“He generally goes deer stalking in Scotland towards the end of the year, but he made no mention of that. Perhaps your presence will persuade him to prolong his stay. With luck,” Julia added, with a twisted smile, “I will be the beneficiary.”

Princess Louise to Lady Margaret

Princess Louise to Lady Margaret

Balmoral Castle, 30 September

Dear Margaret,

This will perforce be no more than a brief scrawl, for I am about to head to Dunkeld with the queen to visit the Duchess of Athol. I have been much occupied since the wedding. We travelled to Osborne with Lenchen and her new husband straight after the celebrations. The happy couple had only just left for the Continent when Lieutenant Stirling also departed the Isle of Wight—for good. He has been replaced by a Mr. Legg. A poor substitute indeed!

In August I attended the queen in Balmoral for the usual family gathering which even included Bertie, much to Her Majesty’s delight. There was a ball at Abergeldie where I wore the most delicious new gown, and then Lenchen and her prince returned from their wedding trip looking suitably content. The queen will host a ball in their honour later this month, when Her Majesty and I return from Dunkeld. I have designed my own gown for that prestigious occasion—and made an excellent fist of it, if I do say so myself.

I am summoned! My days are not my own now that Lenchen is married, but I find my new role as Her Majesty’s scribe bearable. Alas, it leaves very little time for my sculpting and no time at all for my own correspondence.

Louise

P.S. Leo not only has a new governor in Mr. Legg, but a new tutor, too. The Reverend Duckworth is a most charming man.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Three

October 1866

THE DAY WAS CONSIDERABLY ADVANCED when Margaret headed back to Powerscourt with Aoife dutifully padding along in her wake. She had walked farther than she had originally intended, tempted by the warm autumn sunshine to wander out to the deer park which Julia’s husband had established as a home for his rare Japanese sika breed.

She had read Louise’s letter several times now and still could not decide how to interpret it. Was her friend so concerned that her correspondence was being monitored by the queen’s overvigilant courtiers that she couldn’t comment on the concerns which had been at the forefront of her mind when they last met? Or was it simply the missive of a young, flighty woman with nothing more to worry about than party dresses and handsome new tutors, and no time for absent friends who had fallen from grace?