The Windsor Conspiracy by Georgie Blalock

Author:Georgie Blalock [Blalock, Georgie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2024-07-16T00:00:00+00:00

What to do about Germany was the talk of the evening at Lady Williams-Taylor’s cocktail party in her impressive Paris townhouse. Amelia stood on the periphery of the guests in one of her pale pink Schiaparelli dresses shot with gold stripes along the wide skirt. She usually entertained a host of conversation partners at these events. Her status as Wallis’s cousin drew people to her but no one was interested in chatting her up tonight. They were too busy talking politics.

“Mr. Chamberlain was right to negotiate for peace,” the Duke insisted to Lady Williams-Taylor, Mr. Wenner-Gren, and a coterie of people in designer dresses and tuxedos. They held highball glasses and cigarette holders while debating the possibility of war as if speculating on a horse race and not something capable of ruining millions of lives. “He has the right idea. Give Herr Hitler the land he needs for his people and keep us out of war. Let the Germans have Czechoslovakia, it isn’t a real country anyway, simply something President Wilson created out of whole cloth with that damned Treaty of Versailles.”

“There’s no need to swear, darling,” Wallis reprimanded, smiling apologetically at the others.

“If there’s any time to swear it’s now. Those bloody fools in London will get us into a mess over this little bit of nothing. If I could’ve negotiated with Germany about Czechoslovakia ages ago and saved Mr. Chamberlain the bother, I would have. Herr Hitler is not a madman but a head of state to be reasoned with.”

“Mrs. Montague?” A voice pulled Amelia’s attention away from the conversation. “I’m Miss Heastie. Lady Williams-Taylor said I had to meet you.” A colored woman in a fine emerald-green satin sheath dress, her British accent tinged by a slight Caribbean flavor, shook Amelia’s hand.

“I’m glad to finally meet you. Lady Williams-Taylor has told me about you.” She understood why Miss Heastie hadn’t accompanied her employer to Berlin. Herr Hitler had no more love of colored people than he did of Jews. His fury over Jesse Owens winning the gold medal at the 1936 Berlin Olympics was legendary.

“How are you enjoying the party?” Miss Heastie asked.

“I’ve heard a number of very interesting things since I’ve been here.”

“They do love their gossip. Speaking of which, have you heard Mr. Dalí has taken up with Mademoiselle Chanel?”

“Madame Schiaparelli will be jealous.”

“Won’t she just. Tell Her Royal Highness as soon as possible. Employers love it when you give them juicy news, especially when they’re among the first to know.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” It was good advice she’d never heard from Mrs. Bedaux but she supposed employers liked to believe their staff didn’t gossip about them. Another of the many illusions everyone maintained to keep society running smoothly.

“Want to get away for a few minutes? I know where we can take a breather.”

“I don’t know if I can. Her Royal Highness might need me.”

“They’re pretty well occupied and won’t miss us. One of the footmen will find us if they do.”

With Wallis deep in conversation with Lady Williams-Taylor and Mr.

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