The Passionate Princess Read online

  AUTHOR’S NOTE

  Hungarians are passionate, romantic and wild underneath their charming exterior. The very intensity and strength of their feelings exemplifies their characters and their outlook on life.

  They are often a bewildering people to outsiders. They have an enormous capacity for enjoyment and tenacious friendships.

  They are easy-going, but, once they are roused, nothing will stop them.

  For a national cause a Magyar will do anything. Love of his country is impregnated into his very being and at its call he will commit himself to sublime sacrifice.

  Music, like love, is in their blood. For generations the gypsies have stirred the souls of man with their music.

  The Csdrdds, a tavern dance, originated in the nineteenth century. The gypsy beauty, the gypsy madness, the fierce passion, unutterable sadness, their love and rage, is all to be found in it.

  Among the peasants, the magic of the gypsy is far more potent in cases of real need than the supernatural powers claimed by the Priests of any Church.

  Chapter One ~ 1870

  Princess Thea was singing as she walked along the passage and went down a secondary staircase.

  She was thinking as she did so that it was annoying that the best part of The Palace was always kept for Royal Receptions.

  She had always enjoyed the pomp and circumstance of the Grand Staircase with its gilt and crystal balustrade. She loved the many pictures on the walls and the magnificent marble mantelpieces, which had been sculpted by gifted Italian craftsmen.

  It was her great-grandfather who had made The Palace one of the most impressive in the whole of the Balkans.

  He had felt, the Princess always thought, that it was a compensation for Kostas being, as a country, so small and comparatively unimportant compared to its neighbours.

  She often thought that he had suffered from what was really an inferiority complex.

  He had insisted on always being surrounded by a panoply of all the grandeur that went with Monarchy.

  He had even expounded such ideas to his great-grandchildren and Princess Thea had been Christened ‘Sydel Niobe Anthea’.

  She had, however, repudiated such a mouthful of a name from the moment she could speak.

  She liked referring to herself as ‘Thea’. The name had then stuck and so no one in the family had called her anything else.

  She went into the breakfast room.

  It was a quite a pleasant and cheerful room but not impressive except that caught the morning sun.

  She found her brother, Georgi, having his breakfast and reading the morning newspaper.

  He looked up as his sister came into the room and called out,

  “You are late!”

  “Yes, I know,” Thea replied, “but it was so lovely this morning and Mercury took all the jumps as if he was flying.”

  She then helped herself to one of the dishes of what was a very English breakfast on the sideboard.

  Her father, King Alpheus of Kostas, had spent quite a lot of time when he was a young man in England.

  He had actually taken a degree at Oxford University on the subject of history. And he had therefore imitated many English ways and insisted that his children spoke fluent English.

  This was not difficult for Thea and Georgi as they had studiously learnt the languages of all the surrounding Balkan countries.

  Georgi had once commented that, after some of them, English was ‘a piece of cake’.

  Carrying her plate, Thea then sat down at the table.

  Her mind was still on her ride and, as she picked up her knife and fork, she said,

  “By the way, Georgi, the fences should be higher.”

  “I know that,” her brother replied. “You had better see to it.”

  “Why me?”

  “I am going away tomorrow.”

  “Going away?” his sister exclaimed. “But why and where are you going?”

  Georgi looked over his shoulder in case one of the footmen might hear what he was about to say and then he began to explain,

  “As it happens, Thea, I am going to Paris. But you must not tell Mama. She thinks I am paying a semi-State Visit to the French Army in Arras.”

  “You are going to Paris again?” Thea queried him. “I cannot think why you don’t stay here for a while.”

  Her brother smiled.

  “I can give you just one answer to that, Paris is extremely amusing and the women are fantastic!”

  Thea stared at him.

  “You mean you are just going to France to enjoy yourself?”

  “That about sums it up in a nutshell.”

  “And you are going – alone?”

  “I shall not be alone for long!”

  “Take me with you! Please take me with you,” Thea started to plead with him.

  “You can hear Mama agreeing to that,” Georgi scoffed.

  “But surely we could say that I was staying with one of your friends?”

  “Mama would certainly not approve.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because the Paris wmen are fascinating and very attractive, but certainly not the right companions for a well-brought-up Princess like you!”

  Thea made a sound of disgust.

  “Why could I not have been a boy?”

  “You will find that quite a lot of men will be glad you are a girl!”

  Thea looked at him derisively.

  “Men?” she asked him. “Where do I ever see them, except for the old Courtiers who are practically falling into the grave?”

  Her brother poured himself out another cup of coffee.

  “You have a point there,” he said. “But, as it happens, Papa is arranging your marriage. He was talking to me about it last night.”

  Now Thea was stunned.

  “My – marriage?” she repeated in a low voice.

  “You are eighteen and Papa believes that you must enhance the international standing of our country by a alliance with one of our more distinguished neighbours.”

  “Who?” Thea asked abruptly.

  “It seems likely to be King Otho of Kanaris.”

  There was a horrified silence until Thea asked him,

  “Are – you – serious?”

  “There does not appear to be anyone else.”

  “But he is old – much older than – Papa!”

  “His country is twice the size of ours.”

  “But – how can I possibly – marry an old man like that? When I saw him last his hair and his beard were – white!”

  “It’s a bit hard on you,” her brother did concede, “but – you have to marry someone.”

  “I-I want to marry someone young – who I am deeply – in love with.”

  Georgi sat back in his chair.

  “You know just as well as I do, Thea, because we are Royal, we have to take what is available and think of our country first and ourselves last!”

  “If that is what you really think, then why do you not marry?” Thea enquired.

  There was a poignant silence for a moment.

  And then her brother admitted,

  “I know it has to happen sometime and Papa is already looking around. She is sure to be plain, fat and deadly dull!”

  He spoke violently and then added,

  “That is why I want to go to Paris. I intend to enjoy myself while I can.”

  There was a distinct harshness in the way he spoke.

  Then she asked him in a small voice,

  “Must – I do – this?”

  “You know the answer to that perfectly well,” her brother replied.

  “There must be – somebody better than – King Otho!”

  “That is what I said to Papa last night, but
he pointed out that practically every one of our neighbours is either married with six children or a widower like King Otho or a misogynist like King Árpád.

  “What is a misogynist?” Thea enquired.

  “A man who hates women,” her brother answered. “It usually happens when a man has had an unfortunate love affair, which leaves him cynical and bitter about women.”

  “But – there must be – someone else!” Thea almost shouted desperately.

  “I am sorry, old girl, but I did go through all the possibilities with Papa and we came up with nothing.”

  “It’s so unfair!” Thea cried. “I will not – marry him! I shall – refuse.”

  She spoke very violently, but she well knew in her heart that, if there was no acceptable alternative, it was something that she would have to do.

  She was perfectly aware that her father’s obsession with improving the status of Kostas would make him obstinate. So nothing she could say would have any effect on him.

  She stared across the table at Georgi and there were now tears in her eyes as she pleaded,

  “Help me – Georgi – please – help me!”

  “I only wish I could,” Georgi replied, “but I am in the same boat as you are. I shall be twenty-two next month and Papa has told me that I have to be married by next year and start to provide more heirs to the Throne.”

  Thea rose from the breakfast table and then murmured to herself,

  ‘The whole – idea makes me feel sick.’

  She walked to the window to look out at the well-laid out garden that was bright with colourful spring flowers.

  What she was really seeing, however, was the lined face of King Otho and his white hair growing thin on the top of his head.

  She had never imagined and never thought for one single moment that she would be forced to marry a man like him.

  Because she had been so much alone when Georgi was at school and then in the Army, she read as many Fairy stories as she could find.

  She believed them and they became part of her very existence.

  She had dreamt that one day a tall handsome Prince would suddenly come into her life.

  They would fall instantly in love, be married and live happily ever after.

  He would understand how much the beauty of the countryside meant to her and the high mountains with snowy peaks that enclosed Kostas as well as the silver river that ran through the valley and fed the verdant fields on either side of it.

  The peasants were indeed poor, but there was always plenty of fruit and vegetables and the women were noted for their lovely skins.

  Kostas lay on the Southern border of Hungary and their blood had been mixed over the centuries, which accounted for many of the women having red hair that was characteristic of the Hungarians.

  Thea’s hair was red, but it was not the dark auburn shade that was common in Austria. It was rather a mixture of red and gold, which in the sunshine made her hair seem like dancing flames.

  It was inevitable that her eyes should be green and, when she was upset, they seemed to have a dark almost purple tinge in them.

  She had no idea that her brother was now watching her closely.

  He was thinking how Thea had in the last year developed into a beauty and there was no doubt that she would grow even lovelier as she grew older.

  It was a pity that there was no one more suitable for her as a husband than King Otho, but there was, however, nothing he could do about it.

  He had in point of fact done his best. He had argued with his father until in exasperation the King had said,

  “Don’t be more of a fool than you are usually, Georgi. We are not important enough to be considered seriously by the Royalty of larger countries!”

  His voice was harsh as he added,

  “Nor has Thea a large enough dowry to attract them.”

  Georgi was fully aware that this was always a sore point that his father had never had as much money as he required.

  This was partly due to the ambitious schemes of his father, who had spent an inordinate amount of money building The Palace and laying out the extensive grounds.

  He had also provided their small Army with colourful and elaborate uniforms as well as up to date guns that they never used.

  Unless they found gold in the mountains or pearls in the river, which was most unlikely, Georgi knew that they would have to struggle on trying to make ends meet.

  He was therefore aware that his father was looking for a Princess with plenty of money for him.

  It did not matter whether she was fat, thin, plain or pretty, if her dowry was big enough, he would have to accept her.

  It was the dreadful thought of being saddled with such a wife that had made Georgi rush off to Paris.

  There the fascinating courtesans might well be expensive, but they knew how to make a man forget. He was thinking of just how enjoyable it had been the last time he had visited that fabulous City.

  He knew that there were several alluring filles de joie who would welcome him back to Paris with open arms.

  It was not only because he was a Prince or that somehow he managed to pay them.

  He was an extremely good-looking young man. What was more the men of Kostas were noted for being fascinating and ardent lovers.

  This too was something that they had inherited from Hungary and the fact that they were brilliant horsemen as well.

  Georgi rose from his chair and walked towards his sister.

  He put his arm comfortingly around her shoulders and said,

  “Cheer up, old girl! When we are both married, I will make some excuse to take you to Paris or perhaps even to England with me.”

  Thea was listening intently and he added,

  “A married woman has far more licence than a young girl.”

  “I want to – come with – you now.”

  “I wish I could take you,” Georgi replied, “but I expect you would be shocked and it would considerably cramp my style!”

  Thea accepted this and then she asked in a very small voice,

  “You – you don’t think that Papa – would do – anything while – you are away?”

  “If I have the chance, I will persuade him not to,” Georgi promised. “At the same time I don’t want him to make it an excuse to cancel my trip.”

  Thea gave a deep sigh.

  “No – of course not.”

  “What you have to do,” her brother went on, “is to enjoy yourself while you can. Raise the fences and ride while you still don’t have to be accompanied everywhere.”

  Thea gasped.

  “Do you mean – if I am married – I shall have to have some – dreary Lady-in-Waiting or aide-de-camp with me?”

  Georgi did not reply and she knew the answer already.

  Of course as a Queen she would be hedged around as if she was a prisoner.

  They were somewhat understaffed at The Palace and she therefore had been allowed to ride alone in the Park without having a groom always in attendance.

  It was understood that she did not go outside the high walls that encircled the Park. There she could be alone, she could think and she could talk to Mercury without being overheard.

  Now she began to consider the ultimate horror of being so important that she could never be alone.

  It would be different, she thought, if she could ride with someone she loved. Someone she could talk to and laugh with.

  In the stories that she told herself, her dream man, who was naturally Prince Charming, was always a magnificent rider.

  They would ride stallions that were so fine and so spirited that no one could keep up with them.

  Then they would ride away alone into the light of an infinite horizon.

  Thinking of King Otho, she felt quite certain that he was not a good rider and most certainly not an outstanding one.

  She was sure that he would also be very particular about protocol and endless Court ritual.

  She had tried not to listen to her Governess
es when they had said to her,

  “A Princess does not do this – a Princess does not do that! You must remember, Your Royal Highness, that you are a Princess.”

  Now she was certain that the same would be said by her husband.

  It would be exactly the same routine, except that it would be,

  “A Queen does not do anything she wants to do.”

  As if Georgi knew what she was thinking, he gave her a hug and said,

  “I have to go now. I am accompanying Papa on a Parade that is exactly like the one he took last week and the week before that.”

  “But you will be free tomorrow?” Thea asked.

  “Thank God for small mercies!” her brother replied. “Even though, as you well know, they are very small and very short.”

  He walked out of the breakfast room as he spoke, but Thea did not follow him.

  Instead she continued to look blindly out of the window and every part of her body was crying out in horror.

  When finally she went to the music room where her teacher was waiting for her, she was very pale.

  Her Governesses had been dispensed with as soon as she had reached the magical age of eighteen and there were, however, certain Teachers who came from outside The Palace and with them she continued her studies.

  Her absolute favourite of them all was the old Professor who taught her music.

  He had been a great success all over Europe playing with famous orchestras before he had retired.

  It was the Queen who had been clever enough to realise that he could be just the right sort of Teacher for her daughter.

  The Professor taught Thea to express herself in the way she played the piano and in the compositions that she wrote.

  She tried to translate into her music the beauty that made her heart leap when she looked at anything really lovely and inspiring.

  She listened to the sounds of the birds and then she expressed on the piano, the joy of life in their voices.

  When she went into the music room, the Professor was sitting at the piano and he was playing a soft dreamy waltz that was very romantic.

  It made Thea think of the Prince Charming that she had believed one day she would find.

  Then, with an almost brutal sense of stark reality, she then remembered that he was King Otho!

  The Professor greeted her and she sat down at the piano.