“Up and out riding. Crofts said he was whistlingwhen he went out the door,” Honor giggled. “Crofts said he seemed a happy man.”
“Oh,”was the only reply the maidservant received.
In midmorning Crofts opened the door to Hunter’s Lair to be faced with elegantly attired gentlemen. “Good day, sirs,” he said, and bowed slightly from the waist.
“We have come to see the duke,” the taller of the two gentlemen said. “Tell him Prinny and Brummell are here.”
Crofts gaped openly. He looked at the two gentlemen again, and then he recognized the blond, blue-eyed gentleman with the rosy complexion from a drawing he had seen in the London paper. He bowed again. This time lower as he looked at the prince. Carefully he addressed the royal gentleman. “His lordship is out riding, but I shall send for him immediately. If you will come into the drawing room I shall see you are served wine.”
“Much rather have a good breakfast,” the prince said peevishly. “Damned inn we overnighted in was a pigsty. Was frightened to death to touch a morsel lest it kill me.”
The taller Brummell smiled amused. “His Highness is quite hungry, having not eaten since luncheon yesterday,” he explained calmly to Crofts.
“Perkins!” Crofts almost shouted to the footman. “Go to the kitchens, and tell cook afullbreakfast for His Highness, Prince George, and his guest.Immediately!” Then he turned back to Prinny and his companion. “Let me show you to the dining room, gentlemen.”
In the kitchens Perkins had created an uproar with his request from Mr. Crofts.
“Prince George?”the cook said. “Our prince? What in the name of all that is holy is the prince doing here?”
“The gentry don’t tell me their business, cook, but I heard the other fellow say the prince ain’t eaten since yesterday noon.”
The cook blanched, but then she recovered, and began to issue orders. In an amazingly short time the servants were hurrying into the dining room with platters of lamb chops, beefsteak, fresh bread, cheese, butter, poached eggs in heavy cream and dill, a platter with slices of pink salmon and lemon wedges, and a small ham. The cook was pleased to learn the prince smiled broadly and had dug into her hastily arranged feast with gusto.
When Crofts was certain that the royal guest and his companion were well taken care of, he sent another footman for the duke. Then he hurried upstairs to inform his mistress of the unexpected arrival. He knocked on the duchess’s apartment door, to be admitted by Honor.
“Yes, Mr. Crofts, what is it?” the maidservant asked.
“Unexpected guests, Honor.Very important guests. I must see her ladyship.”
“I’ll have to awaken her,” Honor said. “Please wait.” She disappeared into Allegra’s bedchamber, reappearing a few moments later. “Come in, Mr. Crofts,” she beckoned the majordomo.
Slowly the elderly man entered the duchess’s private chamber. She was seated in her bed, looking rather sleepy. He bowed.
“What is it, Mr. Crofts?” she asked him.
“The prince, Your Grace.Prince George, and a Mr. Brummell are here. Downstairs. In the dining room. Having breakfast,” Crofts managed to get out. “I have sent for the duke.”
“Good lord!” Allegra said, astounded. What was she to do?
“If your ladyship could come down,” Crofts suggested. “I don’t know how long it will take the duke to return to the house.”
“To arrive so unexpectedly and without warning,” Allegra said almost to herself.
“They should be well occupied for the next hour with cook’s breakfast,” Crofts offered.
Allegra nodded. “I will be down shortly,” she said. She flung back the coverlet, and jumped from the bed. “Honor! What am I to wear?” Then she saw the elderly majordomo averting his eyes as he backed from her bedchamber. Allegra chuckled. “Gracious, Crofts, you are older than my papa, and have surely seen your good wife in her night attire many times.” She padded hurriedly across the room, unconcerned.
“Indeed, Your Grace, I have,” Crofts said as he scuttled from the room, his withered cheeks flushed, closing the door behind him.
“You must gain more dignity, your ladyship,” Honor scolded her mistress.
“What on earth can Prinny and Brummell be doing here?” Allegra wondered aloud, ignoring Honor’s suggestion. “Neither of them paid a great deal of attention to me in London except when I once danced with the prince. Brummell never, I will vow it, spoke a word to me when we passed. He did nod though. What am I to wear?”
“Simple, day-after-the-wedding-like,” Honor said, and drew out a rosebud sprigged white silk gown with a round, scooped neckline, and puffed sleeves. “This should do it.”
“I need to bathe,” Allegra protested.
“A birdbath will do, your ladyship,” Honor said. “I’ve reheated the basin I left for you by the fire last night.”
