Edmond stilled, warned by the edge in his companion’s voice.
“What do you mean?”
“Unfortunately, even without their commander, a handful of the soldiers managed to disrupt the morning parade.”
“How serious?”
Herrick heaved a deep sigh as he moved to peer out the window. “It would have been nothing more than a trifling annoyance if Prince Michael had not been in attendance.”
Edmond set aside his glass with enough force to crack the crystal. His one comfort as the dangerous situation unfolded was the hope that they had managed to keep the heavy hand of the Romanovs from making matters worse.
Now that hope was to be dashed.
“What the devil was the Prince doing there?”
Herrick gave a rueful shrug. “I did not invite him, I assure you, but I could hardly command that he remain at the Palace.”
Edmond shuddered at the mere thought of the unpredictable, highly emotional Prince reacting to the least hint of insubordination. Unlike Alexander Pavlovich, the younger royal had not yet learned the wisdom to be discovered in a tempered, thoughtful response to his subjects.
“Mon dieu.”
“Exactly. His reaction was…” Herrick struggled for an appropriate word. “Excessive,” he at last admitted.
“Tell me the worst.”
“He allowed the General to have them stripped and beaten in front of the entire regiment and then dragged by the heels to the prison barracks.”
“Did any die?” Edmond rasped.
“No, but the brutal treatment only inspired the other soldiers to resent his command. We were fortunate to keep the uprising to only a few of the Regiment.”
Edmond scrubbed his hands over his face. Christ. He did not need to be within the barracks to realize that they would be smoldering with the resentment that could ignite the bloodshed they had struggled so hard to avoid.
“We both know that they will not forget, nor will they forgive. I fear we have only deferred the day of reckoning.”
“Perhaps,” Herrick grudgingly admitted.
“You do know, Herrick, most countries would run a great deal more smoothly if left in the hands of the commoners.”
The older gentleman smoothed his features into an unreadable mask. No matter what his annoyance with Prince Michael, Herrick would remain stoically loyal.
“A wise gentleman would keep such thoughts to himself.”
Knowing better than to argue, Edmond instead turned his attention to more pressing matters.
“And Viktor Kazakov?”
The smile returned to Herrick’s lips.
“He was found in the church where you left him. Since the barrack prison was already filled, I believe he is currently locked in chambers at the Palace along with his cousin, Fedor Dubov.”
Edmond gave a sharp bark of laughter, savoring the image of Viktor held prisoner in one of the luxurious rooms. It would be more galling than a damp dungeon.
“Ah, so he did manage to claim his chambers at the Palace. He will be so pleased.”
“To be honest, he did not appear particularly pleased,” Herrick said dryly. “Indeed, he was threatening all sorts of foul retributions toward you and your entire genealogy. If you desire, I can arrange a meeting so that you can rip out his tongue and put an end to his annoying boasts.”
“I have far more important matters to attend to. I will depend on you to question Viktor and discover if there were any others involved.”