Chapter 1

London, England, 1818

" T he red one won't fit, neither will the yellow one – every day I seem to lose another dress to my ever-expanding enormity," Lily exclaimed, tossing the dress she was holding onto her bed and collapsing onto the chaise lounge by the window with a sigh.

Alicia looked at her sympathetically. Lily was heavy with child, expecting any day, and every time Alicia saw her, she seemed to grow bigger. Today, she was dressed in a flowing white nightgown, her shoulders wrapped in a shawl, but even this was growing too tight for her, and it would surely not be long before nothing in her wardrobe would fit.

"Can't your maid do something about it?" Alicia said, and Lily rolled her eyes.

"Helen couldn't let out a dress. She can barely darn a pair of stockings, bless her. No, I'll have to send for something to wear – the modiste, perhaps she'll come and measure me. I've got nothing to wear for the tea party on Monday – imagine that, the hostess without a thing to wear. I can hardly sit with the county ladies in my nightgown, can I?" she exclaimed, sighing again, and raising her arms above her head with a look of despair on her face.

The two friends were taking tea in Lily's private sitting room. It was a pleasant room, comfortably furnished, overlooking the parkland of Burnley Abbey, the imposing edifice of which was visible beyond the trees across the garden. Lily and Maximilian had lived in a house belonging to a great uncle of Maximilian since their marriage. It had been a gift from the duke and duchess, and Alicia was a frequent visitor. Her parents divided their time between London and Lancashire, and having spent several seasons there, they had purchased a house not far from Burnley Abbey, where Alicia now lived for much of the year.

"Oh, they won't mind. Just stay sitting down and wrap yourself in a shawl. They'll not know the difference," Alicia replied, even as Lily looked at her aghast.

"I'm to be the Duchess of Lancaster one day – I can hardly be seen in such a terrible state. Oh, it's hopeless. I think I'll cancel the whole thing. I'm sure it wasn't like this with Emily, but now…oh, I just want it over with," she exclaimed.

Emily was Lily and Maximilian's first child, and Alicia's goddaughter. She was a dear little thing, not quite a year old, and Alicia was always happy when Lily brought her to call on her, or invited her to walk with them in the parkland.

"I'm sure it won't be long. You just need to have patience," Alicia replied.

"Patience! Spoken by a woman who's never known what it's like to carry a child. Believe me, when you do, you'll find patience a difficulty," Lily replied, struggling to sit up and shifting herself back and forth as though trying desperately to get comfortable.

Alicia could not help but smile. Marriage and motherhood had made Lily a very different person to the one Alicia had first encountered in London when they were both in the first flush of youth. Back then, she had been hot-headed and fiercely independent, but the years had mellowed her, and now she no longer wrote scandal sheets for a living, her interests were concentrated on more domestic matters.

"Well… I'm sure that won't be happening for a while," Alicia replied, as Lily finally got herself into what appeared to be a comfortable position, looking up at Alicia and narrowing her eyes.

"And why not? You received a great deal of attention at the assembly rooms ball last week – how many marks on your dance card were there? Three? Four?" Lily said, and Alicia blushed.

She had danced with several men at the ball, but as for seeing them again…

"Oh, but you know what these things are like. A dance doesn't mean anything if the man doesn't pursue the matter further. If a dance isn't followed by a call the next day, it should be forgotten," she said, returning Lily's gaze sardonically and folding her arms.

Lily laughed.

"Oh, nonsense – there were any number of eligible men there, and all of them were interested in you," she said, tutting and shaking her head.

"Name one. I danced with the Duke of Hamilton's third son – he talked of nothing but entering the church and becoming a Bishop. I don't want to be a clergyman's wife. Then there was the odd-looking man with the squint and crossed eyes – he was a merchant. I don't want to marry a merchant, and certainly not a cross eyed one… Lancashire society just doesn't offer anything more than third sons and social climbers. They come here because in London they're nothing," Alicia said.

She liked living in Lancashire. She liked the country walks and carriage drives, she liked the fresh air and pleasant company of like-minded people, she liked to be near Lily and Emily, but as for finding a husband…

"And…there was someone else," Lily said, raising her eyebrows.

Alicia blushed.

"Oh…yes, well…Ernest, Lord Crawshaw, I suppose…but…he's not going to be interested in me, is he? Not really. He's the son of a duke, but a son with prospects. I don't even know why he was there," Alicia replied.

She had danced with Ernest Howard, and they had enjoyed a pleasant conversation. But that was as far as it had gone – at least from Alicia's perspective. He was a pleasant man, handsome, with blonde hair and a chiseled face, and had spoken of his admirable work in building a school for blind children in Manchester. His father, the Duke of Crawshaw, was blind, and it seemed Ernest had found within himself a desire to do what he could for those less fortunate than himself, for he had told Alicia he felt fortunate not to have been born with his father's affliction.

"He was trying to garner support for the school he's building – for blind children. He told me all about it. But… I think he was only being friendly. I liked him, but…nothing would ever come of it. I doubt he's even in the district any longer," Alicia replied.

It had been pleasant to meet Ernest, and to dance with him, but she had really given little thought to anything more. A dance was a dance, and without a calling card or the promise of an invitation, it was merely a passing pleasure.

"But his parents live in the district – Anne knows their daughter, Isobel. She was at their wedding. I think Ernest was, too, though of course I wasn't there myself. She and Anne are good friends, though – you should speak to her about it. She'll be at the tea party. I could invite Isobel, too," Lily said, her eyes brightening, as though she intended to distract herself from her pregnancy by playing matchmaker.

Alicia groaned.

"Oh, Lily, I don't need you to do that. I'm sure it was just a passing pleasure – a dance and a conversation. I'm sure he's entirely forgotten me. I'd look a fool if you started making assignations on my behalf to Isobel. She'd think I was quite ridiculous. Besides, you forget I'm just the daughter of a merchant. I can't marry the first son of a duke," Alicia said.

She did not want Lily to interfere, even as she knew her friend had only her best intentions at heart. Without her scandal sheets to write, Lily was often at a loss as to what to do with her time, and it was then she would start interfering in that of others. She liked to have her projects, and it seemed Alicia was about to be her next…

"Oh, nonsense. I'm the daughter of the man who single-handedly tried to bring down the entire Oakley dynasty and destroy the House of Lancaster for good. Now, I'm married to its heir. Those sorts of things don't matter – not really. If you fall in love, be it with prince or pauper, that's all that matters," she said.

It all sounded so simple when put like that, but Alicia knew better. Marriage was governed by convention, and whilst her own father would never dream of forcing her hand, he had made it clear he expected her to make a suitable match soon.

"But I've not fallen in love with anyone. I've danced with one man at a ball. He happened to be pleasant and charming. I'll probably never see him again. I'm quite content with that," Alicia said, for she really did not see any point in pursuing the matter further.

Lily tutted.

"Don't be so defeatist. We'll invite Isobel to the tea party. You can be properly introduced by Anne, and then we can ‘discover' the delightful coincidence of your having danced with Isobel's brother. She'll insist on the two of you meeting again. I can just imagine it – she'll say something like, ‘oh, Ernest is so busy helping others he doesn't have time for romance, but I feel so sorry for him, he deserves the happiness of companionship,' and that's when we'll suggest the two of you meet again. She'll agree, and then…" Lily said, clapping her hands together in delight as though the matter was already complete and Alicia was betrothed to a man she had only met once and knew nothing of apart from his being the son of a blind duke.

Alicia sighed. Lily was relentless when it came to such things. She had replaced her observation of the lives of others with direct interference, and Alicia knew she would not easily be dissuaded now the idea of Ernest had been planted in her mind.

"I'm not sure it's that simple, Lily," Alicia replied, but her friend shook her head.

"It's perfect, Alicia – don't you want to see him again? Weren't you disappointed he made no further arrangements to see you?" she asked.

Alicia had to admit to a slight disappointment, though she was not about to appear desperate to attract the attentions of a man who clearly had far more important things to think about than the flirtations following a ball. Ernest had been, by far, the most eligible of the men she had danced with, but as for expecting him to remember her…

"A little, perhaps, but… I don't want you to go to any trouble, Lily," she said, even as she realized immediately it was the wrong thing to say.

"Oh, but it's no trouble. You're my dearest friend, and to think of all you've done for me in the past. If it weren't for you, Maximilian and I would never have married. I owe you my happiness, Alicia, and I intend to repay it by making you happy, too," she said.

Alicia sighed. Lily was not in her debt, though it was true she had done a great deal to help her friend secure her match with Maximilian. It had been Alicia who had gone to talk to him when all had appeared hopeless, and it was she who had persuaded Maximilian of Lily's worth, following the discovery of her being the author of the scandal sheets he had been made the subject of. But Alicia did not want this apparent debt to be repaid through a misguided attempt at garnering romance. She was more than capable of securing a match for herself, or so she believed…

"There's really no need," Alicia said, but her words fell on deaf ears, deafened further by the arrival of a screaming Emily, held in the arms of her nanny.

"Oh, here she is, my darling child. Look, Emily, your godmother's here. Thank you, Nanny," Lily said, holding out her arms to the infant, who now ceased her crying and looked up at Alicia as Lily cradled her to her bosom.

"Isn't she beautiful?" Alicia said, kneeling next to the chaise lounge and placing her finger gently on Emily's lips as she smiled down at her.

"And soon to have a brother or sister. Maximilian wants a boy, but I'd be quite happy with girls – a dozen girls," she said, laughing as Alicia shook her head.

"I thought you hated being with child," she said, but Lily shook her head.

"Oh, but it's all worth it when you see them – their smiling faces, the joy they bring. I couldn't imagine life without her. I do hope you and Ernest…" Lily began, but Alicia interrupted her.

"I don't think it'll happen, Lily. You're very kind, but… I'm sure I'll meet someone in my own time, at the right time. I'm in no hurry. And think about you and Maximilian. It was hardly expected, was it? You didn't go out of your way to court his affections. Quite the opposite, in fact," she said.

Lily and Maximilian's romance was entirely unexpected. Lily had come to Lancaster in the hope of ruining Maximilian's father, yet on discovering the truth about him, she had fallen in love with Maximilian, and the rest was history. Love was so often unexpected, it came about under the strangest of circumstances, and Alicia was content to trust the same would be the case for her, too, given time.

"No…I suppose not. But I just want you to be happy, Alicia. You can't live as a spinster forever, can you?" Lily said.

Alicia shook her head. She knew Lily would not let the matter drop, and if she wanted to invite Isobel to the tea party, so be it. Alicia would smile and converse, she would be pleasant, and when the subject of Ernest was broached, she would speak of how much she had enjoyed their dance together. But as for pushing herself forward and making herself out to be interested in marriage, that was another thing entirely. There were names for the sort of women who sought to further their own position through marriage, and Alicia did not want to gain such a reputation.

"No, but I can live as one a little longer, I think," she said, as Emily started crying again.

The nanny had been standing patiently in the corner of the room, and now she stepped forward to take the screaming infant in hand.

"I'll bring her back later, my Lady," the nanny said, and she took Emily from the room, the child's crying echoing along the corridor as Lily struggled to her feet and crossed to the window.

"Wait until the tea party, Alicia. You'll meet Isobel then and be properly introduced. You never know what might happen. I'm sure Ernest hasn't forgotten you. He'll be thinking of you at this very moment. How could he not? You're beautiful, Alicia, and you'll make him the perfect match," she said.

Alicia smiled. Lily could be exasperating at times, but she was a good and loyal friend, and Alicia knew she had her best interests at heart.

"It's very kind of you to say so, Lily," she replied, even as she felt certain nothing would come of her friend's well meaning interferences…