A Spanish Dilemma E-Book

Meredith Bond

• Herausgeber: Anessa Books
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018

Beschreibung

In the midst of war, treaties aren’t the only thing that need to be negotiated and romance can ignite in the most unusual way. Robert Seton isn’t just going to sit around spending money on silly amusements when there’s a war going on. But since his father has refused to buy him a commission in the army, Robert is thrilled when he is given a diplomatic post to observe treaty negotiations in Basel, Switzerland between France and Spain. Finally he’ll have a role to play in order to help defeat the French. Isabella Guzman is very happy to have accompanied her father to Basel to support him as he negotiates with the French. But now that the negotiations are over, the French seem to need a little push to get them to sign what they’ve agreed to. Isabella is determined to give it to them—she wants to go home. Fighting the French is so much more pleasant when you have an intelligent and attractive ally, but with Robert looking forward to returning to England and Isabella going home to Spain, romance can be very complicated.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Book Description

A Spanish Dilemma

Copyright

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

The Merry Marquis

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About the Author

Books By Meredith Bond

In the midst of war, treaty negotiations can lead to so much more.

Robert Seton isn’t just going to sit around spending money on silly amusements when there’s a war going on. But since his father has refused to buy him a commission in the army, Robert is thrilled when he is given a diplomatic post to observe treaty negotiations in Basel, Switzerland between France and Spain. Finally he’ll have a role to play in order to help defeat the French.

Isabella Guzman is very happy to have accompanied her father to Basel to support him as he negotiates with the French. But now that the negotiations are over, the French seem to need a little push to get them to sign what they’ve agreed to. Isabella is determined to give it to them—she wants to go home.

Fighting the French is so much more pleasant when you have an intelligent and attractive ally, but with Robert looking forward to returning to England and Isabella going home to Spain, romance can be very complicated.

 

 

 

A Spanish Dilemma

Meredith Bond

Copyright Meredith Bond, March, 2017 All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the author, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review.

Editing by The Editing Hall

Published by Anessa Books

 

Chapter One

London

July 1795

God damn it, Seton!” Lord Grenville’s voice could be heard clearly throughout the very exclusive establishment of White’s Gentlemen’s Club. Quite likely, it was heard outside on the street as well, but Robert Seton had no way to verify that. He was standing not only within the establishment, but immediately in front of Lord Grenville himself. Robert resisted the urge to lift a hand to his ears, which were now ringing from his lordship’s explosion.

Well, they certainly now had the attention of every member present, Robert thought dryly. He had no need to turn around to see if that was the case. If anyone so much as dropped a pin, it would be heard clearly through the silent club, which just moments ago had been rumbling as it normally did with the chatter of so many men.

Thank goodness his father, Viscount Seton, was currently at home, or Robert would certainly have never heard the end of this. His father hated undue attention of any sort. On the other hand, it was entirely likely that his parent would be hearing of this soon enough, thanks to the number of witnesses present. It was a shame he never visited his estate in Scotland anymore.

“You just don’t give up, do you, sir?” asked Lord Grenville, the esteemed Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, hardly tempering his volume.

“No, my lord. I’m afraid it is a personality flaw.”

“How does your father stand it?” the man asked, finally lowering his voice somewhat. He eyed him with suspicion from beneath his thick dark eyebrows,.

“I believe he is even more stubborn than I am, my lord,” Robert admitted. He dared to give his lordship a little smile and a shrug.

Lord Grenville burst out laughing. “Oh, is he, now?”

“Yes, my lord. If he wasn’t, I would have long ago attained the commission in the army I had originally wanted,” Robert admitted.

“Ha! But he said no, did he?” Lord Grenville asked.

“Indeed, my lord. And despite the fact that I have been pestering him for it for the past three years, he has yet to give in.”

Lord Grenville nodded. “And so instead, you latched on to me for a diplomatic position, is that it?”

“Yes, my lord.” Robert wasn’t proud of his tactics but, generally, through his life they had worked. He noticed that the sound level within the club had returned to normal as the men, realizing that there would not be any further fireworks, returned to their amusements reading or chatting with their friends.

Lord Grenville sighed loudly. “Very well. I can see that I am not going to be left alone until I actually do something with you.” He looked to his right where his cousin Mr. Pitt, the Prime Minister, stood waiting to get back to the conversation Robert had interrupted.

“There is Basel,” he suggested to the Prime Minister.

Mr. Pitt nodded. “There is that. We could use a man there.”

Lord Grenville nodded, clearly making up his mind. “We could.”

He turned back to Robert. “All right, Seton. Hie yourself to Switzerland and find out all you can about the treaty negotiations going on there. We’ve received the news that France signed a treaty with Prussia, but so far, there has been no word on what is happening with Spain and Austria. I want a full report within…” He paused to consider. A smile lit up his face, but it wasn’t a particularly pleasant one. “…one month. And then I want you to stay there until the negotiations have been completed. Understood?”

A bloom of excitement unfurled in Robert’s chest. “Yes, my lord! You shall have your report within the month.” He executed a grand leg for the Secretary and Prime Minister and then spun around on his heel and walked out of the club.

He could hear the men laughing at him as he strode away, but he didn’t care. He had an assignment.

“Father,” Robert said as he entered the study at Seton House.

“Ah, Robert.” His father looked up from the paper he was reading. For a moment, a smile flashed across his face, but it was quickly replaced with a frown. “What’s this nonsense I hear about you causing Lord Grenville to start screaming at White’s yesterday?”

Robert gave a rueful little smile and a shrug of one shoulder. “You know how obstinate I can be.”

His father’s frown deepened. “Indeed, I do.”

“Well, the good news is that he gave me what I wanted.” Robert gave his father a broad smile, knowing that what he considered good news would be just the opposite for his parent.

“A position overseas. I heard.” The growl in Lord Seton’s voice wasn’t encouraging. “It’s a shame you’ll have to go back to his lordship and tell him that you won’t be able to take that position after all.”

Robert bowed his head, studying a smear of dust on the sleeve of his dark blue coat. “I’m afraid I’m not going to do that, Papa,” he said, giving the dirt a half-hearted brush of his hand.

His father stood up, age and weight from too many rich meals, making it more of an effort than it should have been. “Oh yes, you will. You do not have my permission to take this posting. You do not have my permission to leave this country. Is that understood?”

Robert sucked his lips into his mouth to keep back the retort that sprang to his tongue. He took a deep breath through his nose and then said, “I’m very sorry, Father, but I will be taking that posting. I didn’t pester the Foreign Secretary for weeks on end only to turn down the first posting he gave me.”

“It is a shame that you’ve wasted his time, and yours, but you will not—”

“I beg your pardon, sir, but I’m not a child anymore. I’m a grown man, and I will take this position. I will leave the country, and I will become a diplomat in the service of our King. You may stop me from buying a commission in the army by not supplying the necessary funds, but you cannot stop me from taking this job.”

“What is the meaning of this? Why are you so determined to get yourself killed?” his father shouted, his ruddy cheeks turning a darker color of red.

“I am not determined to get killed. I am determined to serve my country, and since you will not allow me to join the army, I have found another way to do so,” he shouted right back, but then clamped his mouth shut as guilt stained his own cheeks. He knew he should not yell at his father.

His father stood there, stunned, his mouth hanging open just the tiniest bit. “What is it, Robin? Why are you doing this?” he asked, his voice now nearly a whisper as he seemed to be trying to figure out his second son.

“What else am I to do? You wouldn’t let me go into the church—”

“You are not suited for the church,” his father interrupted him.

Robert nodded. “Granted, but there are very few opportunities for a younger son. I’m not going to simply spend my time with frivolous pursuits, running through my inheritance. I have no estate. I have no title. What do you expect from me? I want to do something meaningful with my life, and you are determined to stop me at every turn!” He turned his back on his father and ran a hand through his thick blond hair, half pulling it out of the neat queue he’d tied it into that morning. He should not allow his frustration to show so obviously, but he couldn’t help it. He didn’t know what else to do.

Lord Seton sighed. “I know…you are not the sort to be idle. You need an occupation, I realize this. But honestly, the diplomatic corps—”

“Is a fine occupation for me,” he said, turning back around. “I will be able to make a difference. To do something significant with my life. Papa, don’t forbid me this!”

His father just shook his head. “I have to. I…I will not lose another child. Another member of my family. Another person I love.” It was his father’s turn his face away. Was it so that Robert wouldn’t see the tears that threatened him—tears he had seen too many times before? Robert would have thought time would make the wound of losing his wife and child easier. Instead, it only seemed to sharpen the pain and make his father cling all the more tightly to his remaining children.