” Charity said softly, “beyond what grace Your Majesty has shown me. However, Lord Fitzroy believed this notoriety would help protect me as well. His mother’s agent set a bounty on my head.”

Queen Charlotte speared him with a look, and Peregrine gave a grim nod in confirmation.

“I greatly dislike all of this,” she hissed.

“Disorder at home makes us look weak at a time where we should be celebrating our triumph over France. Whether it is the Order or your mother, the result is the same. You must discover the shape of their ambition!”

Peregrine looked haunted, and Charity somehow knew he was regretting that Cameron died before they could question him. “I will continue to do what I can.”

“It is not enough. Our royal guests are already enroute for our shores. I do not want you to wait for the next move, and time is not a luxury we can afford.”

Peregrine flattened his lips. After a long moment, he replied, “Then we must go on the offensive. What better way to provoke her agent into making a mistake than by flaunting Cameron’s failure to murder us?

They might stumble when they change their plans.

Leave some clue. Or perhaps even come directly after us, giving us someone we might be able to question. ”

“You mean to make appearances and set every tongue in London to wagging by having my diamond on your arm.” The Queen stroked her chin thoughtfully, as though the idea bore a certain amount of merit, but it was too foolish to entertain.

“Only if both you and the duchess consent to it. I will have to bait a trap with myself as best I can if she is not minded to take such a risk.”

Charity bit her tongue to avoid protesting. The Queen bore him no love and would not take any steps to ensure his safety if he set out on his own.

To flirt with society together? It was a desperate plan, and possibly a disastrous one for both of them. Rumours of a courtship would drive his mother mad and encourage her persecution. And… there was also her own family’s reaction to consider. She thought of the unread missive lying on her desk.

What on earth would her mother say about this?

You know exactly what she would say. But on the other hand, a farce will likely be the only way you will ever get to court Peregrine Fitzroy.

She met Peregrine’s gaze and nodded her head in permission. The corner of his mouth curled slightly, like he was anticipating trouble. And welcomed it.

“This plan is foolhardy,” the Queen said, gripping the edge of her armrests as she stared down the pair.

“But I suppose it is better than doing nothing. Very well, make your plans, Lord Fitzroy. But wait a day before making your debut. Prinny and I must agree on what is and is not to be said about the matter of the poisoning. I will send word to you, my diamond, when we have reached an agreement.”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” Charity replied, bobbing a curtsey. She could hardly believe that they had survived their encounter with the Queen. Time to depart before Charlotte’s temper made another appearance.

Unfortunately, Peregrine was not of the same mind .

“Your Majesty, there is the matter of the marchioness. She could prove useful?—”

“Oh no, Lord Fitzroy. I shall entertain the notion that she may be a victim of your mother’s schemes, but I cannot help but notice that Lady Normanby is a very canny, resourceful, and well connected woman who appeared on your arm after I sent you to hunt the Order.

And despite all evasions, I cannot help but wonder if perhaps I have a prize in hand after all.

For the moment, she will remain my guest, Lord Fitzroy, until I decide otherwise. Or do you have further objections?”

“No, Your Majesty,” Peregrine said, his voice without any inflection whatsoever.

She lifted a hand and flicked her wrist to shoo them out. The guards standing behind them moved closer, giving Charity and Peregrine no choice but to leave. They curtseyed and bowed in turn and then beat a hasty retreat.

Charity waited until they were outside Buckingham House before speaking. “I am sorry we could not free Selina.”

“She is capable of fending for herself,” Peregrine replied. “And also, while she is a guest of the Queen, she will be safe from harm. Come, let us get you home before we cross paths with anyone else.”

Hodges drove them back to Atholl House. “What will you do now?” she asked him in the carriage. “Have you had any luck determining who in the Order might be working for your mother?”

Peregrine looked as harassed as Charity had ever seen him, but at least his irritation did not seem to be for her. “I have barely had a chance to begin looking. But it is on my list of tasks now.”

She controlled her voice carefully. “And… this other plan of yours? I am to pretend… what, exactly?”

“You do not have to pretend to be enamoured of me. But perhaps we should pretend to be… contemplating the possibility?” That slight smile again, like a challenge.

She gave him a cool look. “I suppose I could. Pretend, that is. And where, exactly, do you plan on making our debut?”

“Do you trust me, Sparkles?” He lifted his chin, daring her to bring some inevitable argument, and she felt her pulse race at the idea that she did not want to argue.

“I might have to trust you with my life, Perry. But I do not know yet if you can be trusted with a guest list.”

His answering chuckle was wicked.