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spent more time at the palace than you did at home,” his sister Frances remarked, “so we shall see no less of you than we always have.”
    â€œWe shall see
more
of him,” his mother declared. “James, darling, you have a standing invitation for dinner every Friday, or whatever night suits you.”
    â€œI accept your generous invitation, Mother. Now if you’ll excuse me, the hour grows late and I must go up. I have a good deal of packing to do.”
    â€¢Â Â Â â€¢Â Â Â â€¢
    James Hamilton’s dark brows drew together as he heard the scratching on his bedchamber door. The hour was close to midnight and he had assumed everyone, including the servants, had retired. He opened the door quietly and was surprised to see the young maid with an armful of shirts. “Jenny, you shouldn’t still be working.”
    She slipped into the room. “I starched these just the way you like them, my lord.”
    â€œThank you kindly.” He took the shirts and set them on his dresser. “You should be abed.”
    â€œI . . . I just wanted to say good-bye. You bein’ away in Ireland with the prince for three months and now that you have your own house, I may not see . . .” Her voice trailed off.
    â€œIs something wrong, Jenny?”
    â€œNo . . . no . . . everything is perfect.” Contradicting her words, her eyes flooded with tears.
    James took her hands and led her to a chair. “Tell me,” he urged.
    â€œEverything is perfectly
awful
,” she whispered miserably. “I . . . I’m in trouble.”
    James grasped the situation immediately. “Are you sure, Jenny?”
    She nodded emphatically. “Very sure, my lord.” She sought his eyes. “I can’t stay here, it would cause a terrible scandal, but I have nowhere else to go.”
    â€œHave you told anyone?”
    She pressed her lips together. “I thought about confiding in your mother. Lady Lu can be very understanding, but your father would go mad that one of his sons . . .”
    James handed her his handkerchief, and Jenny blew her nose. “So I thought it best to wait until you got home, my lord.”
    â€œYes, you did right, Jenny.” He paced to the window, then paced back again. “It will be all right, my dear. I’ll arrange a place for you at one of my married sisters’. They all have lots of babies and won’t mind one more.”
    Jenny’s eyes lit with hope. “Are you sure, my lord? I don’t want to get you into trouble.”
    â€œAbsolutely sure. Though I think it wisest to keep the details between ourselves. Now, which sister? You have two choices. Jane is Countess of Dalkeith with that great mansion in Whitehall, or there’s Harry, Countess of Lichfield, who resides in St. James’s Square. Jane is young and sweet-tempered, but Harry will do anything for me.”
    â€œI think . . . I think Lady Harriet would be more understanding, perhaps.”
    â€œAnd forgiving. Good choice . . . Harry it is. Go and pack a small bag and I’ll take you round there tonight. Your other stuff can be forwarded later.”
    â€œOh, Lord James, I thank you ever so much.”
    â€œNo thanks, Jenny. Under the circumstances, it’s the least I can do.”

Chapter Three
    Buckingham Palace
    September 1, 1861
    â€œD amn and blast it all! The bloody powers that be, namely, my mother the queen and my father the royal consort, have refused to let me join the Grenadier Guards.”
    James Hamilton already knew the outcome of the prince’s audience with his parents. Though James’s father, the Duke of Abercorn, had recommended the royal heir have a year or so of military service after his training in Ireland, Prince Albert decided it would afford his son too much freedom, when clearly discipline was what he needed.
    â€œâ€™Tis a