Cloak and Dagger

Rosina was reading beside Maude Robshaw when a message was brought to the private library they had settled themselves in. She took it from the man and looked over the words, knowing that her quiet afternoon was now over.

"What is it?" Maude asked, placing a finger in her book.

She waved it off. "Francis just wishes my opinion on something. You know how he is unable to decide matters."

Maude gave her a smile. "He always asks for your opinion. It's sweet."

A laugh played on her lips as she put her book down. "I know what you are thinking, and you are most definitely wrong."

"We shall see."

Rosina left the library shortly after and wandered down the hallway, glancing over her shoulder every now and again to ensure that Maude had not followed after her. That girl always insinuated there was more between her and Francis than they let on and would often try to spy on their private meetings, but that was one thing that she always made sure could never happen. Maude was innocent and naive and Rosina liked that about her. She was every bit a lord's daughter, one who had been raised in a country estate with little contact with any negative influence.

She reached a closed door and knocked twice before slipping in without a response, making sure to close the door properly. Francis was already waiting for her - and so was Lord Robshaw. "I did not realise we were expecting any news," she said, sitting in the vacant seat beside Francis.

"We weren't," Lord Robshaw said. "However, I received word that Lord Asquith is on his way."

Rosina shared a look with Francis. "Is she--?"

"She is fine, don't fret about that. He did not write much in his initial note but his arrival should be imminent and then I suppose we shall all discover the reason behind his visit."

True to his word, Lord Asquith arrived a mere forty minutes later. Rosina and Francis were left in the study while Lord Robshaw went to greet his cousin and lead him up to where they were waiting. The older man appeared as if he had set out in a hurry, his lack of coat signalling a visit that could not wait. Even in the summer heat he would always don a coat, something she had always found baffling.

Tea and refreshments were served before the four of them were left alone, prompting Lord Asquith to withdraw a letter from his coat before speaking. "The king has begun issuing invitations, calling nobles to his court. From what I have heard, he is starting with those who he believes has a lot of influential power, and rightly so. The very first noble he invited is someone of immense importance and there is no doubt many more will follow suit. My invite arrived six days ago."

Lord Robshaw took the invite from him and looked over it. "He is re-affirming loyalty. A desperate - but calculated - move."

"It is not surprising considering what's occurring."

Francis stirred from where he sat beside Rosina. "And what is occurring? You never tell us much of what happens outside these walls."

"With good reason," Lord Asquith replied coolly.

"We are not children. We do not need protecting-"

The man gave him a cold look. "You will always need protecting, boy. You know what is safe for your ears."

"Then what is the point of involving us at all!" Francis exclaimed furiously. "Nothing is safe for our ears. You cannot keep us locked in this manor with nothing but whispers of what is stirring beyond these walls. Vague fragments of the king demanding the nobility to re-affirm their loyalty does nothing but raise questions of which you never provide answers."

Rosina tugged on his arm in irritation. "Stop it," she chided. "We talked about this. You either say it calmly or you don't say anything at all."

Lord Robshaw looked at her, his eyebrows raised slightly. "The two of you have been speaking about this in private for how long?"

"A while," she said. "We waited until I had comfortably passed the appropriate age until we chose to raise the matter."

"And if the reason is solely for your protection?"

"Then we must respectfully say that, while it may be partially true, it is a pitiful excuse. As we do not leave these walls, withholding information does not improve our protection nor does telling us put it in jeopardy."

She kept steady eye contact with him, and it was only after a few moments did he break it by looking towards his cousin. "They are not children any more, we cannot deny that," he said.

Lord Asquith looked between the two of them, a severe expression on his face. "This is not what I came here to discuss; however, it seems that I have no choice. Your inclusion in this knowledge was never my idea, but the decision was not mine to make. My orders since then have been to ensure your protection as well as informing you on as much as you wished to know. That I also protested and have been able to withhold the information for many years as not one of you have expressed the desire to learn more than had been told to you."

"You mean-"

He cut Francis off. "That your inability to speak up contributed to your ignorance? Yes, that is exactly what I mean."

Rosina looked at Francis and gripped his hand, making him look towards her. "We never asked," was all she said.

"But--"

"No, we never asked. We should have but didn't." She looked back at Lord Asquith. "Why is the king re-affirming loyalty towards him? Has something happened?"

It was Lord Robshaw who answered. "No one thing has happened, but I believe an accumulation of minor things have now prompted him to take action. It was only a matter of time until he would have to act to quash all rumours and the most simplest way is to invite the nobility to his court to exercise his power and emphasise that we answer to him," he explained, holding the letter in the air. "To decline this invite would produce a cloud of doubt and that is one thing we cannot do."

She gave a nod. "So you will go to court soon too?"

"Goodness, no. When I left I vowed that I would never go back. I shall send a letter along with you, if you don't mind," he said to Lord Asquith.

The old man frowned. "I don't believe faking a disability will give you a free pass this time."

"Each letter I've sent in response to his has emphasised more pain. He could not expect someone in that condition to travel all that way."

The two men looked at one another, and Rosina was unsure whether to speak. Why had he faked an illness? There had been a few times he had entertained another nobles or travelled elsewhere and yet it seemed the king hadn't received word that he was in fact in good health. It was odd to her. For many years they had stressed how easy it was for information to escape even when it wasn't intended, but now she wondered just how much they might have stretched the truth.

Lord Asquith broke the silence when he gave a nod. "If you cannot go then one of your children must."

"Certainly not," the younger lord protested. "I would not even send them with you."

"It's either you or them."

Rosina pressed her fingers into her palm before she took a steady breath. "What about me? Or Francis?" she said, drawing both lords to look at her. "We are your wards. One of us could go in your stead."

"Absolutely not," Lord Asquith replied sharply.

But Lord Robshaw hesitated. "We could ask..."

"By god, no! Send them to his court? Are you mad?"

"Ask her," Francis said.

"No-"

Rosina cut him off. "Can you make that decision without consulting her? All you need do is ask whether Francis or I or by perhaps even both of us could go and whatever the answer, we will respect it."

Lord Asquith looked as if he wanted to shout at them and storm from the room, but all he did was close his eyes and take a deep breath. She crossed her fingers and glanced briefly at Francis before the lord breathed out and opened his eyes. "As you wish," he said coldly before rising from his seat and taking leave of the room.

They watched him go and then sat in silence until Lord Robshaw cleared his throat and stood. "He may not want to but he will write to her, you can be sure of that," he said before excusing himself.

Now alone Francis rose to his feet and looked at her. "How could you just accept that they deliberately withheld information from us? They treat us like children and we are supposed to be grateful for that?"

Rosina sighed irritably and crossed her arms. "And I suppose throwing a tantrum would have been best? Don't be a fool," she snapped.

"It wasn't a tantrum-"

"No? It wasn't a polite conversation nor was it in a polite tone. You know Asquith resents including us, even if you are now a man. He certainly would rather I remained naive to all that is happening, you know that, which is why I choose to speak very little whenever he visits."

"I know, I know." Francis sighed and rubbed his jaw. "I just get tired of being confine here."

She stood and placed a hand on his arm. "One day we won't have to be confined."

"You hope," he said.

Rosina gave him a smile before she left the room.