“I think if we are to be married it would be wise for us to be frank with each other.”

Honora looked up at him as she replied,

“That is what I would – like and I would therefore be – grateful – Your Grace – if you would tell me the – real reason why the announcement should appear in the newspapers – tomorrow morning.”

“Your aunt has not told you?”

“No, all she said when I arrived an hour or so ago was that we were to be married.”

“Very well, I will tell you the truth,” the Duke said. “I expected to have an arranged marriage sooner or later, but there seemed to be no particular hurry.”

Honora was listening intently, her eyes on his face as he went on,

“I learned and it was actually your aunt who informed me of it, that Her Majesty the Queen wished me to marry Prince Albert’s niece, Princess Sophie of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.”

The Duke’s voice was hard and almost aggressive as he spoke and, after a little pause, Honora said,

“And that is – something you do not – wish to do?”

“Certainly not!” the Duke replied sharply. “I have met the Princess and I can assure you she is the last woman I would, in any circumstances, willingly take as my wife!”

“And yet you are – prepared to – ask me! Why?”

Honora saw that her question had, for the moment, surprised him.

Then as if he sought for an answer, he said,

“You are English and you belong to a family for whom I have a great respect.”

“But – surely,” Honora persisted, “there must be many – other families who come into the same category and you – therefore have a wide choice. So why me?”

The Duke put out his hand and, as if he needed support, held onto the mantelpiece.

Then looking down at the fire he answered,

“I understood from your aunt that the marriage would meet with your approval, and – ”

He paused and there was silence before Honora asked,

“What is the other reason?”

“Quite frankly, I have to act quickly. I suspect that Her Majesty will suggest when I am on duty at Buckingham Palace tomorrow that the Princess would make me a suitable wife.”

Again there was that harsh note in the Duke’s voice which revealed his feelings very clearly.

“So I suppose I am the lesser of two evils!” Honora remarked.

The Duke looked at her as if in surprise that she should speak in such a way before he said,

“I have a feeling, Miss Lang, that this conversation should not be taking place and we are perhaps making things very much more difficult than they are already.”

“The only difficulty, Your Grace, is that you have no wish to marry me and I have no wish to marry anybody I do not – love.”

If she had dropped a bomb at his feet, the Duke could not have been more surprised.