supplies were like, if they knew where they were going next.”
Marguerite lay back in her chair and closed her eyes with a sigh. How had she done that? She did not know what information he sought, so how . . . ?
He turned to Lady Harburton. “So, he would tell you what question to ask and you would ask them – and the timing it can take so long for a letter to travel and a reply to return.”
“Sometimes it did and sometimes it didn’t. We received a few back in record time. It made Mr. Downey so happy. It became a game between us to see how quickly we could get a reply.”
“And where did you get these names? I would not have thought a lady of your exulted station would correspond with infantrymen.”
“I was most ingenious. I began merely my corresponding with the sons of my friends – keep their spirits up and all. I knew they would want to know the details of all the balls and excitements here in Town.”
“I still don’t see how –“
“I was just getting to that.” Lady Harburton cut him off. “After Mr. Downey started to visit me – I believe he’d heard I was a great correspondent and he had an interest in the correct forms for writing letters. Well, he expressed an interest in seeing how a lady would address somebody lower in station than she and then it became a game. I talked to all the servants and rewarded any who could find somebody new for me to write. Mr. Downey and I had ever so good a time whenever we found a new correspondent. He always brought me the nicest presents afterwards. We even had many men who needed to find someone else to write their letters for them.”
“And none of the soldiers ever received anything from you? Why would they write?” Tristan rested his head back against the couch. He’d never thought he’d get a headache from the simplicity of a plan.
“You think I need to bribe men to write to me? How ridiculous. Soldiers like to receive letters, news of any kind. Mr. Downey explained it all to me. And he was right. I told you he was trustworthy and if he vouched for Mr. Huismans then I could also trust him.”
“You are a fool, Minerva, if ever there was one.” Lady Smythe-Burke entered the room, behind her hovered Winters clearly unsure whether to announce her post-entry or not, behind him hovered a maid a heavy tea tray held firmly in her hands.
If this was a farce everyone would take one step back and the tray would fly through the air to land with a resounding crash. As it was not a farce – despite the fact it was beginning to seem like one to Tristan – Lady Smythe-Burke sailed in head high, Winters disappeared to that mysterious land servants retreated to when not on view, and the maid deposited the tea tray on the table without even the chink of china.
“I, a fool? How could you possibly say such a cruel thing?” Lady Harburton looked at Lady Smythe-Burke.
“I’ve been standing at that door for a full five minutes waiting for that butler to decide if he should interrupt.” Lady Smythe-Burke chose a well-frosted cake from the tray. “Most foolish, servants are just not as well trained as they used to be. Every generation gets a little sloppier – what happens when you don’t get a proper education? Schools for all. That’s what we should do, boy, girl, any class. Yes, schools for all. A capital idea, that.”
“I think it sounds rather horrid,” Lady Harburton replied. “Can you imagine what the world would be like if the lower classes had education? Simply horrid. But, you distract me from the point. How am I a fool?”
“You supplied information to the French throughout the war, still don’t realize that you did so, and I imagine are now helping Dutch interests as I am sure Wimberley has also just discovered.” Lady Smythe-Burke sat down beside Tristan on the couch, positioning herself next to the tea tray. “Should I pour? I am afraid that you look rather pale, Marguerite. I don’t think I would trust you not to spill.” She proceeded to pour and pass cups without waiting for an answer.
Tristan glanced at his wife. She did look rather poorly. He stood and went to stand before his wife. “Are you well, my dear? Lady Smythe-Burke is correct. You do