panel proclaiming that this person travelled under Her Majesty's protection.
The Duke was waiting for her beside the carriage. He offered his hand to assist her, and she took it because her legs were shaky, but as soon as she was inside she released it and huddled in the far corner, as far away from him as possible.
When he was inside and closed the door the carriage began to rumble away out of the Palace yard.
"Ola – " he said, reaching for her.
"Please – " She flung out a hand to ward him off. "I want to say that I – that I am deeply sensible of what I owe you. When you spoke of asking help from your godmother I did not realise – "
"That I meant the Queen. Yes, she has always been very good to me."
"And of course you interceded on my behalf," she said, speaking with an effort. "That was kind of you."
"Please, Ola, there's no need – "
"I – would not like you to think – that I was ungrateful – but – "
It was too much for her. She dropped her head into her hands and burst into violent sobs. At once he was beside her, trying to put his arms about her.
"Ola, darling – please – "
"No," she said fiercely. "I will do as Her Majesty wishes, for as long as she needs, but – anything else – "
"I know," he said sadly. "You think you cannot trust me – "
"Nor you me."
"Would I have taken you to the Queen if I didn't trust you?"
"Oh, you know I'm not a spy, but that isn't what I meant."
"No, of course not. I realise that it's hard, but can't we find our way back to each other if we try?"
She raised her head. In the dim light of the carriage, he could see the tears glittering on her cheeks, and the urge to take her in his arms was almost overwhelming. But he knew he must resist it, at least for the moment.
"No," she whispered through her tears. "It's over. Whatever we might have had, died before it had a chance to truly live. It can never flourish now."
He wanted to deny this vehemently, but he knew she would need all her courage for the time ahead, and he must help her by offering her his strength to lean on, without pressing his own wishes on her.
There were some curious eyes as she entered the hotel, leaning on the Duke's arm, and she wondered how much was known about Greta's abrupt departure that morning.
"Greta," she murmured. "Is she here yet?"
He approached the desk and murmured something.
"She is here," he said when he returned. "I've told them you've both been in an accident. Take my arm and we'll go upstairs."
At her door he knocked and Greta immediately answered.
"Where is she?" she asked angrily. "Where – oh, my darling!"
Ola stumbled forward into Greta's arms and the two women clung to each other.
The Duke quietly closed the door and went away.
*
Neither woman expected to sleep much that night, but both were mistaken, and when they woke next morning they were sufficiently refreshed to feel stronger, and able to face the world.
Over breakfast they discussed their experiences, and Ola found much there to horrify her.
"They said you had 'confessed everything'," Greta said. "They had my name and said you had given it to them, so I must betray you in return."
"Dearest Greta, forgive me. I did tell them your name, but that was in all innocence, before I realised what they meant to do. How could I have guessed?"
"You couldn't. I thought it must have been something like that. They will not turn us against each other."
There was no time for more talk because Lady Cadwick arrived with maids, and several costumes suitable for court presentation. Each one was white and elaborate, with a long train.
Ola donned gown after gown, walking up and down before the long mirror, while the others squabbled amiably about which one suited her the best. At last they settled on an elegant white silk and lace, heavily draped over the bustle, and with a train that was three yards long.
"The train may be a little difficult," Lady Cadwick explained. "When you have been presented to Her Majesty,
The Duke was waiting for her beside the carriage. He offered his hand to assist her, and she took it because her legs were shaky, but as soon as she was inside she released it and huddled in the far corner, as far away from him as possible.
When he was inside and closed the door the carriage began to rumble away out of the Palace yard.
"Ola – " he said, reaching for her.
"Please – " She flung out a hand to ward him off. "I want to say that I – that I am deeply sensible of what I owe you. When you spoke of asking help from your godmother I did not realise – "
"That I meant the Queen. Yes, she has always been very good to me."
"And of course you interceded on my behalf," she said, speaking with an effort. "That was kind of you."
"Please, Ola, there's no need – "
"I – would not like you to think – that I was ungrateful – but – "
It was too much for her. She dropped her head into her hands and burst into violent sobs. At once he was beside her, trying to put his arms about her.
"Ola, darling – please – "
"No," she said fiercely. "I will do as Her Majesty wishes, for as long as she needs, but – anything else – "
"I know," he said sadly. "You think you cannot trust me – "
"Nor you me."
"Would I have taken you to the Queen if I didn't trust you?"
"Oh, you know I'm not a spy, but that isn't what I meant."
"No, of course not. I realise that it's hard, but can't we find our way back to each other if we try?"
She raised her head. In the dim light of the carriage, he could see the tears glittering on her cheeks, and the urge to take her in his arms was almost overwhelming. But he knew he must resist it, at least for the moment.
"No," she whispered through her tears. "It's over. Whatever we might have had, died before it had a chance to truly live. It can never flourish now."
He wanted to deny this vehemently, but he knew she would need all her courage for the time ahead, and he must help her by offering her his strength to lean on, without pressing his own wishes on her.
There were some curious eyes as she entered the hotel, leaning on the Duke's arm, and she wondered how much was known about Greta's abrupt departure that morning.
"Greta," she murmured. "Is she here yet?"
He approached the desk and murmured something.
"She is here," he said when he returned. "I've told them you've both been in an accident. Take my arm and we'll go upstairs."
At her door he knocked and Greta immediately answered.
"Where is she?" she asked angrily. "Where – oh, my darling!"
Ola stumbled forward into Greta's arms and the two women clung to each other.
The Duke quietly closed the door and went away.
*
Neither woman expected to sleep much that night, but both were mistaken, and when they woke next morning they were sufficiently refreshed to feel stronger, and able to face the world.
Over breakfast they discussed their experiences, and Ola found much there to horrify her.
"They said you had 'confessed everything'," Greta said. "They had my name and said you had given it to them, so I must betray you in return."
"Dearest Greta, forgive me. I did tell them your name, but that was in all innocence, before I realised what they meant to do. How could I have guessed?"
"You couldn't. I thought it must have been something like that. They will not turn us against each other."
There was no time for more talk because Lady Cadwick arrived with maids, and several costumes suitable for court presentation. Each one was white and elaborate, with a long train.
Ola donned gown after gown, walking up and down before the long mirror, while the others squabbled amiably about which one suited her the best. At last they settled on an elegant white silk and lace, heavily draped over the bustle, and with a train that was three yards long.
"The train may be a little difficult," Lady Cadwick explained. "When you have been presented to Her Majesty,
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