to bed. We have a great many engagements tomorrow.”
They all said goodnight, and as Zosina curtseyed to the King, he said, hardly moving his lips,
“Be ready!”
She gave him an almost imperceptible nod to show him that she understood.
At the same time, when, after saying goodnight to her grandmother, she retired to her own room, she asked herself if she was being crazy to leave the Palace at midnight.
It was something even Katalin would have never thought of among her wildest pranks and she could imagine that, if her mother was to hear about it, she would tell her that it was her duty to refuse the King’s exceedingly reprehensible invitation.
And she would instruct her also to inform her grandmother of what he intended to do.
‘That is just what he would expect,’ Zosina argued with her conscience, ‘and it would antagonise him once and for all, so that I doubt if he would even speak to me again.’
She felt nervous and afraid to the point where she longed almost desperately to say that, after all, she would not go.
Her lady’s maid, who had come with them from Lützelstein, was yawning surreptitiously and quite obviously she was put out at being kept up so late.
“We keep earlier hours at home, Your Royal Highness,” she grumbled, as she helped Zosina out of her gown.
“You must be tired, Gisela, and I do understand,” Zosina replied. “Now that you have undone my gown, I suggest you slip off to bed. I will manage everything else for myself.”
“I’m prepared to do my duty, Your Royal Highness!” the girl said.
“There is no need,” Zosina insisted, “and, as it happens, I have to write a letter to Papa so that I can give it to the Ambassador first thing tomorrow morning to go in the Diplomatic Bag. You may leave and you know I usually put myself to bed at home.”
Gisela was obviously very tired and, with a little more pressing from Zosina, she capitulated.
“Very well, Your Royal Highness. I’ll do as you suggest,” she said at length. “I’m not pretending these late hours don’t take their toll of me. I’m not used to them and that’s a fact!”
“No, of course not, Gisela. You have been wonderful to have managed the many changes of clothes that I have needed since I have been here. Goodnight!”
“Goodnight, Your Royal Highness!”
Gisela left the room and Zosina gave a little sigh of relief.
It had been easier than she had expected.
She went to the wardrobe and chose one of her simplest evening gowns, managing with a little difficulty to fasten it herself.
At home, when Gisela was usually far too busy to waste much time with them, the four sisters always helped one another and once again Zosina had an overwhelming longing to have Katalin with her.
‘How she would enjoy an escapade like this,’ she thought, ‘and what is more, if Katalin was here, I am sure she would manage the King far more competently than I can.’
However, she knew that her wishes had not a chance of fulfilment and once she was ready, she sat down in a rather hard chair to wait.
It seemed to her that time passed very slowly and for a moment she wondered if perhaps the King was playing a joke on her and had no intention of taking her anywhere.
Then she began to wonder what would happen if they were caught and brought back ignominiously to the Palace by the Military.
She would get a severe lecture from the Queen Mother, but worst of all, she would have to face the Regent.
She found herself thinking of the subjects they had discussed at dinner and how interesting they were.
‘It would be fun to dance,’ Zosina thought. ‘Equally it would be more fun to sit reading poetry with him and trying to be clever enough to cap his quotations.’
She thought of two books she would like to ask him if he had read and, if so, what he had thought of them.
She was just wondering what his opinion would be on Gustave Flaubert’s latest novel or if he would be shocked by the knowledge that she had even
They all said goodnight, and as Zosina curtseyed to the King, he said, hardly moving his lips,
“Be ready!”
She gave him an almost imperceptible nod to show him that she understood.
At the same time, when, after saying goodnight to her grandmother, she retired to her own room, she asked herself if she was being crazy to leave the Palace at midnight.
It was something even Katalin would have never thought of among her wildest pranks and she could imagine that, if her mother was to hear about it, she would tell her that it was her duty to refuse the King’s exceedingly reprehensible invitation.
And she would instruct her also to inform her grandmother of what he intended to do.
‘That is just what he would expect,’ Zosina argued with her conscience, ‘and it would antagonise him once and for all, so that I doubt if he would even speak to me again.’
She felt nervous and afraid to the point where she longed almost desperately to say that, after all, she would not go.
Her lady’s maid, who had come with them from Lützelstein, was yawning surreptitiously and quite obviously she was put out at being kept up so late.
“We keep earlier hours at home, Your Royal Highness,” she grumbled, as she helped Zosina out of her gown.
“You must be tired, Gisela, and I do understand,” Zosina replied. “Now that you have undone my gown, I suggest you slip off to bed. I will manage everything else for myself.”
“I’m prepared to do my duty, Your Royal Highness!” the girl said.
“There is no need,” Zosina insisted, “and, as it happens, I have to write a letter to Papa so that I can give it to the Ambassador first thing tomorrow morning to go in the Diplomatic Bag. You may leave and you know I usually put myself to bed at home.”
Gisela was obviously very tired and, with a little more pressing from Zosina, she capitulated.
“Very well, Your Royal Highness. I’ll do as you suggest,” she said at length. “I’m not pretending these late hours don’t take their toll of me. I’m not used to them and that’s a fact!”
“No, of course not, Gisela. You have been wonderful to have managed the many changes of clothes that I have needed since I have been here. Goodnight!”
“Goodnight, Your Royal Highness!”
Gisela left the room and Zosina gave a little sigh of relief.
It had been easier than she had expected.
She went to the wardrobe and chose one of her simplest evening gowns, managing with a little difficulty to fasten it herself.
At home, when Gisela was usually far too busy to waste much time with them, the four sisters always helped one another and once again Zosina had an overwhelming longing to have Katalin with her.
‘How she would enjoy an escapade like this,’ she thought, ‘and what is more, if Katalin was here, I am sure she would manage the King far more competently than I can.’
However, she knew that her wishes had not a chance of fulfilment and once she was ready, she sat down in a rather hard chair to wait.
It seemed to her that time passed very slowly and for a moment she wondered if perhaps the King was playing a joke on her and had no intention of taking her anywhere.
Then she began to wonder what would happen if they were caught and brought back ignominiously to the Palace by the Military.
She would get a severe lecture from the Queen Mother, but worst of all, she would have to face the Regent.
She found herself thinking of the subjects they had discussed at dinner and how interesting they were.
‘It would be fun to dance,’ Zosina thought. ‘Equally it would be more fun to sit reading poetry with him and trying to be clever enough to cap his quotations.’
She thought of two books she would like to ask him if he had read and, if so, what he had thought of them.
She was just wondering what his opinion would be on Gustave Flaubert’s latest novel or if he would be shocked by the knowledge that she had even
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