Instead he went to her bed and, picking up one of the pillows and a silk-covered eiderdown, he carried them into the sitting room.
“What are – you doing?” the Princess asked.
“I think you will be very comfortable on this sofa,” he said, “and, as it is so warm tonight, you will not need any blankets.”
The Princess was staring at him in astonishment.
“You mean – I am to – sleep – here?”
“Yes, my darling,” Lord Victor said.
The Princess’s eyes were dark as she asked,
“You – you think that – perhaps – oh, Victor, you don’t – think – the Russians will – try to – k-kill me – again?”
Lord Victor put his arms around her.
“I think that having failed dismally once they will not risk being made to look foolish a second time,” he said, “but because I love you and because you are everything in the world to me, I am going to guard you, as the most precious and valuable person in the whole world.”
He spoke in a deep voice, which was very moving.
The Princess pressed her cheek against his shoulder.
“Once we are married,” Lord Victor said, “and we are King and Queen of this country, we need no longer be afraid, but I intend to watch over you every minute of tonight until dawn.”
He pulled her a little closer to him and added,
“And tomorrow night you will sleep in my arms.”
“I did – last – night,” the Princess whispered.
“But not close enough!” Lord Victor answered. “And tomorrow it will be very very different.”
He knew that in her innocence she did not understand what he was saying.
Nor did she know what a superhuman effort it had been last night for him not to make her his.
But he worshipped her purity and he merely kissed her forehead and suggested,
“Lie down on the sofa, my precious, because if you are tired, so am I.”
“Of course – you are,” the Princess agreed, “but – where do – you intend – to sleep?”
“In your room,” Lord Victor replied, “but the door will be left open so that if you call me in the night, I will come at once.”
“That is – what I wanted – to know.”
She settled herself on the sofa and laid her head on the pillow.
Lord Victor arranged the eiderdown over her.
Then he knelt down beside her and kissed her gently.
“After you have said your prayers,” he said, “dream of me and tomorrow our dreams will all come true.”
He kissed her forehead, her eyes, her little nose and lastly her lips.
Her breath was coming quickly and Lord Victor felt the blood throbbing in his temples.
He forced himself to stand up and then he went to his bedroom.
He took the bolster from the bed and two pillows and then he blew out the lights after first seeing that the door into the passage was locked.
As he passed through the sitting room, he could see that the Princess was already asleep. He therefore walked softly so as not to disturb her.
He blew out the candles and went into her bedroom.
There he put the bolster down the centre of the bed, leaving the end of it resting on a pillow.
He contemplated it for a moment and then went to the washstand.
From there he collected a large sponge, which he placed at the end of the bolster so that it would look like the hair on a woman’s head as long as the room was in semi-darkness.
Then he drew up the bedclothes and blew out the lights by the bed.
There was a large sofa at the far end of the room, which was much the same as the one the Princess was sleeping on.
Lord Victor pushed it as far as it would go into a corner and he then arranged one pillow for his head and put the other down on the floor.
As it was a warm night, the windows were wide open although the curtains had been drawn.
Lord Victor then blew out the remaining lights, which were on the dressing table.
Then he drew back one of the curtains slightly.
Now there was just enough light for anyone to be aware that there was a person asleep in the four-poster bed.
Lord Victor went to the sofa in the corner of the room.
After taking his revolver from the pocket of his robe and putting it within reach of his hand, he lay down.
The room was in darkness save for one shaft of moonlight coming through the curtains.
Lord Victor felt extremely sleepy.
He had been awake all last night and had not relaxed for a second during the day.
He felt his eyes begin to close.
At the same time he knew that, if there was any sound to be heard, he was a very light sleeper.
It must have been two hours later when Lord Victor was dreaming of the Princess that he was suddenly awake.
As he opened his eyes, he became completely alert.
Then he told himself that there could be no reason to worry.
Yet instinctively he knew that something was wrong.
He kept very still.
It was then that he heard a very faint sound and he thought that it had come from the adjoining room where Princess Sydella was sleeping.
He was just about to spring up and investigate when the sound came again.
Now he was aware that it came from outside his window.
It was then he realised that somebody was climbing up the outer wall of the Palace.
It was a feat that he would have thought completely impossible and yet he knew now that someone intended to enter the room by the window.
Keeping very still, hardly daring to breathe, Lord Victor waited.
Now there was no question but that there was somebody just outside.
So silently that it was uncanny, the moonlight was blotted out and a man came through the open window into the bedroom.
Lord Victor still did not move.
He could see what was little more than the shadow of a man moving stealthily and without making a sound towards the bed.
There was just a flash of silver as the intruder raised the knife he held in his hand.
Levelling his revolver Lord Victor held the pillow immediately in front of it and fired.
With the sure aim of an outstanding game shot, his bullet hit the man by the bed in the back of his head.
Lord Victor fired again, to make quite certain that he was dead.
He then sprang up from the sofa.
He went first to the door leading into the Princess’s room and closed it.
It was a relief to see that because he had fired through the pillow that she had not been disturbed.
He then pulled back the curtains so that the moonlight flowed into the room.
He could see that the man he had shot had collapsed on the floor beside the bed.
Lord Victor looked down and saw that he was wearing the uniform of a British sailor.
For the passing of a second he was desperately afraid that he had made a mistake.
Then, as he turned the man over, he recognised Alexander.
*
Lord Victor had no intention of allowing Princess Sydella to drive to the Cathedral alone as was correct.
He gave orders that they would drive together and that their carriage was to be accompanied by Cavalry from the moment it left the Palace.
He also sent for the General in charge of the troops guarding the streets and went over with him every place on the way to the Cathedral that might prove to be dangerous.
“We have never had so many troops on guard before,” the General said, as if he thought that Lord Victor was being needlessly apprehensive.
However, Lord Victor had no intention of telling him what had happened last night, but he said firmly,
“I have reason to think that Her Royal Highness and myself will be in danger until we are actually married and crowned. I therefore intend to take every possible
precaution.”
He thought for a moment and then asked,
“I presume the coachmen driving the carriage have all been checked and also those in attendance on us before and during the ceremony?”
He was well aware that the General thought he was being fussy. However he gave direct orders that could not be disobeyed.
There was always a chance that the Russians might make one more great effort, as if this could rid them of the King and Queen of Zararis it would leave the country defenceless and it would also give them time to move in before anything could be done by the outside world.
Lord Victor dressed in what appeared to him to be an over-medalled and over-decorated uniform.
He then went to Princess Sydella’s bedroom to see if she was alright.
She was unaware of anything that had happened during the night and she smiled at him as he entered.
‘She is,’ he thought, ‘looking exceedingly lovely.’
Her white gown, which she had brought with her from England, was embroidered with diamanté around the décolletage and the hem.
Over it was a priceless Brussels lace veil that swept to the ground.
It was kept in place by a huge tiara which she would wear until it was replaced by the Crown.
When he entered the room, the Ladies-in-Waiting withdrew tactfully and so did the ladies’ maids.
As the door closed behind them, the Princess held out both hands.
“Nothing happened during the night,” she sighed, “and I slept peacefully.”
“That is what I wanted you to do my darling,” Lord Victor replied.
She rose from the stool in front of the dressing table and said,
“Do I look alright – am I pretty enough for you?”
“It is difficult for me to tell you how exquisite you are,” Lord Victor said. “But my precious, God has been very kind and tonight you will be my wife and for the first time I can tell you how much I love you without feeling guilty.”
The Princess laughed and then she lifted her lips to his.
Very slowly, as if he was savouring the moment, he drew her close to him.
Then, as he kissed her, the rapture they had felt before carried them wildly into the sky.
With the greatest difficulty Lord Victor released the Princess saying in a voice that was deep and a little unsteady,
“We shall have to leave in a short time.”
“Am I going with you – in the same carriage?” the Princess managed to ask.
Her face was radiant and her eyes were shining.
Lord Victor thought that it was impossible for any woman to look so entrancing.
“We shall be together,” he said quietly, “as we always will be from now on. And we have, my precious, a great deal to be thankful for.”
“I thanked God last night and I thanked Him again this morning,” Princess Sydella said. “Oh! Victor I never thought, I never dreamt that I would be able to marry you. Are you quite certain you want me?”
“Don’t ask such a ridiculous question,” Lord Victor answered. “I will tell you exactly how much I love you as soon as you are my wife.”
He kissed her again very gently.
He knew the fire that was burning in both of them was very near the surface.
As he left the room, the servants came crowding back to finish getting the Princess ready.
There was a train that hung from her shoulders, which was made of ermine and embroidered with diamanté to match her gown.
And there was a diamond necklace, which was part of the Crown Jewels, to wear round her neck and a bracelet for each of her small wrists.
She took a last look in the mirror.
She prayed that Lord Victor would think her more beautiful than the women he had spent his time with in Paris and those he was interested in in London.
‘I love him, I love him!’ she told herself. ‘Although it may be difficult for him to give up his own country and be here with me, I must just pray that I can make him happy and never regret staying as King.’
There was a tap on the door and a maid told her that Lord Victor was waiting below.
She hurried down the stairs.
Two ladies’ maids lifted her train and she was told that, when she reached the Cathedral, there would be three pages to carry it.
A number of small bridesmaids hastily put together at the last moment would follow her up the aisle.
It had been assumed, that, as the King was ill, it would be some time before the wedding would actually take place.
Now everything had to be done within twenty-four hours and not only was everyone in the Palace breathless but it seemed as if the same applied to the town.
Lord Victor was standing very near her as she was helped into the carriage, which had been drawn up as close to the door as possible and there were soldiers on each side.
It would be impossible for anyone with any evil intention to kill her as she moved out of the Palace door and into the carriage.
Then Lord Victor joined her and she slipped her hand into his.
“It’s all very exciting,” she enthused.
She was thinking of the wedding that lay ahead, whilst he was looking from left to right, terrified that by some mischance a murderous Russian would at the last moment succeed where Alexander had failed.
The carriage set off.
On Lord Victor’s instructions it moved more swiftly than anyone had expected and there were Officers riding on either side of it and a large number in front and behind.
The road had been decorated as they had seen when they arrived at the Palace yesterday and a great many more flags had been arranged earlier that morning.
Many of the people especially the children carried either the flag of Zararis or a Union Jack.
They reached the Cathedral in what must have been record time and this was another moment that Lord Victor felt might be threatening.
They had to climb up the steps of the Cathedral itself and he had organised a guard of soldiers on either side with more soldiers facing the crowds.
Yet there was still a possibility that a well-aimed bullet might hit the Princess.
When they were finally inside the Cathedral, Lord Victor gave a sigh of relief and some of his tension left him.
The bridesmaids looking like a bunch of rosebuds were waiting in formation and the pages in their satin clothes picked up the end of Princess Sydella’s train as they had been told to do.
It was incorrect but Lord Victor had said to the Archbishop as well as to the General that he had no intention of waiting for his bride at the Chancel steps.
Instead of the British Ambassador, who was to have given her away, he would walk with her up the aisle.
He had been very firm in his orders and very insistent that he should be obeyed.
In fact every man who had listened to him had gone away with the impression that he would make an excellent King and that things would soon start moving once he was on the Throne.
The Cathedral was packed even at such short notice and people had been pouring into the City from the countryside all night.
No one in the whole country wanted to miss the most exciting and dramatic situation that had arisen in years.
They had all been shocked and appalled at the attempt to kill the Princess by blowing up the barge and they believed that her courage, like her beauty, was everything they could possibly want as a Queen.
The King had never been popular and they were therefore only too eager to accept the exceedingly good-looking Englishman, who had appeared at the very last moment to accept the throne of Zararis.
The Princess and Lord Victor reached the Archbishop safely and the Service began.
Lord Victor was, however, still afraid that something might happen even in the Cathedral itself.
He had therefore insisted that the Marriage Service was cut short so that they could start the Coronation.
As far as he and the Princess were concerned all t
hat mattered was that they should be joined as man and wife and they wanted to receive the blessing of God, who had already blessed them when they had least expected it.
When they knelt for the Blessing, Lord Victor was holding Sydella’s hand.
He knew that she was as deeply moved as he was.
He prayed as he had never prayed since he was a small boy that he would be able to protect her and make her happy.
He was entering a new world, a world he had little knowledge of.
They had been saved from death by what seemed a miracle and he could only believe that there was special work for them both to do and that they would not fail the British Empire who relied on them.
When they rose to their feet, the Coronation began.
After a flurry of trumpets that echoed and re-echoed round the whole building, Lord Victor knelt before the Archbishop, who placed the crown on his head.
He then placed a smaller one on Princess Sydella’s and blessed them both.
The trumpets sounded again and Lord Victor held out his hand to his Queen.
They were acclaimed by all those watching the ceremony in the Cathedral, especially by the Nobility who were seated nearest to them and who wore the emblems of their rank.
It was then the Prime Minister and the Members of the Council came forward to swear their allegiance to the King and Queen on behalf of themselves and of the people of Zararis.
Once again they were acclaimed by all those present.
Then they walked down the aisle, while the ladies curtseyed and the men bowed.
They reached the great West door and now the crowds had gathered until they stretched as far as the eye could see.
Just for a moment there was silence as their King and Queen stood in front of them.
Then they burst into wild cheers, shouting their joy and flinging their hats into the air.
Their Majesties bowed in response until finally they moved down the steps.
There was a glittering gold coach drawn by six white horses to take them back to the Palace.
Now there was no need for the Cavalry to ride beside them and obscure them from the sight of their people. Instead the windows were open and the Queen waved her hand, the King saluted.
They drove slowly back towards the Palace, the people cheering them all the way.
The children threw flowers into the carriage and in front of the horses.
A Royal Rebuke Page 11
