Page 38 of Rivals at Ashmore Castle

‘I was always envious of Nina. She lost her parents when she was young, but she did at least have a loving relationship with them. They used to play games together,’ she concluded wistfully. ‘Dear Nina. I do miss her.’

But what had she said? She saw Giles’s face had shut down, as though he had thought of something bad. He withdrew his arm from hers, though they had reached the carriage and it might simply be for that reason – he had to free his arm to help her in. But when he climbed in beside her, it was clear his mood had changed. She tried to chat with him, but his answers were monosyllabic; and when they reached home he excused himself and went straight away to his study.

She was sorry, but she was used to his moods now. There was nothing she could do about them. And they probably had nothing to do with her anyway.

He seemed to be back to normal at luncheon, which was always late on a Sunday. He and Richard talked about men’s affairs and she let her mind drift, until Moss came in with the coffee and a telegram, which he presented to Giles. He opened it, and his brow drew down in a scowl. ‘No reply,’ he said tersely to Moss, and then, to Kitty’s and Richard’s enquiring looks, ‘It’s from Mama. She and the prince are coming for a visit. They’ll be arriving tomorrow.’

Kitty almost jumped from her seat. ‘Oh, but there’ll be so much to do! I’d better—’

‘Sit down,’ Giles said sharply. ‘Drink your coffee.’ He waited until the servants had withdrawn, then said, ‘Damn, damn, damn.’

‘We weren’t expecting a visit, were we?’ Richard asked. ‘Not like Mother to descend on us so casually. Is she bringing the princeling?’

‘She doesn’t say. I doubt it.’

‘But, Giles, I need to know,’ Kitty said. ‘If there will be a baby and nursery staff, we’ll have to be prepared. Can you send a telegram and find out?’

He shook his head at her, exasperated. ‘She’ll already be on her way. Where would I send a telegram to? Not that she’d reply anyway. What are you thinking, Kitty?’

‘I think she’s hoping to avoid being caught unprepared,’ Richard said. ‘It’s not you or me who’ll be roasted if anything is not to Mother’s liking.’

Giles raised an eyebrow. ‘I’ve told you before to stand up to her,’ he said to Kitty.

Kitty thought that pointless advice. There might be other people in the world apart from him who didn’t mind being berated, but she was not one of them. ‘Does she at least say how long they’re staying?’ she asked.

‘You can read it,’ he said, passing the telegram to them both.

PRINCE AND I TO VISIT+ ARRIVING 30TH BY 4.30 TRAIN+ PSS USINGEN++

‘It warms the heart to receive such tender missives from one’s parent, doesn’t it, brother?’ Richard said. And to Kitty, ‘Don’t worry, Moss will have got the information somehow by the time we’ve finished our coffee, and frantic activity will already have begun below stairs. You won’t have to do a thing, except approve of Mrs Webster’s diligence.’

The princess spoke to John Manley, the coachman, as she entered the carriage waiting at the station, and he relayed the message to Giddins, the head man, when he drove the carriage round to the stable yard afterwards.

‘Her highness wants to ride tomorrow, Mr Giddins. And she wants you to accompany her.’

Giddins was both pleased and alarmed. It was an honour to be asked to accompany his former mistress, and it was nice of her to give him a day’s notice. On the other hand, Queen Bee had been turned out. She’d have to be brought up, and a day would hardly be enough to get her groomed into a fit state for her highness’s sharp eyes. She hadn’t got her summer coat completely yet. It would take a lot of work to get all the loose hairs out. Her mane and tail would need pulling, her feathers trimming – and he’d have to check her shoes. What if her hoofs needed attention? He’d have to ride her down to the forge this afternoon. She’d been hunted on and off by the ladies of the house through the winter, but she’d been out for a week and might be lively. He would have to exercise her early in the morning tomorrow so as to have time to groom her afterwards before her highness rode.

And her tack! He must put two of the boys on to it straight away, and woe betide them if they didn’t get it shining like new. And his own horse would have to be groomed fit to be following her highness…

Where would she want to ride? he wondered. And would the prince be riding as well? John Manley had only said her highness, but what if he took the horse round to the door and they were both standing there? He blushed with anticipatory shame. He’d have to go up to the house and see if anyone could find out. His highness’s man would know, surely…?

Up at the house, Mrs Webster had her own frantic activity. Thanks to all the entertaining they had been doing lately, she’d had the opportunity to train the maids to the extra duties involved when there were guests, and they worked efficiently, only needing a little chasing to be sure they understood that this time everything had to be perfect. And Mr Moss might be slow, but he knew his business, and he had Frederick to help him now. Frederick was active and quick to learn, and while you couldn’t actually hurry Mr Moss, Fred knew how to do bits of his job so that the other bits happened quicker.

She had reassured Mrs Terry, the cook, that she had already pleased far more discerning palates than her highness’s. The dowager had never been interested in food, while the prince was used to German dishes and everyone knew there was no haute cuisine in Germany.

Rose had added her two-penn’orth. ‘Nothing but sausages and beer over there, Ida,’ she told the cook. ‘And gristly sausages at that! He’ll think he’s died and gone to Heaven when he tastes your cotelettes de veau Lyonnaises.’

But Mrs Webster’s point of anxiety was something else. She called the maids together after breakfast, before they went about their jobs, and warned them about the prince’s valet, Adolf. The last time the prince and princess had stayed he had been very free with his attentions below stairs.

‘I don’t want any of you encouraging him,’ she said sternly. ‘He can be charming, but if I find anyone’s been canoodling with him they’ll be dismissed instantly.’ She gave a hard look at Mabel, who tossed her head slightly. ‘Just stay out of his way, don’t go into a room on your own with him, and if you have any trouble with him, come straight to me, or to Rose, and we’ll deal with it.’

Moss had spoken to the male staff earlier. ‘He speaks English all right, but he pretends not to understand when it suits him, so don’t be taken in,’ he said. ‘Just keep an eye on the girls and make sure he’s not pestering them. Some of them are quite innocent, and they might not know how to handle a roo-ay like that.’

‘I thought handling him was what you didn’t want them to do, Mr Moss,’ Frederick said politely.

Afton threw him a sharp look, but the footman’s face was innocent of amusement. He had wondered once or twice about Frederick…

Moss was thrown off balance. ‘Of course, of course! I didn’t mean it that way, Frederick. I meant they might not realise what was going on, he might take advantage, so please keep an eye on them and be ready to step in if there looks like being trouble. That’s all.’