Chapter 16: Diplomacy in Action
Baron von Latimore stepped down from the carriage, his posture as steady and composed as he could manage. Before him loomed the rather imposing estate of Duke Mark. The mansion seemed to glare down at him, the pristine white stone of its walls shimmering slightly in the sunlight and hinting at the not-entirely-mundane nature of its construction.
The reminder of the duke's affluence nearly made him gulp. It had been only a couple of weeks since his wedding—the last time he’d seen his new uncle-in-law—but this meeting was an entirely different beast. This was not a family affair. It was formal. And the duke, even in casual settings, was undoubtedly an intimidating man.
A summons from him wasn’t inherently a bad thing, of course. But the fact that the duke wanted to meet with him personally, rather than having a viscount or earl speak with him… That worried him. Whatever this meeting was for, Latimore doubted it was good news. He couldn’t think of anything he’d done to warrant commendation yet. That left only a handful of alternatives: a problem, a reprimand, or a task to be done.
Latimore felt an imaginary weight settle on his shoulders. Any of the options would mean even more added to his plate, more expectations to address. He'd barely had time to even wrap his head around the neglected barony he’d inherited, much less begin to address all of its issues. He'd hoped to have a few months at least to gain a better grasp of the situation and make real progress on fixing it. But perhaps he'd been too lenient with his timelines—or rather, underestimated those of his superiors.
He was quickly escorted through the estate toward the duke’s sitting room. Intricate tapestries and paintings adorned the halls as they walked, many bearing plaques or inscriptions describing their historical significance. Latimore had already been granted the opportunity to inspect some of the more striking ones on his last visit. Which was how he knew just how rare and priceless many of these pieces were. The sight did little to calm his already frayed nerves.
As a servant announced his arrival, Latimore kept his back straight and his expression neutral. He was guided to a chair across from the duke, who sat with perfect poise behind a grand desk as he penned a missive. Short-cropped grey hair ringed his head, circling around a bare patch at its top. Yet despite the man's hairline and wrinkled features, Latimore knew better than to ascribe the word "old" to the man before him. The duke had more in common with a slumbering dragon than some doddering old grandfather. Even now, he exuded a presence that seemed to fill the room with its very weight.
As he sat, a servant poured tea into fine porcelain cups before moving to stand near the wall. The duke finished his work and set it aside with a sigh. His steel blue eyes stared at Latimore with an intensity that nearly made him fidget. The baron, already uneasy, picked up his tea to hide the urge and sipped cautiously, doing his best to hide any signs of nerves.
“Baron. I'm glad that you were able to attend this meeting on such short notice," the duke said, breaking the silence. "I just returned from speaking with the king. Our meeting left us with… much to discuss.”
Latimore glanced up, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. Hope welled up within his chest as he recognized the implication of the words. “Are we going to get the reinforcements we requested?”