104. A Heart Finds Love (6 page)

“I am quite certain that the Prince then had no idea there was gold on his land and, if he did find it later, you would have heard about it.”

“You may be right or you may be wrong,” William pointed out. “But I am perfectly willing to come with you. I always enjoy Georgia, it has a charm that very few other countries can boast.”

“That is what I have always felt,” the Duke said. “But I want to make quite certain I don’t have to marry one of their women.”

“You will have to marry someone sooner or later,” William remarked.

“Why? I have learnt my lesson where women are concerned and I want to make it quite clear, once and for all, that I will
never
marry.”

He gave a laugh before he went on,

“I was foolish enough to think that I was in love when I was comparatively young, but now I have enough common sense just to play the field.”

“Well, you then bet me a thousand pounds to a threepenny bit and that one thousand pounds is what I am determined to win,” William said. “It will not only be Prince Vladimir Petrov trying to get you up the aisle with his daughter, but I will be pushing from behind!”

The Duke picked up a cushion and threw it at him.

“You are making a nuisance of yourself, William. I have heard quite enough of all this from my relatives and you know as well as I do that I have no intention of making a fool of myself for a second time. Once is quite enough.”

William did not answer.

Then unexpectedly the Duke laughed again.

“I am just thinking how much it must be annoying my ex-fiancée that she has lost a Duke.”

“You said that before,” William replied, “and, as I hear she now has two sons, I think for the moment at any rate that she is nearer to the winning post than you.”

“Two sons!” the Duke exclaimed before he could prevent himself.

Then he shrugged his shoulders.

“She is welcome to them and so is her husband. Personally I prefer my freedom and it is my freedom I wish to keep, not only now but as long as I live.”

William chuckled and then he said,

“We have had this conversation before and I would suggest that it’s banned in the future. Let’s consider what camera I will buy tomorrow morning and which brand is most likely to take the best photographs.”

“I have never taken that much interest in them,” the Duke said. “It’s extraordinary to me that the Queen is so obsessed by photographs that her sitting room is filled with pictures of her children and, of course, the much lamented Prince Albert.”

“Are you suggesting that we should ask the Queen where to buy the best camera so you can display yourself and your supposed bride?”

“I cannot for the moment think of anyone else who is particularly keen on photography,” the Duke answered. “What I should do, William, is to buy a camera which is recommended for a non-professional for the taking of the best photographs and make it clear to the man in the shop that, if it is no good, you will demand your money back.”

“I am not likely to get that. At the same time I don’t want you to be disappointed. I saw some photographs of some of my relatives the other day that were absolutely appalling. In fact, it was difficult to recognise them.”

“All that really matters is to show the gown and that it is worn by a woman with me standing beside her. No one in the wilds of the Caucasus is likely to ask too many questions about my wife.”

He paused a moment, then declared firmly,

“I simply have to convince Prince Vladimir that I am a married man and so unavailable as a son-in-law.”

He stopped short and then added,

“It has suddenly struck me, William, why has he not thought of you? After all, your father was a rich man who owned a large amount of land.”

“Yes, but he did not have a title and it’s a title that matters on the Continent and a great deal in Mayfair as well!”

William laughed as he continued,

“Stop trying to pull the wool over my eyes, John. You know as well as I do that the
debutantes
and their mothers have been running after you like a lot of silly sheep ever since you came into your title. In fact, the number of invitations you receive is phenomenal.”

“That is exactly what I find disgusting about the whole thing,” the Duke replied. “Women marry for what they can get out of it, and the prettier the girl is, the higher she expects to rise in
Debrett’s Peerage
. If I was not good enough for them when I was plain Mr. Ford, I am certainly not going to marry a woman now just because she wants to be a Duchess.”

William sighed.

“The trouble with you John, is that because you have been done down by one woman, you are now making yourself hate the whole sex. There is good and bad in females, just as there is in males and you were unfortunate to pick a bad one.”

“Exactly, and once bitten, twice shy. That is why, William, I will never be the bridegroom, except when I pose for you for a photograph!”

He left the room as he finished speaking and, as the door closed behind him, William sighed again.

He was very fond of his friend and enjoyed being with him.

But at the same time he regretted that, because one woman had insulted him and made him feel foolish, he insisted on condemning them all. It was spoiling him and his chance of happiness for the future.

‘I expect some day he will get over it,’ William told himself.

But he was not confident that was possible.

After they had enjoyed an excellent luncheon at the Ducal house in Berkeley Square, the Duke and William climbed into the chaise and they set off at a good speed.

The Duke thought with satisfaction that William had purchased a splendid if expensive camera.

It would be impossible for anyone in Georgia not to believe he was married if he showed them a photograph of him and his wife in that magnificent wedding dress.

He had remembered to instruct his valet to put his evening clothes and his father’s decorations in the chaise.

He wanted to add those that had belonged to the previous Duke, but unfortunately most of them were in the safe at the family castle in Scotland.

However, he had been a Knight of the Order of the Garter and the Duke was able to add that insignia to his Collection, but no one in Georgia would know what the Garter meant, but it would certainly look impressive.

He was, in fact, enjoying himself in thinking out new ideas for circumventing those who continually nagged him to be married and he knew that it was now going to be worse than it had ever been simply because, as a Duke, he would require an heir.

Thinking it over, he was quite certain that there were a few relations who could claim the Dukedom when he was dead, which he hoped would not be for a long time.

As they reached the outskirts of London, the Duke gave the horses their heads and they moved quickly down the empty roads.

“I do see there is one advantage,” the Duke said, “in living near London. You can get out into the country without having to travel for endless miles as I have to do when I go to The Castle.”

“I agree with you that Sutherland is a long distance to travel every time you want to go home,” William said. “If I ever have a country estate, which is very unlikely, it will be in what is known as ‘the Home Counties’.”

They travelled on and William asked,

“What is this girl like who you are making your alleged wife?”

“She is very pretty, in fact, outstandingly so. I can hardly be accused of marrying an ugly woman!”

“No, of course not, John, but you don’t think she may blackmail you in the future because she has pretended to be your wife?”

“Good heavens, no! After all Charles, although a spendthrift, was undoubtedly a gentleman. I remember my father talking warmly of Lord Lester.”

“I was only making sure that you are safe.”

The Duke smiled.

“You are quite right, William. It would be a great mistake to take any risks and that is why I am determined to make absolutely clear from the very beginning that I am not available as a husband for the Princess.”

He paused before he added,

“In fact, it was you who made me aware that it would be very foolish to go to Georgia as a bachelor.”

“Very foolish indeed,” William agreed. “I only hope now that the photographs are really convincing.”

“That is up to you, William.”

“I have never at any time pretended to be a skilled photographer. In point of fact, my photographs have not been particularly good and I am only hoping that with this new and very expensive camera I will be more successful.”

“I will be extremely annoyed if you are not,” the Duke said, “and it will be embarrassing if we have to ask Miss Lester to do it all over again.”

“The man in the shop assured me it was foolproof, but I don’t think I could earn my living as a photographer.”

They both laughed at this.

Three quarters of an hour later they were driving in at the gates of The Hermitage and, when they came within sight of the house, William gave an exclamation.

“I had no idea it was so attractive. What a lovely house! No wonder the owner does not want to sell it.”

“Apparently it has been in the Lester family for years and I agree with you that it must be heartbreaking to have to sell it just to pay for Charles’s extravagance.”

They drew up outside the front door and the groom, who had been sitting behind them, jumped down to go to the horses’ heads.

“We will be some time, Jenkins,” the Duke said to the man. “If you would like to take the horses round to the stable yard, you can do so. But I doubt if you will find anyone to help you.”

“I’ll manage, Your Grace,” Jenkins replied.

The Duke walked up to the front door to find that it was already open and Brooks was bowing politely.

“Good afternoon, Your Grace,” he intoned. “Miss Alnina has asked me to show you into the music room and she’ll join you as soon as she’s ready.”

“I have to change my clothes first,” the Duke said, “and my friend, Mr. Armstrong, is carrying the case.”

Brooks bent forward to take it from William and, as he put it down on the floor, he said,

“Perhaps Your Grace would like to see the music room first. Then I’ll take you upstairs, so that Your Grace can change into what you’ll be wearing.”

“Thank you,” the Duke replied.

Brooks led the way down the same passage where the Duke had been before when he went to the study.

At the far end there were double doors, which he had not noticed when he was touring the rest of the house with Alnina.

Brooks opened both the doors and the Duke saw that what had been the music room, which had doubtless also served as a ballroom, ran the whole length of that side of the house and long windows opened onto the garden.

It had originally been painted white picked out in gold, but the white had darkened in many places and the gold had faded.

But Alnina had arranged a mass of flowers at one end of the room with most of them white, as was suitable for a wedding.

On the wall there was a very beautiful mirror with a carved frame and one glance at it told the Duke that it was a perfect background for a bride and bridegroom.

He sensed that William was thinking the same, but he did not say so as Brooks was still with them.

“The gentleman can easily put up his camera here,” Brooks said, “and Miss Alnina was certain that this would be the background Your Grace required for the picture.”

“Yes, indeed,” the Duke affirmed. “And we are most grateful to have it.”

“Now, if Your Grace’ll come with me,” Brooks asked, “I’ll take Your Grace upstairs.”

The Duke followed him, noticing as he did so, how much furniture had clearly disappeared from the corridors and how many pictures were missing on the walls.

He had only been vaguely interested when Alnina had taken him round the house for the first time, but now, because she was helping him, he told himself, he must do his best to help her.

He was very certain that many of his friends and acquaintances were keen to collect genuine antiques.

‘I must tell them about the items that are for sale,’ he told himself. ‘Then I am sure she will be able to pay off Charles’s debts.’

He was shown by Brooks into what he recognised was the Master bedroom.

In this room was a rather uncomfortably large bed with its velvet canopy and the family insignia embroidered over the headboard.

There was also an extremely fine chest of drawers which Lord Lester had used as a dressing table and over it there was an impressive gold mirror with the family crest on top of it.

Brooks had placed his suitcase on a chair and was taking out the evening clothes which he laid neatly on the bed and the medals he put on the chest of drawers.

The Duke took off his coat and trousers and it did not take him long to replace them with satin breeches and silk stockings.

When he was finally dressed and wearing the blue Order of the Garter across his chest, he thought he certainly looked the part.

Undoubtedly any foreigner would be impressed and only an Englishman would know he was overdressed and his clothes were more suitable for a dinner at Buckingham Palace than a wedding in the country.

“I’ll find Miss Alnina, Your Grace, and tell her that you’re ready,” Brooks offered.

“Thank you and I would expect my friend is also ready with his camera.”

Brooks disappeared and the Duke, after another glance at himself in the mirror, walked down the passage.

Once again he was realising what a large number of pictures had gone from the walls.

As he reached the hall, he was aware, as he had not been before, that it was empty of chairs, tables and also, he suspected a grandfather clock.

At the end of the passage, he met Brooks coming back from the music room.

“Miss Alnina’s there, Your Grace,” he said.

The Duke walked on and through the open door into the music room.

Alnina was standing at the far end of it in front of the flowers.

The Duke thought even at a first glance that she looked lovelier than any woman he had ever seen.