Author's note - While this chapter ends this particular story, there is a follow-up in the works that will be going under the name of The 'Correspondence' Affair

Part XII – His Majesty's Discretion

The train ride to Avignon was pleasantly uneventful, but getting off at the station brought on an unexpected surprise. The Lord that she'd sent the telegram off to was there and waiting. Which meant, of course, that he had already been in Avignon before she had sent word.

Despite the change of hair and clothing, he had no problem spotting her and came straight over. Millicent saw no point in pretending otherwise and greeted him as warmly as he did her as Waverly kept a polite, but wary eye over the reunion.

"Snezhinka, I've been worried about you. Has your escort treated you well?"

"It is good to see you again, Uncle William. And yes. He couldn't have taken better care of me if he'd been my own brother."

The man offered his hand to Waverly then, still apparently taking the measure of the young man.

"Alexander Waverly, isn't it? I believe I had the occasion to work once with your father, Jonathan."

"Yes, Your Lordship. He had mentioned that he had that honor to me."

"Very good, very good. Well, Millicent, my child? I found out about the rather underhanded way you'd been treated when I went to inquire about your well-being after the funeral. I've never held with all this nonsense, as you well know. I went straight to the palace and got a few things – and people - straightened out."

He paused then and reached out to take her hands.

"You know where your mother had intended for you to go?"

"Yes, Uncle. To a Swiss boarding school until my eighteenth birthday. After that point, she said I would be old enough to make my own mistakes as I jolly well pleased."

He chuckled at that.

"That does indeed sound exactly like something your dear mother would have said. Are you still willing to follow that path? There are good schools in England as well you could attend."

"Mother wanted me to finish my education on the continent. I have no disagreement with following the path she chose for me."

"Excellent. I will finish the arrangements. Mister Waverly, you've seen Miss Kildare along this far and, more importantly, have her trust. Would you be willing to escort her the remainder of the way to Switzerland?"

"If that is in line with her wishes, Your Lordship, I would be most pleased to escort her there."

"It is very much in line with my wishes."

"Very good. All settled then. I'll arrange for rooms for the next few days until we receive confirmation from the school and then we'll get you on your way. Between now and then, we'll need to see to your wardrobe and other necessities for starting your studies, my dear."

It was while they were in Avignon that word reached them of the tragic fate of the ship that they had spent several hours on. It seemed unbelievable that a vessel of the magnitude of the Titanic had been taken down by an iceberg. The enormity of the loss was staggering when they remembered all of the sights that they'd seen as they'd toured the ship and heard the numbers of those that had been lost at sea.

In another touch of serendipity, their last day in Avignon ended up being April 21st - Alexander's twentieth birthday. As Millicent had said they would were they able, they celebrated it together by having their final dinner in France together.

"It seems odd thinking that this time tomorrow, I will be at the place where I will be spending the next six years of my life."

"Second thoughts, Millicent?"

"No, not really, Alexander. I think I will welcome having a bit of stability for awhile. I don't know about six years worth of it, but I will try and make good use of my time. As Mother said, I shall have plenty of time once I pass the age of eighteen to do other things. Will you write to me?"

"If you write to me, I promise I will answer each and every letter that you send me."

"In that case, you may open your present."

The box Millicent pulled up and laid on the table wasn't very large, but it was beautifully wrapped. Picking it up, he didn't immediately open it.

"While very thoughtful of you, I -"

"Please just open it, Alexander. I will have to admit up front that I asked Uncle William to get it for me."

He hesitated just another minute, then began undoing the wrappings. Under the paper was a wooden case and inside the case was a handsome burl wood pipe.

"You may never use it but I thought it was rather ornamental. You're the sort of man that will have his own desk one day and when that day comes, I think it would look quite nice there."

He chuckled at her enthusiasm as he pulled the pipe from the case to take a better look at it.

"You wouldn't find it odd for a man that didn't smoke a pipe to have one on his desk?"

"Not a bit. I've known some men that have library shelves full of books they've never read or intend to read. Seems a bit silly, but I've been assured that it is quite usual."

"It's quite a handsome thing. Thank you, Millicent."

"You are quite welcome. Happy birthday, Alexander."

The next day seemed to pass in a blur. The train trip was only a little over five hours followed by an hour trip by coach to take them from the station to the grounds of the school. The surroundings of the school were very scenic and the school itself well-established. A chaperone stayed with the pair as they allowed Waverly to take a tour through the classroom as well as the personal room that would be Millicent's until her graduation. When it was nearing the time for him to be taken back to the station, the pair were allotted some privacy in the gardens.

"It may be silly, but I feel like I've known you so much longer than I have, Alexander."

"Shared experiences will do that. I feel much the same."

"I do know it is a quite a way in the future to make arrangements, but I hope you will come when I graduate."

"Six years isn't really all that long, Millicent. Hang on a minute."

He reached into a pocket and withdrew a silk pouch. As she watched with undisguised curiosity, he opened the bag and took out the dragonfly broach.

"How lovely."

"It was my mother's. One of the few things I have left of hers."

As he was speaking, he carefully reached over and pinned it to the left side of her blouse.

"Hold onto it for luck, Millicent. I'll come back for it when you graduate in 1918."

"Alexander - are you sure?"

"If I were not sure, I would not be loaning it to you."

"I don't know what to say."

"You needn't say anything. Just keep that promise to write to me."

"I will."

He smiled down at Millicent, took hold of her hand and kissed her forehead in a chaste manner before pulling away and heading for the coach. She stood at the gate and waved as he and the coach receded into the distance.

Eyes still on the road, Millicent's fingers traced along the dragonfly broach as she whispered softly to herself.

"I shan't be twelve forever, Alexander."