Chapter 24
FREDERICK
“It appears you could not have avoided the election even if you had wished to,” William commented to Frederick as they pushed their way out of the door of The Silver Pilchard the following morning.
The area in front of the inn was teeming with people—adults, children, and merchants hawking meat pies and cider. It reminded Frederick of the party on the beach when he had announced his candidacy.
The thought elicited a small sigh.
Mrs. Tonkin and Jory had set up the same trestle table outside the inn and were offering fairings and ale.
“Just a moment,” Frederick said, and he shouldered his way over to them.
Mrs. Tonkin’s gaze fixed upon him, and they regarded one another for a moment.
Since Will and Aunt Eugenia’s arrival, she had alternated between warmth and aloofness, no doubt torn between Oswald’s threats and a desire to please her guests.
“Three fairings, please.” Frederick handed the coins to Jory and smiled at Mrs. Tonkin as she handed him the biscuits.
“My compliments to His Grace and Mrs. Ashby,” she said.
“And to me?” Frederick suggested with a teasing light in his eye.
Mrs. Tonkin merely hmph’d at this, but there was a twitch at the corner of her mouth despite it.
He took his spoils and made his way back to Will and Aunt Eugenia, looking with no success for any sign of Caroline.
“Good luck, Mr. Yorke!” Ruan slapped him on the back, and the other nearby fishermen seconded this.
Frederick opened his mouth to explain that no amount of luck would be sufficient as he was not even a candidate anymore, but a woman and her four children bumped into him, and it was all he could do to keep the fairings in his hand.
Once he found Will and Aunt Eugenia, they made their way to the inn yard, where the election would take place. A table had been set up, and two men acting as clerks sat with parchment and ink stands before them.
Frederick took in a breath. Behind the clerks, Oswald was in conversation with the man Frederick assumed to be Mr. Hannaford, the returning officer, given his unfamiliar face, neat clothing, and where he was positioned.
Oswald looked to be in good spirits. Of course he did.
“Is that the milksop?” Aunt Eugenia asked.
Frederick nodded, unable to repress a smile.
Oswald’s gaze met his just then, and there was the slightest glint of victory in his eyes as they held Frederick’s. He said something to the returning officer, then came toward Frederick.
“Mr. Yorke,” he said, enough smugness in his demeanor to make Frederick wish yet again things had turned out differently. “I had not thought to see you here.”
“No?” Frederick responded with a smile that cost him dearly.
Oswald’s gaze shifted to Will and Aunt Eugenia, and Frederick introduced them.
“Your Grace,” Oswald said, bowing to Will.
When he offered a smaller bow to Aunt Eugenia, her only response was an almost unintelligible hmph.
“I trust you all will enjoy yourselves,” Oswald said. “Now, if you will excuse me, I believe Mr. Hannaford is about to start the process.” He smiled, then returned to the returning officer’s side.
“Are you certain you do not wish to accept that land from William?” Aunt Eugenia grumbled, watching Oswald with dislike.
Frederick chuckled softly. “He is rather unbearable, isn’t he? But yes. I am certain.” Seeing the entire village there almost made him wish that Will’s offer would have made any difference, for he had come to truly care for these people and the lives they led.
“Silence in the yard!” Mr. Hannaford called out.
Frederick searched again for Caroline. She was nowhere in sight. He had written her a short note that morning, for he had not been certain whether she wished to maintain a bit of distance until the election was over.
She had not yet responded.
Mr. Hannaford was obliged to repeat himself two more times before the chatter died down.
“We are here today for a special by-election to elect a member to serve in Parliament as a representative of the borough of Trelowen in the House of Commons.”
There were a few moments of disorder as the crowd responded to this, but silence was soon achieved again.
“Now,” Mr. Hannaford said, “I will announce the candida—”
A man Frederick recognized as Caroline’s steward broke through the front of the crowd and approached Mr. Hannaford.
They conferred in quiet voices for a moment, and the steward showed him a piece of paper. Mr. Hannaford looked it over carefully, then nodded.
The steward stepped off to the side, clasped his hands in front of him, and waited for the officer to go on.
“As I was saying,” he continued, “I will now announce the candidates for whom votes may be cast.”
There was a stir of movement behind Frederick, Will, and Aunt Eugenia, and people began to shift to make way for someone.
Caroline emerged, her cheeks pink and her breath coming quickly, as though she had run to arrive in time.
She came up beside Frederick. “Forgive me. It was a busy morning.”
Oswald’s eyes fixed on them, the self-satisfaction in his expression dissipating.
“Mr. George Oswald,” Mr. Hannaford called out, and Oswald gave an acknowledging nod. “And Mr. Frederick Yorke.”
Frederick’s stomach clenched. He had been certain Oswald would have dispelled any assumption that he was still part of the election. He had said, after all, that a copy of the paper detailing his ineligibility had been sent to Hannaford.
With expectant faces all turned toward him, Frederick cleared his throat and reluctantly strode up to the table, where Mr. Hannaford had opened his mouth to continue.
He stopped at the sight of Frederick, looking annoyed to have a second interruption in such a short time.
The crowd watched as Frederick walked around the table, avoiding the eye of Oswald, and came to a stop in front of Hannaford.
“There seems to have been a miscommunication, sir,” Frederick said in a low voice. “It was made known to me that I am not, in fact, eligible to stand for election, lacking the required ￡300 in property.” Despite his efforts, his eyes flicked to Oswald, who was watching them with intent curiosity.
“Sir,” Mr. Hannaford said as one dealing with a matter of no small aggravation, “I hesitate to contradict you, but I have just been given this”—he showed the papers Caroline’s steward had given him—“which states that you are, in fact, eligible.”