The Gift of Love (The Book of Love #8) - Meara Platt Page 0,49

a smoothly moving current. “Am I?”

“Yes. You are looking at me as though you are seeing me clearly for the first time.”

“I am, Queen Pea. I thought I understood what the book described. But it is only now that I realize the full impact of the advice. We look at a person, but what do we really see? What we want to see. What we expect to see. But if we clear away our preconceptions and open ourselves to all possibilities, we suddenly notice an entirely new world set out before us.”

He wanted to tell her that he loved her, but to do so amid a crowd was out of the question. Once he did tell her, he intended to seal the declaration with a kiss. Perhaps a string of kisses.

Perhaps more.

Definitely more.

He wanted to devour this girl.

“I’ve never felt like this before,” he said, his voice husky as he struggled to hold back the words she was not yet ready to hear. But he wanted her to know that he was not going away. “You and me. I want you in my life forever.”

“Don’t say anything more, Ronan.” He felt her tremble in his arms. “Let’s wait until your vote is over. I may have done you a good turn this evening, but I could be the goat tomorrow.”

When the dance ended, the Lord Admiral called Ronan over. “Something’s come up. We have to go. Nothing to do with the vote. Forgive us, Miss Farthingale. And thank you again for all you did for us this evening.”

Ronan took a moment to escort her to a group of her cousins who were clustered in a circle beside the balcony doors and merrily chatting away. He led her to them, knowing they would keep her safe from Wainscott. But he frowned at her to emphasize his concern. “Do not leave them.”

She smiled at him. “I won’t. If they migrate to the food, I shall migrate right along with them and keep to the middle of the herd.”

“Brayden, let’s go,” the Lord Admiral said impatiently.

“Until tomorrow, Queen Pea.” He raised her gloved hand to his lips and kissed it.

He dared not look back once he strode off.

Dahlia was not a child. She would know better than to give Wainscott the chance to find her alone again.

“What has happened, my lord? Who has summoned us?” They grabbed their cloaks and hurried out the door to the Lord Admiral’s waiting carriage.

“Lord Liverpool. He’s assembled his cabinet ministers at Westminster Hall and wants us there immediately.”

Damn. This had to be something serious. Lord Liverpool led Parliament. He was the most powerful man in England, save for the royal family. Arguably, he was even more powerful than the royals. Ronan’s eyebrows arched upward in surprise. “Any indication of why he needs us so urgently?”

“No.” He rubbed a hand across his furrowed brow. “We’ll find out soon enough. Merciful heavens, I am too old for this. My appointment as First Naval Lord was meant merely as a political favor.”

“The sea is in your blood, my lord. They knew what they were doing when they put you in charge. If not for you, the civilians on the Admiralty board would have made a political mess of the Royal Navy.”

The Parliament buildings were shuttered for the night, only the usual guards standing at the various entrances. Ronan was familiar to these soldiers since he often worked late into the evening. They were allowed in without question.

Each hallway had guards stationed at the ends. There were more guards posted in front of the banqueting hall. Once again, they were immediately allowed in. Ronan’s gaze took in Lord Liverpool and ten of his cabinet ministers assembled, all of them looking quite grim.

More than grim, for there was so much tension in the room, it was like a powder keg. One had only to strike a match to set off an explosion.

Ronan’s first thought was an attempt had been made upon the life of the king, for King George IV had only been crowned a few months ago. He had served as Prince Regent during his father’s reign but had been officially invested and crowned only earlier this year.

Since Ronan was the lowest ranking individual in the room, he said nothing, merely listened while the ministers began to explain what had happened. “This is disastrous,” Lord Liverpool said. “First the Peterloo massacre, then the Cato Street conspiracy. Now a mob in Tilbury has seized The Invictus and is threatening to blow it