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own to worry about until I come into my inheritance.
 Ah, well, that is unfortunate. But then if you can t pay a trifling three thousand, you couldn t have
afforded Miss Hamilton anyway. Good day, Breckinridge.
With that he walked back into the house, leaving Dolph standing there fuming.
The footman unlocked the door for Hawk, admitted him, and secured it once more just as Dolph flew
up against the outside of it and began banging on it in renewed fury. Dusting off his hands, Hawk glanced
dryly at the door as it jumped on its hinges. He looked at the two footmen.
 The man s deranged. Well done, both of you. You have my thanks for your quick work last night as
well as today. He slipped them each a tenner.  If he s not gone in five minutes, come and get me.
 Aye, Y Grace. Thank you, sir!
He nodded and returned upstairs to collect his new mistress.
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Little did he expect to come face-to-face in the hallway with Wickedshifts himself, Henry Brougham in
his shirtsleeves, scratching his chest and looking like he had just rolled out of bed. Harriette s bed, Hawk
supposed, pursing his mouth in contained hostility.
 What the hell is all the racket? asked the golden boy of the Whig party.
Henry Brougham was of an age with Hawk; in fact, he had been born in Westmorland, the neighboring
county to Hawk s nativeCumberland. The most brilliant lawyer and radical reformer inLondon,
Brougham was feared and hated by the entire Tory government, perhaps second only to Boney himself.
Hawk s party had cause to fear him. The man was a genius with unflinching moral courage. Apparently,
however, he was no more above the lures of the demireps than any other man.
A smile of cynical amusement broke across Brougham s handsome face as he strolled down the hallway
toward Hawk.
 Well, well, who have we here? A fine morning to you, Your Grace. Bit of a change of venue for you,
eh?
 Brougham, Hawk growled.
 What s all the noise?
 Dissatisfied customer.
 Need help with him?
Hawk s lips thinned blandly.  No, thank you.
 Well, then, if you ll excuse me, I am going back to bed. He turned around and headed for Harriette s
room.  Lady Holland still wants you to come to one of her soirees, he called over his shoulder.  You
know we are determined to bring you over to our side.
Hawk couldn t resist a retort.  The side of those who sit back and criticize?
 No, Hawkscliffe, the side of humanity and reform.
 Thank you, but tell her ladyship I must respectfully decline.
 Suit yourself, but remember this  Brougham stopped and turned to him.  What is old and corrupt
and decayed must pass away. Change is coming, Hawkscliffe, mark my words. It is only a matter of
time. I hope you know which side you re on by the time that day arrives.
 Marvelous cant, Brougham, but you might have noticed that it s difficult to do any good in the world if
no one will put you in the government.
 I m not worried. Justice will prevail.
 Only if one gives it a shove, in my experience.
Brougham smiled bitterly and shook his head.  Well, you just keep shoving then, Your Grace, right
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alongside those tyrants you sup with,Liverpooland Sidmouth and Eldon, and one day the people of
Englandjust might shove back. The lot of you will drive them to it, especially with the Regent s latest
expense report. Your look tells me you don t believe it. Why not? If it can happen inFrance, why not
here?
 You d like that, wouldn t you? Chaos, sedition, mob violence. Is that what you want?
 Gentlemen, Harriette called, sailing into the hallway just then. She hurried past Hawk and went to
Brougham, slipping her arms around his waist.  This is not the Parliament, my dears. No bickering in my
hallway, she scolded.  Hawkscliffe, Bel awaits you in the salon and I have private matters to discuss
with Mr. Brougham. If you ll excuse us?
 But of course, he said coolly.
Harriette shepherded Brougham into her chamber.
Hawk stood there a second longer, shrugging off his vexation with the way the Whig party was
continually wooing him. The dukes of Hawkscliffe were Tories, period.
The government was far from perfect, and it was true that the Regent was an embarrassment to them all,
but anything was better than chaos. He ignored the gut feeling that haunted him, that every cause Henry
Brougham had so far championed was right and just ending the slave trade, educating the poor. Still,
the man raised his hackles with his audacious free thinking. Whom did that uppity commoner think that he
was? Why, Brougham s people had been raising sheep when his own had been defending theNorthern
Marchesagainst the Scots. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]