“There is only one way by which you would be completely safe from your mother, so that you would not have to obey her and there would be nothing she could do to coerce you.”

“What is that?” Alyna asked wonderingly.

“It is that you should be married,” Lord Dorrington replied.

She gave a little gasp before she cried,

“How can you – suggest such a – thing. How can I possibly – marry the – Prince? You know that – I would rather die!”

“The Prince is not the only man in the world,” Lord Dorrington replied. “We have already agreed that in the future you should never under any circumstances come in contact with him or have anything whatever to do with him.”

“But there is – no one else,” Alyna said miserably.

“I am suggesting,” Lord Dorrington said very quietly, “that you should marry me.”

For a moment Alyna stared at him, her eyes wide with astonishment.

Then she stammered,

“But you have always s-said you would never – m-marry and that y-you have no – wish to d-do so.”

“I have said that in the past,” Lord Dorrington agreed. “But if you think about it calmly, Alyna, you will see that it is the only solution to our immediate problems.”

“But you don’t – want a – wife.”

“I prefer to be married rather than spend the rest of my life as a convict in Australia,” Lord Dorrington replied.

“I could run away,” Alyna said quickly. “If you will give me some money, I could go to Scotland or Ireland. I am sure Mama would never find me there.”

“But do you not realise that there would be other men who would frighten you again in such countries if you were alone?” Lord Dorrington enquired. “You are too young, Alyna, and far too attractive to face the world without a man to look after you!”

She still stared at him with troubled eyes and he said gently,

“Am I so distasteful to you?”

“You know it is not – that!” she said quickly. “It is just that I never – thought – I never imagined for a moment – ”

Her voice died away –

“We set off together on what we knew was a desperate adventure,” Lord Dorrington said. “I don’t think we can weaken now, however unusual the decision we have to make.”

He paused and, as Alyna did not speak, he went on,

“The only alternative, until you are twenty-one, would be for you to live with your mother.”

“I cannot do – that, you know that I – cannot do – that,” Alyna said.

“Then suppose we get married immediately.”

“Immediately?” Alyna asked.

“Before the Bow Street Runners arrive,” Lord Dorrington replied with a smile. “And, Alyna, there is something else that I consider rather important.”

“What is that?” she asked apprehensively.

“I don’t think that we should involve Elizabeth in these somewhat unpleasant events at this particular moment.”

“No, no, of course not,” Alyna agreed.