With Victoria’s Blessing. Mary Nichols

and he did not seem to mind.

      ‘At Brentford. My father is the rector there.’

      ‘Do you go home when you are on leave?’

      ‘Usually I do, but this time we have been told we will be recalled at a moment’s notice, so I am lodging in town.’ He paused. ‘What about you? Did you have imaginary dramas when you were a child?’

      ‘Oh, yes. I was a princess and a very haughty one at that. My poor dolls were constantly bullied. I was waiting for a handsome prince to come and declare his love for me. But it was only the dream of a silly child.’

      ‘I do not think you are silly or haughty, Lady Emily. Perhaps one day your prince will come.’

      ‘I do not think I would like being married to a prince,’ she said quickly. ‘There is too much ceremony and protocol and you are in the public eye all the time. You could never be yourself. I should be quite content with a plain gentleman if he loved me.’

      ‘Then you are a romantic too.’

      ‘Oh, yes. Life would be very dull without romance, don’t you think?’

      He did not answer because they were interrupted by Lady Montaine, who came in a rustle of purple taffeta to stand between them. ‘Lady Emily,’ she said. ‘I wonder if I might interest you in a ticket to a concert at the Foundling Hospital on Thursday? I am sure it will be an enjoyable occasion. All the proceeds are to go to the hospital.’

      ‘I believe I am free at that time but I shall have to ask Mama,’ Emily said, wishing the lady would go away and leave her to continue her oh-so-agreeable conversation with the lieutenant. He was standing a little aside, not wishing to intrude, but she was glad he had not moved away.

      ‘Where is your mama?’ Her ladyship looked about the crowded room as if searching for her.

      ‘Mama is one of the Queen’s Ladies and is on duty tonight.’

      ‘Then who is escorting you?’ She looked at Richard and away again, as if he did not count, which annoyed Emily.

      ‘I have my companion with me, my lady. And Lieutenant Lawrence is most attentive.’

      ‘I am sure he is,’ the lady said repressively. ‘Perhaps your mother will be free to accompany you to the concert. I shall send two tickets, shall I?’

      ‘Yes, please.’

      Lady Montaine had left but it was too late; Emily and Richard had not been able to regain their former intimacy. They parted without making arrangements to meet again and Emily was in despair. But all was not lost because Richard bought his own ticket and was at the concert where they contrived to sit together. Her mother was not able to go and Emily was accompanied as usual by the ever-faithful but disapproving Margaret, who stayed in the background

      Naturally they could not talk during the concert, but during the interval when the audience, which was made up almost entirely of nobility and wealthy patrons, was encouraged to wander round the hospital and look at the wonderful works of art on display, they contrived to be viewing the same picture at the same time.

      ‘How are you, Lady Emily?’ Richard whispered, pretending to study one of Hogarth’s portraits. ‘Are you well?’

      ‘I am very well, thank you, Lieutenant,’ she said, aware that his head was very close to hers. ‘And you?’

      ‘First class.’

      ‘You have not been recalled yet, then?’

      ‘No, it means I have the opportunity to talk to you again and that I would not miss for worlds.’

      ‘Oh.’ She felt the colour rise in her cheeks. Could it possibly mean he felt the same as she did?

      ‘Tell me what you have been doing since we last met,’ he said, pretending to study the Hogarth portrait of the founder in front of them.’

      ‘Oh, the usual things,’ Emily said. ‘I did some more work on the screen I am embroidering, which is taking me an age because I do not have the patience to sit at it. I began a new library book and went for a walk with Margaret and dreamed a little…’

      ‘Dreamed? About the arrival of your prince?’

      She laughed, hoping he would not delve too deeply into the object of her dreams. ‘No, I leave that to the queen. Do you think she is getting excited?’

      ‘If she is, would she dare show it?’

      ‘No, I suppose she would have to appear cool even if she were bubbling inside. I know I should be.’

      ‘Perhaps one day it will happen for you.’

      A bell rang to tell them to return to their seats and they made their way back to the concert hall for the second half of the programme. It was not until after the music had ended, and everyone was setting off for home, that Richard turned to bid her goodnight and added, ‘I should not like to think we will not meet again. Will you allow me to call on you?’

      ‘I do not think it would be quite proper when Mama is away from home,’ she said. ‘But I am going to Hookhams to change my library books tomorrow afternoon. Do you like reading, Lieutenant?’ This was added with a mischievous smile.

      ‘Oh, excessively,’ he said, stretching the truth. ‘I am frequently in Hookhams and I do believe I shall find myself there tomorrow.’

      She went home in a cloud of happiness.

      There were more meetings after that, most of them contrived, and at each of them her love for Richard grew until she felt her heart would burst out of her. He was such good company, so interested in her and what she was doing, and regaled her with a fund of amusing stories about his life at sea. She learned about his family, his likes and dislikes, and she told him of hers. Their times together flew by. She knew she was not behaving as the daughter of one of England’s foremost earls should, as Margaret frequently reminded her, but she could not help it. She was in love.

      The empty coaches and the cavalry had gone but people were still milling about, hoping for more to watch. ‘Shall we take a walk?’ he murmured in her ear.

      They left the crowds and strolled along beside the Serpentine. She did not bother to tell Margaret she was going and her companion did not immediately miss her.

      It was very cold and blustery, but she was wearing a dark blue wool coat and a bonnet trimmed with matching blue ribbon, tied fetchingly beneath her determined little chin. She carried a muff lined with swansdown but only one hand was in it, the other was tucked into the crook of his arm.

      ‘I must not stay out too long. Papa might wonder where I am and then there would be awkward questions to answer.’

      ‘Why, my dear? Have you not told your parents of our meetings?’

      ‘No. Only Margaret knows.’

      ‘But I do not want it to be a secret. I want to proclaim to the world how much I love you.’

      She stopped and turned towards him, obliging him to stop too. ‘Do you? Love me, I mean.’

      ‘Of course I do, you goose. Have I not made it plain enough? I adore everything about you—your smile, your laughing eyes, your sweet mouth and your lively mind. Everything.’

      ‘Oh, Richard.’

      ‘I have been meeting you for weeks now and I thought perhaps you loved me a little too. I had begun to hope you might do me the honour of consenting to become my wife.’

      ‘Richard!’ Her eyes lit up and her mouth flew open.

      ‘You are surprised?’

      ‘Surprised and delighted. Have you spoken to my papa about it?’

      ‘No, dearest one, I wanted to be sure that it was your wish before I did that. Have I your permission to approach him?’

      ‘Yes, oh, yes.’