“I did the one unforgivable, the one terrible thing that I ought never to have done,” Lady Rosemary answered. “I hithered and hathered and was too frightened to make up my mind until the very night before my Wedding. Everything was arranged for a magnificent Ceremony at St. George’s Church, Hanover Square. The King and Queen had promised to be present. There was Royalty among my retinue of bridesmaids and I had received presents worth a small fortune.”

“And then you ran away?” Gretna prompted, unable to wait for the end of the story.

“Yes, I ran away. I climbed down from my bedroom in the dead of night. Your father was waiting for me with a post chaise at the gates and we galloped off to Gretna Green.”

“And did Grandfather pursue you?”

“He did indeed,” her mother answered. “And nearly caught up with us too. He had better horses and far more money to spend on the journey. Fortunately we had a whole night’s start. They did not discover that I had gone until they went to call me in the morning.”

“So you were married at Gretna Green.”

“Yes, we were married at Gretna Green and your grandfather arrived half an hour later. He cursed me then, told me that I was no longer his daughter and whatever happened he never wished to see or hear of me again.”

“Oh, Mama! Did you mind?”

“I was upset at the time, but I had your father. It was all either of us wanted, to be together and to be allowed to love each other with all the affection and passion that we were capable of.”

“And so you came here to live in the cottage?” Gretna said.

“At first we had no home and no money, People were very unkind to us as well because I had caused such a scandal. I had insulted the King and Queen, they said. I had made one of the most important Noblemen in the country look a fool. I was assured, and I am quite certain they spoke the truth, that such a crime would never be forgiven me.”

She put her hands to her eyes for a moment as if remembering all that she had endured before she went on,

“Then Mr. and Mrs. Walter Smythe took pity on us. They knew your father because he had once done Mr. Smythe some small service. They asked us to stay with them and later found us this cottage in the village so that we were near them. They have been Good Samaritans to us, Gretna, and we love them for it.”

“And you have never regretted running away, Mama?”

“Never, never! Not for one single instant,”

There was no mistaking the sincerity in her voice.