The Footman and I - Valerie Bowman Page 0,49

eyes. “Power, of course.”

Lucas frowned. “Power? What could I possibly do to—?”

The knight plucked at his sleeve. “Everyone knows you’re thick as thieves with the Duke of Worthington.”

Lucas forced himself to keep his temper in check. He clenched his jaw more tightly and blew out a deep breath instead of doing what he wanted to do, which was to explode from his chair with equal parts disgust and affront. “You’re thick as thieves with the Prince Regent,” he managed to ground out.

Sir Reginald tossed a hand in the air and chuckled. “Georgie doesn’t have any power. Everyone knows that. He’s a regent for Christ’s sake. We pat him on the head and tell him he’s a good boy and he plans another dinner party and builds another palace. No. I want to be the Chancellor of the Duchy and I’ll need the vote of every duke in Parliament if I’m to win.”

Lucas stared at the man as if he’d lost his mind. Powerful didn’t begin to describe the position. The Chancellor of the Duchy administered the estates and rents of the Duchy of Lancaster, which was essentially a great deal of the Sovereign’s income. The Chancellor of the Duchy was one of the most senior positions in Parliament.

Lucas finally found his voice. “You want to be the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster?”

“Precisely.”

It was all Lucas could do to keep from standing up and striding out of the room without a backward glance at Sir Reginald. But he needed more information first. “What if I’m unable to convince Worthington to vote for you?”

The knight pursed his lips unpleasantly. “Then I will be unable to vote for the Employment Bill. And more importantly, I’ll be unable to convince my friends to vote for it.”

So this was why Sir Reginald had refused to pick a side all these months. He’d been holding out for the perfect opportunity to spring this trap on Lucas.

“I see.” Lucas stood. He needed to get away from the man immediately. “I plan to be here two more nights. I’ll give you my answer before I leave.”

“Excellent,” Sir Reginald replied. “I look forward to hearing your decision.”

Lucas made his way back to his bedchamber on the second floor with ground-devouring strides. Every few paces he was tempted to stop and punch his fist through a wall. His regard for Clayton and the well-being of his home was the only thing that kept him from it.

The Royal Navy had been a place filled with honor and dignity. Yes, he’d seen unfair acts, but there was also pride and accountability. There was equity and there was loyalty. Politics were completely different.

The world he found himself in since inheriting the title was a cesspool of secrets and lies. His brother had the stomach for it. Lucas did not. Sir Reginald and his scheming ilk made Lucas sick to his stomach and the thought of that man touching Frances made his skin crawl. She deserved so much better than the bloated knight.

Lucas took the steps up the grand staircase two at a time, thankful that the foyer was empty at the moment. As soon as he made it to the second-floor landing, he turned to the right to head toward his room and stopped dead in his tracks.

Standing directly across from his bedchamber door, with her arms folded across her chest, was none other than Frances.

Chapter Eighteen

Frances had been standing in front of the Earl of Kendall’s bedchamber door for the better part of a quarter hour. She felt perfectly silly and was entirely aware of how inappropriate she was being, but she no longer cared. This wasn’t about her reputation or what the guests at the house party thought of her. She was doing this for the working classes, the maids like Albina and the footmen like Lucas. They deserved better than what the Employment Bill would give them. Even if it didn’t change the outcome of the vote, Frances intended to tell the law’s creator exactly what she thought of his self-serving nonsense.

She’d already come up with an excuse if anyone were to happen by and see her outside Lord Kendall’s door. She would pretend she was horribly lost, and had been certain she was waiting for her friend Mary Montgomery. Mary was one of the ladies at the party who she liked a great deal. Of course, Mary’s room wouldn’t be on this side of the floor, but that’s where the part about pretending to be lost came in.