Deceived

but wisely held her tongue for the moment.

***

Because Aurora wanted to surprise her husband with the news of a possible heir, the queen arranged for the royal physician to examine the duchess privately at the Dutch House on the same day the doctor paid her majesty his weekly visit. He confirmed Aurora's suspicions with a smile.

'Indeed, your grace, you are most definitely with child. From my examination, and from the information you have supplied me with, I should say the heir is due around Martinsmas in November. You are a healthy young woman, and should have no difficulty.'

'Will it be safe for us to travel back to Herefordshire at the end of April?' Aurora asked him. 'Or should we depart now?'

'It is only the matter of a few weeks, your grace,' said the doctor. 'I see no reason for you to disrupt plans already made. I presume you have a well-sprung and comfortable traveling coach? And the trip must be made in gentle stages, of course.'

'May I ride? The coach is so confining, and I have begun to feel quite queasy of late from motion,' the told him.

'As long as you are extremely careful, do not subject yourself to undue jolting-no galloping, madam-and do not become overtired, I see no reason you cannot ride an hour or two a day. The queasiness will pass, your grace, I promise you. And when you reach home, you are to inform your own physician of your condition. You do have a doctor in your vicinity?'

'We do,' Aurora assured him. Then she said, 'Please do not tell anyone that I am with child, sir. I would surprise my husband. His first wife, my half sister, died in childbirth. I may wait until we are home to announce my condition. He will only worry unduly, and I am not like Cally at all. I am going to have lots of babies!'

The royal doctor smiled. 'A good attitude, and a happy heart are most important when a woman is in your condition, your grace. My lips are sealed.' He bowed to her, and departed.

The queen hurried into the room. 'Veil?' she demanded.

Aurora nodded, beaming happily.

'Vhen?' Queen Charlotte was smiling too.

'November,' Aurora said. 'Only you and the doctor know, your majesty, and he has agreed to keep my secret. I hope you will too. I don't want to tell Valerian until we reach home. We will be leaving soon, and he will just fuss at me, remembering Cally's difficulties. My sister hated being with child, but I am joyful! History will not repeat itself in this case.'

Impulsively the queen hugged Aurora, kissing her on both cheeks. 'I vill keep your secret,' she promised.

When Aurora had returned home that afternoon, she found Trahern awaiting her. 'I have someplace special to take you,' he said. 'Will you let me escort you this evening?'

'What about Valerian? she asked him.

'I have already spoken to him,' Trahern said. 'He is having supper privately with the king, who wishes to quiz him further on matters relating to agriculture.' He sighed dramatically. 'I am utterly astounded by the king's hunger for such knowledge. I cannot imagine where he gained such a leaning. He would do better to become more interested in matters relating to his government. Bute encourages him in his passion for divine right instead of advising him to mediate what will shortly be a serious confrontation between the Whigs and the Tories. Divine right or no, the king cannot rule without the politicians. We are in modern times now.'

'I shall ask Valerian if he objects to my going alone with you,' Aurora said.

'He will not object,' Trahern assured her. 'I shall pick you up at nine o'clock, mon ange. Wear something spectacular.' He kissed her hand and left her.

Aurora, nonetheless, did ask her husband if he would mind her accompanying Lord Trahern that evening. 'He did not say where we were going, but he said I should dress for an occasion. Have you any idea where we might be going?'

'There are any number of balls being given,' the duke said in an offhanded manner. 'Go along and enjoy yourself. I should rather speak to the king on farming than have to attend another of those dull affairs. Just a few more weeks, my darling, and we shall return to Hawkes Hill. My grandmother writes that while the scandal of our marriage has not entirely died, we will be welcomed back.'

'Thank goodness!' she replied. 'I haven't really made any friends here in London, except for the queen. I just don't seem to have a great deal in common with the court ladies. Lotte and I are of an age, and both strangers to England. Her upbringing was much like mine, with a loving family and less formality.'

'You call the queen Lotte?' He was quite surprised.

'Only when we are alone together,' Aurora replied. 'If any of the other ladies heard me, they would be furious, and even more jealous than they already are of me. Especially that sour Lady Jarvis. Lotte prefers informality, however, and with me she may be freer than with the others.'

'It cannot be easy to be a queen,' the duke considered. 'She is fortunate in her husband, however. The king has come to love her dearly, a miracle for such a marriage.'

'You have come to love me, and I you,' Aurora pointed out.

'Another miracle.' He kissed the tip of her nose.

'I do not know if I really want to go with Trahern,' Aurora said. 'I could be just as happy remaining home and going to bed early. I am tired with all these late nights they keep here in London. I shall be relieved to go back to the country, where we can keep sensible hours, Valerian. Besides, I have missed your grandmother.'

'So have I,' he agreed, then, 'If you send your regrets to Trahern now, he will have a fit of the sulks and complain at me when we meet at Boodles tomorrow. He is worse than a woman, my precious. Go for my sake, I beg you.'

'Oh, very well,' she acquiesced.

'What will you wear?' he asked her. 'Nothing too tempting, Aurora, for I would not have other men ogling you too greatly.'

'I think the rose silk with the gold and rose striped petticoat,' she told him. 'I have not worn it before, and I am not certain it is not a bit too peacockish and showy, but Trahern asked that I wear something spectacular, and this certainly fits the bill. I wonder where he is taking me, Valerian. I shall not let him keep me too late, however.'

'I shall be gone before you, and home probably just after you leave,' he told her. 'You know the king keeps to a strict schedule. He leaves the card table at precisely ten o'clock, and goes to bed.'

'A lucky man,' Aurora responded.

The duke laughed. 'You really are a country lass,' he teased her. 'I suppose you shall be up with the birds, and to bed as soon as the sun has set, but then'-his arms slipped about her-'I shall not mind it if we retire early.' He kissed her softly, little kisses all over her face.

'Ummm,' she sighed contentedly. 'Oh, Valerian, let us remain home this evening. I shall send a note to Trahern, and you will tender your regrets to the king. Say you have the headache.'

He held her close, breathing the soft fragrance of her hair. 'We cannot,' he told her regretfully. 'This small friendship I have forged with King George may be of value to our family one day. Shortly, we will be gone from court, my precious, and we both know it is unlikely we will come again to London soon. The king is usually overly suspicious and mistrustful of people's motives, or so Bute has told me. With me,