Intriguing News

N iven had almost finished his breakfast when Rowan lowered his copy of the Gazette. Niven and his wife exchanged a curious glance. Not only had Rowan emerged from hiding behind the newspaper, which was surprising enough, but he was smiling!

"It's reported the people of Anglesey plan to erect a monument in honor of Uxbridge's bravery at Waterloo," Rowan explained.

"Well deserved," Niven replied honestly. "His contribution to our victory was enormous."

"Not only that," Rowan said. "His sixth sense that something was amiss saved our skins on the way home when French deserters attacked our carriage."

"A statue of some kind?" Willow asked.

"A column, apparently."

"That'll take years to complete," Niven said.

"There's to be a ceremony to dedicate the foundation stone in a couple of weeks. "

"Too bad the two of you can't be there," Willow remarked.

"Aye," Niven replied. "I'm tied up at the shipyards."

That much was true, but he sensed Rowan would like to attend the ceremony to honor Uxbridge. However, Anglesey was many days away. A difficult journey for a man with one leg.

Despite spending long hours at the mission established to shelter homeless war amputees, Daisy's discouragement grew as a week flew by without word of the Marquess of Anglesey's location. Kenneth had tapped all the connections he had at court—to no avail. Then, her brother hurried into the breakfast nook one morning brandishing his beloved Gazette.

"Listen to this," he declared. "There's to be a column raised on Anglesey to honor the bravery of their favorite son at Waterloo."

A piece of toast hovered halfway to Daisy's lips. "The marquess?"

"One and the same. The column is to be designed by Thomas Harrison, and the foundation stone will be dedicated a fortnight from today."

Hope blossomed in Daisy's heart. But…

Kenneth wasn't to be interrupted. "This will happen close to Plas Newydd, the summer retreat of the marquess."

"Which means he will be there at that time. "

"Exactly. The problem will be how to get Rowan to attend."

Daisy tapped her chin. "Leave that to me," she said, confiscating her brother's newspaper.

Armed with a possible means to convince Rowan, she made her way to the cramped office of her brother's man of business. Algernon Ghent rose as soon as she entered, took off his spectacles and squinted, as if to make sure he wasn't seeing things. "My lady," he rasped. "How may I be of service?"

"I wish to send a letter," she explained. "Please find out how to correctly address such a missive to the Marquess of Anglesey. The details of his residence are in today's Gazette."

She thrust the newspaper into his hands and left to compose her letter.

Having spent most of the night rewording her missive to the Marquess, Daisy dressed before recopying the final text.

Dear Lord Anglesey,

You and I have never met. I am sister to Kenneth, Duke of Ramsay and was formerly affianced to Lord Rowan Halstead, Marquess of Bracknell. I am aware you provided the opportunity for my former fiancé to return home from the theater of war in 1815 and, for that, I am eternally grateful.

I recently learned of the forthcoming ceremony to dedicate a monument in your honor. I know it would please Lord Rowan greatly were he to be invited to participate in honoring your contribution to our victory at Waterloo. When in town, he resides at the Withenshawe townhouse located at 212 Tower Road, London, E2. You might be interested to know Niven King also lives there. He is now happily married to the Duke of Withenshawe's daughter, Lady Willow.

I owe you a debt of gratitude for helping to save Lord Rowan's life in the aftermath of the battle and hope you will not consider this request too forward of me. The Marquess holds you in high regard. I too am grateful for the generous support you reportedly give to missions that shelter the less fortunate amputees. In my work at one such mission, I have encountered fine men who are destitute through no fault of their own. They served their country but the country seems to have abandoned them.

Forgive me for sermonizing!

Yours sincerely,

Lady Daisy Hawkins.

Ramsay House

London W1.

Satisfied, she sanded and folded the missive, slipped it into an envelope, applied her seal and set off for Ghent's office.