Although they had lived in a small unimportant village, her mother and father had always kept up with what was happening in the political world and especially the controversies concerning reforms that could affect country life.

She was sure the Duke knew a lot about this since he owned so many estates, but once again it was impossible to ask him about it when they were never alone.

Every day her trousseau grew larger and larger and she began to think she would never live long enough to wear all the gowns her aunt had bought for her.

It seemed as if she was feverishly spending money in a way that Honora could not understand.

She thought that the Duke would have the idea that she was extremely extravagant if he saw the number of trunks she would have to take away with her from Langstone House.

‘What is the point of so many gowns,’ she asked herself despairingly, ‘when he is not likely to admire me in even one of them?’

*

At the ball given by the Duchess of Richmond, the Duke of Tynemouth and the Countess of Langstone moved nonchalantly from the ballroom into the garden.

Without speaking they walked through the shadows of the trees, which were decorated with Chinese lanterns and beyond the lights where few of the dancers had penetrated.

“This is driving me mad!” the Duke began, breaking their silence.

“I know,” the Countess said caressingly, “it has been maddening both for you and for me, but there is nothing we can do about it.”

“The whole thing is unnatural and a dead bore!”

“I agree with you, but after your marriage it will be better.”

“Why should you think that?”

“Because, dearest, there will be no more of this formal and necessary entertaining and once your honeymoon is over we will be able to see each other without any difficulties at all.”

There was silence and what the Duke was thinking was so obvious that Aline said quickly,

“There is no need to worry about Honora. You can leave her in the country or in London, whichever you like, and we can have quiet little parties with our real friends and we will be together as it is impossible to be at this moment.”

“If I have to drink one more toast or make one more damned silly speech,” the Duke said, “I will chuck the whole thing up and go abroad.”

There was a little silence.

Then Aline said in a very soft voice,

“How can you be so cruel when I am thinking only of you? And, darling man, have you thought what you might be doing at this moment in Saxe-Coburg?”

“I know! I know!” the Duke retorted derisively. “But the whole thing is like a very bad play that will not come to an end and I have no intention of going on much longer.”

“You have to for both our sakes,” Aline said softly.

As they were speaking, she had been drawing him without his being aware of it into one of the arbours that had been arranged in various parts of the garden.