An Unexpected Peril (Veronica Speedwell #6)(66)

The chancellor grasped my hands suddenly. “Miss Speedwell. I would not ask if it were not of the greatest importance, my dear. But the future of Europe depends upon thwarting the ambitions of the kaiser. If we do not stand together, he will do everything in his power to set us against one another.”

“What do you need of me?” I asked gently.

“The treaty is to be signed tonight,” he began. “Miss Speedwell, you cannot conceive of what this treaty will mean for us. The protection of France! Of the whole of the British Empire! We will sleep easily in our beds at night.”

“But surely there are other ways—” I began.

His hands tightened on mine. “There are none,” he insisted. “Do you know how long it took to arrange this treaty? It has been accomplished with great difficulty and in perfect secrecy. The rest of the world believes that the princess is in London simply to honor the English mountaineer and to go to the opera. They have no idea why she is here, and that is how it must remain. A social visit, an occasion for beautiful clothes and pretty music. But it is so much more.” His tone softened, and a pleading note crept in. “It is the very destiny of Europe. We want peace for our children, Fraulein.”

“I understand,” I said slowly. “But if you put out a statement saying your princess has fallen ill—”

His grip grew painful. “We have talked of this!” he said, his brows snapping together sharply. “The French would take it as a grave insult. They would believe that the Alpenwald does not negotiate in good faith. They would look at your German queen here in England and think that because we too have German ties, we have persuaded her to deal more generously with us. They would become suspicious, the French. They would refuse to sign the treaty because they would fear we strike deals behind their backs. They believe everyone is as cunning as they are,” he finished, his mouth tightening in disapproval.

Stoker stepped forward. “Even if Veronica does this for you, it will not be legal because the princess herself has not signed the treaty.”

“I have thought of that,” the chancellor replied happily. He dropped my hands and dove into another portfolio on the table. He drew out a lengthy piece of parchment also embellished with the Alpenwalder crest. “This document gives Miss Speedwell the authority to sign the treaty on behalf of the Alpenwalder delegation as a proxy of the princess. Naturally, it must remain secret,” he added, “but if there were ever a need, it would stand up in court. Miss Speedwell would be acting with all of the authority of the Alpenwalder government.”

I took the parchment and studied it, Stoker reading over my shoulder. “It seems legal enough,” I murmured. “Do you not think so?”

He shrugged. “What I do not know about international diplomatic law would fill the libraries at Oxford,” he said. He passed the page back to the chancellor. “The greater difficulty is not in Miss Speedwell performing this masquerade again. It is that this must end, sir. Surely you see that? She cannot continue the charade until you are ready to leave for home.”

“Can she not?” the chancellor asked, patting his lips. He stroked his moustaches into shape. “The signing of the treaty is tonight. Then there is only the opening of the exhibition at your club of lady explorers. After that, we return to our own country and Miss Speedwell is free to resume her own life.”

“And if Her Serene Highness is still missing?” Stoker demanded. “What then?”

The chancellor held up a hand. “There is no need to fear this,” he said. “Our princess has always come back to us. She will do so again.”

Silence held the room for a long moment.

“What must I do?” I asked at last.

The chancellor, realizing the battle had been won, did not revel in the moment, but his eyes gleamed in satisfaction. “There is a simple ceremony to sign the treaty. A representative of Her Majesty’s government to witness the affair, a French delegate, and yourself. These are the only three people who will be signatories to the document. It will be a very short meeting. The treaty itself has already been agreed and copies sent to each party. Everyone brings his own and each of the three will be signed and countersigned. Once the signatures have been placed, that is all.”

“That is not all!” the baroness put in sharply. “Have you forgot where the meeting is to take place?”

I turned to the chancellor, dread gripping my heart. “Excellency, where are you sending me this evening?”

“It is nothing, child,” he said, raising his hands in protest. “An entertainment, a party.”

“A formal dinner,” the baroness interjected.

“Excellency?” I asked, narrowing my gaze.

He looked from one of us to the other, then surrendered. “Very well. It is a formal dinner. At Windsor Castle.”





CHAPTER





19


I dared not look at Stoker; I dared not speak. With that perfect unspoken communication we sometimes shared, he intuited my disordered thoughts and gave voice to them.

“And who will be in attendance at this dinner?” he asked smoothly. “The queen? Members of the royal family?”

“Oh no,” the chancellor hastened to explain. “Her Majesty is at Osborne House, as is her custom this time of year, I am told.”