The Countess laughed and it was not a very pleasant sound.

“Really, George, how can you make such a fool of yourself? You know as well as I do that any of our acquaintances would go down on their knees and lick the floor if it ensured that the Duke would be their son-in-law!”

Her voice was deliberately sad as she went on,

“We have not unfortunately a daughter we can offer him, but he has agreed, actually agreed to marry Honora! You must realise what that will mean!”

There was silence before the Earl said slowly,

“I imagine from your point of view it means you will see more of Tynemouth than you do already and that is too much!”

As if the note in her husband’s voice was a warning to the Countess, she changed her tactics.

She knew only too well how to manage her husband, as she managed other men.

She gave a little laugh and moved towards him.

“George, darling, you are jealous! How adorable of you and it makes me very happy!”

She put her arms round his neck and turned her beautiful face up to his as she said,

“Nobody knows better than you do that it amuses me to flirt with the Duke and it is certainly a feather in my cap that he is so attentive, but no man has ever found me anything but cold and unresponsive.”

She moved a little closer as she added,

“It is something you have often accused me of yourself and you know how much I love you.”

Aline was pulling his head down to hers and her body was very soft. The Earl somewhat reluctantly put his arms around her.

The exotic French perfume she used seemed somehow to dull his senses.

“It’s all very well, Aline – ” he began.

Then his wife’s lips were on his and he was unable to say any more.

Only when she released him did he say,

“We have to talk about this, you know.”

“There is nothing to say, dearest George,” the Countess replied. “The Duke has promised to marry Honora and, because he must be a step ahead of the Queen, the engagement will be announced tomorrow. So you and I must tell everybody that it was arranged a year ago when she was too young to be married.”

“I doubt if anybody will believe that.”

His tone was reluctant, but the Countess knew that she had won the battle and she merely replied,

“All those women who have tried to catch him either for their daughters or for themselves will be grinding their teeth with envy. Just leave everything to me, George, and all you have to do is to buy Honora a trousseau which will cost a great deal of money that you can well afford.”

“You are going too fast, Aline,” the Earl expostulated. “I have not given my consent to this ridiculous scheme and I do not intend – ”

He stopped because he realised that his wife was not listening but was, in fact, leaving the room.