The Whitehall Conspiracy, page 1
THE WHITEHALL CONSPIRACY
TRACY GRANT
This book is licensed to you for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be sold, shared, or given away.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the writer’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
The Whitehall Conspiracy
Copyright © 2022 by Tracy Grant
Ebook ISBN: 9781641971997
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
No part of this work may be used, reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without prior permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
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CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
Dramatis Personae
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Historical Notes
A Reading Group Guide
Also by Tracy Grant
About the Author
For my mother, Joan Grant, with whom I wrote and with whom I first discovered the fascinating history of Queen Caroline's trial. And for my daughter, Mélanie Grant, who is now writing herself and was an inestimable help brainstorming and proofreading in the writing of this book.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
As always, huge thanks to my wonderful agent, Nancy Yost, for her insights, support, and brilliant eye for editing cover copy. Thanks to Natanya Wheeler for shepherding the book expertly through the publication process and once again working her magic to create a fabulous cover that captures Whitehall, the mood of the story, Mélanie Rannoch, and the masquerade ball that is central to the novel, both in terms of plot and theme. To Sarah Younger for superlative social media support and for helping the book along through production and publication. To Kate Collier for a great set of quote cards. And to the entire team at Nancy Yost Literary Agency for their fabulous work. Their creativity and dedication make all of them a dream to work with. Malcolm, Mélanie, and I are all very fortunate to have their support.
Thank you to Eve Lynch for the meticulous and thoughtful copyediting. I love sharing the Rannochs with you and so appreciate your care for getting their story right when it comes to everything from historical usage to series continuity.
Thank you to Kristen Loken for a magical author photo taken in one of my favorite places, San Francisco's War Memorial Opera House, on one of my favorite occasions of the year, the Merola Grand Finale. Your brilliance never fails to amaze me, Kristen!
I am very fortunate to have a wonderful group of writer friends near and far who make being a writer less solitary, even—or especially—during the pandemic. Thanks in particular to Lauren Willig for guest hosting a wonderful virtual book party and conversation about the series—and for sharing the joys of historical research and the challenges of juggling life as a writer and a mom. To Penelope Williamson, for sharing adventures, analyzing plots from Shakespeare to Scandal, and being a wonderful honorary aunt to my daughter. So glad we are able to travel together again. Thank you to the #momswritersclub on Twitter for bimonthly chats that are energizing and inspiring, and especially to Jessica Payne for starting it and to Jessica and Sara Read for their wonderful #MomsWritersClub YouTube channel on which Mélanie and I had the fun of doing a guest interview.
Thank you to the readers who support Malcolm and Mélanie and their friends and provide wonderful insights on my Web site and social media, and especially on the Goodreads Discussion Group for the series.
Thanks to Gregory Paris and jim saliba for creating and updating a fabulous Web site that chronicles Malcolm and Mélanie's adventures.
And thank you to my daughter Mélanie, for brainstorming Whitehall Conspiracy, proofreading, and supporting me all the way through the process. One of my proudest moments was when she said "Can I borrow your computer? I want to type the story I'm writing." I am so proud that my website now includes "Mélanie's Corner" for her stories, starting with her wonderful series Talea's Mysteries. From the time she could touch the keys, Mélanie has contributed something to each of my books. This is Mélanie's contribution to this story – "I ADORE MUMMY'S BOOKS SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
*indicates real historical figures
* * *
The Rannoch Family & Household
* * *
Malcolm Rannoch, MP and former British intelligence agent
Mélanie Suzanne Rannoch, his wife, playwright and former French intelligence agent
Colin Rannoch, their son
Jessica Rannoch, their daughter
Berowne, their cat
* * *
Laura O'Roarke, Colin and Jessica's former governess
Raoul O'Roarke, her husband, Mélanie's former spymaster, and Malcolm's father
Lady Emily Fitzwalter, Laura's daughter from her first marriage
Clara O'Roarke, Laura and Raoul's daughter
* * *
James Fitzwalter, Duke of Trenchard, Laura's first husband's son
* * *
Gisèle (Gelly) Rannoch Thirle, Malcolm's sister
Andrew Thirle, her husband
Ian Thirle, their son
* * *
Valentin, footman
* * *
Alexander (Sandy) Trenor, Malcolm's secretary
Elizabeth (Bet) Simcox, his fiancée
* * *
Alistair Rannoch (Alexander Radford), Malcolm and Gisèle's putative father, Elsinore League founder
* * *
The Davenport Family & Household
* * *
Lady Cordelia Davenport, classicist
Colonel Harry Davenport, her husband, classicist, and former British intelligence agent
Livia Davenport, their daughter
Drusilla Davenport, their daughter
* * *
Edith Simmons, classicist and former governess
* * *
Archibald (Archie) Davenport, Harry's uncle, MP, and former French intelligence agent
Lady Frances Davenport, his wife, Malcolm's aunt
Chloe Dacre-Hammond, Frances's daughter from her first marriage
Francesca Davenport, Frances and Archie's daughter
Philip Davenport, Frances and Archie's son
* * *
The Mallinson Family
* * *
Julien (Arthur) Mallinson, Earl Carfax, former agent for hire
Katelina (Kitty) Velasquez Mallinson, Countess Carfax, his wife, former British and Spanish intelligence agent
Leo Ashford, her son
Timothy Ashford, her son
Guenevere (Genny) Ashford, Kitty and Julien's daughter
* * *
Hubert Mallinson, spymaster, Julien's uncle
Amelia Mallinson, his wife
* * *
David Mallinson, MP, their son
Simon Tanner, playwright, his lover
* * *
Lady Mary Laclos (former Duchess of Trenchard), Hubert and Amelia's eldest daughter
Gui Laclos, her husband
Marie Louise, their daughter
* * *
Lady Lucinda Mallinson, Hubert and Amelia's youngest daughter
* * *
The Lamb Family
* * *
*Emily, Countess Cowper, patroness of Almack's
*Harry, Lord Palmerston, Secretary at War, her lover
*George Lamb, her brother, playwright
*Caroline (Caro George) Lamb, his wife
*William Lamb, Emily's brother
*Lady Caroline (Caro William) Lamb, his wife
* * *
*Henry Brougham, MP, Queen Caroline's lawyer, Caro George's former lover
* * *
The Blayney Household
* * *
Edmund Blayney, journalist
Philippa (Pippa) Langdon Haworth, his fiancée
Danielle Darnault, opera singer and agent
Pierre Ducroix, journalist, her husband
Ilia, their daughter
* * *
The Smythe Family
Humphrey Smythe, Lord Beverston, Elsinore League member
Barbara Smythe, Viscountess Beverston, his wife
Benedict (Ben) Smythe, their younger son
Nerezza Russo, Ben's fiancée
* * *
The Talbot Family
* * *
Frederick Talbot, Marquis of Glenister, Elsinore League member
Viscount Quentin (Quen), his elder son
Aspasia, Quen's wife
Lord Valentine (Val) Talbot, Glenister's younger son
* * *
Honoria Talbot Atwood, Glenister's niece and ward
Carlisle Atwood, her husband
* * *
Evelyn (Evie) Mortimer Cleghorn, Glenister's niece and ward
Max Cleghorn, her husband
* * *
Others in London
* * *
Major George Chase, former agent and Cordelia's former lover
Abigail (Abby) Clifton, his mistress
* * *
Thomas Thornsby, classicist
Lady Shroppington, his great-aunt
* * *
Rupert, Viscount Caruthers, MP and former British intelligence agent
* * *
Timothy Drummond, former gamekeeper
* * *
Anne Forbes, former agent
* * *
Hugo, barkeep at Les Trois Amis
Joseph Eden, agent
Étienne Lémieux, assassin
* * *
Sofia Vincenzo Montagu, wife
Kit Montagu, her husband
Selena Montagu, Kit's sister
* * *
Jennifer Mansfield Smytheton, actress
Sir Horace Smytheton, her husband, former Elsinore League member
* * *
Jeremy Roth, Bow Street runner
Hopkins, Bow Street patrol
*Sir Nathaniel Conant, chief magistrate of Bow Street
*Lord Sidmouth, British home secretary
* * *
*Robert Jenkinson, Earl of Liverpool, prime minister of the United Kingdom
* * *
Contessa Montalto
* * *
Bianca Falconetti
* * *
*George IV, King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
*Caroline, his wife
Marriage is a matter of more worth
Than to be dealt in by attorneyship
—Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part 1, Act V, scene v
PROLOGUE
Hubert Mallinson sat back in his chair and looked at the man across from him in the shadows of the coffee room in a nondescript inn off the Dover Road. The sort of inn suited to couples looking for an anonymous place for an illicit tryst. Or to spies looking for a location for secret discussions. Which were often best conducted in prosaic settings.
Of all the unusual conversations he'd had in the course of his career as a spymaster, he wouldn't have predicted this one. And yet perhaps it was inevitable. "I assume you have your reasons for risking this."
"I'm not risking a great deal," Alistair Rannoch said. "No one's looking for me. And you won't make this public."
"You seem very sure."
"You don't want to force it into the open any more than I do." Alistair leaned back and took a sip of wine. "It doesn't really make sense that we're enemies, you know."
"Doesn't it?" Hubert regarded his opponent across the single candle and the bottle of wine on the table between them. "I'd have said that that's one of the few things that does make sense."
Alistair pushed a glass across the table towards Hubert. "We're aligned on most important issues. And we could accomplish a great deal more as allies."
"Assuming I had any desire to help you accomplish anything."
"You've always been a pragmatist. Surely it would depend on what I have to offer."
Hubert reached for his glass but did not take a drink. Much as part of him wanted to toss the wine in Alistair's face and stride from the tavern, he had to ask the inevitable question. "What do you have to offer?"
"A profitable alliance that will benefit us both. You have much more in common with me than with Malcolm. And, god knows, more than with O'Roarke."
"Malcolm's a very good agent. So's O'Roarke, if it comes to that."
Alistair grimaced. "I suppose I can't deny that. But that doesn't make you allies. You can't deny O'Roarke stands against everything you believe in."
"Oh, yes. So does Malcolm. But I don't have to worry about their stabbing me in the back."
"I should think St. Juste would give you enough to think about in that regard."
Hubert took a drink of Bordeaux. A good vintage; he'd give Alistair credit for being a good judge of wine. And other things. "You have a point there."
"Not to mention Mélanie Rannoch. She can't possibly be as domestic as she appears."
"I think Mrs. Rannoch would rake you over the coals for suggesting she even appears anything of the sort."
Alistair gave a short laugh. "She certainly pulled the wool over Malcolm's eyes. And apparently continues to do so, considering the fact that he's still living with her."
"That might signify that he knows her very well indeed."
"In what way?"
Hubert shifted his glass on the tabletop. "Malcolm's a number of things, and god knows I've been known to bemoan his impossible delusions about the human race. But I wouldn't discount what's between him and his wife. Or his determination to preserve a marriage that means a great deal to him."
"At what cost?"
"You'll have to ask him that." Hubert pushed his spectacles up.
Alistair twirled his glass between his fingers. "I'd assume you think him a fool. But you don't sound that way."
"I wouldn't necessarily play the situation as he's done. But recent events have perhaps given me an appreciation of why a man might see the value in preserving his marriage."
Alistair gave a grunt. "Some marriages can't be preserved."
