An Introduction to the Pink Collection (19 page)

“She read it through, then said unexpectedly in a sharp voice, ‘Another letter asking me to provide a wife for a Balkan Prince, whose country is being threatened by the Russians.'

‘I've said many times that I cannot do any more for the Balkans. I have, as you know only too well, provided many English brides to give them alliances with this country.'“

“True enough,” the Earl observed. “Who is it this time?”

“Prince Stanislaus of Kadradtz. It's a small place but significant. Herzegovina on one side, Albania on the other. Now they've got Russia breathing down their necks and they expect the Queen to produce a bride, as she has done many times before.”

“Well, it's not for nothing that they call Her Majesty ‘the Matchmaker of Europe',” observed the Earl.

He smiled as he spoke, but the Duke said,

“You won't smile, old fellow, when I tell you what the Queen has in mind now. Did you know that her great-grandmother was connected with your family?”

“That? Good heavens that was generations ago. We've certainly never preened ourselves on our ‘connection with royalty'.”

“Unfortunately for you and Lavina, the Queen is counting on it now.”

“Lavina?”

At the mention of his beloved daughter the Earl's smile vanished and alarm came into his eyes.

“What are you saying, Bertram? Don't tell me Her Majesty is thinking of marrying Lavina to Prince Stanislaus?”

“She's set on it. There were murmurs of dissent last night. Several of the men there had met the Prince and formed a very poor opinion of him. He's a drunkard, a womaniser, and reputedly violent. But Her Majesty refused to listen. She's made her mind up.

“You know how determined the Queen can be. Once she gives you her order you'll be expected to obey.

“If you defy her you'll lose your position at court, and your life will be made a misery. People have tried to stand out against her before, and have become outcasts in society.”

“It's a nightmare,” the Earl groaned, dropping his head into his hands. “Whatever can I do? For God's sake, Bertram, tell me how I can save my daughter from being forced to marry this appalling man, and being sent away to a far country, living under the threat of invasion.”

“I know, I know!” The Duke replied. “I wouldn't want to send a relation of mine there. I've come here to warn you that you will be summoned to Windsor Castle, so that she can tell you herself.”

“Damn it, Bertram, what shall I do?” the Earl demanded.

“I can see only two chances for you. One is to leave the country – although she's quite capable of sending a ship to bring you back, or somehow get your daughter married or engaged, before you get the ‘Royal Command'.”

“How, in God's name, can I do that?” the Earl asked. “Lavina has already turned down virtually every eligible man in London. We can't go back to them now.”

“There's one man who might help you, if he would agree to do so, and that is the Marquis of Elswick. If Lavina is already engaged, even the Queen would not expect her to break off her engagement.”

The Earl stared at his friend in astonishment.

“You want Lavina to marry Elswick?” he demanded, aghast. “A hard, cold, unpleasant man, without a shred of human kindness in him?”

“Of course I don't want her to marry him. An engagement will do. It can simply be broken off later, when the Queen has found someone else, or sent the Prince about his business.”

“I don't believe my ears,” the Earl said. “Old friend, I know you mean this kindly, and I'm grateful for the warning, but you must have windmills in your head even to think of Elswick!

“You know he's always shunned all talk of marriage or engagements, after what happened last time.”

“I know his future wife abandoned him at the altar,” the Duke agreed, “but that was a long time ago.”

“But he has never forgotten it,” the Earl said. “He loathes women. His country house is only a mile or so away from mine, and it's common knowledge that he'll hardly have a woman in the place.”

“Yet he's still the ideal person to help you,” the Duke replied. “As you say, he's a curmudgeon, a harsh, solitary man who cares nothing for society, and very little for the Queen, I sometimes think.

“But that's to our advantage, because it means he won't be afraid to offend her, and might, therefore, do as you ask. And he won't talk a lot of pompous nonsense about Lavina being honoured to marry a Prince. He cares no more for Princes than for Queens.”

“You think Elswick will actually agree?”

“It isn't likely,” the Duke replied frankly. “But I can't think of anyone else who would be of any help at this moment.”

“All I want,” the Earl said angrily, “is my daughter's happiness. I love her, and she's my only child. How can she be happy if she has to live in that barbaric place, with a man of bad reputation?”

“I know,” his friend agreed. “At the same time you have to realise that Her Majesty is now in a very difficult position. For diplomatic reasons she can't give the Prince a blank refusal without a very good cause.”

“I need a little time to think of the best way to fight this,” the Earl said. “Luckily I have until tomorrow.”

“Why do you say that?”

“That's when I'm due at Windsor Castle, so I imagine the Queen will wait until then.”

“Don't rely on it. This matter is urgent. She'll probably send a messenger to you today. In fact, you're very lucky that the letter did not reach her at a time when you were on duty. If you'd been there she would have cornered you at once.”

“Oh heavens, you're right, Bertram. I must leave at once,” said the Earl, walking across the room to ring the bell which was beside the fireplace.

Almost at once the butler appeared.

“You rang, My Lord?”

“Her Ladyship and I have to return to the country immediately,” the Earl told him. “Kindly inform her of my wishes, then order the carriage and the fastest horses available to come round in an hour's time.”

The butler looked a little bewildered at the sharpness in his master's voice. But he merely said:

“At once, My Lord.”

Then he left the room.

“So far, so good,” the Duke said. “But it's not enough. You're lucky in that Elswick's country house is only a few miles from your own, so you can go home, and seek him out at the same time.

“Ask him if he will become engaged to your daughter or if there is anyone else more socially important that he knows, who can help. Wait! I know – what about the Duke of Ayelton?”

“She's already refused him,” the Earl groaned. “He was very offended. Now he's set his cap at an American heiress.”

“You have very little time,” the Duke said, “as we all know when Her Majesty wants something done she wants it at once. Or if possible, the day before yesterday!”

He smiled as he made the joke, but the Earl was looking very worried. Going to his desk, he picked up various letters which had not yet been opened and put them into his pocket.

Then he noticed the letter from Scotland that he had been about to answer, when this calamity fell on him, and put that into his pocket as well. He seemed to be moving in a dream.

“Suppose Elswick refuses,” he said at last. “There must be someone else I can beg – on my knees if necessary – to save my daughter.”

“I can think of nobody,” the Duke said bluntly. “You know as well as I do that they all want to kow-tow to Her Majesty. The majority of those who we think are friends will do nothing in a situation like this.

“And it would have to be someone really important, like the Marquis, otherwise Her Majesty would simply insist on breaking off the engagement.”

The door opened and the butler said:

“The carriage will be ready in half an hour, My Lord. Lady Lavina has been informed, and is getting ready.”

As the butler shut the door behind him, the Duke rose from the sofa and said,

“I wish I could help you more, Arthur. You have always been a good friend to me. But an engagement to Elswick, however unlikely, is the best I can suggest.”

“Damn it!” the Earl exclaimed. “My daughter isn't going to be forced into this. She is all I have left now I have lost my wife.”

At that moment the door opened and Lady Lavina came in.

She was a tall, very lovely girl, and one whose face contained more than mere beauty. It also had strength and character. Her large blue eyes could glow as much with anger as with warmth, and she was never lost for words in an argument.

Some men would be scared away by the force of her personality. Others would find her intriguing.

The Duke thought she was even prettier than the last time he had seen her.

Now with her long hair shining in the sunshine which was coming through the windows, she lifted up her pretty face to kiss her father before she asked,

“What is happening, Papa? Why this rush to go to the country? You said last night we need not leave for a week or two, and we are due to have dinner with the O'Donnells tonight.”

“I know,” her Father answered. “But the Duke has brought us bad news, and you had better hear it from him.”

Lavina turned to look at the Duke.

“Uncle Bertram, whatever has happened?”

“I came to warn your father that you are in grave danger.”

“Me, in danger?” Lavina exclaimed. “Whatever do you mean?”

“The Queen is seeking another royal bride to send to the Balkans,” said the Duke, “and she wishes it to be you.”

Lavina gave a merry peal of laughter.

“I know that must be a joke,” she said. “I'm not royal.”

“Her Majesty's great grandmother was connected with this family, and that is royal enough for her.”

Lavina gave a cry.

“But everybody has always known about that, and nobody has ever made a fuss about it before.”

“Her Majesty never needed to make use of you before,” the Duke riposted caustically.

“And she wants me to marry – who?”

“Prince Stanislaus of Kadradtz, a thoroughly unpleasant character, drunken, violent and unprincipled. Also, I believe he does not wash.”

Lavina shuddered.

“I could never marry a man who did not wash,” she said.

“Of course not,” agreed the Duke. “So we have to think of a plan to save you, and the best way is for you to be engaged to someone else. Even the Queen would have to respect that, if your fiancé were sufficiently prominent – and of a decisive character.”

Lavina frowned.

“My fiancé? What fiancé?”

“The Marquis of Elswick,” explained the Duke. “Your only hope is if he will pretend that you and he are engaged until the Queen has found another bride.”

“The Marquis of Elswick!” Lavina echoed, astounded. “Certainly not. Anyone but him.”

“I know he has the reputation of being a very disagreeable man,” the Duke began.

“And it's well-deserved,” Lavina said.

“You have met him, my dear?” her father asked, surprised. “You never told me.”

“It wasn't exactly a meeting, Papa. It happened three years ago, when I was visiting the Bracewells. He chanced to call in one evening.”

“Now there's a thing!” exclaimed the Duke. “I've never heard of him dropping in like that before.”

“I've heard that Lord Bracewell owes him money,” the Earl mused.

“Ah, that would account for it,” said the Duke wisely. “So, my dear Lavina, you thought Elswick's manners cold and unpleasant.”

“I believe that is the general opinion of everyone who meets him,” she said stiffly.

“But that needn't stop you accepting his help,” the Duke pointed out.

“But why should he want to help me? I've heard about how much he dislikes women. Surely he will hardly want to marry me?”

“There is no question of him marrying you,” the Duke replied. “All he has to do is to say he is engaged to you. Then later, when the trouble is over, you will thank the Marquis very much for his kindness, and the two of you will end the engagement by mutual consent.”

Lavina pressed her hands to her cheeks.

“Oh Papa, you must save me. I don't want to leave you. Can this idea possibly work?”

“It must,” said the Earl grimly. “So we must leave quickly, before a courier arrives here from Her Majesty.”

Lavina gave a cry.

“Oh yes, let us go now.”

Suddenly she turned to the Duke, and flung her arms about him.

“Thank you for everything, Uncle Bertram.”

The Earl also advanced on his friend and shook his hand.

“We are forever in your debt,” he said. “Thank you a thousand times for warning me. If Her Majesty asks you where I am, perhaps you should say – ”

“Good lord, m'dear fellow,” the Duke burst out in alarm, “I'm not going to say a word. Once let her get the idea that I know anything and my life won't be worth living.”

Then he gave them both a wink and added,

“Just the same, I'll keep you informed of every Royal move, when I return to Windsor Castle.”

“I am more grateful than I can ever say,” the Earl repeated.

“So am I,” Lavina said.

She put her arms on the Duke's shoulders, and kissed his cheek.

“If you save me I will thank you and love you more than I can ever express in words,” she told him.

The Duke smiled at her.

“Your father has been extremely kind to me in the past, and I have always wanted you both to be very happy,” he answered. “Anything I can do at any time, I only need your command to go ahead.”

“You are wonderful,” Lavina said and kissed his cheek again.

Then she ran into the hall and put on the coat which the butler already had in his hands. Then she sped out to the carriage. Her father joined her.