A Scandalous Adventure (24 page)

A week later, the atmosphere was subdued as they gathered in the throne room to await the arrival of Prince Gottfried. All were seated in couples around the room. General Bergen and Lady Augusta were farthest from the throne, keeping themselves slightly hidden by one of the pillars. Both were still feeling abashed—and perhaps a bit resentful—after the scoldings they had received from members of the younger generation.

Max sat to the right of the throne, with Susannah by his side. He was still self-conscious about his designation as chief counselor and could not help feeling that it was due mainly to the fact that after the banishment of the Herzlos clan and the disgrace of General Bergen, he was the only one left standing. It was not a position he felt ready to fill, and something would have to be done about that. Still, they had eliminated the danger of the Herzlos twins and Angriffer, and Susannah—his wife—was at his side. He felt ready to face anything that came.

Susannah was less optimistic. Max and the prince had taken care of the physical danger with admirable dispatch, and as Max's wife, she ought to be worried about the remaining threat to Sigmaringen from Prince Gottfried of the irascible temper. However, what really concerned her was Olivia's future. She very much feared that her friend was going to end up with a broken heart. That she was so happy herself made her feel even guiltier about the unlikelihood of a happy ending for Olivia.

Opposite them were her parents. They were somewhat less furious about their daughter's marriage than they had been the day they learned of it. Lord Penworth had even had some interesting discussions about statecraft with Max as well as with the prince, both of whom were quite willing to listen to advice. But the Penworths were still far from happy.

Lady Penworth, in particular, continued to resent a wedding far from home and family. That her daughter would be making her home in a castle was not adequate recompense for the length of time required to reach that castle. Conrad's promise to improve rail service between Sigmaringen and the rest of the world had not reconciled her to the situation. Her concern for Olivia was all that kept her temper down to a simmer at the moment.

Next to Conrad, on a chair that was not quite a throne, sat Olivia. She had spent the past week alternating between euphoria because Conrad truly loved her and despair because marriage to her would bring him disgrace. Judging from her pallor, despair was uppermost at the moment. Could she have fled, she would have done so, but she could not honorably leave the others to face Gottfried's wrath. Not when her appearance was the only thing that had made the masquerade possible.

Conrad was the only one present who seemed to be at peace. Indeed, he seemed to be facing the future with serene confidence, certain that all would fall out as he wished.

The servants had been dismissed in the interests of privacy, though no one present would have cared to wager that the servants were ignorant of the situation. Still, even an illusion of privacy was better than nothing.

Breaking the silence, Lady Penworth asked, “Has there been any news of the princess?”

Max allowed himself a slight smile. “According to the telegram I received, the princess and the lieutenant managed to board a ship in Marseilles two days ago. There was some concern that they would not make it. The men I sent to follow them not only had to offer their carriage when the princess's broke down, but found themselves serving as witnesses at the wedding.”

“But they are well and truly gone?” The prince couldn't keep a slight tinge of worry from his voice.

“Unless storms of unparalleled ferocity have raged through the Mediterranean, they should be safely on the Atlantic by now,” Max assured him. “And definitely out of reach.”

“I suppose it was necessary to keep the news of his daughter's elopement from Prince Gottfried until he got here.” Lord Penworth frowned at Max, sounding as if he was still not convinced of the wisdom of this course.

Susannah tensed at his side, as if about to leap to her husband's defense. Max rested his hand on her arm and smiled reassurance when she looked at him. Only then did he turn to Penworth. “I thought it advisable. Gottfried flies into rages and has been known to issue rash orders when in a temper. This way, he will be able to rant and rave in private and will perhaps release some of the anger before he is in a position to order his troops into action.”

“It sounds as if the man is a fool.” Penworth made a grimace of disgust.

Max was not going to disagree with that assessment, and Conrad managed to restrain the smug smile of one who knows himself to be utterly reasonable.

“Surely he must see that an alliance is necessary for both of you,” Penworth continued, addressing the prince. “I will be honest. I do not see much chance of continued independence for any of the small German states. Either Bismarck's Prussia or Franz Josef's Austria will swallow you all up. An alliance, however, may give you the leverage to demand better terms for your countries and your people. If he does not see that, he does not deserve to be a prince.”

Now it was Lady Penworth who acted as the peacemaker, putting a restraining hand on her husband's arm. “That may all be very well and good, my dear, but I suspect that this is not the time for a discussion of the duties and responsibilities of a ruler. Like him or not, this Gottfried is the particular ruler that has to be dealt with, and it seems that tact will be needed—great, billowing bushels of tact.”

When her husband harrumphed, she continued, “You know how difficult it can be to deal with even our own queen when she gets some bee in her bonnet. I sometimes think there must be something about a crown that scrambles people's brains.” Flashing a brilliant smile at Conrad, she added, “Present company excepted, of course.”

The prince smiled back. “I have noted the same in powerful ministers. Herr Bismarck is a prime example.”

Olivia had been growing increasingly fidgety during the discussion and now spoke up. “I begin to think I should not be here. Not here, sitting at your side. Surely this will only exacerbate Prince Gottfried's temper.”

“No,” said Conrad with finality. “You are to be my princess. You must accustom yourself to the irrational people you will have to deal with.”

She gasped. “But I have not said yes!”

“You will.” Conrad smiled and patted her hand.

Max started to frown his disapproval, but then it struck him that some might say he had been equally high-handed in his treatment of Susannah. He glanced uncomfortably at her and saw from the laughing look she gave him that the same thought had struck her.

Fortunately for his pride, the trumpets sounded and the doors of the throne room were flung open.

“His Royal Highness Gottfried August Leopold, Prince of Hechingen, Prince of Marienberg, and Knight of the Order of Saint Willigis.” The herald followed this announcement with another blast of the trumpet.

They all stood to greet Gottfried. He marched in unattended, as was his wont. This was not a matter of humility but of vanity. Gottfried was a short man. He did not want to be towered over by the usual six-foot guards. Nor would he have tolerated a guard of men still shorter than he, which might have looked too much like a parade of children. Or dwarves. So unless he was on horseback, as he usually was out of doors, he walked alone.

Alone, but assured that every eye would be upon him. He wore a pale-blue uniform so bestrewn with orders and decorations that he glittered as he walked. His once-blond hair was now gray but still covered his head, and his mustache blended into side-whiskers so exuberant that his head seemed twice its natural width. It was a style favored by both Prince Wilhelm of Prussia and Emperor Franz Josef of Austria. Max wondered if either of those worthies would be flattered by the imitation.

But it would be foolish to underestimate Gottfried. For all his vanity and short temper, he was no fool, and those hard gray eyes had noted everyone in the room even while his attention seemed focused on Conrad.

“We welcome you to Sigmaringen, Prince Gottfried.” Conrad inclined his head just enough.

“And it is a pleasure to be here.” Gottfried did the same, and then clasped his hands behind his back to signal an end to the formalities. “Well, Conrad, you said that we needed to speak privately. Why, then, this audience?” He tilted his head to indicate those standing at the side.

“They are all involved in this affair. Please, Gottfried, come and be seated.” The prince indicated a chair placed beside the throne. “And I have a letter that was left for you.”

A frown began to crease Gottfried's brow, but since the chair was beside, not below, the throne, he seated himself with a flourish and held out a hand for the letter. At a nod from Conrad, Max placed it in the older man's hand.

Gottfried stared at the inscription as if the writing were unfamiliar, but when he turned it over, he seemed to recognize the seal. With a quizzical frown, he looked over at Olivia, who was sitting serenely motionless, looking off into the distance. He seemed about to speak, but changed his mind, broke open the seal, and settled back to read the letter.

A moment later he sprang to his feet, waving the letter in Olivia's direction. “What nonsense is this, Daughter? Have you lost your mind? Lieutenant Bauer,
pfah
!
”

Olivia started to shrink back before the attack but quickly recovered herself. She was not going to be bullied by this preposterous little man, no matter what title he bore. “I'm afraid you are making a mistake, Your Highness. I am not Princess Mila.”

“Don't talk like a fool. You can't simply decide that you no longer wish to be a princess. Your birth is your birth!” He advanced on Olivia, the letter crushed in his fist. “You are to marry Conrad here and forget this nonsense.”

Conrad stood and imposed himself between Gottfried and Olivia. “Calm yourself, Gottfried. You need to hear the whole story. Count von Staufer will explain what has happened.”

Max stepped forward and recounted recent events. He introduced all the participants and explained the masquerade as an effort to avoid scandal. His best efforts at a dispassionate recital did not prevent Gottfried's frequent eruptions into profanity.

“Who is this creature who has been masquerading as my daughter? Disgracing my name?” Gottfried sneered at her.

Olivia had been sneered at by ladies in London society. The open hostility of a mere German princeling was not going to intimidate her. She looked at him with icy disdain and said, “I am the Lady Olivia de Vaux, daughter of the late Earl of Doncaster and sister of the present earl.”

Taken aback by her failure to cower before him, he turned to another topic. “Their heads! I want the heads of those miserable traitors!” Gottfried shook his fists at the heavens. Or perhaps in some other direction.

Conrad replied calmly, “They have been dealt with appropriately. You need not concern yourself any further.”

“And Bauer and my daughter? Where are they now? Have you caught them?”

Max coughed softly. “I fear they eluded us. As best we have discovered, they are now on the high seas, sailing for South America.”

“Bauer! I can't believe it. I myself appointed him to head my daughter's guard, and he has served her for three years…” Gottfried's voice trailed off as he thought, doubtless considering that the princess and the lieutenant guarding her had been much in each other's company for those years. And Bauer was a very handsome fellow. A river of curses spilled from Gottfried's lips, though at whom they were directed was not entirely clear.

“I know you!” A new voice broke into the proceedings, reducing Gottfried and everyone else to unexpected silence.

Like an avenging fury, Lady Augusta marched to the center of the room and pointed a finger at Gottfried. “How dare you go shouting at and bullying us? I recognize you now. Willy von Regensburg, that's who you are. Or that's what you called yourself when you were traipsing around London all those years ago.”

Gottfried suddenly went bright red again and began to sputter. “Madame, I do not know you.” He spun to face Conrad. “Who is this creature?”

Lady Augusta turned to the Penworths. “You must remember, Anne. Or weren't you in London that year? It's more than twenty years ago, but I'll never forget. It was an extraordinary scandal. The fellow had absolutely no sense of discretion. He was carrying on in utterly flagrant fashion with Georgina Doncaster. Everyone commented on it.” Her voice trailed off as she realized the implications of what she was saying.

A sudden silence fell on the room.

Pale once more, Gottfried turned slowly to stare at Lady Olivia.

Lady Olivia stared at Prince Gottfried.

The others all looked back and forth from one to the other.

“With my mother?” Olivia's words were the merest whisper.

Lord Penworth was the first to recover. He cleared his throat and approached Conrad. “Your Highness, this revelation casts a new light on things. Perhaps it would be more comfortable for Prince Gottfried if he were allowed to discuss this situation in private. If you would delegate me to speak for you?”

At Conrad's nod, Lord Penworth led the shaken prince from the room, speaking in a gentle tone suited to soothing a frightened child.

* * *

It took a few days for all the details to be hammered out, but by evening the general outline of the agreement was clear. There would be an alliance between Sigmaringen and Hechingen, creating a small but powerful alliance in Swabia. While there could be no formal treaty with Great Britain, the Queen and her government would be inclined to take a benevolent interest in a principality where the ruler was married to the sister of an admired English earl and a connection of the prominent Marquess of Penworth. The Prince of Hechingen was delighted at a marriage between his ally, the Prince of Sigmaringen, and the daughter of a noble English family with which he had deep ties of friendship.