The Gates of Paradise Read online

  Occasionally she would defeat him by a riposte that made them both laugh.

  “If I was a bit younger,” the Baron said in his rather thick voice, “I would hold you tightly in my arms so that you could not escape me and then kiss you until we were both breathless!”

  “And if I was younger,” Narina managed to retort, “I would doubtless appreciate it because I would not know better. But now I have become very discriminating and I am sure you have no wish to fail at a game which at one time you must have been a past master!”

  The Baron threw back his head and laughed, but he did not cease to ply her with endless compliments.

  Unsure if he might decide to pursue her after she had retired, she was always very careful to lock her cabin door.

  ‘No one would ever believe it was necessary,’ she reflected. ‘But one never knows and it is a big mistake to be wise after the event.’

  As they moved up the Dardanelles, Narina became more and more excited.

  Now she was certain that once she was with Louise again they would be as happy as they had been when they were at school together.

  The Battleship sailed through the Sea of Marmara and then up the Bosporus.

  When they eventually reached the Black Sea, the sun was shining brightly and it was really too hot to be on deck without a hat or a sunshade.

  They were steaming, Narina was sure, at what must be record speed and she was wondering why the Captain had not stopped at any port on the way.

  She had longed to spend just a few hours in Athens or just an hour on one of the Greek Islands.

  But the engines did not stop rolling.

  At last she could see the coast of Alexanderburg in the distance.

  It was then that she became certain there was some special reason why they must reach Louise as quickly as possible.

  But just as she assumed that they would soon be docking in the Port of Balchik, the engines slowed down and to her astonishment they came to a stop.

  “What has happened? What has gone wrong?” she asked.

  Because she was so surprised and anxious, she ran along the deck and climbed up onto the bridge.

  “What on earth has happened?” she rather sharply demanded of the Captain. “Why have we stopped here? We are still a good way off land.”

  “We will be moving in as soon as it is dark,” the Captain replied. “Actually, Miss Kenwin, I have arrived slightly sooner than I anticipated.”

  “But why do we have to wait until it is dark?”

  “Those are my orders – and you will be taken ashore as soon as the boat comes for you.”

  There was a short pause and then Narina said in a puzzled voice,

  “You said I would be taken ashore. What about the Baron and Baroness?”

  “I will be taking them both back to Constantinople where the Baron is now to be posted,” replied the Captain.

  Narina was astonished. The Baron had never once mentioned that his destination was Constantinople and not Alexanderburg.

  She could understand that he and his wife had only been asked to chaperone her on the voyage and yet it seemed so strange that he had not told her about his plans.

  Nor had he said amongst his other overwhelming compliments that he would miss her when she left them.

  She had in fact thought he would be living near the Palace and they would meet again after she had joined Louise.

  It was very obvious, however, that the Captain did not want to answer any more questions and Narina thought, although it might be her imagination, that he was rather embarrassed by her reaction.

  She knew that the Capital of Alexanderburg was on the coast and the Palace was just outside the City. Louise had mentioned in one of her letters that it was high up on a hill.

  Puzzled, she told herself that at least the journey was over.

  Yet it seemed, as every minute passed by, more and more extraordinary that she was not allowed to go ashore.

  Finally the sun disappeared below the horizon and darkness fell quickly.

  Her luggage was packed and had been taken up on deck, but still they waited and waited.

  Eventually when the stars were coming out one by one and the moon was climbing up the sky, she saw a boat.

  It was quite a large one with a hood over the stern and it was coming towards them.

  It was then that the Baron came on deck and stood beside her.

  “I shall miss you, my lovely English rose,” he murmured.

  “I thought you were coming to Alexanderburg too,” Narina quizzed him. “You did not tell me you were going to Constantinople.”

  “I just wish I could be with you and I will miss you more than I can possibly say,” the Baron responded. “But my duty calls and I have actually overstayed my leave by coming here with you.”

  “Then I must thank you very much for doing so.”

  “I must thank you too, Miss Kerwin, for making me feel young again and entranced as I have not been for many years by anything so exquisite and perfect as your lips.”

  Because he was speaking in French it seemed not so embarrassing as if he had been speaking in English.

  Narina looked away from him.

  “One day,” the Baron continued quietly, “you will be kissed as you ought to be kissed, and I am only envious of the man who will do it. I do wish, as I have wished ever since this voyage began, that I was thirty years younger.”

  “You have been very kind to me,” Narina managed to say, “and thank you for all you have done. I hope what you are going to do in Constantinople will be a success.”

  “It will be,” replied the Baron. “But tonight I shall think of you and dream that you are in my arms.”

  Before she could reply, the Captain was beside her.

  “The boat is ready for you, Miss Kenwin,” he said, “and I hope that you have enjoyed your voyage.”

  “More than I could say, Captain, and thank you for all your kindness. I will always remember how delightful this voyage has been.”

  She held out her hand to the Baron who kissed it and then she followed the Captain below to the gangway and into the small boat bobbing beside the Battleship.

  As the boat moved away she rose to her feet and waved briskly to the Baron, who was leaning over the rail on deck. She could just see his raised arm and then it was too dark to see any more.

  She sat down on the seat in the stern wondering, as she had wondered before, why she was being taken ashore in such a strange manner.

  What could possibly be waiting for her when she arrived in Alexanderburg?

  CHAPTER TWO

  When the boat came to a standstill, Narina realised that they were now against a quay and the sailors who had been rowing the boat shipped their oars.

  Next someone came out of the shadows to help her ashore.

  She wanted to ask who the man was and if he had come from the Palace.

  As he said nothing, she had a strange feeling that she too should be silent.

  No one else spoke and the man walked ahead and she followed him to the end of the quay.

  Then she saw what was obviously a Royal carriage waiting for her. It had the Royal Arms emblazoned on its side and was drawn by two horses.

  The door was open and, still without a word being spoken, she stepped into the carriage.

  As the carriage drove off, she thought the situation was turning stranger and stranger.

  In fact she was becoming rather apprehensive.

  It did not seem at all like Louise or the way she and her Papa would have behaved if someone was coming to stay with them.

  Now there were a number of dim streetlights and she noticed a few people walking about.

  She had read in her books that Balchik, the Capital of Alexanderburg, was a bustling and prosperous City, but it was impossible to see much through the glass windows.

  After driving for nearly twenty minutes she realised that the carriage was going uphill and then she remembered that the Palace overlooked the
City.

  On and on they drove until she saw that they were passing through an imposing gateway guarded by sentries who presented arms as she passed.

  Now she must be within the Palace grounds, but she could only see trees against the sky.

  When finally the Palace came into sight, it was quite impossible even in the moonlight to see it at all clearly.

  At last the carriage came to a standstill.

  Then, as the carriage door opened, she was aware that a tall grey-haired man was waiting to greet her.

  As she reached him, he held out his hand,

  “Welcome to Alexanderburg, Miss Kenwin, and I am very grateful to you for coming.”

  He spoke, she thought, in a low voice.

  Just as she was about to reply, he added,

  “Please follow me, and it is best if we say nothing until we reach Her Royal Highness.”

  Narina found this extraordinary and equally rather unnerving.

  She had not really expected Louise, now she was a Princess, to meet her on the doorstep and yet she knew it was something she would always have done instinctively.

  The grey-haired man who had welcomed her was now walking quickly along a narrow undecorated passage and up what appeared to be back staircase.

  As they reached the top, he opened a door and much to Narina’s relief she saw there were bright lights.

  Now she could see that she was in a very large and impressive corridor with gilt-framed pictures on the walls and some exquisite inlaid cabinets beneath them.

  For a moment she could only look around her and then she turned to the man who had led her up the stairs.

  He looked very distinguished.

  Almost as if she had asked the question, he said,

  “Allow me to introduce myself, Miss Kenwin, I am Count Franz Klaus, the Lord Chamberlain to His Royal Highness Prince Rudolf.”

  Narina, not knowing what she should say, smiled at him shyly.

  “I am very grateful indeed,” the Lord Chamberlain went on, “that you have come here so quickly. Now I will take you to see Her Royal Highness who is waiting for you impatiently.”

  This was just what Narina wanted to hear.

  She then followed him eagerly as he walked down the corridor and turned into another one, before stopping by some double doors.

  The Lord Chamberlain knocked on the doors three times and instantly they were opened from the inside and he walked in first with Narina following him.

  They were now walking swiftly down a brilliantly lit corridor that widened out until she could see the doors of several rooms opening out from it.

  The Lord Chamberlain went to the centre room and as he opened the door, Narina gave a cry.

  Standing just inside facing her was Louise.

  She held out her arms and Narina ran to her.

  “You have come. You have come!” called Louise. “Oh, Narina, I knew you would not fail me.”

  “It is wonderful to see you,” enthused Narina, “and, of course, I came at once when you asked me to.”

  “I knew you would and I am very very grateful.”

  She kissed Narina and then looked back at the Lord Chamberlain who was watching them.

  “There were no difficulties?” she asked him.

  He shook his head.

  “Everything went according to your plan, ma’am, and I am quite certain that no one except ourselves, and of course, the coachman who I can trust, are aware that Miss Kenwin is now in the Palace.”

  Narina looked from one to the other in surprise.

  “Why all this secrecy?” she asked nervously.

  “I will tell you all about it,” replied Louise.

  “Then I will now leave you,” murmured the Lord Chamberlain as he walked towards the door and only as he reached it, did he turn back to ask,

  “Is there anything more you require, ma’am?”

  Louise smiled at him.

  “I am very sorry, I had quite forgotten. Narina, are you hungry or thirsty?” she enquired.

  “I would love a glass of lemonade, but I had something to eat before I left the Battleship.”

  “There is lemonade waiting in my sitting room, so goodnight, Lord Chamberlain, and thank you again for all your help.”

  The Lord Chamberlain bowed respectfully and left the room.

  Louise then drew Narina into her sitting room.

  It was a most attractive room and just as lovely as Narina had expected it would be. There were flowers everywhere and she thought that it was exactly the right background for Louise.

  Louise fetched a glass of lemonade for her from the drinks table and then sat down on the sofa saying,

  “I can see, dear Narina, that you are surprised and naturally curious to learn what is going on here.”

  “Yes, indeed, I am! Why was I only allowed to come ashore in the dark and why such secrecy in bringing me here?”

  Louise gave a little laugh.

  “It does sound rather strange, but I have asked you here because you are the only person in the world who can help me in our present predicament.”

  “You know that I am only too willing to help you, Louise, but you must tell me what I have to do and why.”

  “That is just what I would expect you would say, Narina, and you must know that I would do anything to help you too. If you only knew how much I have missed you and how I long to share my troubles and difficulties with you.”

  Narina’s eyes opened wider as she enquired,

  “It’s not your husband, Prince Rudolf?”

  “No, not the way you think of it. But in a way he is the reason why I need you so desperately.”

  Narina made herself more comfortable on the sofa.

  “Tell me all about it from the beginning. It’s all too enigmatic so far for me to have the slightest idea what is going on.”

  “That is not surprising!”

  Then Louise looked across the room as if to see that the door was firmly closed and almost instinctively Narina looked over her shoulder.

  Then Louise began in a low voice,

  “The situation here is extremely difficult, because we are being watched by the Russians night and day.”

  Narina drew in her breath.

  She understood only too well, because she had so often discussed it with her Papa, how badly the Russians were behaving in the Balkans.

  She was only too well aware that Queen Victoria had sent for Louise to marry a Balkan Prince and save his country from the Russian menace.

  Now Narina asked Louise quickly,

  “What are they doing? How can they harm Prince Rudolf now you are his wife?”

  “That is the whole point, Narina, you know I have told you frequently in my letters how happy I am and what a wonderful husband Rudolf is to me.”

  “I have prayed that you would be happy, Louise.”

  “And I have prayed too when I came here. Rudolf fell in love with me and I with him the moment we met.”

  “Then what is wrong?” Narina demanded again.

  “It is quite simple. We have been married for over two years and have not produced an heir to the throne.”

  Narina stared at her.

  “But surely it is only a question of time – ”

  “That is what we thought at first, then we consulted one of our own doctors, who assured us there was nothing wrong with me, but that my husband needs a very small operation.”

  Narina was listening wide-eyed.

  “Do you think that if he has it, you will – ”

  “ – have children without any difficulty? Yes.” Louise finished.

  “Then, of course, he must have it,” Narina cried.

  “That is exactly what we are going to do, but it is absolutely essential the Russians do not know about it.”

  “But why, Louise?”

  “They have been closely watching Alexanderburg, hoping that our marriage would not last, in which case they would have every chance of taking over the country.”
/>   Feeling that Narina still did not understand, she added,

  “It is very easy out here for someone like Rudolf to have a fatal accident and with no son to succeed him, the Russians would make an excuse to enter our territory, claiming that they came in to maintain order.”

  “Oh, now I am beginning to understand, Louise, so you desperately need a son.”

  “At least a dozen of them to be really safe. But as you know that is something I long for. We always used to say how much we hoped to have large families so that they could never be lonely, as we were, being only children.”

  “Yes, of course,” Narina agreed, “and that is what I was praying you would have.”

  “And that is what I was hoping too, but I can only do it with your help, Narina – ”

  Narina looked perplexed.

  She could not see where she came in.

  “What Rudolf and I are going to do, now you have arrived,” Louise went on, “is to leave immediately while it is still dark for Constantinople.”

  Narina gave a cry of astonishment, but she did not interrupt and Louise continued,

  “It would be a great mistake to have the operation here, where the Russians might bribe the doctor or dispose of Rudolf when he was too weak to resist them.”

  “I cannot believe, Louise, that you have to live with anything so terrifying.”

  “Oh, we are used to it by now, but I am longing to have children and the operation, we are assured, is quite a minor one, but so essential if Alexanderburg is to survive.”

  “Then what do you want me to do?” asked Narina.

  Louise smiled.

  “I thought you would have guessed by now. We have always looked very much alike and, if you remember, we were usually called ‘twins’ when we were at school.”

  “You mean that I should to pretend to be you?”

  “We shall not be away for more than two weeks at the most, but the greatest difficulty has been to think how we could travel to Constantinople without anyone knowing that Rudolf and I had left the Palace.”

  “And how are you going to do it?”

  “The Lord Chamberlain is to announce tomorrow that Rudolf has had an accident out riding. As this has hurt his eyes, he now needs to stay in a dark room and rest.”