Lord Bramton stared at her.
“You don’t mean it?”
“Well, I want to see it for one thing and I am sure it will interest the Prince of Wales, as he is so keen to see places he has not already visited.”
“I am glad you warned me. I must be in touch with my caretakers immediately and order them to open up the rooms, pull back the curtains and air the whole house.”
“I tell you what we will do,” suggested Galina. “I will arrange for one of the servants to go there tomorrow and warn them. It will be better than writing a letter, which doubtless they will be unable to read.”
“It’s asking too much of you – ”
“I don’t think there is any point in my mentioning that Mr. Farlow will be paying for the conveyance!”
Lord Bramton laughed, but because she could read his thoughts, Galina realised that actually he disliked being beholden to anyone.
Their instructions from Sir Christopher arrived in plenty of time.
A special coach was reserved on the train from St. Pancras to Wolferton, which was the nearest station.
“I am only surprised,” Mr. Farlow surmised, when he was informed about the arrangements, “that His Royal Highness does not have a train of his own.”
“Then you must suggest it to him,” said Galina. “It would look very smart in Royal colours with every carriage flying a Union Jack!”
“I think Royalty should look like Royalty. If I had my way they would wear their crowns every day!”
They all laughed at his grand ideas, but Galina was delighted he was so pleased with the invitation.
*
They set off after luncheon and drove to the station in a comfortable carriage drawn by two horses.
Behind them came two lady’s maids and two menservants to be valets to Mr. Farlow and Lord Bramton.
Ellie-May was thrilled with the special coach and she explored it the moment they were shown into it by the Station Master.
It was upholstered in a Royal red and all the chairs were most comfortable.
There were two Stewards on board to provide them with drinks ranging from coffee to champagne as well as delicious pâté sandwiches.
“Now this is real luxury,” Mr. Farlow commented, “and if I am born again I hope I shall come back as a Royal personage.”
“I am sure that is what you are already in America,” added Galina. “When they hear where you have been staying, I am certain that your friends will curtsy and bow to you!”
She was teasing, but she had the feeling that he was taking it all seriously.
They all chatted and laughed as they journeyed from London through the countryside.
Galina was very conscious that Lord Bramton was sitting beside her.
He did not say very much and yet she knew that his eyes were watching her.
Occasionally when they looked at each other, they forgot what they were saying.
When they arrived at Wolferton Station, they found the Royal carriages waiting for them.
It was not a very long drive and when Galina had her first sight of Sandringham, she exclaimed in delight.
The house was as attractive as she had expected it to be and, as they were moving up the drive, she had her first glimpse of all the golden daffodils that Sir Christopher had promised her. They were even more profuse than she could possibly have imagined.
They bordered all the lawns and lakes and made the trees appear to be standing on golden carpets.
They drew up outside the enormous house with its turrets, towers and long high chimneys.
Galina had already learnt from Lord Bramton that the house had been mentioned in the Doomsday Book as St. Deringham, the name of the village nearby.
Actually the present house was built in the second half of the eighteenth century by Charles Spencer Cooper, but he had died before it was completed.
The Prince of Wales rebuilt the main house some years later and Galina was told when she was going round Sandringham that His Royal Highness had preserved the original conservatory and made it into a billiard room.
As she entered the house, she recognised that it was exciting for her as well as Ellie-May, and she was certain that for Mr, Farlow it was as good as passing through the Gates of Paradise.
The Prince and Princess were waiting to greet them and, as was usual, the Prince put everyone at their ease.
No one, Galina thought, could have looked more attractive than the Princess of Wales.
They were offered tea in a room that was rather like those at Marlborough House – it seemed to be somewhat over-furnished and contain more dogs than Galina had ever seen in a private house.
It was when they went upstairs to dress for dinner that Galina told Ellie-May she must, on no account, be late.
She had heard when her friends were talking about the Prince of Wales that he was a stickler for punctuality.
“You will hardly believe it,” one woman had said at a party, “but all the Sandringham clocks are kept half-an hour fast!”
Everyone had laughed at this, but Galina was even more determined that no one in her party should upset His Royal Highness.
Actually she was to learn later that a great deal of his frustrated energy – because, his mother, Queen Victoria would not allow him to take any part in ruling the country – went in planning his parties.
He actually chose the room for each guest and gave directions for the clothes he expected everyone to wear at each meal.
Lord Bramton knew about this scenario and he had said to Mr. Farlow in the train,
“Nothing, I am confidentially told, can annoy His Royal Highness more than to see Orders incorrectly worn or a black waistcoat when a white one should be worn.”
“I only hope I shall not make any mistakes, Victor. You did tell me yesterday that my clothes are all correct.”
“Indeed they are,” confirmed Lord Bramton, who in Georgie’s absence had taken Mr. Farlow to the best tailor in Mayfair.
Because they arrived in time for tea, Galina noticed that the Princess was wearing an ordinary day dress.
She had been informed that the Prince expected the ladies at teatime to dress up for the occasion.
“They should all look just like butterflies,” she was told, “in elaborately flowing tea-gowns of chiffon, lace or fur trimmed velvet.”
She felt glad that Mr. Farlow had insisted on them buying new clothes and indeed it was Ellie-May who had insisted on having not two evening dresses but five.
“Do I look all right?” Ellie-May asked when she came into Galina’s bedroom.
“You look lovely, dear Ellie-May,” replied Galina.
It was certainly the truth.
When Ellie-May was feeling animated and her hair was beautifully arranged, she looked like a fairy Princess.
Galina was quite certain, although she did not say so, that everyone saw her friend with a golden cloud of sparkling dollars around her.
They walked downstairs together and were taken to an ornate reception room.
There were tall glasses of champagne being handed round by powdered footmen and then the other members of the house party gradually joined them.
They were all more elderly than Galina and Ellie-May, but Sir Christopher and Lord Bramton were there to keep them amused.
Dinner was at half-past eight, but as Sir Christopher had told them, the guests were expected to be downstairs at eight o’clock prompt to await the arrival of the Prince and Princess.
This gave Galina time to meet the other guests and they were all – as Lord Bramton whispered to her,
“Laced and high-boned, fringed and flounced and glittering with every jewel they possessed.”
The latter was not quite true, but there was certainly a great display of jewellery.
Galina was so grateful to Lord Bramton for telling her that long gloves were always to be worn.
“At dinner!” she had exclaimed. Lord Bramton nodded.
“It seems strang
e, but that is His Royal Highness’s orders. You take them off at dinner and put them on again afterwards.”
“Personally I think it’s ridiculous!”
“You may think so, Galina, but nevertheless it must be so.”
Lord Bramton had stayed at Sandringham six years ago with his parents and fortunately he remembered what was expected.
Because he was so knowledgeable he had prevented Galina making unfortunate mistakes and being too worried about what she should do and not do.
Mr. Farlow and Ellie-May listened most attentively to everything they were told.
They did not even criticise or laugh at what Galina thought was almost exaggerated protocol.
“Precedence,” Lord Bramton told them, “is one of the Prince’s favourite hobby horses. You will see that we go into dinner precisely according to our rank.”
This meant, Galina knew, that Mr. Farlow and his daughter would be amongst the last. She could only hope that they would not feel hurt.
As they waited before dinner, she had an idea that most of the guests were keeping their eye on the door.
When their host and hostess arrived, the men bowed and the women swept to the floor in deep curtseys.
Then the Princess led the way to the dining room on the arm of the gentleman of the highest rank.
Galina could not help thinking that if Georgie had been there, it would have been him.
The Prince with the most distinguished lady present, who was, Galina thought, exceedingly lovely, followed the Princess.
She was to learn later that she was the Countess of Warwick with whom His Royal Highness was enamoured at that moment.
To her great delight Galina found that her partner at dinner was Lord Bramton.
“I am very glad it’s you,” she whispered, as he held out his arm to her.
“I have won the position,” he replied with a twinkle in his eyes, “by exactly twenty-five years. I am certain that our host looked me up in Debrett’s before he was sure.”
Galina giggled and then she remarked,
“We must behave properly and you must prevent me from making any social faux pas.”
“You will not make any, Galena, and if you do, no one could help but forgive you, because you are so lovely.”
The way he spoke made Galina feel a little quiver surge through her yet again.
Just for a second, because she could not help it, her fingers tightened on his arm.
The dinner was superb and this, she had already learnt, was because the Prince had a very large appetite.
“In fact,” Lord Bramton had told her earlier, “a new dish that is delicious puts him in a better humour than the wittiest response from any of his pretty ladies!”
“Do tell me more about him,” Galina had begged.
“You will find out most things for yourself, as it is some years since I have been at Sandringham. But then I have been asked to Marlborough House and everyone talks so much about the Prince of Wales. He is undoubtedly the most interesting gentleman in England at present – ”
He paused before he had added,
“Although I daresay any number of people would disagree with me.”
“What you tell me I have to repeat, if it is suitable, to Mr. Farlow and Ellie-May, so what should I know?”
Lord Bramton chuckled, but he did tell her that the Prince was an unexpectedly good listener rather than going on chatting about himself.
Therefore it was important to think of conversation to amuse him before you were actually sitting at his side.
“The most ominous sign when he is bored,” Lord Bramton elaborated, “is that his fingers begin to fidget with the cutlery and his eyes stray along the table. My mother once said that if he murmured – ‘quite so! quite so!’ you knew that you had failed. He was bored and hoping the meal would soon end!”
“You are making me frightened and now I wish we were not going,” Galina had exclaimed.
“You know that’s not true,” he had answered. “I am delighted to be visiting to Sandringham again simply because I am going with you”
“I shall feel exactly like going to school for the first time. You promise that you will keep near me and prevent me from making some terrible faux pas.”
“You know I want to be near you, my Galina.”
He spoke in a deep voice and when her eyes met his, she blushed.
She knew what he wanted and it was something she wished for herself, but the barrier of having no money kept them invisibly but completely apart.
When dinner was finished, the ladies left the room but not for long.
The Prince’s favourite games were waiting for him and card tables were set out in the drawing room.
As Galina had heard, he often played for what some would find high stakes, but not quite so overwhelming as in other fashionable house parties.
The Prince was voted forty thousand pounds a year by Parliament and received substantial revenues from the Duchy of Cornwall.
But he had come to learn that he must be modest in his gambling if he was to enjoy his other expensive tastes.
Galina recognised that Lord Bramton would find it impossible even to lose a few pounds at the card table.
It was because the Princess herself was so sensible and intelligent that she was aware that some people would have this difficulty.
She therefore insisted that her guests, however old and distinguished, should play nursery favourites with her – such as general post, blindman’s buff or hunt the slipper.
Galina was surprised, but she joined in and enjoyed every moment of all the games.
Several of the gentlemen including Lord Bramton joined the ladies and they were all soon laughing helplessly at the antics of the competitors.
It was nearly midnight when the Princess said that it was now time to retire and most of the ladies, especially the older ones, were only too eager to comply.
They walked upstairs without saying goodnight or interrupting their host at his card table.
Lord Bramton too, like some of the older gentlemen, was delighted to retire.
It was well known that the Prince of Wales was always prepared to settle down and gamble the night away and it was incorrect for the gentlemen playing with him to retire to bed before he did.
Upstairs Galina said goodnight to Ellie-May.
She felt it had been an exciting and unusual evening and she admitted to herself that what she had enjoyed more than anything was that Lord Bramton had been at her side.
She had noticed too that Sir Christopher was one of the young gentlemen present who kept Ellie-May amused.
She had not had any chance to speak to Mr. Farlow, but she was quite certain that it had been the most thrilling evening he had ever spent.
She suspected that he would settle himself down to enjoy the gambling and it would not worry him if it went on until dawn.
Before she retired Sir Christopher had whispered to Galina,
“Ladies are not expected to appear before luncheon. You spend the morning as you please – reading, gossiping or exploring the garden.”
“That is what I will do,” Galina said later to Lord Bramton. “I want to admire the daffodils.”
“So do I,” he replied.
When they said goodnight, he murmured so that no one else could hear,
“I will be waiting for you at eleven o’clock.”
*
Galina had breakfast in her bedroom and Ellie-May joined her.
“Are you enjoying yourself?” enquired Galina.
Ellie-May clasped her hands together.
“It’s all so wonderful and I know that Papa will want to give you a marvellous present for arranging this for us. So you must think of what you particularly want.”
Galina felt like saying that a few thousand dollars would be better than anything else, but instead she said,
“Your father has been very helpful to us by renting Ranmore House in London and if anything my brother and I ought
to give him a present.”
Ellie-May laughed.
“Now don’t be silly. Papa likes giving presents and the more they cost, the more you know he can afford it!”
“Then it should be quite easy to think of something, but it would be more exciting if it was a surprise.”
The two girls chatted away until it was ten o’clock and then they dressed.
Ellie-May was ready first and said that she would go downstairs and see what the other ladies were doing.
“I will not be long after you,” promised Galina.
Then, as she looked out of the window, she saw Lord Bramton. He was walking away from the house towards the daffodils under the trees.
She wanted to be with him.
Nothing else mattered to her not even Sandringham or the Prince of Wales.
She ran down the stairs.
She could hear women’s voices chatting in one of the reception rooms and yet no one noticed her, except the footmen on duty, as she slipped out of the front door and across the lawn.
Lord Bramton was gazing at the daffodils and did not see her until she reached his side.
“Good morning, Victor,” she smiled up at him.
“Let’s go down to the lake, Galina, so that we can talk without being interrupted.”
They moved away through the trees.
Galina felt that the daffodils all around them made it seem unreal, almost as if she was walking in a dream.
When they reached the lake, there was one wooden seat at the edge of the water.
They sat down and Lord Bramton asked her,
“Are you enjoying yourself?”
“It is all so thrilling, but I am so glad you are here too, otherwise I might annoy His Royal Highness.”
“I just don’t think he could be annoyed with you for very long. You are far too lovely. I found it difficult to go to sleep last night because you looked so beautiful in that new gown.”
“I have to thank Mr. Farlow for it. He insisted that Ellie-May and I were dressed for the part.”
“I have never seen a man so happy. He told me at breakfast that this would put up his standing in New York, which is already very high, by leaps and bounds.”
“He is lucky that His Royal Highness was curious about him and Ellie-May – or we would not be here.”
Pray For Love Page 9