More significantly he had not written to her himself .sx He had , he thought , struck the first blow in the campaign which would inevitably develop between them .sx He knew she would fight like a tiger to keep him .sx She would gradually become frantic when she discovered he was being elusive .sx He expected there would be the usual tears and recriminations .sx Such as had happened at the end of several of his affaires de coeur .sx But they had never involved the possibility of marriage .sx Fiona's position was therefore somewhat different .sx He also expected she would inform Joscelyn who would call on him tomorrow .sx He knew the tactics only too well .sx As Joscelyn had said last night , he would beg him with heard-rending apologies for money .sx If he was refused he would begin the familiar semiblackmail , pointing out how much the family name would suffer .sx He would emphasise how deeply distressed their relatives would be if his desperate situation should be reported in the newspapers .sx Here he had a point .sx The Press would not hesitate , as the Duke knew , to contrast the pitiable state of the Heir Presumptive with that of one of the wealthiest Dukes in the country .sx The Duke's face was contorted as he brought his clenched fist down on the desk so violently that it made the ink-pots rattle .sx " Curse him !sx " he exclaimed .sx " I shall have to pay up , and he knows it !sx " .sx He tried to tell himself that while there was nothing else he could do , he should not allow Joscelyn's behaviour to upset him .sx Yet when he left the Study there was a frown between his eyes .sx There was no time to arrange for his Pirate Coach to be attached to the train on which he was to travel .sx There was however , a Courier to escort him to the Station .sx He would see that he was given a Reserved Carriage , and that the door was locked when he entered it .sx Mr. Watson would be in the next coach and the luggage deposited in the Guard's Van .sx There would be in fact , very little in the way of trunks .sx The Duke had insisted on having a duplicate of everything he wished to wear in both of the houses in which he stayed most frequently .sx He also had a house in Newmarket and another in Leicestershire .sx There were therefore usually very few things to be conveyed from Grosvenor Square to Moor Park .sx The most important this time were the letters which travelled beside Mr. Watson in a despatch-case .sx The Courier acquired all the daily newspapers and put them in the Duke's carriage .sx It was not a long journey as Moor Park was situated North of London in the most beautiful part of Oxfordshire .sx It could be reached by road in under three hours .sx The Duke however , in the Winter , found it much quicker and on the whole more comfortable to travel by train .sx This would stop by request at his Private Halt .sx He then had only a two-mile drive to his home .sx As he stepped out of the train at The Halt there was a red carpet across the platform .sx Three members of his staff were waiting for him .sx Outside was a Chaise he liked to drive himself .sx There was also a Brake in which to convey everybody else from the Station to the house .sx He greeted those who were waiting for him in a somewhat frigid manner , which made them suspect that something was wrong .sx Then he got into his Chaise , picked up the reins and drove off .sx The Groom travelled in the seat at the back .sx Therefore the Duke was not bothered by having the man beside him .sx He drove his horses skilfully round the twisting lanes .sx As he did , he thought that this was the first time for years that he had come home without a party to amuse him .sx At the moment to be alone was all he wanted .sx The austerity of it pleased him , just as he enjoyed the cold and frosty air on his cheeks and the greyness of the sky above .sx He was not in the mood for sunshine or for the laughter and chatter of flirtatious women .sx He wanted to be by himself , to 'lick his wounds' before he moved up into the firing-line .sx Moor Park was looking magnificent .sx It did not matter whether it was Spring , Summer , Autumn or Winter .sx The great house always looked the same .sx The centre block with its wings reaching out on either side was breath-taking .sx To the Duke it was everything that was stable in his life -the foundation of his very existence .sx He drove down the long drive .sx As he did so he asked himself how he could have thought that Fiona Faversham could take the place of his mother , as the Duchess of Moorminster .sx It was not only that she had deceived him .sx He knew now that however beautiful she might be , both her character and her personality were wrong .sx " If I married her and afterwards discovered her perfidy , it would have not only humiliated me , but smirched the whole history of the family , " the Duke thought .sx He crossed the ancient bridge over the lake that was as old as the house itself and drew up at the front door .sx The red carpet was already down .sx Footmen were waiting to open the door of the Chaise for him to alight .sx The Butler was standing at the top of the steps .sx It was all so familiar .sx But the Duke had the feeling that he was seeing it for the first time .sx Only now did he realise how much it meant to him .sx He walked into the house and because he wanted to distract his mind he went immediately to where the Theatre was being rebuilt .sx As he expected , the Architect and the Designer were waiting .sx He went in through the door which connected the Theatre with the house .sx When the Duke had found the plans drawn up by the Adam brothers he had also found a letter of instructions .sx It had been written to them by his ancestor , then the 7th Earl of Moore .sx It was his grandson , the 9th Earl who had distinguished himself so gallantly under Wellington that he had been made a Marquis .sx It as the Duke's father who had been raised to the Dukedom by Queen Victoria .sx The Earl's instructions to the Adam brothers had been made after he had returned from a visit to Russia .sx He had been there as a guest of the Tsar .sx He told them that he had been exceedingly impressed by the Royal Theatre in the Winter Palace .sx And even more so by Prince Ysvolsov's Private Theatre which was exceptional .sx The Earl had managed to obtain sketches of the interior of the latter .sx The Adam brothers had therefore been able to model their design on it exceedingly cleverly .sx The Duke had last seen the Theatre a month before he left England to go to Holland .sx He had been sure that his Architect and Designer could recreate the charm of the original Theatre at Moor Park .sx He was however , a little apprehensive that he was expecting too much .sx They were both waiting for him and led him through the door into the Theatre .sx Because the house was on slightly higher ground than the foundations of the Theatre , the Duke found himself on a level with the boxes .sx A flight of stairs in front of him went down into what in a Public Theatre would be known as the 'Stalls' .sx The building was quite small , in fact it could hold few more than a hundred people .sx It was , the Duke thought , like a child's doll's house .sx Yet it had all the charm and beauty of what might have been a Royal Theatre .sx In the Stalls were white and gold carved chairs .sx The 'Circle' was furnished with seats upholstered in crimson velvet .sx The two boxes , one of which was intended for Royalty , had the same .sx The whole effect was quite beautiful , as was the backdrop on the stage .sx Curtains of rich red velvet were drawn back in front of the footlights .sx There was a small 'Pit' for the Orchestra and a huge crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling .sx The Architect and the Designer were watching the Duke's face .sx He looked all round him in silence before he said :sx " I congratulate you both !sx It is exactly what I wanted , and far better than I dared to expect !sx " .sx He knew by their looks before they spike how gratified they were .sx When he left them he walked back into the house to have a late luncheon .sx For the first time since last night when he had stood outside Fiona's bedroom door , he could think of something else .sx He knew he had to work quickly to decide which Prima Donna he should engage for the night the Prince of Wales would be in the audience .sx More important , who should take part in the sketch he had half-written and which included a part for Fiona .sx He had not realised until she insisted on singing for him , that she had a pleasant voice .sx It was nothing exceptional .sx But he knew that with her beauty it would not be difficult for her to have an appreciative audience .sx Although it would in general be a critical one .sx A great number of his relatives , including his grandmother , came to Moor Park every Christmas .sx They would have arrived without even receiving an invitation .sx It was traditional that they should be there .sx A tradition they had every intention of maintaining .sx The idea had come to him that he would compose a song for Fiona in which she would appear as an angel .sx But now he knew that to introduce Fiona as an angel would be a crime against God .sx Then another idea came to him , and there was a melody in his mind that kept recurring .sx He knew it would be with him until he had played it on the piano and transcribed it as a score .sx He hoped that Fiona would not be staying with him at Christmas .sx If she was , she would sit in the Stalls and watch somebody else play her part .sx " You will not forget about the song I am to sing in your new Theatre ?sx " she had asked the day before he was leaving for Holland .sx " I shall need time to practise it , and I know , darling , Sheldon , how you expect perfection .sx " .sx " How could you be anything else ?sx " he had said automatically because it was expected of him .sx Now he told himself furiously that there was nothing perfect about Fiona .sx " I will find somebody else for the part , " he thought .sx " It should not be difficult .sx " .sx After luncheon he ordered a horse form the stables .sx As the Head Groom brought the horse to the front door , he predicted there would be snow before long .sx " I doubt it !sx " the Duke replied curtly .sx " We loiks t'have a white Christmas , " the man remarked .sx " Las' year , if Y'Grace Remember , it never snowed 'til Boxin' Day !sx " .sx The Duke wondered what that proved .sx He knew the staff at Moor Park , like his nieces and nephews , looked forward to snow at Christmas .sx They were disappointed if they were denied it .sx Because the Duke felt he must escape from his thoughts , he rode away over the fields .sx He went Northwards passing through the woods he had not visited for a long time .sx He knew that sometime he must talk to his gamekeepers .sx But for the moment he just wanted to be alone to be free of everything .sx Most of all of his own feelings .sx He rode on and on until he realised it was very cold and that soon it would be growing dark .sx It was then he saw just ahead of him a small village that he had not visited for some years .sx He remembered it was called 'Little Bedlington' .sx It consisted of a few thatched cottages , an ancient black-and-white Inn , and what looked like a Norman Church .sx There was still some left in the County .sx