104. A Heart Finds Love by Barbara Cartland

smiled at her.
    “It might have been a party she was giving, which she would suddenly decide to postpone to a week later or she would want to change her dress when the carriage was already waiting to take them to a ball.”
    Alnina laughed.
    “I can imagine that being extremely annoying to any man. Perhaps the woman you ought to marry, but have no intention of doing so, is lucky because she has escaped being lectured every time she irritated you.”
    “I am making it clear to you as my supposed wife,” the Duke asserted, “that I expect you to be on time. In fact, as William will tell you, I am most disagreeable when and if anyone keeps me waiting, even the dogs.”
    “Well, I imagine they at least, will not be with us and I promise I will do my very best not to upset you in any way.”
    She looked so pretty as she spoke that the Duke could not help thinking that it would be easy to forgive her, even if she was a culprit.
    He was now arranging where she should go for her shopping the next day.
    He was certain that she had never entered any of the Bond Street shops herself, but luckily he had a good idea which were the favourite shops of the smartest ladies.
    He pointed out that, as they expected everything to be ready in only a few hours, what Alnina bought would certainly be more expensive than if she had more time.
    “I will try to get everything that fits me and does not have to be altered,” Alnina said. “And I can sew very well myself and I am sure I could alter any dress which required only a little to be done to it.”
    “I am beginning to feel rather nervous about all the things you can do. I quite expect you to tell me at any moment that you can navigate the yacht if the Captain is taken ill and you will also cook for us if the French chef I have engaged does not turn up!”
    “You make me sound terrible,” Alnina replied. “I hate pushy, bossy women and I am sure you do too. So I promise to be neither of those things and only obedient to your gracious command!”
    She saluted him as she spoke and William clapped his hands.
    “No one could possibly say more!” he exclaimed. “You know that you love being Monarch of all you survey, John, and here we are down on our knees in front of you.”
    “Quite right too,” the Duke said. “After all, this is my campaign and I am determined that it will be a great success.”
    *
    They set off two days later after breakfast.
    The yacht, which was very large, was, in Alnina’s eyes, the most enchanting ship she had ever seen.
    She had once been with her father on board a much smaller yacht and when she was quite young she had been taken down the Thames. It was in a boat that had been hired by some friends of her mother as a birthday treat and so Alnina had not enjoyed herself as much as she had hoped she would.
    But now the Duke had managed to find a yacht that was larger and more luxurious than any she had ever seen.
    They were piped grandly aboard and welcomed by the Captain.
    He introduced his Officers and they also met the three Stewards who would attend to them on the voyage and the Duke insisted on meeting the chef.
    Then, as they began to move slowly down the River Thames, Alnina thought again that this could not really be happening to her.
    Later they explored the yacht and, when she was shown into her luxurious cabin, she found that the Duke’s valet, Albert, had unpacked her clothes for her.
    Afterwards she said rather shyly, because she was not certain how her suggestion would be received,
    “I think, John, that you and William should allow me to teach you some Russian while we are sailing towards Georgia.”
    For a moment both the men were too surprised to answer and then the Duke enquired,
    “Are you really suggesting we should have lessons from you as your pupils?”
    “You will find it far more convenient to be able to speak even a little Russian yourself than to rely on me for every word,” Alnina replied.
    He did not answer and she went