Imager's Intrigue by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

The opening line could be "five years later." Rhennthyl and Seliora are married and the proud parents of three-year-old Diestrya - named, apparently, for Seliora's grandmother. They live in master's quarters on Imagisle and Rhennthyl is now a Captain of the Civic Patrol - punishment for his successes in the previous book.

Solidaran politics have been a major theme throughout and this time are central - along with the activities of those pesky Ferrans, who seem to be intent on taking over the world. Solidar is the only country in their world which includes imagers in their society, they are distrusted everywhere else - and in some places subject to being killed on sight. The Solidaran system of society and government is feudal in some respects. High Holders are their aristocracy, guilds manage most manufacturing and trade, and there are the taudis where people individually scratch out such living as they can. On the other hand, they are governed by a council which is composed of representatives of most groups (with the obvious exception of the very poor). There is even an Imager representative.

Sounds better than the theocracies and oligarchies and what all that govern all the other countries, but it has fallen prey to maintaining the status quo and that has left Solidar open to corruption at all levels.

Just a comment on the technology. It seems extremely odd to me that the author would have created a society which has trains (ironways) and mechanized sea power, but has neglected to invent any form of high speed or distance communication. I suppose this places them at the steam power level, maybe electricity hadn't quite happened yet.