Love Conquers War Read online

  She also invented a long and rather garbled account of how, swept away by the students to a poor part of the City, she had finally taken refuge at a house of a kind midwife.

  There had been continuous rioting outside and it was not until this evening that the midwife had been able to bring her back to the hotel.

  It all sounded plausible and anyway there was nothing Lady Crewkerne and the others could do but accept her version of what had happened.

  When Tilda had finished her tale, Lady Crewkerne said,

  “Now I am sure, Lady Victoria, you would like a bath and rid yourself of that strange fancy dress you are garbed in.”

  “I would indeed,” Tilda replied. “But will you excuse me, ma’am, if I first have a private word with my cousin? There is something I want to ask him.”

  “Of course. Lady Victoria,” Lady Crewkerne said. “I will go and see that Hannah has everything ready for you in your bedroom.”

  She and the Professor left the sitting room and Tilda turned to her cousin.

  “I want you to do something for me, Cousin Francis.”

  “What is it?” he enquired.

  “Before I tell you,” Tilda replied, “I have not yet asked you why you are here.”

  She thought his eyes shifted nervously.

  “The Ambassador thought that I should reassure you,” he said, “that the arrangements are going ahead for your reception into Obernia.”

  “And yet there is still some delay?” Tilda asked.

  “Unfortunately, yes,” Francis Tetherton replied.

  “And whose fault is that?”

  There was a perceptible pause before Francis Tetherton answered,

  “His Royal Highness does not wish you to arrive until everything is planned to his satisfaction.”

  “He knows I am here?”

  “Our Ambassador has been in communication with the Prime Minister and the Cabinet,” Francis Tetherton answered. “We realise in a way that the delay is somewhat of a slight, but there is really nothing we can do without the approval of His Royal Highness.”

  “That makes it easier for you to take him my request,” Tilda said slowly.

  “What request?” Francis Tetherton asked.

  “I want – no – I insist, on seeing the Prince before I enter Obernia.”

  Francis Tetherton looked at Tilda in consternation.

  “But that is impossible! It is being arranged, Cousin Victoria, for you to meet His Royal Highness formally on the steps of the Palace.”

  Tilda said nothing and he went on,

  “The Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and the British Ambassador will receive you at the border. Then you will drive in State to the Capital where Prince Maximilian will be waiting.”

  Tilda took a deep breath.

  “I do not intend to agree to any of that, Cousin Francis, unless the Prince sees me alone. Either here or somewhere else suitable.”

  “I really don’t understand,” Francis Tetherton moaned.

  “It’s quite simple,” Tilda replied. “I wish to meet him unofficially and talk with him. It has to be before I enter Obernia.”

  “It is impossible! Quite impossible!” Francis Tetherton exclaimed positively.

  “In which case the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and the British Ambassador will have to wait indefinitely,” Tilda said.

  “Cousin Victoria, you cannot be saying these things!”

  “But I am saying them!”

  “But the Prince is Royal! He is Head of the State. You cannot order him to come and see you as if he was a private individual.”

  “He is still my prospective husband,” Tilda answered “and, as his prospective wife, I presume I have certain privileges? Anyway I intend to see him alone and it is up to you to arrange it!”

  “I cannot! You must see that it is not the sort of thing that I or even the Ambassador can do. If you want to talk with His Royal Highness, you can do so after your arrival.”

  “You will kindly make it clear that there will be no arrival, no State drive, unless I have seen the Prince beforehand.”

  “It is the most absurd request I have ever heard,” Francis Tetherton said crossly.

  Tilda gave a little yawn.

  “I am really very tired, Cousin Francis,” she said, “and so I think I will go to bed. I expect you will be staying for dinner, but this is not something we can discuss in front of Lady Crewkerne or the Professor.”

  “You don’t wish them to know of your crazy idea?” Francis Tetherton asked rudely.

  “I think it would be very mistaken of you to tell them,” Tilda smiled, “for nothing and no one will alter my determination in any way. I intend to see Prince Maximilian. If you will not tell him so, I will find somebody who will.”

  “It is impossible – absolutely impossible!” Francis Tetherton repeated again.

  “In which case you can tell the Prince that I am returning to England.”

  “I cannot believe I am hearing you correctly,” her cousin groaned. “This is not the way a well-brought-up young English girl should behave.”

  Tilda laughed.

  “If you are casting aspersions on Papa and Mama for the way they have raised me, Cousin Francis, it is something I do not think they will appreciate.”

  “I imagine that neither your father nor your mother would condone your behaviour at the moment,” Francis Tetherton retorted. “You don’t understand, Cousin Victoria, it has been enough worry that you have been missing the past three days.”

  “Fortunately there is no reason for the Prince to learn of that.”

  “No, but to ask him to see you alone – it is not protocol, it is not etiquette, it is not the done thing.”

  “I am not prepared to argue. Cousin Francis,” Tilda said. “If you will explain to the Prince that I have something of great importance to say to him and that I will not enter his country until I have said it, he will see me.”

  She paused a moment to add,

  “After all, he owes me something for having kept me waiting all this time in Munich.”

  “You were not here, so he was not really keeping you waiting,” Francis Tetherton said rather feebly.

  “Are you prepared to explain that to His Royal Highness?” Tilda asked.

  She walked towards the door.

  “I am not going to stand here arguing, Cousin Francis. Tell the Prince that whatever the arrangements he has made in Obernia, I shall be unavoidably detained in Munich until we have met.”

  The consternation on Francis Tetherton’s face was laughable, but Tilda’s expression was one of elation.

  She went into her bedroom where Hannah, very disagreeable and extremely critical, was waiting for her.

  *

  The following day Tilda went sightseeing.

  The Professor and a slightly mollified Lady Crewkerne accompanied her.

  At the same time there was a distinct coldness between her two chaperones, which Tilda chose to ignore.

  She had wanted to see Munich and the Professor’s spirits rose as they went from museum to museum, to the Pinakothek with its wonderful pictures and the Marienplatz to stare at the glockenspiel.

  They visited Churches where Tilda looked for a long time at the profusion of carved angels.

  She was thrilled that Rudolph had compared her to the small joyous creatures that seemed to express a happiness that was beyond the reach of mere humans.

  ‘I will make Rudolph happy!’ Tilda vowed to herself. ‘I will bring him a joy that no other woman has been able to give him.’

  Sometimes when she thought of Mitzi’s red lips and pretty provocative face she felt that she might fail him.

  It was the following morning that Francis Tetherton reappeared.

  As soon as she saw him, Tilda knew that he had something to tell her.

  She took him alone into the sitting room so that she could hear the news.

  “The Prince will see me?” she asked impatiently, unable to wait for
Francis’s slow pronouncement.

  “His Royal Highness will see you this evening,” Francis Tetherton answered, “but I don’t mind telling you, Cousin Victoria, it was very difficult to persuade him. He kept asking me what you had to say. Of course I had no idea.”

  “But he will see me. Will he come here?”

  “No, it is too far,” Francis Tetherton answered, “but I will take you to an inn that is on the border of Obernia and Bavaria.”

  “The Royal Boundary,” Tilda exclaimed.

  Her cousin looked at her in surprise.

  “That is right!” he answered. “How did you hear of it?”

  Tilda thought of the Lieutenant who was hoping to dine with her there and smiled secretly.

  Aloud she said,

  “What time are we to meet His Royal Highness?”

  “At nine-thirty and, if you don’t want Lady Crewkerne to ask questions, I had better say I am taking you to a Reception given by some friends of mine.”

  “She will be affronted that she has not been invited, but who cares? It was clever of you to arrange what I wanted, Cousin Francis, and thank you very much.”

  “I just hope you realise. Cousin Victoria, what a tremendous concession His Royal Highness is making in granting a request of this sort. I only hope you will show your appreciation suitably at being accorded such a privilege.”

  Knowing that she intended to tell the Prince that she had no wish to marry him. Tilda thought expressions of humble gratitude were hardly suitable.

  But she said nothing and passed the rest of the day planning what she should say to the Prince.

  She told herself that as Rudolph was Obernian she would have to be very careful not to bring down upon him the displeasure of his Ruler, perhaps to the point where Prince Maximilian would seek his revenge.

  The idea that Rudolph might be banished, imprisoned or persecuted in some way was terrifying.

  Then she told herself that the Prince would be big-minded enough to accept that in this day and age one could not force a woman to the altar if she was determined to say ‘no’.

  Equally all her fears came rushing back into her mind – the whispered innuendos, the half sentences that had been started and stopped when people found she was listening.

  Why had Prince Maximilian incurred the disapproval of her relatives? And strangest of all why had he refused ever to be painted or photographed?

  Perhaps, she told herself, he had had an accident out riding and his face was now repulsive.

  Perhaps there were reasons beyond her comprehension that made decent people find him almost repellent.

  Whatever the mystery about Prince Maximilian it would not concern her now. She was not going to marry him and once they had talked tonight, there was no reason for them ever to meet again.

  Nevertheless as time passed Tilda knew that the calmness and coolness that Rudolph had admired for her were rapidly giving way to agitation.

  Suppose the Prince categorically refused to break their engagement?

  Supposing he informed her that he would not even listen to her and merely answered that the plans for their wedding would go ahead?

  Suppose – even more frightening – he ensured that Rudolph could not marry her because he was not free to do so.

  It was the thought of this that made Tilda decide that whatever happened she would not let the Prince know who Rudolph was.

  She would simply tell him that she could not marry him because she was in love with somebody else.

  Wild horses would not drag Rudolph’s name to her lips if she thought that it might damage him.

  It suddenly struck her that in the circumstances they might not be allowed to live in Obernia.

  Perhaps they would have to move to Bavaria or Austria.

  Now for the first time she realised how little she knew about Rudolph.

  He was a soldier, but a rather reprehensible one. That fact was established,

  But who and what were his parents?

  To be in a Cavalry Regiment usually meant one was of Social consequence.

  Tilda remembered her father saying that in the German Cavalry Regiments thirty-four of the Officers were Princes and fifty-one were Counts.

  It might be different in Obernia, although she doubted it, and the Lieutenant had seemed blue-blooded.

  There had never seemed time to talk to Rudolph of anything except themselves, but now she realised that there were many things she should have asked him before they separated.

  Then she told herself that Rudolph was a gentleman because to her he had always been kind and understanding.

  He had never shocked or frightened or even embarrassed her as he might easily have done, considering that they had been shut up together in one room and she had even slept in the same bed beside him.

  For the first time, innocent though she was, she vaguely understood there might have been hidden dangers and terrors in such a situation although she had no conception of what they might be.

  Rudolph had said to her,

  “You must not drive me too hard, Tilda. I am a man but I am trying to behave decently, as you would expect of a gentleman.”

  He had behaved decently, but she was not quite certain what would have happened had he behaved indecently.

  It had been impossible not to trust him, although she had driven him ‘too hard’ so that he had kissed her when he had not meant to and he had asked her to be his wife.

  ‘He must not be hurt by our marriage,’ Tilda said to herself. ‘I must be clever with the Prince so that he is not angry or vindictive.’

  Nevertheless, as she drove away from Munich beside Francis Tetherton, she was too tense and too apprehensive to have much to say.

  Francis was also nervous. She knew that by the way he kept fidgeting with his tie and dragging his gold watch from his waistcoat pocket to look at the time.

  He had hurried her from the hotel after they had eaten a light dinner and they therefore arrived at The Royal Boundary too early.

  “I have engaged a private room,” Francis Tetherton said, “so walk quickly through the vestibule. We don’t want anyone to see you. They will think it very strange for you to be here alone with a man.”

  “No one is likely to recognise me,” Tilda remarked.

  Despite Francis’s protests she could not refrain from peeping into the restaurant to see where she might have dined with the Lieutenant.

  It was a very attractive room with oak beams, stuffed heads of wild animals on the walls and small tables lit with candles.

  There were a number of people having dinner and Francis Tetherton pulled her down a passage and into a small oak-panelled parlour where a log fire was burning.

  Francis Tetherton looked at his watch for the hundredth time.

  “You stay here, Cousin Victoria,” he said. “I will go and wait for His Royal Highness at the entrance. He will certainly not wish to be recognised and I will bring him here immediately upon his arrival.”

  He spoke in an agitated tone and Tilda wondered why Rudolph had the impression that the English were always cool and calm.

  “I will be all right, Cousin Francis,” she answered, “you go and look for His Royal Highness.”

  Francis Tetherton went away and Tilda walked somewhat restlessly backwards and forwards across the room.

  She was rehearsing yet again in her mind exactly what she would say to the Prince.

  She was confident that eventually she would get her own way and he would free her from the engagement that was not of her choosing and, she suspected, not of his either.

  It was, she was certain, entirely due to Queen Victoria that Prince Maximilian had been persuaded in the first place to have an English wife.

  ‘There are doubtless many Princesses in Austria and Bavaria he would have preferred,’ Tilda told herself. ‘At the same time, because they are all so frightened of England and more especially of Queen Victoria, he has had to agree. Perhaps he will even be glad to be rid of me.’ />
  She could not help knowing that not only Prince Maximilian would be worried as to what Queen Victoria would say, but her mother, who was frightened of Her Majesty, would feel humiliated by her behaviour.

  ‘Poor Mama,’ Tilda thought to herself, ‘but I am sure that when she meets Rudolph she will love him.’

  The very thought of Rudolph brought a warm glow to her heart.

  She felt a little thrill run through her as she thought of how closely he had held her in his arms and how passionately he had kissed her.

  Why should she care about a Royal position, she asked herself, or the approval of her stuffy relatives when she could be loved as Rudolph loved her?

  ‘I am not afraid of the Prince,’ Tilda told herself, ‘I am not afraid of anything except of losing Rudolph.’

  She could hear again the note in his voice as he said,

  “Nothing, not even God, shall prevent you from being my wife.”

  And nothing would prevent him from being her husband, Tilda vowed.

  At that moment the door opened.

  She drew in her breath!

  She turned to see not, as she had anticipated, a strange man who she expected would be Prince Maximilian, but Rudolph!

  Advancing into the room, Rudolph looked for the moment incredulous when he saw her.

  Before Tilda could speak he exclaimed,

  “Tilda, my precious darling! What are you doing here?”

  She ran towards him feeling that it could not be true.

  She could touch him.

  She could lift her face to his.

  For a moment he looked down into her eyes and then his lips were on hers.

  She could feel again the wonder and rapture she had longed for as he kissed passionately and demandingly until she felt as if her body melted into his.

  After what seemed a century of ecstasy, Rudolph raised his head.

  “I have missed you!” he said hoarsely, “Oh, God, how I have missed you!”

  “Do you still – love me?” Tilda asked.

  “You know I do.”

  Then, with an effort as if he forced himself to think sensibly he asked,

  “But why are you here?”

  “I am meeting the – man to whom I am – betrothed,” Tilda replied.

  “To tell him you cannot marry him? My darling, then you will be free!”