Sir Horace read through pages of personnel reports and recommendations, pausing now and then to make notes for later consideration. But other concerns kept interrupting. After he found himself re-reading the same page for the third time, he gave up and put it down.

He was concerned about how lonely Alice was. He wished there was more he could do, but he was a busy man. He sighed.

Or was there something he could still do? An idea struck him, and he bellowed for his flag lieutenant. Charles Patterson came into the inner office.

"You called for me, sir?"

"Yes, I did, lieutenant," the admiral said gruffly. "Close the door." Patterson complied. "You're not currently married, or affianced, are you?"

"Why, no, sir," Patterson replied confusedly. "Has there been some sort of complaint?"

"No, no. I have a… special assignment for you."

"Yes, sir?"

"You have met my… friend, Alice?"

"Yes, I have, sir." Patterson was unsure where his superior was heading with this line of discussion.

"She is feeling somewhat isolated, rather understandably. I want you to take her out to some local entertainment."

"I'm not quite sure I understand, sir. It's January, you know," the lieutenant added, in case the admiral had somehow managed to overlook the snow and cold temperatures.

"Yes, I suppose the pleasure gardens are closed. Well take her to the British Museum, or the Crystal Palace, or something." The admiral waved a hand to indicate he had no idea where middle class people went for fun. Lieutenant Patterson contemplated this instruction. For a naval officer there was only one acceptable response.

"Aye, aye, sir."

"Good." The admiral leaned back, then sat up as a thought occurred to him. "You'll need some money. I'll give you a few pounds. You don't need to take her anywhere in particular today, but you ought to go talk to her. Consider yourself at liberty for the rest of the day, then."

**************************************************

Alice snuggled more deeply into the admiral's massive armchair. It was true luxury to sit reading in front of the cheerful fire with a warm afghan over her feet. She sighed contentedly and let the book she had been reading fall into her lap as she dozed. Kinver's knock awakened her and she jumped, dropping her book in confusion.

"Lieutenant Patterson is here to see you, madam."

"Oh!" Alice stood to greet her visitor, tripped on the afghan, stumbled forward and fell. Kinver hastened to assist her in rising.

Unfortunately, Lieutenant Patterson followed too closely behind. "Miss Cooper, let me help you," he offered as he stooped to pick up her book. At that point it became apparent she was shoeless.

Alice blushed a fiery red and sank weakly back onto her chair wondering whether it would be more dignified to slip on her shoes or to pretend nothing was out of the ordinary with her costume.

The lieutenant's color also was heightened. He knew he had erred gravely by not waiting to be summoned. But his stammered apology was cut short when Alice suddenly began to giggle.

"Oh do forgive me, Lieutenant Patterson. It's just that—" She looked at Kinver's mortified expression and subsided. "I'm afraid I'll never learn to be a proper lady. I don't suppose the Duchess of Manchester has ever even thought of toasting her toes in front of a fire." She shook her head and amended her statement, "Well perhaps the duchess does do that, but only in the privacy of her boudoir."

"Miss Cooper, you have no need to apologize to me. The fault was entirely mine." He bowed his head contritely and added, "And you should not try to change. You are perfectly charming."
Alice glanced thoughtfully at her butler's suffused complexion. Of the three participants in the awkward scene, Kinver was by far the most embarrassed. His solecism in permitting the lieutenant to invade her presence clearly weighed very heavily with him. Instinctively, Alice tried to alleviate his distress by giving him a job to do.

"Perhaps you could bring us some tea, Kinver? I'm sure Lieutenant Patterson would enjoy something warm to drink. It's ever so cold outside."

"That would be splendid!" the lieutenant agreed, shivering artistically. "It is indeed cold."

"Very good, madam," Kinver replied stiffly.

When the butler had departed, Lieutenant Patterson cleared his throat. "I'm sorry that I interrupted you. I see you were reading your Bible."

"Oh, yes. I frequently do so in the afternoon." She traced her finger over the cross embossed on the book's leather cover. "It seems wrong for me to go to church now, but I would so like to—" her voice trailed off. "There is no end to my embarrassing remarks."

"I understand," the lieutenant replied gently.

"Did—do you have a message for me from Sir Horace?"

"Indirectly, yes." The lieutenant smiled. "May I be seated?"

Alice blushed again. "I'm so sorry. I ought to have asked! Please, sit near the fire."

Lieutenant Patterson smiled reassuringly. "The admiral is tied up with certain reports that must be completed and filed in the next two weeks. Until he finishes with these reports, he will have very little time to spend outside the Admiralty."

"Oh. Yes, I see." She turned away for a moment struggling with her dismay then smiled resolutely. "Sir Horace's duty comes first."

"I'm sure the admiral will visit you as soon as he's able. In the meantime, he asked me to see that you were entertained."

"Entertained?" Alice looked at him in surprise. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Well, I thought that tomorrow we could go somewhere interesting. And then perhaps stop for tea after."

"Where would we go?" she asked curiously.

"The admiral thought you would like to visit the British Museum," he replied gravely.

"The-the British Museum!" Alice stared at him in stunned amazement before she subsided into a peal of laughter. "Very well. Tomorrow we shall go to the British Museum. And you will tell me all the things that are most educational so I can admire them. And then we'll have tea."

The lieutenant had not been best pleased at being ordered to squire the admiral's mistress about London. But her struggle to hide her disappointment and her willingness to accept the British Museum as a suitably entertaining substitute for spending time with the admiral were touching. The girl did not strike him as mercenary. She was pretty and sweet and it occurred to Charles that escorting Alice Cooper to the British Museum wasn't the worst assignment he'd ever been given. It might even turn out to be a jolly afternoon.