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"Well, I must say, this is a fine welcome party."
The voice that boomed over the noise belonged to Lord Appleby. Ronnie and Drew glanced at him, then at each other, and thence to Miss Anthea Turner.
Ronnie had a burst of inspiration. When she looked back at the Captain, he too wore a knowing smile and they nodded at each other. They were both thinking…
Abruptly, Cici grabbed Ronnie's arm and dragged her toward the throng marching down the Esplanade ahead of the Princess's coach.
'Wait, wait," Ronnie cried, but her words were lost in raucous shouts of ‘God Save the King’. By the time she could twist back toward the Captain, the crowd had pressed in around them, and he was out of sight.
"C'mon Ronnie," Cici shouted as she dragged her sister, pressing between men and women also trying to elbow their way forward.
The din increased rapidly until swallowed up by a phalanx of drummers trooping along, making Ronnie's head throb painfully. She tried to pull away from Cici but was quickly shoved back among the revellers more tightly than ever.
"Where are we going?" Ronnie barked.
"To see her Highness," Cici replied as the crowd surged again.
They were thrust behind three women and a bawling child whose screams were lost to the drums. Though she could no longer see the street over the heads of rows of eager folks, Ronnie heard the renewed shouts of ‘Charlotte, Charlotte, Long live Charlotte’ and knew her carriage was almost within reach if only a hole in the crowd opened up. As fast as they had been propelled to the rear, they were suddenly almost alone as the crowd pressed forward and enveloped the parade, coaches, horses, and band members.
Ronnie drew a deep breath and tried to still her pounding heart.
"Did you see her?" she gasped.
Cici shook her head. "No. All I saw was… was nobody."
Meanwhile, back where they'd begun, Captain Drew stepped away from the spectators to a spot beside Lord Appleby.
"I hope her Highness appreciates her reception."
"Indeed." Appleby clasped his hands before him. "A fine rabble. And wouldn't her father like to have a friendly crowd like this? Hah! He's never seen such a display for himself, never. His father, yes, everyone loved him. But Prinny? Not a bit of it. Boos and catcalls."
The crowd was melting away, many heading for the beach, as the sky began to darken.
"The people love their Princess, however," the Captain said.
Appleby guffawed.
"Some of them even like her mother, a questionable character if ever there was one."
Captain Drew beckoned to Miss Turner.
"Lord Appleby, I want you to meet the lady who will soon be Miss Felicia Montgomery’s sister, Miss Anthea Turner, sister of Miss Felicia's betrothed."
The three met some way from the throng, under a glowing gaslight, and the Captain performed the introductions. Miss Turner smiled as she made a shallow curtsey to Appleby. Drew glanced around, but could not see either Lady Stapleford or Lady Montgomery at the moment although he imagined he could feel an angry glower from the latter. When Lady Montgomery found Miss Veronica's erstwhile suitor now in company with another candidate for his attention, she would be exceedingly angry.
As Lord Appleby started to tell Miss Turner about his prize apple orchards, Drew faked a wave at no one in particular and excused himself, sliding through the crowd, leaving them rather scandalously alone, even if in a crowd. He'd keep his fingers crossed that Miss Anthea could win Appleby's regard, if she only listened and encouraged him to proceed with his oration.
Drew smiled to himself thinking that Miss Montgomery's rescue was now in the hands of another woman. How quickly might William’s sister ensnare Lord Appleby? Though it might be the other way around.
******
Ronnie did not bother to carp at Cici having yanked her away at the very moment she, and perhaps Captain Drew, had recognised a solution to the problem of Lord Appleby. If only Ronnie had been able to introduce him to Anthea Turner… but in the midst of that swarm of people, it might have been impossible. Now the trick would be to bring them together after the fireworks or tomorrow, without letting Mama interfere.
Well behind the mass of people, Ronnie trudged along beside her sister. She felt a deep weariness, not to mention soreness from the pummelling she'd received as they pushed through the masses. And it was too chilly to stand on the beach for the show without a shawl.
Ahead, off to the side and at a distance from the brightly lit Gloucester Lodge, Ronnie spotted her mother and Lady Stapleford. Their sagging demeanour projected similar failure to see Princess Charlotte or find any of her ladies, many of whom Lady Stapleford knew from their visit to Weymouth last year.
As they neared Mama, Ronnie heard Lady Stapleford call out, her face registering panic.
