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Authors: Barbara Cartland
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been very pleased,” Zosina said. As she spoke, she thought how thrilled her father would be if only he had a son to inherit the throne. “You can understand,” the Princess continued, “that Gyórgy has naturally been very spoilt all his life. My brother doted on him until the day of his death and his mother, in my opinion, spoilt him abominably.”
The fact that the King was half Albanian, Zosina thought, accounted for his dark hair and complexion and it might also be the reason for his wildness.
As if the Princess followed her thoughts, she said,
“You have to be very understanding, dear, and gain Gyórgy’s confidence. I believe, as does dear Sándor, that if he will settle down and assume his responsibilities he will make a good King.”
At the mention of the Regent, Zosina said what had surprised her since she first arrived,
“I expected His Royal Highness to be much – older.”
The Princess smiled.
“It does seem strange, as he is Gyórgy’s uncle. But Sándor was the youngest of my father’s large family of eight children and my only other brother, and, of course, until Gyórgy arrived, we always expected he would be the next King of Dórsia.”
Zosina wanted to ask if he had been very disappointed at finding himself no longer the heir, but then she thought it would be a tactless question.
“All I can say,” the princess said, “is that you are not only very lovely, my dear, but exactly the sort of person we hoped you would be.”
“Thank – you,” Zosina replied, suddenly feeling shy. Then, before it was possible to say any more, the gentlemen came into the room.
*
The following day there were deputations of people calling on the Queen Mother from first thing in the morning until they had to leave the Palace for the civic luncheon that was being given for her by the Mayor and Corporation of the City.
Once again they drove behind six white horses in the open carriage and now the crowds on either side of the roads seemed more enthusiastic than they had been on the day of their arrival.
The Queen Mother had sent a message to Zosina by one of her Ladies-in-Waiting early in the morning to say that she was wearing pale mauve.
She suggested that Zosina should wear a white gown trimmed with lace and a bonnet wreathed with white roses.
“I look very bridal,” Zosina remarked, as she joined the Queen Mother in her bedroom before they proceeded downstairs.
“That is what you will soon be,” her grandmother replied.
Her words sent a shiver through Zosina, who had almost forgotten in the excitement of all that had been happening that the disagreeable and argumentative King was to be her future husband.
Thinking over his behaviour last night after she had gone to bed, she told herself he was behaving like a rather rude schoolboy and it was difficult to think of him as a man.
She had always thought her husband would be somebody who would protect her and on whom she could rely, whose advice she would seek and who would direct her life in the way it should go.
She could not imagine finding any of these qualities in the King and she thought, if she had to spend a lifetime trying to talk to him, that in itself was a terrifying prospect, especially if he was going to be as disagreeable as he had been last night.
However, because she wanted to do what was required of her and behave in an exemplary manner, she tried to excuse him on the grounds that they were strangers.
But she could not escape from the conviction that he disliked the idea of being married and more especially disliked the bride who had been chosen for him.
In which case, she thought, surely it would be better if he waited until he was older?
Then she remembered that the whole reason she was here was that Lützelstein and Dórsia must be united if they were to oppose the growing power of Germany.
‘I wonder if anyone has explained that to him?’ she questioned, then was certain that the Regent would have done so.
‘Prince
The fact that the King was half Albanian, Zosina thought, accounted for his dark hair and complexion and it might also be the reason for his wildness.
As if the Princess followed her thoughts, she said,
“You have to be very understanding, dear, and gain Gyórgy’s confidence. I believe, as does dear Sándor, that if he will settle down and assume his responsibilities he will make a good King.”
At the mention of the Regent, Zosina said what had surprised her since she first arrived,
“I expected His Royal Highness to be much – older.”
The Princess smiled.
“It does seem strange, as he is Gyórgy’s uncle. But Sándor was the youngest of my father’s large family of eight children and my only other brother, and, of course, until Gyórgy arrived, we always expected he would be the next King of Dórsia.”
Zosina wanted to ask if he had been very disappointed at finding himself no longer the heir, but then she thought it would be a tactless question.
“All I can say,” the princess said, “is that you are not only very lovely, my dear, but exactly the sort of person we hoped you would be.”
“Thank – you,” Zosina replied, suddenly feeling shy. Then, before it was possible to say any more, the gentlemen came into the room.
*
The following day there were deputations of people calling on the Queen Mother from first thing in the morning until they had to leave the Palace for the civic luncheon that was being given for her by the Mayor and Corporation of the City.
Once again they drove behind six white horses in the open carriage and now the crowds on either side of the roads seemed more enthusiastic than they had been on the day of their arrival.
The Queen Mother had sent a message to Zosina by one of her Ladies-in-Waiting early in the morning to say that she was wearing pale mauve.
She suggested that Zosina should wear a white gown trimmed with lace and a bonnet wreathed with white roses.
“I look very bridal,” Zosina remarked, as she joined the Queen Mother in her bedroom before they proceeded downstairs.
“That is what you will soon be,” her grandmother replied.
Her words sent a shiver through Zosina, who had almost forgotten in the excitement of all that had been happening that the disagreeable and argumentative King was to be her future husband.
Thinking over his behaviour last night after she had gone to bed, she told herself he was behaving like a rather rude schoolboy and it was difficult to think of him as a man.
She had always thought her husband would be somebody who would protect her and on whom she could rely, whose advice she would seek and who would direct her life in the way it should go.
She could not imagine finding any of these qualities in the King and she thought, if she had to spend a lifetime trying to talk to him, that in itself was a terrifying prospect, especially if he was going to be as disagreeable as he had been last night.
However, because she wanted to do what was required of her and behave in an exemplary manner, she tried to excuse him on the grounds that they were strangers.
But she could not escape from the conviction that he disliked the idea of being married and more especially disliked the bride who had been chosen for him.
In which case, she thought, surely it would be better if he waited until he was older?
Then she remembered that the whole reason she was here was that Lützelstein and Dórsia must be united if they were to oppose the growing power of Germany.
‘I wonder if anyone has explained that to him?’ she questioned, then was certain that the Regent would have done so.
‘Prince
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