Ruled by Love by Barbara Cartland Page A

hours to make the inside of the Palace as beautiful as you have clearly made the garden outside. It means that every flower you have in pots is to be brought in immediately.
    â€œI want aspidistras and palms behind the stage and in the corners of the room which look rather bare, the same in the passages and in the dining room and of course in the drawing room where some of the guests will sit when they are tired of dancing.”
    The gardeners all gasped before the Head Gardener replied,
    â€œWe’ll certainly do our best, sir, but I don’t think we have enough plants.”
    â€œThen do the best you can and for the passages you might have to buy a large number of aspidistras. I am sure you will find a shop in the City which sells them.”
    â€œBuy!” exclaimed the Head Gardener.
    â€œI will arrange they are paid for. Just do what you think is right and be as artistic as possible inside the Palace as you have been in the garden. I am sure everyone will be astonished at what they see. And it will be very good for your reputation as a gardener.”
    The Head Gardener smiled at this comment.
    â€œI wish I’d a little more time, sir.”
    â€œYou will have more time before the ball that will be given for Her Royal Highness in three days time.”
    â€œA ball!” gasped the Head Gardener.
    â€œFor that we shall use the ballroom and again I will require flowers and more flowers. Bring in whatever you can. Buy what is necessary and put on a display which will be talked about the length and breadth of Krnov.”
    Watching and listening Zoleka realised the Count was putting the Head Gardener on his mettle and he would undoubtedly get his own way.
    When the gardeners hurried away to carry out their orders, she cried,
    â€œYou are absolutely brilliant, Franz! And I was so very impressed at how well you spoke their language.”
    â€œI try never to go to a country before I have learnt its language,” the Count told her. “Otherwise I consider it a sheer waste of time.”
    â€œOf course you are right. I have learnt the language of Krnov and Cieszyn because I live near them. My father thought it most important for me to learn languages. But somehow I never expected you to be so clever.”
    â€œI am not so certain that is really a compliment! I assure you I can speak most European languages including German.”
    He gave her a look as he spoke which said far more than words.
    â€œI do think German is a very ugly language,” Udele piped up.
    â€œAnd I think that they are a very ugly people too,” added Zoleka. “So we will certainly not ask any Germans to your ball!”
    â€œSupposing no one wants to come?”
    Zoleka and the Count laughed.
    â€œI assure you,” he told her, “people will already be tumbling over themselves to receive the invitations I am sending out today. You will have to thank the secretaries for working so hard, and also your father’s Chief Secretary for knowing the names of all the most distinguished people in Krnov.”
    â€œShall I go and thank them now?”
    â€œI think they would be delighted if you did.”
    Udele turned towards the door then stopped.
    â€œDo I shake them by the hand?”
    â€œI think it is something they would appreciate,” the Count replied, “and something you are going to have to do a great deal in the future.”
    She smiled at him and ran off.
    The Count turned to Zoleka.
    â€œShe is very lovely and completely unspoilt.”
    â€œWe have got to save her, Franz, but Heaven knows how a child of her age and with no knowledge of the world will be able to run a country let alone Krnov.”
    The Count did not reply and Zoleka commented,
    â€œWe can only hope, useless though he is, that her father will not die.”
    She was about to add, “ – and the Prussians will not arrive too soon. ”
    Then she thought that it might be a mistake to say