The difficulty was that he could find no way to talk to her.
He thought of sending Dawkins or Stevens to ask her to come to his cabin.
Then with a twist of his lips he thought that in a way that would be unsporting.
Because he was her host she would be obliged to obey such an order. He preferred to approach her in a different manner altogether, though he was not at all certain what that should be.
He had learned a great deal about the Princess from her father and the two Princes, especially from Prince Ivan, without their being aware that he was interested.
“As your daughter was so young when you started out on your terrible game of hide and seek with the Bolsheviks,” the Duke had said to the Grand Duke, “she must have missed the education she was receiving whilst you were living in St. Petersburg.”
He paused and added to make his question sound less personal,
“I was extremely impressed when I was staying with the Czar by the way Russian children, especially the girls, were more highly educated than in any other country in Europe.”
“That is true,” the Grand Duke replied, “and I think that Militsa because she has a quick brain will find it easy to pick up the academic learning she has missed, while of course, she has had many lessons in life which, however bitter, must have enlarged the horizons of her mind.”
Prince Ivan confirmed this in another conversation.
“Militsa is clever,” he said to the Duke. “I am sure if she ever reaches England it will be easy for her to find employment of some sort.”
“Employment?” the Duke queried.
“Lady Radstock was telling me how since the war women are being employed in a great number of positions they would never have been allowed to occupy previously.”
“Yes, that is true,” the Duke admitted.
“I suppose,” the Prince said, “that, as Militsa was so young when we went into hiding, you think her education stopped short at what was of course a vital age.”
“I did not say so,” the Duke expostulated.
“It is what everyone would think,” the Prince said, “but since the Grand Duke as you know is an extremely intelligent and well-read man and I myself am not a complete ignoramus, I assure you that Militsa has been learning all the time she has been with us.”
The Duke was sure that was true and he realised that in consequence she was very different from the Czar’s four daughters who had been brought up in such a sheltered and closeted manner that they were much younger in their minds than in their years.
Interesting as the information about Princess Militsa was, it was still extremely annoying to find that he had no actual contact with her.
But now she was on deck when it was far too early for any of the rest of his party to be awake and he moved quickly towards her in his rubber-soled yachting shoes, making no sound on the deck.
Her back was turned and her eyes were on the green water being churned into foam behind them, although otherwise the sea was calm.
There was still a mysterious mist not yet dispersed by the sun, while in the translucent sky the last stars were fading.
The Princess was wearing Nancy’s warm overcoat and the blue chiffon scarf she had borrowed previously was draped over her head.
Her chin was lifted and she was looking back into the distance and once again the Duke was aware of what was in her thoughts.
She was thinking of Russia, not of the Russia that had meant so much misery and privation these last years, but the Russia she had known as a child with its wonderful Palaces filled with treasures.
The Russia of the friendship and love of the Imperial Family and the comfort and luxury that had been so much part of her life that she had not understood how privileged she was until it was no longer there.
The Duke felt as if she told him this in words.
Then, as if she sensed his presence even though he made no sound, she turned her head and saw him watching her.
For a moment they just looked at each other and then the Duke walked casually forward to join her at the rail.
“You were thinking of home?” he asked, as if they were in the midst of a conversation.
She did not pretend not to understand.
“I am being taken farther and farther away from it.”
“It is no longer there,” he said, “and, as I told you before, it is a mistake to look back.”
“I have – nothing now to take its – place,” she answered.
This was so true that the Duke had no answer.
They stood in silence.
Then he said,
“Memories are for old people, whilst for you there is a whole book of blank pages waiting to be filled in.”
He thought that there was a faint smile on her lips as the Princess answered,
“If we could influence fate, which I do not think we can, then that would be a challenge. As it is, I can only quote Omar Khayyam,
“The moving finger writes and, having writ,
Moves on, nor all thy Piety nor wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line.”
The Duke laughed.
“I don’t believe that is true,” he said, “and I prefer,
“Oh, threats of Hell and hopes of Paradise!
One thing at least is certain – this life flies.”
Now the Princess definitely smiled.
Then she said,
“I wonder who is reading my copy of Omar Khayyam now. I loved it and drew little pictures in the margin.”
“If you like poetry, you will find quite a lot in my library.”
“Yes, I know,” she replied, “and it surprised me.”
She obviously spoke without thinking, then fearing that she had been rude, she said quickly,
“I am sorry. I should not have said that.”
“I prefer you to speak the truth,” the Duke replied. “I am well aware, although you have not said so, that you thought my library would contain nothing but modern novels and sporting chronicles.”
She turned to look at him in surprise and he had the feeling that her eyes looked searchingly into his as if she was aware for the first time that he was different from all that she had thought him to be.
Now he said quietly,
“You are using your perception – that insight which all Russians have.”
Instantly, as if he had startled her, she replied sharply,
“Why do you say – that? And why do you behave as if you would – read my – thoughts?”
“I can read them.”
“Then please – do not do so.”
She turned once again to look towards the horizon and he knew that now she was not thinking of Russia but of him.
“I think you must agree,” he said, “that we have a great deal in common and could talk on many subjects that are of interest to us both – the philosophy that is expressed in Omar Khayyam for one.”
She did not answer and after a moment he said,
“There was a door to which I found no key,
There was a veil, through which I might not see,
Some little talk awhile of me and thee.”
There was a distinct pause.
Then the Princess said,
“My father will be waiting. I must go to him.”
Without looking at the Duke, she walked away and he made no attempt to prevent her.
He only leaned against the rail thinking over their conversation and deciding that it was a very strange one to have had with any woman, especially a young girl.
And yet he was aware that there were many undertones, many things they had thought without saying them aloud.
What was more, with a conviction that could not be at fault, he was certain that she could read his thoughts as easily as he could read hers.
Then once again he was irritated because she was so elusive.
“Dammit!” he exclaimed. “Why can she not show some gratitude like the rest?”
It
was no consolation when at breakfast Prince Ivan exclaimed,
“I wish I could tell you, Buckminster, what it is like to sleep in the most comfortable bed I have ever known in my life and to know that I can eat everything on the table here and there will still be food left over to last through the rest of the day.”
He spoke as if what he was feeling came impulsively from his lips.
Then, as if he felt he had been somewhat unrestrained, he laughed and added,
“Forgive me. I am well aware that to a controlled Englishman I must sound very overdramatic.”
“I understand your feelings only too well,” the Duke answered, “and I think it is good for all of us to listen for a change to another person’s emotional reactions.”
He knew that Harry looked at him in surprise and Nancy said,
“You are right, Buck. We grow so used to complaining about our own sufferings that we forget that in other parts of the world, including Russia, there are those like Prince Ivan who could relate far worse experiences.”
“Which is something we must not do,” the Prince said, “and when I complain tell me to shut up. But a few minutes ago I was only expressing my appreciation.”
“I know that,” the Duke said, “and when you have finished breakfast I thought we might walk together on deck.”
“Yes, of course,” the Prince agreed, knowing that the Duke wished to talk to him.
They left the Saloon after Dolly had intimated very clearly that she thought she should have been included in the invitation.
As the two men started to walk briskly around the ship, the Duke explained,
“Before we reach Alexandria I thought you and I should have a talk about your future.”
“I have naturally been thinking about it,” the Prince admitted. “As I told you, I have a little money in a bank in Cairo unless by some unfortunate chance it has been impounded.”
“It should still be there,” the Duke replied, “but I imagine that it’s not a large sum.”
“No, indeed,” the Prince answered. “It is some money I had in Egyptian currency when I visited Cairo in 1910. There was no need for me to have it transferred to St. Petersburg, so I left it where it was thinking that one day it might come in useful if I visited Egypt again.”
There was a smile on his lips as he added,
“It will now be very useful as it is all I possess in the world!”
“You have some friends in Egypt?”
“I believed them to be friends,” the Prince replied, “but I cannot help wondering how many people who I was sure in the past cared for me for myself, will find me, now I am penniless and unimportant, both a bore and an encumbrance.”
The Duke did not protest that he was sure the Prince’s friends would be loyal.
He knew only too well how the aura of Royal and wealth that had surrounded Prince Ivan in the past was very different from his present condition as a homeless White Russian.
It was debatable how many people would trouble to entertain or help him now.
The Duke had few illusions about the Social world and he had actually wondered what his treatment would be if he was in similar circumstances from those who now fawned on him.
Aloud he said,
“It would be a mistake to expect too much of one’s so-called ‘friends’.”
“I have thought of that myself,” the Prince replied, “but it is difficult to know what I can do, when as you must be aware I also feel responsible for the Grand Duke and Militsa.”
“I suggest for the moment you leave His Royal Highness in my hands,” the Duke suggested.
The Prince turned to look at him and there was a sudden light in his eyes.
“Do you really mean that?”
“I promise you I will look after them both,” the Duke said, “and I have a proposition to put to you that I think you might find interesting.”
He guessed that the Prince was struggling to express his gratitude for the lifting of that burden from his shoulders and went on quicker,
“Since you have been out of touch with the news, you will not have known that last year the tomb of one of the Pharaohs was discovered undisturbed in the Valley of the Kings opposite Luxor.”
“That is interesting!” the Prince exclaimed.
“Tutankhamen, although he was quite young when he died, was buried with a wealth of treasures such as has never been unearthed before.”
“How fascinating!”
“Lord Carnarvon, who financed the expedition, was a friend of mine,” the Duke said, “and when I talked to him he convinced me that there must be many more tombs as fine, if not finer, that have not been disturbed by robbers and not yet found by archaeologists.”
They walked on for some minutes before the Duke said,
“I was thinking that when I visited Cairo this time that I would try to find some expert in such matters with the idea that I, like Lord Carnarvon, might finance an archaeological expedition in the future.”
As the Duke stopped talking, he sensed excitement rising in the Prince.
“I know very well, Your Highness,” he said, “that you are a connoisseur, having seen the treasures you owned in your Palace in St. Petersburg. I am interested not only in digging for treasure but also in buying antiquities that are being smuggled out of Egypt at the moment, many of which find their way to America.”
“Are you suggesting,” the Prince asked, “that I should do this for you?”
“If it would please you,” the Duke replied, “I cannot imagine anyone more qualified or less likely to be taken in by fakes than yourself.”
“I need not tell you,” the Prince said in a low voice, “what this would mean to me.”
“There are also, I understand, still statues, vases and urns to be bought in Greece and in the Greek Islands, so there would be no need for you to confine yourself to Egypt.”
There was a moment’s silence.
Then the Prince said,
“Do you swear to me that you are really intending to find somebody to represent you in this way? You are not just creating a job for me?”
“I will swear on the Bible if necessary,” the Duke replied, “that it was in my mind and, if I had not found the right person in Cairo, I might have returned home without making any decision in the matter. In which case I would have undoubtedly lost a great number of treasures I would like to possess.”
“It’s difficult to say ‘thank you’,” the Prince murmured.
“Then please don’t try,” the Duke said. “You can show your gratitude only too easily by preventing thieves from rifling the tombs and ruining them from an historical point of view.”
“You may be certain that I shall let very little pass me by,” the Prince smiled.
When their walk was finished, they went down to the Duke’s cabin and he wrote a letter to his bank in Cairo instructing them to pay the Prince a quite handsome sum as a yearly salary and also to pay any bills for his expenses or for acquisitions that he presented.
It was an arrangement in which he could very easily be defrauded, but he knew, because Prince Ivan was as proud as the Princess, he would behave with an exemplary honesty that many modern people might think absurdly conscientious.
When the letter was finished, he signed it and the Prince drew a deep breath and then said,
“I cannot believe that the cloud of despondency, which has hovered over me now for seven years, has suddenly been lifted.”
“Forget it!” the Duke said as he had said to Militsa.
To change the subject he asked,
“Is Prince Alexander determined to join the Foreign Legion?”
“He is looking forward to it,” the Prince answered, “and quite frankly I think it will be a life he is admirably suited to, besides improving and strengthening his character.”
He thought that the Duke was in agreement and he went on,
“What is the alternative? To try and marry a rich woman? At the moment it would be diffi
cult for Alexander to ingratiate himself into Society, having no possessions and the only clothes he has to wear being those borrowed from you.”
The Duke did not speak and the Prince finished,
“All that worries me is whether the Foreign Legion will accept him.”
“That question does not arise,” the Duke answered.
“Why not?”
“Because I happen to know the Commanding Officer. We fought together in the desert when he was in a junior position and he is a Frenchman I have the greatest admiration for.”
“So you will recommend Alexander?”
“I will certainly do that,” the Duke said, “and in consequence the Prince will find no difficulty in joining the Foreign Legion and he will be well looked after, once he is a member of it.”
The Prince drew in his breath.
“I am wondering now,” he said in a voice charged with emotion, “why I ever doubted your generosity or imagined that you would not help us except under compulsion.”
“You are safe which is all that matters.”
The Duke wondered whether if he had been approached in an ordinary way and the Prince had come first to the yacht, he would have understood as he did now, how desperately hard life had been for these aristocrats.
Their lives had been to all intents and purposes the proverbial ‘bed of roses’ until first the war and then the Revolution had changed everything overnight.
He could not help asking himself what he would have felt if placed in similar circumstances.
Then it flashed through his mind that while he was convinced that he and Harry would have shown the same courage as the Grand Duke and the Princes, Dolly would have been very different from Militsa.
At the same time he felt hurt and disappointed that despite everything he had said to her, the Princess still resented him and regarded him as an enemy.
He knew that the Prince was also thinking of Militsa when he said,
“There must be many Russian refugees in England by now and, if when you return you get in touch with them, I am sure that somebody amongst them would have Militsa to live with them.”
“I have thought of that,” the Duke replied, “and, as I have already told you, I will look after both the Grand Duke and the Princess.”
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