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lovely gowns from Frederick Worth. They will certainly make me feel surer of myself than I do at present.”
    She knew that Mrs. Herbert would learn tomorrow morning why she was feeling so unsure.
    But everything must be kept secret until then.
    Lady Manvill hesitated a moment, then she went to her friend’s writing desk.
    â€œI am writing a personal note to Frederick Worth,” she announced. “Please send it with the order, Bridget.”
    When they drove away from Mrs. Herbert’s house, a number of boxes containing the gowns had been placed in the back of the carriage.
    â€œThank you, thank you so very much, Aunt Alice,” Venetia smiled. “I am sure that the gowns will give me courage. I will certainly need it if I am to play the part you have cast for me.”
    â€œYou must play it as if it was a great drama on the stage of the Opéra . I don’t suppose you were allowed to go to any other theatre in Paris?”
    â€œNo. We were able to attend some of the classical performances at the Opéra and I did learn so much about music with my last teacher.”
    â€œNow you will have to learn an entirely new lesson, Venetia, and if you don’t come top of the class, I will be very disappointed and feel it is all my fault!”
    â€œOh, my dear Aunt Alice! No one could have been kinder or more helpful than you. I was in despair when I came to see you. But now because you have made it all a challenge, I am going to try to win, although the odds are still very much against me, I fear.”
    â€œYou may be an outsider,” replied Lady Manvill, “but as you well know, outsiders often romp home when it is least expected!”
    â€œI hope you are right. I suspect that I may not see you again because, although Papa has not yet said so, he is sure to want to go to the country tomorrow – to prepare for the wedding.”
    â€œSo you think you will be married at home?”
    â€œPapa was so angry with me for not being thrilled at the whole idea of marrying the Duke that he did not go any further than threatening me.”
    â€œIt’s no use fighting against the inevitable and quite frankly I am sure that there is no chance of changing your father’s mind, or even getting him to agree to postponing the wedding. I am sure that is what you want to do.”
    â€œYes, it is. Two weeks will hardly give me time to breathe!”
    â€œWhich actually is a good thing. The longer you think about it, the worse you will feel. So make up your mind that, if you are in an unavoidable situation, the only way is to face up to it. Work out intelligently how you can be the winner, however unlikely it seems.”
    Venetia laughed.
    â€œYou are making it a game! I cannot help feeling much happier now than when I first came to see you.”
    â€œOf course it was a shock, my dearest, and I think it extraordinary that your father did not realise that and break it to you gently. Equally if you have to know the truth, it is better to know it all at once than to suspect that something frightful is coming while not knowing what it is.”
    â€œAll I can say, Aunt Alice, is that I am going to try to follow your wonderful advice. Now I think about it, I could insist on staying in London to buy my clothes, even though Papa will want me to go to the country.”
    â€œI think it would probably be wisest if you did go.”
    â€œWhy, Aunt Alice?”
    â€œBecause when The Gazette does appear tomorrow morning, everyone is going to talk endlessly about it! I do think when you meet the Duke he will automatically be on the defensive, because he will expect you to be shocked. Unless he is a bit stupid, which he is definitely not, he will think, quite rightly, that you do not wish to marry him.”
    â€œAs he sounds rather conceited, he may expect me to throw myself into his arms and tell him how pleased I am to be his wife.”
    â€œThat will come later, my dear, but