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both of them.
    â€œTake care of yourself, darling Mama, and if you need me, I promise I will come back at once.”
    â€œI just want you to enjoy yourself and be a great success, my dearest.”
    She kissed her daughter again and then she turned away so that she should not see the tears in her eyes.
    They drove off and the Duke sat beside his sister with Valona on the other side of them.
    As she said goodbye, Princess Louise did think that as Valona was so beautiful the Duke might be attracted to her.
    Stranger things could happen in life, although more frequently in books, but she was aware that the Duke had looked at Valona admiringly and with satisfaction.
    â€œYour daughter is very lovely,” he had said to her in an aside.
    â€œI cannot tell you how grateful we are to you for the lovely clothes you have provided for her,” responded Princess Louise.
    â€œValona will certainly carry the flag admirably.”
    Princess Louise sighed.
    â€œThat is true, but she is very young and it is a great responsibility for a girl of that age.”
    â€œRose will look after her very well,” the Duke told her confidently, “so you are not to worry.”
    She watched the carriage until it was out of sight, pondering somewhat wistfully how much she was going to miss Valona.
    *
    Lady Rose was rather quiet on the way to join the battleship.
    Her brother was well aware why.
    She was terrified that at the last moment something would prevent the Marquis from joining them.
    He realised only too well how crafty his sister had been in pushing him into suggesting to the Queen that she should appoint the Marquis as her representative to Larissa.
    He was pleased also that they had managed to avoid having to take a member of the Larissian Court with them.
    The Marquis had made it clear that it would take too long to wait for them to return from Larissa to England, so they had next suggested that the Larissians might send a diplomat from Paris or Berlin.
    The Marquis had then made a clever excuse that the battleship was not in the least commodious enough for too many guests, and it would be more pleasant for the English party to be free of pomp and ceremony until they actually reached Larissa.
    They were piped aboard the battleship.
    After shaking hands with the Captain and his fellow Officers, they went below.
    As was usual, the Captain had given up his sleeping cabin as well as his day cabin to the most important guest aboard  – Lady Rose.
    As this battleship had been responsible for carrying Royalty on other State occasions, it was well furnished and comfortable.
    When they were alone, after a Steward had brought them coffee, tea and sandwiches, the Duke turned to speak to the Marquis,
    â€œI congratulate you, Gerald.  I quite expected at the last moment we should have some dreary old Statesman or retired diplomat coming with us.”
    â€œWe very nearly had a whole tribe of them,” replied the Marquis.  “But now we are, thank Heaven, on our own.  So let’s try to forget for a few moments that all good things come to an end .”
    He was looking at Lady Rose as he spoke and the expression in her eyes surprised Valona.
    She thought the Marquis looked very handsome as he came aboard.
    She found it rather surprising that there was not at least an older lady to accompany them.  Her mother had expected there to be a husband and wife from the Palace entourage in Larissa and that they would be present to welcome them officially on behalf of the King.
    The Marquis glanced over his shoulder in order to make sure that the door was closed and no one was listening.
    â€œWhat I have arranged, Arthur, is for messages to be sent to me at every port at which we call.”
    â€œAre we calling at any ports?” asked the Duke.  “It is the first I have heard of it.”
    â€œThat is what I have arranged and I thought it rather bright of me.  It will make the voyage take