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.”Xenia kissed his cheek consolingly as he continued,“There was a knock at the door and, with what I thought was a note of relief in your voice, you called, ‘come in!’“It was Count Gáspar.“‘Excuse me, Your Majesty,’ he said, ‘but the Dowager Grand Duchess is very anxious to have a word with you before she leaves.’“Because I was so bewildered, so utterly stunned by what had happened,” the King went on, “I followed the Count down the stairs to the hall.“‘Forgive me for disturbing you, István,’ the Grand Duchess said, ‘but there is something I forgot to tell you yesterday which I feel is important.’“‘What is it?’ I asked, not really interested.“‘I want you as soon as possible to take Johanna to see her grandfather.’“‘But why?’ I asked.“‘Because King Constantine is not in good health and I suspect has not very long to live,’ the Grand Duchess replied.“I did not speak, finding it hard to think of anything but what had just occurred upstairs and the Grand Duchess, misunderstanding my silence, said,“‘I know you have found him difficult in the past, István, but he has changed since he has been ill.In fact you will hardly believe it, but the other day he actually spoke of Lilla!’“Again I did not reply and she chattered on,“‘Perhaps you have forgotten who Lilla is, because no one ever dares to mentions her name.But she is in fact the twin sister of Johanna’s mother.’“‘Twin sister?’ I exclaimed.“‘But you must have been told,’ the Grand Duchess said, ‘that Dorottyn had a twin sister called Lilla who ran away most reprehensibly with an Englishman and a commoner.We were all forbidden ever to mention her, but I think the King now he is dying is softening in his attitude towards her.’“‘Twin sister!’ I repeated.“‘They were identical,’ my aunt said.‘Absolutely identical!’ She said that no one could tell them apart, but she had always thought that Lilla was the softer, sweeter of the two.”Xenia gave a little sigh.“My aunt said, ‘I never knew what happened to her.I have often wondered if she had any children.I feel that, if she had a daughter, she would look exactly like dear Johanna’.”The King’s arms tightened about Xenia.“I knew then who you were and who I had married.”“Were you sure – really sure?”“I went back to Johanna and forced the truth from her,” the King said.“She found it hard to be defiant and lie when I confronted her with what I was quite certain had happened.”“It was – clever of you,” Xenia murmured.“I was fighting for everything that mattered to me in life,” the King said simply.He would have kissed her again, but Xenia said quickly,“Tell me the rest.I must – know.”“I realised that I had to stop you from reaching the border.Fortunately Johanna was dressed and the Royal Train which you and I were to take on our honeymoon was waiting in the station.”He smiled before he added,“We drove there at break-neck speed, stopping only at The Crown Hotel to pick up Lord Gratton.”“You took them both with you?” Xenia asked.“I dragged them, if you like, into the train and after telegraphing down the line to say I had to pass the slow train we set off with really the minimum amount of delay.”“And Johanna agreed?”“She had no alternative,” the King replied and for a moment his voice was hard.“But, in case it should worry you, I have made her and Gratton as happy or nearly as happy as we intend to be.”“How have you done that?”“I realised that while Johanna loved Gratton what upset her was the idea of going into obscurity, being of no importance as your mother had been.”“So what have you arranged?” Xenia asked.“I intend to make her the most talked about and the most famous Royal personage in Europe,” the King replied.Xenia raised her head to look at him wide-eyed and he went on with a smile on his lips,“All the world loves a lover and a Princess who is prepared to give up a throne for the man she loves will be the focus of attention wherever she goes.”He paused before he added,“In fact I think she will find herself of far more interest than being a mere Queen of Luthenia!”“But how can you do that? How?” Xenia asked.“Simply by informing the press.They can take the story from there.”“But you – cannot! Think what they will say about – you and – me!”“With Gratton’s help we have trimmed the story to our own ends,” the King said.“Johanna decided to marry Lord Gratton, but because she felt so worried over the situation in Luthenia you volunteered to take her place and convey to me the knowledge of what she intended to do.”His voice was slightly cynical as he said,“Of course she wished me to be the first person to know where her real interests lay.”“Then what happened?” Xenia asked.“We tell the truth,” the King answered.“You and I fell in love at first sight and in case there should be any family opposition because of your father’s status as a commoner we decided to get married before we told the world who you were.”Xenia gave a deep sigh.“Oh, István – it’s a – wonderful story!”“It’s a romantic tale that will be told and re-told for many years to come.Both you and Johanna will appear like heroines for the sacrifices you have made for love.”“I have sacrificed nothing,” Xenia said quickly.“But you were prepared to sacrifice me,” the King answered, “and actually I am very angry that you should treat our love so lightly.”“Please – forgive – me,” Xenia begged.“Why did you not tell me after we were married?”“I meant to – but I thought – you might be angry – and I so desperately wanted you – to kiss me – and to – love me.”He looked at her and his expression was very tender.“I shall punish you, my precious, by making love to you until you cry for mercy and never again will you ever dare deceive me.”“I did not – wish to – do so – you know – that
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