"You've arranged what?" Colin asked, stunned by Rosalyn's news. He'd met her in the hallway just as she'd returned.

He was excited about prospects for the farmland. Rosalyn had always known Maiden Hill could be a profitable estate, but from the ideas Colin tossed out, she also learned that money was not a problem for him, something that had been a question to her nearly a week ago and meant nothing now.

She was too full of her own news. "I've arranged for you to have another chance to earn the Commons seat," she repeated patiently.

"How did you do that?" her husband demanded. "When did you see Loftus?""I didn't see him," Rosalyn said. "Well, not at first. I called on his wife and explained her husband wasabout to break his word to my husband. It's a matter of honor, Colin. I assure you, we women have justas much honor as men."

He took her arm and led her into the sitting room. "Rosalyn, what have you done?"

He didn't sound very happy. She drew a deep breath and, taking a moment to remove her straw bonnet

and gloves, said, "I discussed the matter of the Commons seat with my friend Lady Loftus, and we bothagreed his lordship was being high-handed.""She thinks her husband is high-handed?""Well, that isn't exactly the way she phrased it, but she does want to please me. You must understand, Colin, I have a certain amount of power, too."

"Rosalyn, why did you do this?" He wasn't pleased. In fact, he acted irritated.

She sat on the edge of the settee, trying to look composed. "I spoke on your behalf," she said, wanting

to correct any misimpression he might have. "I didn't beg. I didn't whine."He frowned. "What did you do... on my behalf?""Nothing terrible," she answered. "Really, Colin, you don't seem happy at all.""I don't know if I should be. Rosalyn, I don't want you pleading my case. Loftus won't respect me.""He doesn't respect anyone. Besides, it isn't quite what you think. You don't have the seat. At least, not yet."

Colin pulled the upholstered chair around to sit in. He leaned forward, a sign he was interested. "Tell me

exactly what you've done."

"As I said, I explained to Lady Loftus what happened yesterday. I left out the story of the fox. She knows her husband well and can imagine him losing his temper for a hundred different reasons, and I didn 't think she would be sympathetic to a tale about the animal."

He motioned that he wished her to move on with her story. "You told her he refused me the seat?"

"I told her he was going to give it to Mr. Shellsworth. Colin, Lady Loftus cannot abide Lavonia Shellsworth. She is not quite-what is it Lady Loftus says all the time? Polished. Lavonia lacks polish. We both agreed she would not be a good choice for the role of an MP's wife. In fact, the reason Lord Loftus has not given the seat to Mr. Shellsworth before now is that Lady Loftus would disapprove."

Colin frowned with interest. "This is fascinating. All my life I thought men held the power."

"We women have had to create our power. You see, I've always known how Lady Loftus felt about Lavonia. That knowledge gave me great power. Anyway, today, I commiserated with her over how boring London will be with Lavonia there. Lord Loftus doesn't go to London any more than he must, but there are times he can't escape, and his wife, who preferred London until I made her the queen of society in the Valley, panicked at the thought of introducing Lavonia amongst her set. She would have to invite the Shellsworths upon occasion, something she only does here because I force her to."

"So she persuaded her husband to reconsider me?"

"Not quite," Rosalyn was sorry to say. "He's very angry, Colin. He wanted that fox."

"He has no right to him."

"Exactly," Rosalyn agreed, falling a little bit more in love with him. Was there ever a man so principled? "But for some reason, he didn't explain the situation to his wife. Instead, he made a terrible error in judgment."

"Which was?" Colin said, his elbow on his knee and his chin resting in his hand, like a child fascinated by a bedtime tale.

"Right there in front of me, he told his wife he did as he pleased."

"Why was that so terrible?"

Rosalyn almost felt sorry for him. "Colin, a wise man never verbalizes such a thing in public. Without realizing it, he challenged her to prove him wrong, especially since he said those words in front of me, another social hostess. A wife's authority comes from her husband, and if she has no influence over him, she has no authority."

"Like being one of a general's aides?" he suggested. "One is only as important as his officer?"

Rosalyn laughed. "I don't know. Do they feel incumbent upon themselves to prove their sway?"

"All the time. It's imperative."

"Then it is the same. I hadn't planned on that turn of events, so he has no one to blame but himself." She ticked off on her fingers the abuses. "He contradicted his wife, refused to hear what she had to say, and walked out on her in front of a guest. Three things a sensible man shouldn't do."

"I shall remember that in the future," Colin murmured.

"I pray you do," she answered, pleased.

"So what happened next?" he asked.

"Lady Loftus followed him out of the room. I don't know where they went. I could hear angry words

being exchanged." She leaned closer. "I heard threats about going to London mentioned numerous

times.""It's the reason he wanted me to marry you," Colin agreed. "If you left the Valley, his wife would draghim back to town, and he couldn't abide the thought."

"The next thing I know, she returns and announces that she has convinced her husband to reconsider both you and Mr. Shellsworth for the seat. It was the best I could do, Colin. Lord Loftus is being very stubborn. He claims there are many who already know he is putting Mr. Shellsworth in the Commons seat and there are those who think he is a bit brain-addled-his words, not mine-for not picking his man and staying with him."

"So what is he going to do?"

Now came the part that made her a bit nervous. She hoped he liked this next bit of news. She had her

doubts. "Lady Loftus wondered how we could present the two of you in a way her husband could saveface.""And-?""And I suggested an oratory contest.""A what?" Colin came to his feet. "What are Shellsworth and I to do? Stake a side in Loftus's dining room and bore him through dinner?"

"No, actually, I talked to the owner of the White Lion, and he said the contest could be held there." The White Lion was a public house located at the crossroads in the center of Clitheroe.

Colin slowly sat down. "Rosalyn, you have been busy."

"I fear so." Misgivings assailed her. "Colin, you aren't frightfully angry, are you? Once I made the

suggestion, Lady Loftus said it was perfect, and after she told his lordship, he came out of hiding and agreed. In fact, he was enthused about the idea. He said there have been those encouraging him to be more republican."

"I'm not surprised." Colin leaned back in the chair and shook his head. "Go on. What else?"

How did he know? It was hard to look at him as she said this next bit. "Mr. Botherton, the owner of the

White Lion, was overjoyed at the idea of having an oratory contest on his premises. The day should be nice tomorrow-"

"Tomorrow?" He seemed numb to her surprises by now.

She nodded. "Lady Loftus and I got caught up in the excitement of the thing, and his lordship did not

want to string this all out."

Colin gave a heavy sigh. "Tomorrow," he agreed.

"In the afternoon, at half past two, or at least that is what the handbills say."

"Handbills?" he asked, incredulous. "You and Lady Loftus have been giving out handbills?"

"No, urn, Mr. Botherton had his children draw them up. He's excited about the business. You know, he

purchased the Lion last year, and people have taken their time warming up to him. He's a Manchesterman.""Well, if he is a Manchester man, then he would be keen on political speeches.""He is," Rosalyn agreed, somewhat amazed that Colin would know this."So, tomorrow at half past two, I am to speak before a crowd of people-""Hopefully, and Lord Loftus, too, of course.""Of course," he agreed patently, as if it was silly of him to forget his patron. "Anyway, Shellsworth and I will give speeches and Loftus will be our judge?"

"Yes, but Lady Loftus will be there too, and, Colin, she likes you very much. Everyone likes you betterthan Mr. Shellsworth. Even, I suspect, Lord Loftus.""So the words of the oration don't matter. What is important is how many people like us?""Well, yes," Rosalyn agreed, puzzled by his lack of enthusiasm. "I mean, isn't that the way of everything?"He stared at her a moment and then, to her relief, smiled. "As a matter of fact, yes.""But-?" she prompted. "Don't you want the seat?"Colin drew a breath and released it slowly, his gaze on some point beyond Rosalyn. "I did. I do." He shook his head. "It all changes so fast. I thought of myself one way, discovered a frightening shallowness,

and now, I'm being tempted again.""I don't think you are shallow," she asserted. "Mr. Shellsworth is shallow. You are certainly moredeserving of the seat."

"What I don't know if I deserve is your trust in me," he said slowly.Rosalyn froze, afraid to move, not understanding what he was saying. Did he mean that he didn't want her to be involved in his life? Did she do something wrong and he was angry with her? She didn't have the courage to ask.

Instead, she said faintly, "Everyone will be at the White Lion on the morrow. I admit I may have become

a bit too excited. I know how to do these things and now, Colin, this contest is all anyone in the Valley

can talk about. It escalated before I realized I'd not truly discussed the matter with you."Rosalyn had been so elated to have Lord Loftus reconsider his decision, and, with Lady Loftus'sencouragement, she'd taken much on herself. Perhaps too much?

"Colin, I'm sorry. I didn't think. I wanted you to be happy."

He reached for her hand. "Rosalyn, being denied the seat was a bitter pill, but yesterday, I was more upset about the words my brother threw at me."

"So you didn't mind losing the seat?"

Colin looked down at her hand. "Or is it you are disappointed that I'll not have the seat?"

His question caught her by surprise. She hadn't been thinking about herself... or so she had thought...

"Good God, it's Shellsworth," Colin said.

Rosalyn looked up and saw her husband staring out the window. Sure enough, the lawyer was galloping up their drive. He yanked his horse to a stop and leaped off it. John had seen him coming and was there to take the reins, which Mr. Shellsworth threw at him.

"You stay here," Colin ordered as he rose to go to the door. Rosalyn immediately came to her feet and followed him.

Mr. Shellsworth was just getting ready to pound on the door when Colin opened it. The expression on the lawyer's face at seeing Colin was almost comical.

"Have you come to pay a call?" Colin asked.

"I've come to wish you to the devil," Mr. Shellsworth ground out, his hat low on his head, as if he'd jerked it on.

"Well, if that is all," Colin said pleasantly, "then good day." He would have shut the door in the man's face except Mr. Shellsworth pushed his way in with astounding strength.

"How did you do it?" he asked. "That Commons seat was mine-twice! And each time, you are behind my losing it."

"You haven't lost it," Colin answered. "My understanding is that Loftus will make his decision after our speeches. You are a lawyer. Do you have such little faith in your own talent?"

If he'd threatened the man, his words could not have had more impact. Mr. Shellsworth's eyes almost popped out of his head. His chipmunk cheeks turned red. "I will bury you with my speech!" he promised. "What does an upstart like you know about governing? If you were really worth your salt, you would have been knighted, but then, they don't give titles to cobbler's sons, do they?"

Colin laughed. "Is this an insult? We all know what my father did. I was raised in this Valley, Shellsworth. Here, the name Mandland means something."

The implied insult was not lost on Mr. Shellsworth. He had to know he was not well liked. Why else would he be so upset about having to give a speech?

"We'll see, won't we?" the lawyer said tightly. "Your true colors will be found out then, Mandland. I've been asking questions. I've heard about some of your stances during the war, how you wanted to eat with your men the night before a battle and not in the officers' mess. There are those of good name and family who do not trust you. I know you were almost cashiered for countermanding the order of your superior!" he finished triumphantly, "cashiered" referring to an officer being dishonorably discharged.

"I rescinded an order from a fellow officer that would have led to the needless slaughter of a company of men," Colin returned evenly. "The duke himself stepped in on my behalf. I don't think you or Rawlins will go far on that piece of nonsense."

"Rawlins?" Mr. Shellsworth said, pretending to not know the name.