His orders had been direct and clear. There was an air of command in his voice that made her think now with a smile that she might have been a soldier receiving the orders of his Commanding Officer.

It was impossible to make any mistake about what Lord Dorrington required her to do.

“You can act a part I suppose,” he said in a tone of voice that told her that he intended her answer to be in the affirmative.

“I could – try,” she answered hesitantly.

“Do you realise what those tablets would have done to you had you taken them?” he asked.

“I am not certain of the effects of – opium.”

“You would be sleepy, vague, detached from the world and ready to obey any command that was given to you,”

“Supposing the Prince realises that I have not taken them?” Alyna asked.

‘“He is only interested in the results,” Lord Dorrington said. “You need not speak except in monosyllables. You can just appear stupid and ready to agree to anything that is suggested.”

“I could not – let him – touch me,” Alyna whispered.

“I cannot believe that your mother would allow him to do so,” Lord Dorrington said sharply. “Tell her quite clearly, Alyna, that you will not be left alone with the Prince. If he wishes to give you the ring he has spoken about, let him do it in her presence. And tell her – ”

He thought for a moment and then he went on,

“ – tell her you will make a scene unless she is in the room all the time that the Prince is there.”

“Could I not go – away before dinner?” Alyna asked.

“It would hardly give us time to get to the country, where I am taking you, before there would be a hue and cry,” Lord Dorrington answered. “They might put the Bow Street Runners on you. And make no mistake, Alyna, if they find where you are hidden, you will have to return to your mother.”

Alyna gave a little sigh.

“I will do exactly what you have told me to do.”

But now she was wondering if she was a good enough actress to deceive anybody, especially the Prince.

Then she told herself that there was no point in having brains or being clever if she could not deceive just two people.

Apart from that she felt that she could not let herself down in the eyes of Lord Dorrington. She would be humiliated if she failed in what appeared to him to be a quite simple assignment.

She had to pretend! She had to act! It was nothing more difficult than that.

*

It was in fact far easier than Alyna had at first anticipated.

When she told her mother at luncheontime that she felt tired despite a good night’s sleep and asked if she could lie down during the afternoon, Lady Maude was delighted.