The Queen Wins Read online

  She went up to her bedroom.

  It had been arranged she should try on her wedding gown after some alterations had been made to it.

  She had felt indifferent until now how she looked as she had been quite certain that Prince Igor would hardly notice her anyway.

  Now she wanted to look really lovely for the man she loved.

  She took a great deal of care in fitting the gown and making sure that the train was long enough. And it had to be grand enough to impress everyone in the congregation as well as those outside who would merely see her walking up the steps and in through the West door.

  “You will make a really lovely bride, Your Royal Highness,” the dressmaker and her assistants chorused as they left.

  “I hope you will all be there to see my happiness.”

  “Of course we will all be there,” the dressmaker replied. “You will delight everyone who sees you and that will be everyone in the City.”

  “I only hope we don’t get crushed to death,” one of the assistants added.

  Tarena could not help thinking that there might be more events happening that day than just her wedding.

  The Russians would doubtless be banking on an announcement that the wedding would not take place and even when they learnt it was happening, they might attack the crowds who naturally would not be carrying weapons.

  She felt herself shiver.

  Then she thought that now Vladimir was in charge everything would be different.

  She wondered where he had gone.

  He had the enormous task of reversing the orders given by the Commander-in-Chief and making sure that the troops they did have were posted to face where the Russians were massing their forces.

  ‘Please God help us,’ Tarena prayed not once but a hundred times during the afternoon.

  They had achieved so much so quickly, but she was terrified that at the last moment things would go wrong.

  Perhaps she and Vladimir would not be married but taken prisoner.

  When the dressmakers left, she went downstairs to see if there was any sign of Vladimir and, when she did so, she learnt from one of the equerries that Prince Igor had gone out.

  But Vladimir had not yet returned.

  Tarena went back to her boudoir and tried to read one of the books she had taken from the library.

  But it was quite impossible not to keep going to the window to look out and see if there was anything unusual going on.

  There was nothing.

  Yet when she returned to her book, she found that she could not concentrate on even a word of it.

  Then the door opened and to her delight, Vladimir came in.

  She gave a cry of joy.

  She would have run to him, but he put his finger to his lips, closing the door behind him. She stopped dead and stood looking at him, her eyes wide and frightened.

  “I have now come to tell you,” he assured her, “that everything is arranged for your wedding tomorrow. You need not worry that anything has been forgotten.”

  With a tremendous effort, Tarena managed to reply,

  “Thank you for letting me know, Vladimir.”

  “I thought you might be worried. Therefore I hope you will sleep peacefully and not feel concerned in any way.”

  He glanced at the clock and added,

  “Dinner will be served in an hour’s time. I hope you will excuse me from being present at dinner. I have, as you understand, arrangements to make for the troops under my command that specially concern the Palace.”

  “Yes – of course I understand – ” “The time of the marriage is now moved forward.” Tarena looked surprised.

  “It was, as you know,” he continued, “to have taken place at two o’clock, and the Reception would have been about four o’clock.”

  “How have things changed?” “I have now arranged with the Archbishop that the wedding will be at eleven-thirty and the guests will be entertained not with just wedding cake and champagne, but with a full wedding breakfast.”

  Although he was speaking formally, Tarena could see that his eyes were filled with so much love and she had difficulty in concentrating on what he was saying.

  “I want you to be ready to drive to the Cathedral at ten-thirty,” Vladimir continued. “Of course I need not say to you, not to be late, because you are never late.”

  He accentuated the words.

  It was then Tarena was quick enough to realise he was informing her that he intended to surprise the Russians by altering the time of the Service, hoping it would confuse them.

  If they were not aware of it until the last moment, they could not put their cunning plan into operation.

  That was, she was certain, to start fighting in the City Square after it was announced that Prince Igor had left and so the wedding had been cancelled, and then to seize control while the people were distracted by the news.

  Now the people would not be confused, since the marriage would have already taken place and they could see the bride with the bridegroom, although an unexpected one, for themselves.

  “I feel very sure,” Tarena said aloud, “that your plans are excellent. I promise I will not be late.”

  Vladimir smiled.

  It was with difficulty that Tarena prevented herself from running forward and throwing herself into his arms.

  She realised that he was right in being careful about what they said as even the walls might have ears and there could be other traitors in the Palace.

  “I sincerely hope that you will rest peacefully until tomorrow morning when I will see you again,” Vladimir declared, as he bowed and left.

  As he closed the door, Tarena said over and over again to herself,

  ‘I love him, I love him. Oh, please God let us be together as we so long to be.’

  Dinner was a heavy gloomy meal with Prince Igor grunting aggressively to anyone who tried to converse with him. The Comtesse was obviously somewhat on edge and it was as if she was afraid something would prevent her from leaving with Prince Igor as secretly arranged.

  With a tremendous effort, Tarena talked normally to her uncle who was on one side of her and the Minister for Foreign Affairs who was on the other.

  They discussed in great detail every other country in Europe except the one they were in and the Earl made it much easier for her, simply by his presence.

  When they went upstairs to bed soon after dinner was finished, the Earl kissed Tarena and said,

  “You have behaved perfectly, my dearest, and I am very very proud of you.”

  “I only hope tomorrow will go forward as we pray it will,” Tarena whispered.

  “I don’t think you need worry, but I am going to the Chapel now to say my prayers before I go to bed and I am quite certain that God will hear them.”

  “Pray very hard that I will be happy – ”

  “I have been doing that ever since we arrived here, dearest Tarena. I am sure now that my prayers have been answered.”

  Tarena hugged him, then went to her bedroom and left instructions that she was to be called early.

  *

  She slept fairly well considering all the excitements of the day.

  She had her bath at half-past eight and there was breakfast for her alone in her boudoir.

  She then started to dress and when she looked out of the window, she saw that it was a lovely day with the sun shining.

  Everything was so quiet and normal and it seemed impossible that at any moment there might be gunfire and an attack by Russian soldiers.

  Maids were waiting to help her into her wedding gown, which she was confident looked really beautiful and Regal.

  When she added to it the tiara her uncle had lent her, she thought that Vladimir would indeed admire her.

  That was what mattered most.

  When she was ready, it was two minutes before half-past ten and she then proceeded very slowly down the stairs, followed by lady’s-maids and footmen, lifting her train over the thick carpet.

  Then
she saw that her uncle was waiting for her in the hall and it was the first time she had seen him dressed for a grand public occasion not as a Priest but as the Earl of Grandbrooke.

  He was proudly wearing the gold Star of Karlova she had given him and it combined well with the smartness of his attire.

  “You look so beautiful, my dearest,” he said to her.

  She knew by the expression on the equerries’ faces that they too thought she looked marvellous.

  Then just as they were about to start walking down the steps outside to the carriage, one of the senior equerries whispered in the Earl’s ear,

  “We cannot find Prince Igor, my Lord. We have been to his room and his bed has not been slept in.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” the Earl replied. “It will all be explained to you later.”

  The equerry stepped back and the Earl and Tarena paraded down the steps.

  There was already a small crowd waiting beside the four white horses that were to pull the ‘Golden Coach’ to the Cathedral.

  The coach was open so that Tarena could be seen.

  When she reached it, she saw ahead something she had not expected.

  The crew of The Royal Sovereign were lined up to march in front of the Golden Coach and one of the Senior Officers was carrying a very large Union Jack.

  Even as she looked at it, Tarena realised how clever Vladimir had been.

  He was making sure not only to the people but to the Russians that Tarena had the full support and blessing of Queen Victoria of Great Britain.

  When she and the Earl started off in the Golden Coach with the escort of British sailors and the huge Union Jack, she knew it would undoubtedly worry and bemuse the Russians.

  She was therefore not surprised when, as a cheering crowd followed behind her carriage, there appeared to be no dissenters of any sort.

  The Union Jack and the sailors reached the Square that was already filling with people who had arrived early. As they did so, a large Regimental band outside the Cathedral burst into the National Anthem of Great Britain.

  The sailors marching behind the flag came to a halt and stood rigidly to attention.

  The Golden Coach stopped and the Earl rose to his feet and so did Tarena.

  As the National Anthem finished the Golden Coach moved on again to the bottom of the steps leading up to the West door of the Cathedral.

  It was then the people in the crowd began to cheer and, if there was a protesting Russian amongst them, it was not possible to hear him.

  The Earl climbed out of the carriage first.

  When Tarena joined him, she turned round to wave to the people.

  She had deliberately not hung the wedding veil over her face. Instead it fell down on either side of her face so that she could be seen clearly by everyone present.

  The people cheered and cheered.

  Then her uncle suggested,

  “I think we should move up the steps now.”

  She was aware that he was afraid a Russian agent might take a shot at her.

  At the same time she was absolutely certain that under the protection not only of Great Britain but of God Himself she would reach Vladimir in the Cathedral safely.

  The Cathedral was packed.

  Many of those living near the City had places kept for them, but it had been impossible to stop the more senior citizens from pushing their way into the Cathedral whether they had been invited or not.

  What delighted Tarena, and she had not been aware of it, was that by some magical means of his own Vladimir had arranged for local children to be her bridesmaids.

  They were all small and some were not more than three years of age and the oldest was only six.

  Dressed in white and wearing wreaths of pink roses on their heads, they looked adorable.

  As she processed up the aisle, they followed behind her, the older ones holding the younger ones by the hand.

  When they reached the Chancel steps, Tarena saw that Vladimir was waiting for her.

  He was looking smarter than she had ever seen him look before.

  He was not wearing his Military uniform as she expected, but looked unbelievably distinguished in full morning dress with only a few decorations on his chest.

  Standing beside Vladimir was the Captain of The Royal Sovereign and Tarena realised at once how astute it was of Vladimir to invite him to be his Best Man.

  And he was also, for the occasion, representing Her Majesty, Queen Victoria.

  The Service was shorter than Tarena had thought it would be and there again she was sure that it was Vladimir who had thought it would be a mistake for those outside to wait too long for the bride and bridegroom.

  They knelt for the Blessing and to Tarena it was a very sacred moment.

  Then the trumpets sounded out and the Coronation began.

  The Archbishop then crowned Vladimir and Tarena as King and Queen of Karlova. The whole congregation stood and applauded.

  The organist played a stirring triumphal march as they walked down the aisle.

  The West doors were flung wide open and the band below broke into the National Anthem of Karlova.

  Tarena and Vladimir stood to attention.

  It was then the people packed in the Square below began to sing the words of the Karlova National Anthem.

  To Tarena it was very moving to hear their voices soaring up into the sky and and to know they were singing to their new King and Queen.

  Even before the last note sounded, they began to cheer and their cheers rang out louder than the trumpets.

  They seemed to carry their delight and appreciation to Heaven itself.

  Very slowly Tarena and Vladimir descended the steps, as small children ran in front of them strewing the way with rose petals.

  When they had nearly reached the bottom step, they began again to wave to the cheering crowd.

  It made a picture that most people watching felt they would always remember.

  When Vladimir thought that they should move on, they stepped into the Golden Coach.

  There were cheers and cries of ‘good luck’ and wishes for their future happiness all the way to the Palace.

  Once again Vladimir had been wise.

  A detachment of the Army with an Officer carrying the flag of Karlova stood on one side of the steps that led up to the Palace, on the other side stood the British sailors with the huge Union Jack held by an Officer from The Royal Sovereign.

  It had been impossible for Tarena and Vladimir to say a word to each other as they were riding in the Golden Coach, because the noise from the crowd was deafening.

  Finally they walked into the Palace and Tarena whispered to Vladimir,

  “It was wonderful of you to think of asking the sailors from the Battleship to be with us. I am sure that is what prevented the Russians from interfering in any way.

  “I think the main reason they did not interfere was simply that the marriage took place,” he replied. “The people were so excited by seeing it that the Russians knew they would find no support from the rejoicing crowd.”

  “It was very very clever of you,” Tarena insisted.

  “It was you who made it possible, my darling, and I will begin to tell you later how much I love you.”

  As they went through the door, there was a crowd of Ministers and equerries and the Prime Minister to offer their congratulations.

  They had gone ahead after leaving the Cathedral and were now waiting to enjoy the wedding feast the cooks had provided.

  There was no doubt that the happiness and gaiety of those present was due to the Russians having turned away without firing a shot.

  The fact that the wedding, which had been blessed by Queen Victoria had taken place, and that there was now a King and Queen of Karlova, meant that the Russians dared not risk a war against the British.

  ‘We have won! We have won!’ Tarena wanted to shout out, but it was impossible to speak to her husband when there were so many people eager to congratulate both of them
.

  It was now late in the evening when finally the last guests reluctantly left the Palace.

  Already five times the bride and bridegroom had gone down the front steps and stood waving to the ever-increasing crowd below them.

  They thanked them warmly from their hearts for their blessings and good wishes.

  It was, of course, Tarena who thought of sending out sweets and biscuits for the children.

  And it was King Vladimir who, at the end of the evening, said that there were to be free drinks in the public houses for all the men of Karlova.

  He said he hoped that they would not bankrupt him with their thirst!

  They all laughed.

  At the same time it was something no Ruler had ever done before.

  Finally Tarena was able to go upstairs to her own bedroom where her maids were waiting to take off all her jewels and her wedding gown.

  “You looked so incredibly beautiful, Your Majesty, that I wanted to cry,” one of the maids exclaimed.

  “It has been such a wonderful day for me,” Tarena answered. “I am happier than I have ever been in my whole life.”

  “We thinks as that’s how Your Majesty looked,” another maid said, “and how His Majesty looked too.”

  *

  It was certainly how Vladimir looked when at last Tarena was alone and waiting for him in the big bed where so many Kings and Queens of Karlova had slept.

  Tarena had been deeply touched when she went upstairs to find the whole room was decorated with white flowers and their scent filled the air.

  Only Vladimir, she knew, could have thought of it.

  Now, when he came in through the communicating-door, she held out both her arms.

  He walked to the bed and stood looking down at her.

  “Can this really be true?” he asked her. “Or am I dreaming?”

  “It’s true! It’s true and we have won! Against all the odds the Russians have been defeated.”

  “I learnt tonight when I was undressing,” Vladimir said, “that their troops are withdrawing, having suffered severe casualties when they unexpectedly met with firm resistance.”

  “I am certain now, Vladimir, that they will never come back.”

  “Not as long as we live and, of course, we will leave sons to take our place when we die.”