“What I am suggesting,” Lord Dorrington said in a matter of fact voice, “is that we leave immediately for my home. It will only take us about two hours to drive there. We could be married by my private Chaplain and then no one, neither your mother nor the Prince, will have any jurisdiction over you.”

“Are you sure – quite sure that is what you – wish to do?”

“I am not only willing to do it,” Lord Dorrington said, “but I have already made arrangements.”

“But how?” Alyna asked.

“I have sent my groom to Dorrington Park so that everything will be prepared when we arrive. There is only one difficulty.”

“What is – that?” she asked.

“I think it has stopped raining,” he said, “but I came here in my high-perch phaeton. Are you prepared to brave the elements?”

“That is the least of the things I have to – brave,” Alyna said with a little break in her voice.

She looked up at him and added,

“I am so desperately – ashamed at having – involved you in all this. Why did you not let me – drown myself when I wanted to do so?”

“The answer is quite simple,” Lord Dorrington replied. “You have already cast me in the role of Knight Errant.”

“That is exactly – what you are,” Alyna said, “and how shall I ever be able to thank you?”

“We will consider that when we are safely out of the woods,” Lord Dorrington answered. “There is a great deal to be done before I can accept your gratitude. Go and pack, Alyna, we have a journey in front of us.”

She rose at the note of command in his voice.

Then, as he rose too, she looked up at him, her eyes troubled.

“You are quite – sure you don’t – mind – marrying me?” she asked. “I am not the – sort of wife you – should have.”

“Who is to decide that except me?”

“You are so important, a friend of the Prince of Wales, one of the leaders of the fashionable world. You would be – ashamed of me.”

He shook his head.

“I shall never be that.”

“How can you be – certain?”

“That is a question I cannot answer,” he said. “I only know with absolute certainty that I shall be proud to introduce you as my wife.”

“I think you are only being – kind to me,” she said and there was the suspicion of a sob in her voice.

“If we don’t start soon,” Lord Dorrington remarked dryly, “we shall be extremely late for dinner. And I have found from long experience that things always seem worse on an empty stomach.”

As if she could not help it, Alyna gave a little laugh.

“I will go and get ready,” she said and went from the room.

They set off about twenty minutes later and, if Alyna had not been so disturbed, she would have been thrilled to travel in a high-perch phaeton.