The Gates of Paradise (15 page)

The soldiers were cheering too.

Michael turned and taking Narina by the hand drew her to her feet.

It was impossible for either of them to speak above the roar of the crowd.

He stood with an arm round her shoulders and both of them waved with their free hands.

Finally at a signal from Michael the Band played the National Anthem and everyone on the platform rose to their feet and they all sang passionately.

The inspirational sound of their voices seemed to Narina to portray their pride and love for their country.

Only as the Band finished playing and the cheering began again did Michael take Narina across the platform.

They walked down the steps to where the carriage was waiting for them and Michael helped her into it and Prince Hans joined her.

Then, as the Lord Chamberlain took his seat and the carriage started off, Narina saw Michael riding away.

He was on his white stallion followed by a General and other Officers.  They left the soldiers to relax and talk to the excited crowd of citizens.

As they entered the City, Prince Hans exclaimed,

“I must admit, Your Royal Highness, that I had no idea that your husband was such a good speaker or that he would spring such a surprise on us as he has just done.”

 “I was surprised myself,” agreed Narina.  “But the flowers here are so beautiful, I am sure people will want to come from other countries to view them.”

“And, of course, they will,” the Lord Chamberlain cried.  “I cannot imagine why we have not thought of this before.  I think we should be very grateful to Prince Hans, because it is his visit that has triggered off what I am quite certain is going to lead to a transformation of this country into a prosperity it has never known before.”

“I am really delighted,” Prince Hans replied, “and if in any way I have had a hand in waking up your political leaders, then it is something I must try to achieve in other countries as well!”

From the way he spoke Narina was certain that he would take all the credit.  However, it would be excellent for him to inform the outside world and far more exciting than if its Army was too small to protect the country.

They arrived back at the Palace, but there was no sign of Michael.

Narina wondered how long he would be before he joined them, as she was worried that he had done too much.

He might be feeling limp and exhausted, as he had been on the first day after his arrival.

The servants were arranging for tea to be served in one of the reception rooms.

She went out of the door into the garden, thinking perhaps Michael had left his horse at the stables and that he would walk back amongst the flowers, as she loved to do.

She reached the fountain.

And then she saw a feathered hat coming through the bushes on one side of the garden.

Michael was walking through the lilies, which were showing white and pure against his bright red coat.

Then just before he reached her, she saw a man rise from behind a thick bush covered in blossom.

He pointed a shotgun at Michael.

Michael had his back towards the man as he walked towards the Palace, without any idea that he was in danger.

Before the assassin could take aim, Narina drew the small revolver from her pocket.

With a swiftness and accuracy that would have delighted her father, she shot the man in the shoulder.

At the report of her revolver, Michael stopped and turned round, realising what was happening.

As the sentries guarding the Palace grounds came running into the garden, he took the revolver from Narina's hand and urged her,

“Go into the house now, my darling!  I don't want you mixed up in this turmoil.”

For a moment Narina hesitated.

Then, realising the sentries had seized the man, who was screaming with pain, she did as she was told.

She saw, as she reached the entrance, that an equerry was waiting there with the Prime Minister, who had come to tea having no idea of what had just happened.

Without speaking to either of them, she ran up the stairs and into her bedroom.

As she slumped down into a chair by the dressing table, she could only think that she had saved Michael.

If she had not taken the revolver with her, he might at this very moment be dead.

She felt her whole being cry out with horror,

But he was alive and she had saved him.

And if she had not been able to do so, she would have lost someone, who, strange as it might seem, she now knew meant very much to her.

She did not ring at once for Maria, but a little later she came bustling in.

“What on earth can be going on here, what's the to-do downstairs?” she asked.  “They says that someone tried to shoot His Royal Highness and you, Lady, saved him.”

“It was you who saved him, Maria.  You told me to take the revolver and, if I had not done so, that man would have undoubtedly killed our patient from next door.”

“Well, thank God it didn't happen, Lady, I were so afraid that someone might guess that Prince Rudolf be not who he appears to be.”

Maria dropped her voice on the last words and even as she spoke, the door opened and Michael came in.

Narina jumped to her feet.

“You are all right?  You are not hurt?” she asked him anxiously.

“Only because you were clever and brave enough to save me.  It is most important that the people chattering downstairs and making a noise like a peacock's pen should not get a closer look at me.”

Narina smiled.

“Go into your bedroom,” she suggested.  “I am sure that Paks will keep them out.”

Michael crossed the room rapidly and opened the communicating-door.

Narina heard him speaking and was sure that Paks must have been waiting for him.

“He'll be all right,” Maria added, as if she realised Narina was worried.  “And they'll be talking too much of what's happened to have noticed any difference between him and His Royal Highness.”

“I hope you are right, Maria, it was just unfortunate that the man was waiting for him so close to the Palace.”

“If you asks me, them sentries aren't doing their job as well as they should.”

Narina thought the same, but realised that it would be meaningless to say so.

She merely took off her hat and tidied herself.

Then she knocked on the communicating-door and Michael called out for her to come in.

She entered to find the room darkened as it usually was and Michael already in bed.

“It is only me,” Narina breathed.

“You are the one person I now wish to see – and no others.  Keep them all out, Paks.”

“I'll do that right enough for you,” Paks muttered.

“But you've given them a lot to gossip about and you can bet your last penny they'll want to come here and talk and talk about it to you.”

“Then they are not going to do so.  In fact, as I am feeling so ill, the only person allowed to see me now is Her Royal Highness.”

Paks grinned.

“Leave it to me then and I'm a much better guard than them soldiers who gives themselves such airs.”

He walked from the room, Narina laughed and then she asked Michael,

“Who is the man who was trying to kill you?”

“I think he must be part of a separate Russian plot to assassinate Prince Rudolf and create a vacuum for them to walk into.  But there is no point in discussing it now.  I want to tell you just how wonderful I think you are and how brilliantly you saved my life.  Who taught you to shoot as well as that?”

“My father – and he will be so delighted that I was able to protect you as he taught me to protect myself.”

“How can you look like you do and be so accurate with a firearm?” quizzed Michael.

Narina chuckled.

“It sounds so funny when you say it like that, but I have always believed in being a ‘Jack of all trades', and I have most certainly tried some new trades here that I never anticipated would come anywhere near my life!”

“What did you think of my speech, Narina?”

“You were really brilliant and it was exactly what was needed.  Above all you gave Prince Hans something different to think about other than he intended.”

“I was well aware of what he intended and it would have been totally disastrous.  Now the Russians will find it impossible to get any of the Alexanderburg people to listen to them when they try to stir up trouble.

“And unless Prince Rudolf on his return reverses all I have suggested, I am very certain that Alexanderburg will become a boom-town and thousands of tourists will flock in year after year.”

“I pray you are right and I can only hope that Prince Rudolf will carry out your ideas as stringently as you have thought them out yourself.”

“He can hardly expect me to remain here and just organise a Pleasure Garden.  In point of fact, as it happens, there are a great number of other things I would very much like to discuss with you.”

Narina felt a thrill of excitement go through her.

“Oh,
please
tell me about your ideas, Michael.”

At that moment the door opened.

“The Lord Chamberlain is here to see Your Royal Highness,” announced Paks.

He entered the room and walked towards the bed.

“Are you all right?” he asked Michael.

“I have survived a rather alarming experience, Lord Chamberlain, but I am totally unscathed thanks entirely to Narina.”

“I am aware of her unbelievable bravery,” said the Lord Chamberlain, “and I don't know how to thank her.”

He paused for a moment before he added,

“Well, I have news for both of you that is of great significance and I only hope that you, Michael, are not too tired to hear it.”

The Lord Chamberlain looked down at a piece of paper he held in his hand.

Almost as if he was frightened of his own voice, the Lord Chamberlain looked over his shoulder before he sat down in a chair beside the bed.

“I have just now received an urgent coded message from Constantinople.”

“From Louise?” Narina asked.  “Has anything gone wrong?”

The Lord Chamberlain shook his head.

“No, nothing has gone wrong.  In fact the operation has been a complete success and Their Royal Highnesses are returning tonight!”

Narina stared at him.

“
Tonight
,” she said in a voice he could hardly hear.

“The message they have sent me is in a code, which only I know.  It informs me that they are arriving tonight and landing at the Summer Palace, where you, Narina, are to meet them.”

He was silent for a moment before carrying on,

“Naturally they have no idea that Michael is here, but it is essential that he should go with you and that you both should leave on the same Battleship that brought you here from London.”

Narina thought miserably that this was the end.

It was just what she had anticipated, when she had realised without being told that it would be impossible for her to stay in Alexanderburg once Louise had returned.

Naturally that now concerned Michael as well and it flashed through her mind that he might want to return to India.

“So we have to leave this evening,” said Michael in a quiet controlled voice.

“I am afraid so.  We cannot risk anyone seeing you together and it was astute of His Royal Highness to think of the Summer Palace.”

No one spoke and he continued,

“I was thinking on my way up here that it would be best for me to announce that His Royal Highness has gone there for a few days' rest after the terrible shock of being nearly killed after the Parade – and his wife is by his side.”

“Do you really think I must leave at once?” Narina asked.  “I did want to spend a little time with Louise.”

“I think under the present circumstances it would be a grave mistake.  We have not only had Prince Hans nosing about to find out our secrets, but there will now be a real host of busy-bodies wanting to discuss with His Royal Highness the various ideas you have both put forward, for which I am extremely grateful.”

“I thought you would be.  It was really your being so depressed over the situation and Narina's interest in the flowers that made the idea come to me.”

“You are the sort of man that every country needs at this moment, especially those in the Balkans.  I only wish by some magical way we could keep you here.  But I think we can make you a promise that you will both come back next year or the year after.  Also it would be only right for Her Royal Highness to ask you to be Godparents to the heir to the throne who I am very certain will now be the result of their visit to Constantinople.”

“I have been praying that it would be,” said Narina.

“I am sure your prayers will be answered.”

“How soon do you want us to go?” Michael asked the Lord Chamberlain.

“I think that you should leave as soon as it is dark.  The only question is whether you would prefer to travel on horseback or in a carriage driven by Paks.”

He looked at Narina and then at Michael and added,

“You do understand that the only two people who can go with you are Paks, to valet His Royal Highness, and Maria to maid Princess Louise?”

“I personally would wish to ride,” replied Michael.

“And I know where the Summer Palace is because I passed it when I was coming here to be saved by Narina.”

“And I too would rather ride than anything else,” concurred Narina.  “It is the one thing I have missed and it had been sheer agony seeing those magnificent horses in the stables and not being able to ride any of them!”

“It will not take you long, but I suggest you have something to eat and drink before you go, although there are servants in the Summer Palace who will be providing supper for Their Royal Highnesses when they arrive.”

“Do the servants know that they have travelled to Constantinople?”