He had been in her dreams, she thought, ever since she was a child. Then suddenly he was there, looking magnificent on the finest horse she had ever seen, smiling at her in a way that made her heart turn a dozen somersaults.
Although it was a dull day, her eyes seemed to be blinded by the sunshine.
Thinking back into her memories the Duchess’s fingers unconsciously tightened on her son’s.
Then, as she looked at him, knowing how much he resembled his father and at the same time herself, she said just as if she had been speaking her memories aloud,
“That is what I want for you!”
“And what I want too,” the Duke replied, “but, Mama, it has not yet happened to me and perhaps it never will!”
The Duchess had sighed.
“In which case I can only go on praying.”
“Of course!”
There was a littl
