"Get some new fresh blood into the line, boy," she would growl at him. "Overbreeding is the ruination of most good families, I tell you. A healthy wench will breed you up more sons than any high-flown miss. Remember what I say, boy!"

Strange that he did remember the old woman's words, but only now that he was betrothed to Miss Allegra Morgan. He turned his head to look down at her. Her dark curls were quite tumbled now. He gently fingered one, and a gentle whiff of her fragrance assailed his nostrils. It was the scent of lilacs, his favorite flowers. How odd, or wonderful, that it should be her perfume. Outside the coach windows the city was coming alive. The vehicle turned into Berkley Square and stopped before Lord Morgan's fine town house. The duke, unable to help himself, bent and kissed Allegra's smooth brow.

"You are home, my dear," he said quietly. "Wake up, now."

"Ummm." The violet eyes opened slowly in confusion and then comprehension, as she realized where she was. "I slept all the way homer" She sounded surprised.

A footman ran from the house to open the carriage door. He helped his young mistress to descend. The duke followed. In the round foyer he gave her a chaste kiss on the lips in farewell.

"I shall call for you at three o'clock this afternoon so we may promenade through the park in my landau. Now that we are formally engaged it will be expected that we be seen together daily."

"I have a fitting for my bridesmaid gown," Allegra said.

"At three?"

"I don't know when. I just know today," she replied.

"Have a footman bring 'round a note to me when you know," he said. Then he bowed, and turning, departed.

Slowly Allegra ascended the staircase. On the ballroom floor footmen and maidservants were still dismantling the décor. She climbed a second flight to the bedroom floor. Entering her bedchamber she saw that Honor, her maid, was sleeping in a chair beside the fading coals of a once-bright fire. "I'm back, Honor," she said.

The servant's eyes opened, and then seeing her mistress she jumped to her feet. "Ohh, Miss Allegra, what time is it?"

"Almost seven o'clock," Allegra answered glancing at the clock on her mantel.

"In the morning?" Honor sounded shocked. "Why Miss Allegra, you've been dancing all night long. Even after all these weeks in the city I'm not used to such hours as you have had to keep."

"We drove out to the countryside and saw the sunrise," Allegra told her maidservant.

"Who? Who was with you, and does your papa know?" Honor was seven years older than her mistress, and extremely protective. Like Allegra she had been born and raised at Morgan Court. She counted her young lady almost like family.

"Ohh, Honor! You do not know, and I promised to tell you. I am to marry the Duke of Sedgwick in the autumn. We are going to live in Hereford, not more than a day's journey from Morgan Court."

"That high-flown gentleman who spoiled your first ball? Is that the one you're going to marry? You can't love him, miss. Why you hardly know him," Honor said indignantly.

"That is why our marriage is scheduled for October, and not for June like Sirena's. Shortly after we get home we will go to Hunter's Lair so I may oversee the renovations and the restorations that are needed. I have to marry, Honor. You know that. The duke is, I am assured, an honorable man, but he is poor. I shall be a duchess when I become his wife. He shall be a rich man the moment he weds me. It is an ideal arrangement, and this summer we shall have the opportunity to become acquainted. There will be no surprises when we are married."

"There're always surprises, miss," Honor said dourly as she helped her mistress from her ball gown. "I wish that you could fall in love like Lady Sirena and her nice young gentleman. Your mama married for money, and look what happened there."

"But the duke's family always married for love, and now they are as poor as church mice," Allegra replied. "The duke and I are entering into this marriage with no illusions at all. I believe that I am actually beginning to like him, and I certainly think that he likes me. We shall become great friends, I am certain, and our marriage shall be quite successful, Honor. Now what time does Madame Paul arrive for my fitting?"

"Eleven o'clock, miss," was the response.

"Then I must get some rest before she comes," Allegra said. "Wake me at ten-thirty with a cup of hot chocolate. Madame can measure me here, and then I shall retire back to bed until I must get up and dressed to go out with the duke this afternoon."

"Yes, miss. Where will you be going so I may lay out the proper garments?" Honor asked.

"We are going riding in his landau through the park," Allegra said. "We are expected to be seen together now, and wish to show each other off to the envious ladies and gentlemen of the ten thousand." Allegra chuckled as she climbed into her bed. "Oh lord, Honor, I am so tired," she said, lying back. Her eyes closed, and she was suddenly fast asleep.

"Without even washing her face and hands," Honor said, shaking her head. "Poor lass. She'll be as glad as me to return to the country. This social life with all its running about isn't for us."


***

Madame Paul arrived promptly at eleven o'clock in the morning. She already knew about Allegra's engagement to the Duke of Sedgwick. "I shall take your measurements for your wedding gown as well, Miss Morgan," she said. "Of course you will want me to do it, won't you?"

"Of course," Allegra agreed, although the truth was she hadn't even considered her wedding gown yet. "I will come up to London in late September for a final fitting."

"Nonsense, I shall come to Morgan Court, miss. It wouldn't be proper for the future Duchess of Sedgwick to come into my shop," Madame Paul replied. "Francine, the bridesmaid's gown, if you please. Let us see what needs to be done."

Allegra was to be Sirena's attendant when she wed on the tenth of June. Her gown was high waisted with lace oversleeves. It was cream-colored silk sprigged with lilac flowers. A purple velvet ribbon ran beneath her breasts, and tied in a small bow at her back. She would wear a large summer straw hat trimmed with feathers and purple ribbons. "It's a lovely gown," Allegra told Madame Paul.

"It suits you," the Frenchwoman said quietly. "Now, Miss Morgan, let us allow you to return to bed. I shall come before you leave London so we may decide upon the material and style of your own wedding gown."

Back in her bed Allegra pondered on her new status. Madame had, of course, always been polite and deferential to her. She was after all the richest girl in England. But there was something different now. Some indefinable thing that had to do with becoming the Duchess of Sedgwick.

When Allegra was awakened next it was past two o'clock in the afternoon. "I want a bath," she said.

"There isn't time," Honor replied. "You won't be ready when the duke comes if you take a bath now."

"Then the duke will wait," Allegra responded. "I want a bath!"

"Yer not married yet," Honor grumbled going to the door and telling one of the footmen that "Miss" wanted the bath water brought.

"He'll not cry off because I took a bath," Allegra laughed. "After all, it's all for him, isn't it? Now, what dress have you picked for me to wear on our drive?"

Honor displayed the chosen garment. It was a simple gown of green-sprigged white muslin with a pleated hem, high waist, low neckline, and little puffed sleeves. A bright green ribbon tied about the waistline. The skirt was slightly puffed out in a style called bouffant.

Allegra giggled. "It's so virgin sacrifice," she said almost to herself. Still, she knew it was very appropriate. "It's quite nice, Honor," she told her maid. "No bonnet though. I shall carry a parasol instead. If I keep it open in the carriage I can protect my skin from the sun, but I will be quite visible to everyone. A bonnet would obscure my features. Let there be no mistake today that it is I with the duke, and not some other woman."

Honor shook her head. "I don't know you anymore," she said. "The city ain't good for you, Miss Allegra. I never knew you to be so… so deliberate."

"But I am, Honor, if only for a few more days. I think of all those girls who spoke to Sirena, but would deliberately ignore me because my papa was only Lord Morgan, and not an earl, or a duke, or some other high muckety-muck. How they scorned me for being the heiress of the richest man in England. I pretended not to notice those snubs, and even ignored them. But last night after my betrothal to the duke was announced, girls who had never uttered a word to me the entire season were suddenly fawning over me. Just because I am marrying a duke! Until we return home I have full intention of swanning about London with my prize catch. When I am the Duchess of Sedgwick, they shall all have to give way to me socially!"

"Miss Allegra!" Honor cried shocked. "I never knew you had such meanness and spite in you. Your papa and your aunt would be very unhappy to hear such words as I have just heard from your mouth."

"Ohh, Honor, I don't mean to be unkind, but you have no idea what it was like for me. If they weren't being snobbish about my lineage, they were jealous of Papa's wealth. In some cases both. I don't know what's wrong with having a fortune. While parents seem to approve of it, other young ladies don't." She laughed. "How ridiculous I must sound, dear Honor." Allegra hugged her servant. "Do not be angry at me. I promise I shall not be obnoxious about becoming a duchess. I shall only preen ever so slightly in public."