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, however, he is not. I do not want to disappoint him in any way, Aurora. He is truly interested in my agrarian knowledge, and wants to learn. You know there are no others among the court who can speak with him on such matters. They have already begun to make fun of him behind his back, calling him Farmer George, even as they call me the farmer duke, but he will eventually win them over. He may be a solemn and very moral man, but he is kind and good-hearted. Eventually all of England will respond to his sweet and decent nature. We have little time left here. Let me serve the king as best I can while we remain."

She sighed and nodded. "You are right," she agreed.

"I must leave in another hour or so for Kew," the duke told his wife. "I will wait up for you, my precious."

"And I shall come home as early as I dare," she replied with a small smile at him.

"You're a wicked, wanton chit," he said, kissing her hard.

"Aye, sir, but I am your wicked, wanton chit," she answered, kissing him back, her tongue slipping between his lips to tease him. Then, slipping from his arms, she ran upstairs.

"Well," Martha said as she entered her apartment, "what are we doing this evening, my lady?"

"Valerian is leaving for Kew to be with the king, and I am going to some ball or other with Trahern," Aurora answered.

"Going to a ball? Without your husband?" Martha's lips were pursed in a disapproving manner.

"Valerian says if I don't go, Trahern will complain at him tomorrow at Boodles," Aurora laughed. "I should far prefer to remain at home, Martha."

"And so you should in your condition!" came the sharp reply. "Have you told his grace yet, my lady?"

Aurora looked at her servant, surprised. "You know? How?"

"Well, it weren't that difficult to figure out, my lady" came the retort. "Don't I see your laundry gathered up for the laundress? Well, you ain't had any show of blood in weeks, and I've noticed of late that your appetite is a bit peckish and your gowns is getting a bit tight in the bosom. It weren't really that hard."

"You haven't told anyone, have you?" Aurora fretted.

Martha looked mildly aggrieved that her mistress would even ask such a question. "Yer certain?" was her response.

"I've seen the queen's physician," she replied, "But I don't want to tell Valerian until we get home to Hawkes Hill. He'd only worry, and the doctor says I am healthy, and happy, and that is good for me right now. Oh, Martha, I'm not Cally, and I don't want Valerian to be afraid. Having a baby is the most natural thing in the world! I cannot wait to hold my child in my arms!"

"Yer mama, the real one, I mean, was just like that," Martha said. "She loved children, and you do too. I won't tell his grace, my lady. We'll be home shortly, and that's time enough for him to know. But, I don't want you overexerting yourself now!"

"I won't," Aurora promised the faithful Martha.

"What are we wearing this evening?" the servant said.

"The rose and gold, I think" was the response.

"That flamboyant thing? I don't know why you had it made in the first place," Martha huffed. "Do you really want to be seen in public in that gown?"

"Trahern said wear something spectacular, and I believe the rose and gold qualifies. It may be the only chance I get to wear it. I don't know why I had it made either, but the material seemed so interesting before it became a gown," Aurora remarked.

Martha nodded. "Aye, that sometimes happens. Well, I'll get it out and see that it's pressed, my lady. At least it won't go to waste before it goes into the back of the wardrobe," she giggled.

A bath was brought for her grace, and Aurora enjoyed a long and leisurely soak, for she had plenty of time before Trahern would call for her. The water was perfect, and the scent of honeysuckle and woodbine filled the air. Sally had found the most interesting little chemist's shop nearby that made the fragrance up in a bath oil. It was a clean yet sensual smell, and Valerian liked it. There was even soap to match it. Picking up her bath cloth, Aurora soaped it and washed herself. The bath was so relaxing, and she was beginning to get sleepy.

"There's time for a nap and a wee bit of supper before you go," Martha said, helping her from the tub. "If you're going to be up tonight instead of in your bed, where you belong, then you need your strength. How about a bit of chicken, bread, and butter?"