“I think actually,” the Duke said as if he was thinking it over, “it would be best to give up the Dawlishes. As soon as the engagement is announced tomorrow all my family will want to meet my future bride and to save ourselves a whole succession of boring luncheons and dinners, let’s get it over all at once by inviting them to The Castle this weekend.”

Aline clapped her hands.

“Of course, you are right! You are always right and it will be perfect for us to be at The Castle together!”

She paused before she said,

“Besides, now I think of it, the following weekend George and I ought to give a party at home and plan the wedding.”

“The wedding?” the Duke asked suspiciously.

“There is no point in having a long engagement,” Aline said, “and the sooner we have a respectable excuse for being together at The Castle regularly the sooner will George realise that there is no reasonable way that we can go on refusing your invitations.”

“Actually,” the Duke said, “I was surprised that he agreed to such a precipitate engagement.”

Aline smiled.

“He did make a slight protest last night and he was very angry with me for having told you about Princess Sophie. But I told him that it was a marvellous opportunity for Honora to make a good marriage.”

She laughed and added,

“I also convinced him with great cleverness that I was to you what he had always found and accused me of being – a very cold woman!”

Laughing softly she lifted her lips to the Duke to say in a low passionate voice that seemed to vibrate on the air between them,

“Do you find me cold, Ulric?”

His arms went round her before she had finished speaking and he kissed her until they were both burning with a fiery desire that made it impossible to think of anything else –

*

The following morning, as Honora was called, Emily put two newspapers down on the bed in front of her.

“It’s in the Court Column, miss,” she said, “and it reads ever so exciting. I knew you’d want to see it, so I brings up the newspapers before ’is Lordship goes down to breakfast.”

There was no need for Honora to ask what she was talking about. For the previous night when she had dined alone with her uncle and aunt they had both talked of nothing but her engagement.

“I think you should have let me see the announcement before you sent it to The Gazette and the other newspapers,” the Earl was saying disagreeably as she entered the drawing room before dinner.

“I am sorry, dearest, but I did not think you would be interested,” Aline replied, “and I really wrote it out quite correctly.”

“I hope so.”

Then, as the Earl saw Honora advancing towards them, he smiled and held out his hands, saying,

“How are you, my dear? I am delighted to see you after such a long absence.”