Sitting in the comfortable carriage of the Foreign Secretary, the two men drove down Hill Street in silence until Lord Palmerston said what was uppermost in his mind.
“When do you intend to be married, Helstone?”
“Before the end of the summer.”
“I rather expected to see Calista at the State Ball,” Lord Palmerston remarked, “but as you were both absent I thought perhaps you were in the country.”
“We were.”
“Tell Calista that I shall be looking forward to her Wedding and I am hoping that you will both like the present I have planned to give you.”
“I am sure we shall appreciate it very greatly,” the Earl smiled.
He was glad to see that they had only a short distance to go before reaching Hyde Park.
He did not wish to have to answer many questions or make Lord Palmerston suspicious tha
