‘He talks to you, a wardrobe assistant, while you’re in his room? That’s against palace regulations.’ Betty raised a worried eyebrow.
Lucy frowned, thinking of Richard’s disdain for rule followers. It was this kind of petty concern that held the others back.
Well, Lucy was far too clever for that. She’d found Richard, a wealthy, connected man who could help her get to the top.
Putting on a smile, she replied, ‘He’s charming and kind, funny, too, and he thinks I’m the most beautiful girl he’s ever met.’ She blushed, looking at the others for corroboration. But all of them seemed more frustrated than overjoyed for her – Richard was right about the jealousy.
‘Did he ask you to dye your hair, too?’ Caroline asked.
She nodded, patting it. ‘He was convinced I’d look the part more if I was blonde, and he was right, wasn’t he?’ Seeing their doubt, she reached for something else to add. ‘And he said he’d introduce me to the owner of the Apollo Theatre, too.’
But Miranda leaned forward. ‘Have you met him yet?’
Lucy laughed. ‘With everything that’s been going on, I’ve quite forgotten to press him about it. You see, now he’s organized for me to meet one of the top West End agents.’
Instead of the burst of excitement Lucy was expecting, this news was met with a fraught silence.
Betty’s face creased with uncertainty. ‘Well, he doesn’t sound very reliable, my dear. Are you sure he means well?’
‘He’s helping me,’ she said, trying not to get cross. ‘He says I’m too beautiful to be wasted working in the palace. He can help me move up in the world, make the most of what I have.’
‘Well, be careful, dear. If you carry on this way, a nice civil servant like Vernon would never be interested in you.’
‘But Richard’s wealthy and connected – his family has one of those stately homes in the countryside. He’s virtually a lord.’
Miranda interjected, ‘Don’t rush into anything, Lucy. You have a wonderful voice. You should try to make it by yourself.’
‘But it would take so much time. He has friends who can help me now.’ She giggled, annoyance creeping in as she tried to assure them. ‘You should see the way he looks at me. He can’t take his eyes off me.’
‘All men can act like that if they want to take advantage of you.’ Betty looked at her pointedly. ‘How do you know he’s serious about you?’
‘Of course he is. He talks about our future, always holding my hand. A few weeks ago, he took me to his flat – you should have seen it! – and we, well’ – she bit her lip, wondering how much to give away – ‘we kissed and things.’
Caroline paled. ‘Just because he seduces you, it doesn’t mean he’ll propose, Lucy. Men from country estates marry girls from other country estates, not singers or wardrobe assistants.’
That familiar anguish swirled inside her, and she jerked her head around to Caroline. ‘Just because you’re content to play it safe and make do, you can’t stop me from wanting more from life. You don’t know him like I do, or maybe you’re just jealous because you married a man who treats you like a servant.’ She knew it was harsh, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself.
For a moment, Caroline looked so pale that she might collapse.
But then, she seemed to find the spirit to pull herself together. ‘I made mistakes, Lucy, and I’m trying to stop you from making them, too. With men, you don’t always end up with what you see on the outside. All the women’s magazines talk about beautiful homes and perfect marriages, but scratch the surface and that’s not always the case. A woman might think she’s finally landed a great life as she heads down the aisle, but it could end up becoming her worst nightmare.’
Lucy sat back in her chair. ‘That won’t happen to me. In any case, Richard’s different. He’s one of the new, modern set, nothing like the man you married.’
‘But how much do you know him?’ Caroline said. ‘That’s the point I’m making. Don’t make the same mistakes I did.’
But Lucy had had enough. Getting to her feet, she said, ‘Why should I take advice from any of you, when you’ve hardly made good decisions? I’m old enough to make up my own mind. For all my life, my mother’s been telling me I’ll never be someone, and now I’m going to show her – show everyone – that I’m not just a nothing.’
With this, she threw them a disdainful look, picked up her coat, and stormed out of the hall.
It was exactly as Richard had said it would be. Her friends were against her.
And Lucy had no choice but to turn her back on them.
CAROLINE
CLUTCHING HER HANDBAG IN THE ESTUARY WIND,THEqueen stood on the dockside next to the brand-new luxury yacht. ‘I name this ship “The RoyalBritannia”,’ she announced, releasing the Champagne to smash against the hull.
Hundreds of spectators broke into applause, and a few great cheers came from the shipbuilders, all donned in heavy dark coats to shield themselves from the wind.
