Three weeks later, thanks to a tip from a family friend, Nigel Dempster printed an exclusive photograph of the Duke and Duchess of Hertford leaving Chelsea Register Office in the pouring rain. And the happy couple, wrote Dempster, will be enjoying their honeymoon on the duke’s estate near Cortona, and plan to return to Castle Hertford to spend Christmas with the family.
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Christmas with the Hertfords was frosty inside as well as outside the castle. Even Clarence and Alice were clearly dismayed that their father had married without informing them, while Camilla left no one — family or staff — in any doubt as to how she felt about the usurper.
Whenever Virginia entered a room, Camilla would leave with her husband and their two children trailing behind her. However, Virginia still had an advantage over the rest of the family: there was one room none of them could enter, and where she had complete domain for eight hours in every twenty-four.
While Virginia worked on her husband by night, she concentrated on Clarence and Alice by day, accepting that Camilla was not for turning, although she hadn’t altogether given up on her husband and children.
Virginia made sure that whenever any member of the family saw her with the duke, she appeared to be caring, solicitous and genuinely devoted to him, taking care of his every need. By the end of the first week some of the frost had begun to thaw, and to her delight, on Christmas Eve Clarence and Alice accompanied them on their morning walk around the grounds. They were surprised to discover what an interest Virginia was taking in the upkeep of the estate.
‘After all,’ she told Clarence, ‘when you eventually leave the army, we must make sure you take over a flourishing enterprise, and not a moribund estate.’
‘Then I’ll need to find a wife as conscientious as you, Virginia,’ he replied.
One down, two to go.
Alice was the next to fall in line. When she opened her Christmas present to find the latest Graham Greene novel, The Tenth Man, she asked, ‘How did you know he’s my favourite author?’
‘Mine too,’ said Virginia, who had quickly read three of Greene’s novels after she’d spotted a well-thumbed paperback on Alice’s bedside table. ‘I’m not surprised to find we have that in common, and although The End of the Affair is quite excellent, Brighton Rock is still my favourite.’
‘That’s hardly surprising,’ said Camilla. ‘After all, you and Pinkie Brown have so much in common.’
Alice frowned, although it was clear that the duke had no idea what they were talking about. Two down, one to go.
When the grandchildren opened their Christmas presents, they yelped with joy. A Star Trek watch for Tristan, and a Barbie doll for Kitty, which Virginia had purchased soon after she discovered that Camilla had refused to consider them in favour of a Shorter Oxford Dictionary and a sewing kit.
Camilla’s gift had been the most difficult of all to decide on, until Virginia came across a photograph of her playing the flute in her school orchestra, and Cook told her that she’d heard her ladyship was thinking of taking up the instrument again. After all, you have quite a lot of spare time when the nearest town is over a hundred miles away.
When Camilla opened her present and saw the gleaming instrument, she was speechless. Virginia considered her monthly allowance had been well spent. This was confirmed when Tristan walked over to her and said, ‘Thank you, Grandmama,’ and gave her a kiss.
By the end of the second week, both Clarence and Alice had agreed that Papa was a fortunate man to have found such a gem, and although Camilla didn’t agree with her siblings, she no longer left the room whenever Virginia entered it.
On the day of the family’s departure, Virginia organized packed lunches and lemonade for the children to take on the plane, and before they all climbed into the waiting car, everyone kissed her goodbye, except Camilla, who shook hands with her. As the chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royce headed down the long drive on its way to Heathrow, Virginia didn’t stop waving until the car was out of sight.
‘What an absolute triumph for you,’ said the duke as they walked back into the castle. ‘You were magnificent, old gal. I think towards the end even Camilla was beginning to come around.’
‘Thank you, Perry,’ said Virginia, linking her arm through his. ‘But I can understand Camilla’s feelings. After all, I would feel the same way if someone tried to take the place of my mother.’
‘You have such a generous heart, Virginia. But I fear there’s a subject Camilla raised with me that I can’t put off discussing with you any longer.’
Virginia froze. How had Camilla found out about the loan, when she’d arranged for Moxton to leave for his Christmas holiday the day before the family arrived, and not to return until the day after they’d departed?
‘I’m sorry to have to raise such a painful subject,’ said the duke, ‘but I’m not getting any younger, and I have to consider the future, and yours in particular, old gal.’
Virginia made no attempt to speak because this was something she had already thought about. Also, Desmond Mellor had taught her that whenever you hope to strike a bargain, be sure the other side makes the opening bid.
‘The old finishing line and all that,’ added the duke. ‘So I’ve decided to draw up a codicil to be added to my will, so you’ll have nothing to worry about after I’ve gone.’
‘My only worry,’ said Virginia, ‘is that after you’ve gone, I’ll be all alone. I know it’s selfish of me, Perry, but if I could have my way, I would die before you. I just can’t bear the thought of having to live without you.’ She even managed to manufacture a tear.
‘How did I get so lucky?’ said the duke.
‘It was me who got lucky,’ purred Virginia.
‘Before I call my solicitor and get the ball rolling, old gal, I want you to give some thought to what I might leave you. Of course you’ll have the Dower House on the estate, and an allowance of five thousand a month, but if there’s anything else in particular you’d like, just let me know.’
‘That’s so thoughtful of you, Perry. I can’t think of anything at the moment. Perhaps just a little memento to remind me of you.’
The truth was that Virginia had already given the matter a great deal of thought, as it was all part of her retirement plan. She didn’t need reminding that she’d already missed out on two wills and she didn’t intend to do so a third time.
However, she needed to carry out some more research before briefing Perry on which little memento she had in mind. She knew exactly the right person to advise her on the subject, but she couldn’t invite him to the castle while the duke was in residence. No matter, that problem would be solved in a couple of weeks’ time when Perry went up to London for his annual regimental reunion, an event he never missed because, as the regiment’s honorary colonel, he would be expected to chair the dinner.
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Virginia joined Perry for the short journey to the local station.
‘I wish I was going with you,’ she said as they walked out on to the platform together.
‘Not much point, old gal, I’m only staying in town overnight, and I’ll be back by tomorrow afternoon.’
‘When you’ll find me standing on the platform waiting for you.’
‘You don’t have to,’ he said as the train pulled in.
‘I want to be here when you return,’ she said as the duke climbed into a first-class carriage.
‘That’s good of you, old gal.’