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Chapters (54)
  1. Cover
  2. The Summer Queen
  3. Dedication Page
  4. Family Tree of King George III
  5. Family Tree of Queen Victoria
  6. PART ONE
  7. Chapter One
  8. Chapter Two
  9. Chapter Three
  10. Chapter Four
  11. Chapter Five
  12. Chapter Six
  13. Chapter Seven
  14. Chapter Eight
  15. Chapter Nine
  16. Chapter Ten
  17. Chapter Eleven
  18. Chapter Twelve
  19. Chapter Thirteen
  20. PART TWO
  21. Chapter Fourteen
  22. Chapter Fifteen
  23. Chapter Sixteen
  24. Chapter Seventeen
  25. Chapter Eighteen
  26. Chapter Nineteen
  27. Chapter Twenty
  28. Chapter Twenty-One
  29. Chapter Twenty-Two
  30. Chapter Twenty-Three
  31. Chapter Twenty-Four
  32. PART THREE
  33. Chapter Twenty-Five
  34. Chapter Twenty-Six
  35. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  36. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  37. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  38. Chapter Thirty
  39. Chapter Thirty-One
  40. Chapter Thirty-Two
  41. PART FOUR
  42. Chapter Thirty-Three
  43. Chapter Thirty-Four
  44. Chapter Thirty-Five
  45. Chapter Thirty-Six
  46. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  47. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  48. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  49. Chapter Forty
  50. Chapter Forty-One
  51. Acknowledgements
  52. Select Bibliography
  53. The Summer Queen
  54. By Margaret Pemberton

‘And so I might very well marry Ducky,’ Ernie said later to Alicky. ‘At least she’s fun, which counts for something. But I’m not going to do so until I absolutely have to. There’s no sense in running to meet disaster.’

And, shoving his hands deep in his trouser pockets, he went off in search of the latest new groom, in order to have a little fun and cheer himself up.

Chapter Twenty-Four

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JANUARY 1892, SANDRINGHAM

May was fizzing with happiness. It was early January and, accompanied by her parents, she had just arrived at Sandringham to help celebrate Eddy’s twenty-eighth birthday, which was in four days’ time. London had been freezing when they had left it, but there had been no snow. In Norfolk the ground was covered by it.

‘The good news,’ Eddy said, within minutes of welcoming her, ‘is that the lake is frozen solid and there’s to be a game of ice-hockey on it this afternoon. The bad news is that flu is rife. Both Toria and Maudie have taken to their beds with it, and my equerry, who is a demon at ice-hockey, is so ill he’s not going to be able to play.’

‘What about Georgie? He’s still convalescing from typhoid. If anyone should take care not to catch flu, it’s Georgie.’

‘Georgie hasn’t a trace of a sniffle. Let’s find a room with a roaring log fire where I can tell you some truly exciting news.’

Arm-in-arm they began walking in the direction of Sandringham’s little-used library. Hugging his arm, May said teasingly, ‘Is your news a change of plan and we are to go to Florence for our honeymoon?’

‘I’m afraid not. It’s something even better. Ireland.’

Her eyebrows flew nearly into her fringe of wheat-gold crimped curls. ‘Ireland? For our honeymoon? Why on earth?’

‘Silly minx, of course not for our honeymoon. When we are in the library I’ll tell you, although you must keep it to yourself, as it’s highly confidential. Even Motherdear and Georgie aren’t in the know yet.’

Deeply intrigued, she remained silent until they had reached the library and Eddy had closed the door behind them.

Without sitting down or suggesting that May sat down, he took both her hands and said, ‘The Prime Minister has suggested that I be appointed Viceroy of Ireland and Lord Lieutenant of Dublin Castle, and Granny Queen has agreed to it.’

May gasped, her eyes widening.