Momento Mori: Just you watch and see!
blsteen: Thanks! I know some of my state names are unoriginal, but it was all I could think of.
Sethanon: Cheers! 1702 already, which means that there are only 21 updates to go! I'm actually going to finish an AAR.
Rockingduke: You've nailed it. Only Sir Henry, John and Tempest know the full truth. Others suspect something odd but have no definite clue as to what, so mainly it's because she's a woman. As she said before, had she been a man it would have been so, so much easier!
Loki: Austria made it easy by ramming their fleet into my blockading squadron. Truth be told though that South American campaign was not one I was ready for, and I had to scramble a pair of armies from Mexico and Florida to stop them. The second army landed behind their retreating forces and wiped them out. As for bumping her off...who's to say they haven't tried?
Something extra to read while I'm away!
Chapter 38 –The Royal Command
3/2/1820
John Adams had no idea what to expect as he was led through passages and rooms to a large door guarded by two guards.
He passed through, coming to a well-furnished bedroom including a bed surrounded by maids and servants. William York was there, as were other ministers of state. John felt a little out of place, and not just because of the fact he was in a woman’s bedroom!
Lady Mendenhall showed no hesitation though, walking forward and bowing before the bed. The servants cleared, and John saw the Queen. Queen Anne Seymour was middle aged, fetching rather than attractive, and possessed of a slightly bent nose where a childhood break had not been properly set.
John bowed as low as he could, and stayed there until her Ladyship gently nudged him.
“Your Majesty, I present to you John Adams, a relation of yours, and a gentleman in good standing. He has assisted me through the current issue with the traitor attacks.”
The Queen waved somewhat imperiously. Her right hand was tightly bandaged. “We are pleased to receive you, Mr Adams. Your father is of course well known to us.”
“Thank you, your Majesty,” John replied politely.
“Lady Mendenhall’s remedy is working most swiftly. Already the fatigue and pain is passing. We are most grateful.”
Her Ladyship bowed graciously. “It was nothing, Majesty. All I would ask is that all favour be passed onto your Royal Physician, for though I am a mere amateur he was able to give instructive advice,” she said.
The Surgeon, scowling in the corner, looked bewildered. He also seemed suspicious. “Lady?”
“I will of course make my ideas available to you for your greater refinement,” she added with a smile.
“I…as you wish, Lady.”
John could see now how Lady Mendenhall so effortlessly seemed to dominate people with such ease…even himself he supposed. She used her knowledge and power to make people admire or beholden to her, never grabbed power or authority, but still extended her influence.
“Your Majesty, I have related to Mr York here about a problem with these American traitors. Their leader claims to be a peer, though I can find no evidence this is true. I seek your royal permission to detain him for questioning.”
Queen Anne looked to her spymaster. “Is this true?”
“It is, Majesty.” William looked a little perturbed but did not dispute the words.
The Queen consulted her other ministers, and all agreed with Lady Mendenhall. John realised that this was more for show than anything else. This must have been worked out before, and this was just a demonstration for the Court’s benefit.
“Then so shall it be. We command that Lord Streams be brought in for questioning and his assets frozen. Mr York, you will apprise Colonel Wyndham of this information and detail him to send forces to carry this out.”
“Of course, your Majesty.
“And now, you will retire,” the Queen ordered.
Lady Mendenhall bowed and withdrew from the room with John.
Outside John turned to Lady Mendenhall. “So they’re going to arrest him, are they?”
“Yes, and I am going with them.” She held up her hand. “I am the only one in Britain who knows what Masters looks like. Or at least, the only one available. You don’t have to come with me though.”
“I’m coming along,” John stated emphatically. “You owe me an explanation, remember?”
Her Ladyship sighed. “I do indeed. And you shall get it…in time.”
“Well make sure you don’t wait twenty years for it,” John joked.
“I’ll put it on the calendar for 1841 then!” she retorted smugly.
John laughed, but fell silent as they walked back into the cold wind. “Do you mind me being around? I mean, you didn’t have to bring me in to see the Queen, though I’m grateful. How did you heal her anyway?” he asked.
“So many questions! Of course I don’t mind you being around. You’re very important to me; you are my conscience, my morality. You’re here to stop me becoming…what I could be.”
“What’s that?”
She shook her head. “Something very bad, John. How did I heal her? Well, I have information from the future. The fool of a surgeon was wetting the bandages and not being clean in his treatment, and what was worse, he was using ordinary cotton thread to stitch the cut. The stupid man turned a cut to the hand into an emergency.”
“So what did you do?” John asked.
“I boiled and cleaned all the instruments first in water, then in vinegar. Next I used honey to disinfect the wound followed by a silk bandage and some medicine to relieve her drowsiness. It’s all quite simple if you understand how things work. People here clearly don’t.”
John felt a little aggrieved at this attitude. “But it takes time to learn things. We didn’t go straight from bows and arrows to cannons after all!”
Lady Mendenhall nodded. “Very true, John. Apologies. Of course, there have been times when for all my skills I couldn’t save people….”
With that final thought they headed off for the raid.