While she was ruminating, she and her father were moving through the long narrow passages, often described as the ‘Windsor rabbit warren’.
At last, after walking what seemed an extremely long way from the dining room, they now entered what she reckoned must be Her Majesty’s private apartments.
There were several equerries to greet them and they were shown into an anteroom and found that the Earl was already there.
He smiled at Flavia.
She longed to ask him if he had found the solution he had promised her – or whether they were to go in like sheep to the slaughter with nothing to protect or aid them.
When they reached the Earl’s side, Flavia knew that her father was deliberately taking her to be next to him.
There were others there in the room – two Ladies-in-Waiting, several equerries and, not surprisingly, Lord Carlsby.
“I was just wondering how your horses are doing,” Lord Linwood addressed the Earl.
Flavia realised he was trying to make it seem quite ordinary that they were both there without any of the other visitors who had been at the luncheon.
“I have hopes for at least three of them,” the Earl replied.
“Then you must tell me which one is likely to win the big race tomorrow,” Lord Linwood quizzed him.
He was talking quite casually, as if this was not a particularly important occasion.
Flavia felt a sudden impulse to turn and run away.
She was quite certain this had all been planned by her father and Lord Carlsby down to the minutist deatail.
It would be absolutely impossible for either her or the Earl to gainsay the Queen or even protest at anything she suggested.
Then as she looked at the Earl almost beseechingly, she had the feeling that he was telling her without words not to be afraid.
She looked into his eyes and knew that he was quite certain that he could cope with all that lay ahead.
‘I only hope you are right,’ she wanted to say.
Then an equerry opened the door and announced,
“Her Majesty the Queen has graciously consented to receive the Honourable Miss Flavia Linwood and the Earl of Haugton.”
Now that the moment had actually arrived, Flavia drew in her breath, not only in fear but also in surprise.
She had never for a single moment dreamt that the Queen would see her alone with the Earl.
She had expected at least her father would be there to present her in person, as he had always wanted to do.
As she stood irresolute, the Earl put out his hand.
Without even thinking, she slipped her fingers into it.
Lord Linwood bent forward as if to speak to his daughter, but the Earl moved her quickly across the room and through the door where the equerry was standing.
As he led them down a passage, the equerry said,
“Her Majesty commands that, as it is a nice day and the sun is shining, she would like to speak to you both in the garden.”
Flavia was aware that the Earl raised his eyebrows and then he pressed her fingers as if to warn her not to say anything.
They walked down a small staircase and then there was an open door leading into the garden.
Standing just outside with the sun on her face was Her Majesty the Queen.
The Earl bowed.
“I know Vincent,” the Queen said, “how much you enjoy the fresh air and the sunshine. Therefore I thought we would have a little talk here rather than in my room.”
“Your Majesty thinks of everything,” replied the Earl, “and may I present Miss Flavia Linwood, who I know you have heard about from her father.”
The Queen put out her hand and Flavia sank down in a low and graceful curtsy.
“I have heard a great deal about Miss Linwood and all, I may say, to her advantage. Now come along and sit on my favourite bench and look at my very special view of the Great Park.”
The Earl had released Flavia’s hand as he presented her.
Now he made a step forward to offer the Queen his arm.
As he did so, Flavia saw to her intense surprise a rough-looking man appear over the stone wall just ahead of them.
He held a rifle in his hand and then he raised it to his shoulder.
Before she could utter any warning, the Earl gave a loud exclamation and flung himself in front of the Queen.
The man who was about to shoot, hesitated.
Then just as he raised his rifle again as if to shoot directly at the Earl, Flavia realised what was happening.
She gave a scream.
As the Earl was now standing in front of the Queen, she threw herself at him, throwing out both her arms, so that her back was protecting him from the gunman.
Then, as she waited for the sound of the shot, it came not from the gunman facing them but from behind him.
The bullet must have hit the gunman in the back.
As his rifle exploded harmlessly into the air, he fell down onto the ground behind the stone wall.
The noise of the two rifle shots seemed deafening.
Next, the garden door opened behind them.
Equerries and servants poured through.
Shouting at the top of their voices, they surrounded the Queen.
Despite the dastardly attempt to murder her, Her Majesty was surprisingly calm.
As they all hurried back into the Castle, the Earl reached out and took Flavia’s hand in his.
She did not speak.
Her heart was beating tumultuously in her breast.
She knew that not only the Queen but she and the Earl had escaped sudden death by what seemed a miracle.
Sentries were now running from the lower part of the garden to where the gunman had fallen, shot down by one of the Queen’s alert security guards, who had seen the man acting suspiciously and then acted decisively.
But the Earl now holding firmly onto Flavia’s hand, drew her behind the people surrounding the Queen.
Hurrying her back into safety, they passed through the garden door and down the passage, the Earl and Flavia following behind them.
Then suddenly, much to Flavia’s surprise, the Earl stopped and opened a door just to the side of them.
Before she realised what was happening, he pulled her through it and into a small sitting room.
It was empty.
The Earl closed the door behind them.
Again to her astonishment, he locked it and then he turned round to look at her.
She was still feeling as if her heart was beating so violently it might burst through her breast.
Her face was pale but very lovely, as she looked up at him.
“You saved – Her Majesty,” she managed to stutter in a soft hesitating voice.
“And you saved me, Flavia. I want to thank you, and there is only one way I feel I can do so adequately.”
She felt his arms go round her as he spoke.
Then his lips were on hers, holding her so closely against his chest it was just impossible to move and almost impossible to breathe.
As he kissed her, she felt a strange and wonderful sensation sweep through her entire being.
It was something she had never known or imagined before.
Yet she knew it was exactly what she had always wanted and believed she would never find.
The Earl kissed her and went on kissing her until she felt as if her whole body had melted into his and she was part of him.
Then he raised his head.
“Now,” he said and his voice was very deep and a little unsteady, “tell me what you feel about me.”
“I love – you,” Flavia murmured. “I did not know – that love could be so wonderful.”
“Nor did I, my darling, I am asking myself how it is possible you can make me feel like this.”
She did not answer him, but he gazed deeply into her eyes as he went on,
“I have loved you for a good long time, but I fought against it, because I knew you did not love me and had no
wish to marry me. But I think, my darling, we now know the answer to our problem.”
Without waiting for her reply, he was kissing her again.
Kissing her wildly, demandingly, passionately, as if he was forcing her to tell him that her love was as strong as his.
“I love you, Flavia.”
“And – I love you, Vincent.”
When they could speak, that was all they could whisper to each other.
At last the Earl sighed,
“Her Majesty was going to ask us to marry each other, but we have solved the problem for ourselves!”
Flavia smiled and then she asked the Earl,
“Are you quite certain that is what you want?”
“I loved you as soon as I first saw you,” the Earl answered, “but I fought hard against it, being afraid that however much I tried, I could never make you love me.”
“I did not know – that love could be so wonderful or – like this,” Flavia whispered.
“This is only the beginning, my precious. I think we will be very very happy.”
“Papa and Lord Carlsby wanted to get rid of you,” Flavia murmured, “because they thought you were a bad influence on the Queen – they at least will be delighted!”
The Earl was still and she asked him,
“What are you thinking?”
“I was just thinking how boring it will be to keep hearing that it was their idea and how clever they have been to know before we did ourselves that we loved each other!”
Flavia gave a little cry.
“Of course they will say it and a great deal more!” she exclaimed. “Oh, must we listen to all that? It might spoil everything we are feeling now.”
“Nothing could ever spoil this wonderful love, but you are quite right to ask why we should listen to them.”
“How can we help doing so?” Flavia questioned.
“We are going to run away,” cried the Earl, “and the quicker the better.”
“What do you mean, Vincent?”
The Earl did not answer.
Taking her by the hand, he unlocked the door and drew her through it.
As he expected, the passage was empty.
The equerries had obviously taken the Queen back to her private apartments.
As he knew the Castle so well, the Earl started to run in the opposite direction pulling Flavia by the hand.
He moved so quickly that it was quite difficult for her to keep up with him.
As he reached a large door, he stopped suddenly.
Putting his arm round Flavia, he suggested,
“Now you must look pale and distressed – ”
She had taken off her hat before luncheon because none of the ladies present were wearing hats.
She put her fair head against the Earl’s shoulder, half closed her eyes, and he then put his arms around her as if he was supporting her from collapsing onto the floor.
“Will you tell Lord Linwood that his daughter is suffering from shock,” he muttered to one of the assembled courtiers, “and I am taking her home.”
“I have just heard there has been trouble outside in the garden,” he replied. “Is Her Majesty all right?”
“I think that she too is suffering from shock – ”
Then, as if he could not waste any more time, he passed through the outer door.
As he knew the way, in a very short time he found the chaise he had arrived in.
Everyone appeared to be hurrying backwards and forwards and no one seemed to notice them particularly.
The Earl took up the reins and his groom jumped into the seat behind.
As they drove off, Flavia cried,
“We have done it! We have got away! You are so clever!”
“We avoided what would be hours of talk as to who the man was and why he wanted to assassinate the Queen,” the Earl replied. “I don’t suppose they will come to any conclusion even if they talk until midnight!”
“I don’t want to listen to them, but tell me where we are going, Vincent?”
“I have an idea that will save us from having to listen to them telling us that they have always known we were made for each other and it is entirely due to them that we have fallen in love. We must escape!”
“But how and where to?”
As he did not reply, she gave a sigh and asked him,
“Do you really love me enough, my darling Flavia, to run away with me here and now and so avoid all these tiresome diversions that could spoil our happiness?”
“What are you suggesting?”
The Earl thought for a moment,
“I am taking you back to Grosvenor Square and I want you then to pack up everything you will need for our honeymoon. We can easily buy anything you forget later.”
“Where are we going?” Flavia asked. “What are you planning?”
“Just leave it to me. You will have to learn to love and obey me and I want you to start now!”
Flavia laughed.
“How could I have guessed you would love me?”
“I loved you from the first moment I saw you,” the Earl affirmed. “But I had been, as you know, determined never to marry, and then, when I knew I wanted to marry you, you were intent on telling me how much you disliked me.”
“But I soon found I wanted to be with you, Vincent, and I found everyone else a bore when I was not with you.”
“That’s a very good foundation on which to build our marriage,” the Earl smiled.
Flavia looked at him.
“Can I not ask you how and where we are going to be married if we run away,” she questioned him.
“I want you to leave that to me for a little longer. I have an idea and I rather suspect it will please you.”
“You are being very mysterious, but I will be a very good and subservient wife-to-be and will not ask you any more questions!”
“There is one thing I do know and that as my wife you will be good for me in every way. That I promise you is something I have never said to any other woman.”
“Of course I am very honoured and very surprised that you should say it to me, Vincent.”
She was laughing and laid her cheek on his arm.
“This is the most exciting thing,” she murmured softly, “that has ever happened to me.”
“It will go on being exciting, Flavia, now and for the rest of our lives.”
They reached Grosvenor Square in record time.
“I will be back as soon as I can,” the Earl told her. “It’s essential, as you well know, for us to be away before your father returns from Windsor Castle.”
“I’ll pack everything as quickly as I can.”
Flavia jumped out of the carriage and even before the front door opened for her, the Earl had driven away.
She wondered where he was going and what he had in his mind.
However, she knew she must do as he said and ask questions later.
She had not been in her bedroom for long and was pulling clothes out of the wardrobe when Mrs. Shepherd appeared.
“I hears you was back, Miss Flavia,” she said, “but it’s sooner than we had expected. What are you doing with your clothes?”
“I am going to stay with friends in the country for a very special party and they are calling for me very shortly. Please get these packed just as quickly as you can. I must not keep them waiting.”
If Mrs. Shepherd thought it was a bit strange, she was too well trained to say so. She merely called for the maids and they started to pack everything Flavia had pulled out of the wardrobe into her travelling cases.
As they did so, she just had time to write a note to her father to tell him that she was going away to stay with friends, and she would let him know as soon as she could when she would be returning.
‘He will worry far more about the Queen than he will about me,’ she reflected ruefully.
Then she told herself that she was acting wrongly in deceiving him.
‘I must persuade Vincent to tell Papa w
here we are as soon as I know myself,’ she mused. ‘At the moment he is being so secretive.’
“I were hoping, miss, you’d tell us,” Mrs. Shepherd was saying as Flavia finished writing the note to her father, “about Windsor Castle and what Her Majesty the Queen says to you.”
“I am sure Papa will tell you all when he arrives,” Flavia answered. “I am in too much of a hurry to think of anything but being ready for my friends. Otherwise they might go without me.”
“I don’t believe they’d do that, miss.”
But Flavia was already rushing from the room and hurrying down the stairs, hoping that the carriage would be outside waiting for her.
Actually, the packing had taken much longer than she expected.
She had changed into a dress that was even prettier than the one she had worn to go to Windsor Castle – it was white as was expected of a debutante and was even more elaborate than a day dress, although not décolletée enough to be called an evening gown.
And it made her look even lovelier than she had at luncheon.
As she tidied her hair in the mirror, she thought the Earl would want to kiss her again and felt herself thrill at the memory of his fervent kisses, which she could still feel on her lips.
As a very last thought, she put her mother’s pearl necklace round her neck and a bracelet to match it round her wrist.
As she reached the hall, she heard a footman open the front door and say,
“I’ll tell Miss Flavia Your Lordship’s here.”
To her surprise, she saw the Earl was not waiting as she had expected in his chaise.
Instead he was in a closed carriage drawn by a pair of well-bred horses and her cases were piled onto the back.
As she stepped in, Barker asked,
“Shall I tell his Lordship where you’ve gone, Miss Flavia?”
“I have written this letter to my father. Please give it to him when he returns, Barker.”
She saw the surprise on Barker’s face and then the footman shut the door and sprang up beside the coachman.
As they drove off, the Earl pulled her close to him and kissed her.
They were long demanding kisses, almost as if he had been half-afraid she would not come at the last minute and he would lose her.
When at last she could speak, Flavia asked him,
“Where are we going, Vincent? You have not told me anything.”
A Shooting Star Page 13