The Keys of Love

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Authors: Barbara Cartland
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any idea of how you look?”
    â€œYes. Ghastly,” muttered Henrietta absently.
    At the Captain’s toast to the forthcoming wedding that unpleasant emotion had once again swept through her.
    â€˜What is the matter with you, Henrietta? You have never even seen the Duke of Merebury!’ she mused.
    Seeing Henrietta look so pale and unhappy, Nanny decided to say no more on the subject of her performance after all, it was a once in a lifetime occurrence.
    Henrietta went to Kitty’s cabin to return the scarlet gown and as she was returning she stopped at the rail.
    The moonlight on the sea made it gleam like silver fish scales and the stars in the sky were like diamond pins.
    Henrietta sighed.
    It was so romantic, but she had no one to dream of.
    Only a phantom, a face that flitted in and out of her consciousness and that she somehow connected now with the one man in the world she would probably never meet the Duke of Merebury.
    â€œA dollar for your dreams,” whispered a voice.
    It was Eddie.
    â€œThey’re not worth a dollar.”
    Eddie threw back his head with a laugh.
    â€œI can’t believe that, Miss Reed! But you do seem to need cheering up and I think I have just the news for you. Believe it or not, Lady Butterclere has invited us to perform at Merebury Court the day after tomorrow. You will agree to play with us, won’t you?”
    Stunned, Henrietta stared at the shining water.
    Merebury Court! An opportunity to set eyes on the Duke himself. It was too tempting and yet and yet it was impossible.
    Apart from that, she just simply could not perform in public again. The Boston Queen was one thing, England was quite another.
    â€œI’m so sorry, Eddie I can’t,” she murmured sadly and turned away.
    Eddie caught her arm.
    â€œPlease, Harrietta,” he pleaded. “You made such a difference tonight on the piano.”
    â€œBut surely your regular player will have caught the next ship after this one? He’ll be docking in Liverpool just a day after us. Plenty of time to join you at Merebury.”
    â€œThat’s just the point, the Captain told me that soon after we left Boston, a big storm blew up and all sea traffic is suspended for the duration.
    â€œLouie, my pianist, can never make it in time. So you see you gotta say yes !”
    â€œIt’s not possible you don’t understand.”
    â€œThen tell me.”
    She hesitated. At least if she told him the truth he would realise how impossible it was for her to risk being recognised. Why, she had even met the Prince of Wales once with her parents!
    She sat down on a bench and told her story.
    At the end of it Eddie gave a whistle.
    â€œWhat a tale!”
    â€œIsn’t it,” she agreed, rising. “So you do see, don’t you, that I can’t join you at Merebury.”
    â€œI see nothing of the sort!” cried Eddie, jumping up after her. “The Duke won’t have met you, so that doesn’t matter. And at the ball, you won’t look like yourself at all.
    You hardly look like yourself now but we’ll go one further.
    â€œI have a friend who’s a great make-up artist. He works at the Drury Lane theatre. I’ll wire him to come to Merebury. He’ll disguise you so well, your own father wouldn’t recognise you.”
    â€œEddie, I really can’t,” began Henrietta, but Eddie caught her hands between his own and gazed into her eyes.
    â€œYou cannot refuse Eddie,” he said. “If you refuse me, I’ll go tell everyone on this ship who you really are.”
    Henrietta was horrified.
    â€œEddie, that would be a ”
    â€œA real low-down trick?” chuckled Eddie. “Sure it would. But I want the Prince of Wales to hear my music at its best. And when it comes to my music, I am so ruthless. Surely you knew that all along?”
    â€œYes, Eddie, I did.”
    â€œThen you’ll play?”
    Henrietta, thinking of the

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