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.”“It sounds delightful,” the Duke said.“I am sure my wife, who speaks French fluently, will enjoy meeting any of your French friends who may be among the guests and, of course, I am certain that most of your own people also speak French.”“The French Ambassador will be present tonight,” he answered, “and a number of visitors who come here from Paris because they find Georgia so attractive.”An equerry showed them up to their rooms, which were in another part of the Palace away from the Prince’s private rooms.Alnina found that she and the Duke had been given a large bedroom overlooking the garden.For a moment she thought with alarm that there was only one room and one bed.Then the Duke found another door leading out to a dressing room for him and to Alnina’s relief she saw that it also contained a single but comfortable-looking bed.“So far, so good,” the Duke said to her in English, but the equerry had already disappeared.“I think the Prince is rather frightening,” Alnina said, “but I am looking forward to seeing his daughter.”“It’s a pity William does not have a title,” the Duke murmured.“I don’t think William would like to live here for ever and he told me he has only a small house in England which would not be very suitable for a Princess.”“You are now saving me from being ambushed,” the Duke said, “and you know I am very grateful.”She smiled at him and then went back to her room, where a maid was busy unpacking her clothes.As there was to be a party that night, Alnina chose the most glamorous dress she had bought in Bond Street.The Duke had also given her before they left a large jewel case filled with jewels that had been passed down century after century by his ancestors.“The one thing that always impresses foreigners,” he said, “is jewellery.But for Heaven’s sake don’t lose them or the family will have hysterics.”“I only hope we can lock them up in a safe.”“It’s easier to lock the case and you can sleep on it at night and carry it with you all day!”The Duke was teasing her, but for a moment she thought he was serious and then she laughed.“If it is to be carried all day,” she said, “then any polite gentleman would, of course, carry it for his wife or any lady who was with him.”“All right,” the Duke conceded, “you win, but as I just said, for Heaven’s sake don’t lose the family jewels.”“I will do my best to preserve them, but I am sure that you are making the Prince most upset because you are not eligible as a potential son-in-law.”“When I see his daughter,” the Duke replied, “I am sure that I will be glad I have had a lucky escape.”Actually, when they went down to dinner and met with Princess Natasha, she was far more attractive than the Duke had anticipated.In fact, Alnina thought, she was very pretty indeed.She was dark and very Russian-looking and at the same time she had a sweet smile and was quite obviously thrilled to meet people from other countries.“You must tell me about England,” she said to Alnina soon after they had been introduced.“My father is always talking about it, but I don’t see how I can get there unless I fly like a bird.”Alnina laughed.“You must make your father take you to England in a ship,” she said.“It has been a marvellous voyage for us in the Duke’s yacht and I have enjoyed every second of it.”She realised after she had spoken that she should have referred to him as her husband and not as the Duke and she hoped it was a slip the Princess did not notice.William was now making himself charming to her.Dinner was a delicious meal, cooked clearly by a French chef.The guests were nearly all French and even if they were Georgian they spoke French with the Prince.When the music started for them to dance after dinner, the Prince asked Alnina for the first dance.She found to her surprise he danced extremely well.“I hope you are enjoying yourself, madame,” he said.“I am enjoying every moment,” Alnina replied.“I am thrilled to find that Georgia is just as beautiful as it was described in the books I have read about it.”“I love my country, therefore I am so pleased when beautiful women, like yourself, praise it.”“I will praise it even more when I have seen the Caucasus Mountains,” Alnina said, “and at even a brief glimpse I found them enthralling.”“I hope you will find them as beautiful as I find you,” the Prince replied.She smiled at the Prince.It was just the sort of compliment she felt a Frenchman would pay her and it was hard to think that he had not stepped out directly from the Rue de la Paix.“Now tell me,” he was saying, “how I can find an English husband for my little daughter, Natasha.”“She is so pretty that I don’t think there will be any difficulties about it.”“And you will help me to find the right man?” the Prince asked.Alnina, of course, said she would be delighted to do so, but at the same time she thought that they were skating on rather thin ice.If the Prince bought her to England, he would learn that the Duke was not married.It would be revealed that he was a liar and she was an imposter.“I wonder,” she said rather tentatively, “why you don’t choose a French husband for your daughter.After all, you all speak perfect French here and I think on the whole a Frenchman is more adapted to other countries than an Englishman is
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