The Duchess

the lady you are, be a gracious hostess, and produce a nursery for your husband. He has given me his word you will be treated with kindness.'

Allegra burst into tears. 'I hate him!' she sobbed piteously. 'And he hates me.' She sniffed.

'You started off badly, I will agree,' Lord Morgan said, 'but that was your fault, Allegra. When he asked you for a dance at Lady Bellingham's ball and you refused him, he saw the empty dance card. He punished you by making certain everyone thought your card was full so you danced with no one except him. You are still angry that you have been unable to repay him in kind, but I know how you can revenge yourself,' her father finished with a twinkle.

Allegra's look was distinctly interested. 'How, Papa?' she asked her father.

'By marrying him, my dear. While I trust Quinton Hunter to keep his word to me regarding his behavior toward you, I know that it chafes him that he must take a wife to save his estates. Worse, that bride is not, he believes, his equal socially. That is your not so subtle revenge upon this man. Whatever he may believe, you are most certainly his equal, for his bloodline and your wealth balance each other out. You know it. He may never accept it, and that, my dear daughter, will give you an advantage over this man. But one day when you know each other better, you will, I suspect, soothe his pride so that he believes he has at long last won the battle between you.'

The realization of Lord Morgan's words sank into her conscience. Suddenly Allegra smiled. 'Ohh, Papa, how clever you are! I have been so angry I have not been thinking straight.'

'The duke will meet us tonight at Almack's Rooms,' Lord Morgan told his daughter. 'I thought we would announce your engagement the night of your ball.'

'When will we be married'?' Allegra asked her father.

'Not until the autumn. Your new home needs a great deal of renovation. I shall arrange to hire an architect and send him down to Hunter's Lair with a party of workmen next week. I think you will have to spend part of your summer overseeing the work and choosing your decorations. Where would you like to go on a honeymoon trip?'

'I must think about it, Papa. Just getting used to the idea of marrying the Duke of Sedgwick is enough for me now.' She arose from her chair and kissed his cheek. 'Forgive my earlier outburst,' she said. 'May I tell Sirena?'

'Not quite yet, my dear. Let your cousin have her moment in the sun. Hers is the more unusual of the two matches for she and young Pickford are genuinely in love. They are most fortunate.'

'Am I not fortunate also, Papa?' Allegra asked him. 'After all, I am to be a duchess, the wife of the man with the bluest blood in all of England.'

'You are fortunate, Allegra,' Lord Morgan assured his daughter. 'Quinton Hunter has no stain upon his reputation. He will be a good husband to you, my dear. See that you are as good a wife.'

'I will be, Papa. After I get used to the idea of it,' she amended her promise.

'Wear one of your prettiest dresses tonight,' Lord Morgan advised her. 'And, I shall see that both you and Sirena have beautiful wedding gowns and trousseaux. You have both done very well for your families and I am proud of my pair of girls.'

'Ohh, Papa, what will you do without me?' Allegra wondered. Then she brightened. 'Why, Papa, you must marry Aunt Olympia!'

Lord Morgan flushed beet red. 'God's mercy, Allegra, whatever made you say a thing like that?'

Allegra looked hard at her father whose features bore a distinctly guilty look of sorts. 'Perhaps,' she said, 'I say it because I realize that you and my aunt suit. She is a respectable widow, and you the injured party in a divorce settled years ago. Do you really want her to go back to that tiny dower house at Rowley? Would she not grace your table once I am gone, Papa? Be a most amenable companion?'

'You are too clever by far, you minx,' he replied. 'I will admit to you that I have considered marrying again. Do you not think, Allegra, that if I choose your aunt there might be gossip?'

'If I have learned one thing this season, Papa, it is that there will always be gossip, even of the most innocent situation. You and my aunt are perfect for one another. I shall, of course, say nothing of our conversation, Papa, but I should not be unhappy if you wed Aunt Olympia one day.'

'It pleases me that I have your blessing,' he replied dryly.

Allegra laughed. 'I had best decide what to wear to Almack's this evening,' she said, kissing his brow. Then she hurried from the room and ran upstairs to her aunt's rooms where she knew Sirena and Ocky would now be. 'Are you pleased, Aunt?' she asked as she entered Lady Abbott's apartment. 'Sirena has bagged herself a lovely viscount.'

'Allegra!' her aunt cried, flushing, for that was exactly what she had been thinking. She could barely wait to tell Augustus.

'Do you really think I'm lovely?' Viscount Pickford asked, chuckling. 'I don't think I've ever been called lovely before.'

'Definitely lovely,' Allegra responded. 'I think my cousin most fortunate, as are you, Ocky. May you have many happy years.'

Sirena burst into tears. 'Ohh, if only you would find the same happiness that 1 have found,' she sobbed.

'The richest girl in England must settle, dearest coz, for a splendid title, and I will. True love is most rare as we all know, Sirena. You and Ocky are among the more fortunate.' Then Allegra turned to Viscount Pickford. 'Ocky, will you allow Rupert Tanner to stay with you? Papa feels gossip might ensue if he remained here, especially as Papa turned down Lord Ackerly's proposal for my hand. He's a very nice fellow as I am certain you have already ascertained.'

'Of course he may stay with us,' Viscount Pickford replied.

'Thank you, Lovely,' Allegra responded mischievously. 'I must go and choose a gown for Almack's tonight. Lord, for all their pretensions it is a dreary place. The rooms are quite unattractive, and the dance floor dreadful. As for the supper, we shall not even mention it, but then one does not go to Almack's to eat, but to be seen.' Blowing them all a kiss she departed her aunt's chamber.

'She can be so outrageous,' Lady Abbott said weakly. 'I don't know what you must think of her, Octavian.'

'I think she is charming, madame,' the viscount responded. 'And as Sirena loves her so dearly, that is good enough for me.'

***

The subject of their conversation hurried to her own rooms where her maid, Honor, was sitting, sewing the hem on a gown that had been torn. 'What shall we wear tonight?' Allegra said as she entered.

'Is it important?' Honor asked her mistress.

'Yes,' Allegra said, 'I believe it is.'

'Ohh, miss, tell me, do!' Honor begged.

'Not yet,' Allegra said, 'but soon, Honor.'

Putting her sewing aside, the maid arose. 'There is a lovely gown you haven't yet worn.' She ran to the wardrobe, and drew a garment out. 'Here it is!' She held it out for Allegra's