The King Without a Heart Read online

  I expect I’ll be all right, but I am really too old to start a new life all over again.

  I’ll write to you again in two days time as I promised, and I’m sure Mercury will be better by then.

  Take care of your precious self and God be with you.

  Your loving, Nanny.”

  Titania had heard the rustle of the paper as Darius turned the letter over.

  Then a strange voice said,

  “Stop crying and let us discuss what we can do about this problem.”

  Titania was astounded that it was not Darius beside her and she took her hands away from her eyes and turned her head round.

  To her amazement she was looking at the King!

  He was gazing at her and she had no idea how pitiable yet at the same time how lovely she looked. There were tears in her large grey eyes running down the soft white skin of her cheeks.

  “I – thought – you were – Darius, Your – M-Majesty,” she managed to stammer.

  As she spoke she began to rise and curtsy.

  The King put out his hand and laid it on her arm.

  “Do not move,” he said. “I have read this letter from your Nanny and of course it is something you cannot allow to happen.”

  “What – can I – do?” asked Titania in a broken voice. “My uncle said I would – only be – here for six months and I had – no idea he would – send Nanny away. She is getting on for sixty and it is – cruel and wicked of him to make her – try to find somewhere – else to work.”

  “I agree with you,” said the King. “That is why I will suggest a solution which I am sure you will agree with.”

  “I thought,” murmured Titania tentatively, “that perhaps – you would – send me home. If I was back in England – Uncle Edward would have to let – Nanny stay with me, and if he grudges her money – I have some of my own, but he has – control of it.”

  “I have a much better idea than that.”

  “What – is it – Sire?”

  As she spoke she realised she had not yet addressed him correctly, so she added quickly,

  “I am sorry I am not – being very polite, but it is difficult to think of – anything but the two people in the world I have, who – love me as I – love them.”

  “Why are there so few?”

  “It is a long story which I am sure would bore Your Majesty,” she answered.

  “I want to know,” insisted the King. “Darius told me that you are at the beck and call of your cousin and your aunt.”

  “They are ashamed of me and to punish me for what my father did, Uncle Edward is sending Nanny away – and I am terrified that he may now sell my Mercury.”

  “I am sure no one could be so cruel as to do that,” the King told her firmly. “But what I am going to suggest will prevent him doing anything so wrong and from sending your Nanny away.”

  Titania tried to wipe away her tears.

  She did not have a handkerchief and so the King drew a white linen one from his pocket and handed it to her.

  She rubbed her eyes and looked at him pleadingly, wondering what he could possibly suggest, feeling there was nothing that would prevent the Duke from doing what he wished to do.

  “You were telling me why you are treated so badly by your relations?”

  “Because Papa, when he was a young man, fell very much in love with my mother. She was very beautiful, but her father was only the Chieftain of a Scottish Clan. My grandfather believed that all his family must marry into families who were as important and blue-blooded as his own.”

  The King smiled.

  “I have heard there are English aristocrats who feel that way, but I thought it was just a fairy story.”

  “No, Sire, it is not and Uncle Edward is just like his father. Nothing to him is more important than one’s ancestry and that is why they do not consider me as anything but a blot on the family tree.”

  The King smiled again.

  “I am sure no one could think of you as a blot on anything. You are very beautiful, as you must be aware, and I do not like to see anyone in my household in tears, especially someone who looks as if she might just be a Goddess from Mount Olympus.”

  Titania could not help giving a little laugh.

  “Like your Majesty’s mother!” she exclaimed. “I have been told how very beautiful she was and that she was Greek.”

  “I can only just remember her because I was only three when she died. But I know exactly what you are feeling, because my stepmother never liked me. She was angry that I should be more important to the country than her son.”

  “Was she unkind to you?” asked Titania, remembering that the Queen in question had been German.

  There was a little pause before the King said,

  “I understand from this letter that you love your horse Mercury and he loves you. I once owned a dog that I adored. In fact after my mother died he was the one thing I had to love and who loved me.”

  Titania drew in her breath. There was a note of pain in the King’s voice, which she understood only too well.

  “What happened?” she enquired almost in a whisper.

  “When I was sent to boarding school, I could not take my dog with me. But I asked all the servants to look after him and they promised me they would do so.”

  “So what happened?” asked Titania again.

  “As he whined and barked continually because he missed me, my stepmother had him destroyed.”

  Now his voice was hard, but Titania could see the pain in his eyes.

  “I am so sorry. I know how much it – must have hurt you. I now am frightened that my Uncle Edward, because he dislikes me, may dispose of Mercury. I think I would rather he died than he was sold to someone who – might ill-treat him.”

  “I agree with you there and it is something we must definitely prevent.”

  “How can we do so, when I am here and Mercury is – in England?”

  The King chuckled.

  “I am going to send a cable now to my Ambassador in London instructing him that I personally wish a horse called Mercury and –“

  He paused.

  “What is your Nanny’s name?”

  Because she was listening to him so intently, Titania found it hard to answer for a moment.

  Then she said,

  “Tucket – Miss Tucket.”

  The King continued,

  “ – that he and Miss Tucket be sent immediately to His Majesty in Velidos.”

  Titania clasped her fingers together.

  “I do not believe it,” she sighed. “I must be dreaming.”

  “What I have said is the truth and I will also send a cable to your uncle, making it very clear it is a Royal Command that your horse and your Nanny should join you immediately.”

  For a moment Titania could not speak and then as the tears came back into her eyes she said,

  “How is it possible that – you could be – so kind?”

  “You can thank me when they arrive in Velidos, and as that will take a little time, I suggest you try out my horses and see how they compare with yours.”

  “Do you mean I can – ride with – Your Majesty?”

  The King pulled his watch from his waistcoat pocket.

  “It is now ten to seven,” he said. “I will give you exactly ten minutes to meet me in the stables. Darius will wait for you in the hall to show you the way.”

  Titania jumped to her feet.

  “You are the most – wonderful King that ever existed,” she enthused. “But I do not believe – you are real.”

  She did not wait for the King to answer, but she heard him laugh as she ran across the garden and back towards the Palace.

  It was fortunate that Titania was used to dressing and undressing quickly.

  She rushed into her bedroom and to her relief she found that the maid who was looking after her had hung up her riding habit in the wardrobe.

  It only took her a minute or so to put it on and then snatching up her hat with
its gauze veil she left the room and ran down the stairs.

  Darius was waiting where she expected to find him in the hall.

  He smiled at her and said,

  “I thought you would break the record and if we run, the King will be surprised how quick you have been.”

  Even as he spoke they started to run down the long empty corridors and left the Palace by a side door that led directly to the stables.

  When Titania arrived at the stables she saw the King inspecting a horse equipped with a side saddle and knew it was for her. As she reached the King he looked round in surprise.

  “You are certainly much quicker than I had reckoned! An example to every other woman I have ever met!”

  Titania smiled at him.

  “I hope, Sire, you have chosen a spirited horse for me.”

  “I would not insult you with anything that was not as fast as mine,” the King answered.

  Titania thought she would have to mount from the mounting-block, but to her surprise the King put his hands on her waist and lifted her onto the saddle.

  As she picked up the reins she reflected that this was something she could never have expected.

  Yet it was one of the most exciting adventures that could have happened to her.

  The King mounted quickly. As they rode side by side to the end of the stables, he told Titania,

  “The horse you are riding came from Hungary. And, as I am sure you know, Hungarian horses are internationally famous.”

  “I have seen them and ridden them.”

  The King looked surprised.

  “You have been to Hungary?”

  “I travelled to Hungary with my father about six years ago and I realised then what I had heard about the horses had not been exaggerated. It was fascinating to ride over the Steppes.”

  “I had not expected you to be a traveller, Miss Brooke.”

  “And I had no idea, Sire, that you are a magician and could sweep away my unhappiness with just a touch of your magic wand!”

  The King laughed.

  “I have been called many things, but never a magician!”

  “I can think of a lot of other names for you, but I know this must be a dream and I shall wake up crying, as I was when Your Majesty found me.”

  “It is something you will never do again,” he asserted. “I like you when you are smiling and pretty. Women should never cry.”

  “Nanny said that it made me look ugly, so I will definitely try not to do so.”

  “I doubt if anything could make you look ugly. In fact you make the world lovelier just because you are in it.”

  He paid his compliments in a sort of dry unemotional voice, which did not make Titania feel at all embarrassed, but she did wonder if he was really laughing at her for making such a fuss.

  Then as they moved swiftly over the low ground she looked back to see that they were followed by two horsemen. She could not see them very clearly, but she was sure that one of them was Darius and guessed the other would be Kastri.

  As if she had asked him a question the King informed her,

  “I am not allowed to ride without an escort, but I tell them to keep as far away as possible because I like to feel free and unencumbered.”

  “Am I not preventing you, Sire, from feeling so this morning?”

  “It’s a new experience. You may think it strange, but this is actually the first time I have asked a woman to come riding with me.”

  “Then I am most flattered, Sire, but I think my Nanny would say it is very bad for you not to be more sociable.”

  She thought as she spoke that she had been too daring and the King might take offence.

  Instead of which he said,

  “I expect your Nanny is right, but at the same time I like doing things the way I want to do them.”

  “Like writing a book?”

  “So you have heard about that?” exclaimed the King. “Darius told me that is what Your Majesty is doing.”

  “And I suppose, like most people, you think that it is a terrible waste of time.”

  “No of course not!” cried Titania. “You are setting down the history of your country and it is something that should have been done years ago. But equally there are other matters which should also interest you, Sire, because they need your brains and, as I have found, your very kind heart.”

  The King looked at her in surprise.

  Then as if he did not want to answer her, he suggested they raced each other for the next half mile.

  The ground they were riding over was flat and there was a river running down one side. Just ahead the mountains rose up high above them.

  As Titania rode towards them she could see how stunning they were, but for the moment she needed to concentrate on racing the King.

  Her horse, which was almost as fine as Mercury, was only too willing to compete and it was the horses that set the pace as they strove to outride each other.

  Only when they drew them both in did Titania say,

  “I think, Sire, you won, but only by a head.”

  “You ride better than any woman I have ever seen and that is more than a compliment, it is the truth.”

  “Thank you, Sire, and actually I was thinking the same about Your Majesty, but was too shy to say it aloud.”

  “I think,” suggested the King, “if we are going to ride like this every morning until your horse arrives, we should be frank with each other and forget the protocol.”

  “Did you really say that I could – ride with you every morning?” asked Titania breathlessly.

  “I will see that you have a horse that is worthy of you and I cannot believe that it will interfere with any of our other duties if we leave at such an early hour.”

  It was then that Titania came back to reality as she had forgotten everything in the excitement of riding with the King and being mounted on one of the most spirited and swift horses she had ever experienced. She looked at the King and whispered,

  “I am – frightened.”

  “What of?”

  “If my cousin learns that I am riding with you, she will – forbid me to do so. I am sure that – my aunt will not – allow it.”

  “I think if we are clever,” the King told her, “there will be no reason for anyone except Darius and Kastri to know that you accompany me on my morning ride. They can deal with the other servants effectively and you can be back and ready when Princess Sophie requires you.”

  “That is clever, so very clever of you!” exclaimed Titania.

  “And now that I have had this wonderful ride with Your Majesty, I would miss it madly if it has to stop!”

  “Then that is certainly something we must prevent.”

  The King drew his watch from his pocket. “Now we must turn back and ride home.”

  Titania took a last look round as she rode beside the King. She thought it was all too marvellous to be true and she was riding a horse that was almost as good as Mercury.

  Yet because the King was so kind, Mercury would be with her in a short time as well as Nanny.

  ‘I am happy, I am so happy,’ she said to herself, ‘I want to kiss the whole world!’

  CHAPTER FIVE

  The King and Titania reached the entrance to the Palace grounds a little in advance of the two aides-de-camp, who had kept well behind as they were told to do.

  As they drew in their horses the King said to Titania,

  “I am sure you will be in plenty of time, but why do you have to be with your cousin so early in the morning?”

  “Because,” replied Titania, “she has a lady’s maid who does not speak English, so I have to translate everything she requires.”

  The King put his hand up to his forehead.

  “I never thought of that! But it is something that can easily be remedied.”

  Titania looked at him questioningly.

  Then she said to the King,

  “It seems wrong for me to ask you for anything when you have been so wonderful – but there
is something I do want very badly.”

  “What is it?” the King asked.

  “Some books to read.”

  The King looked surprised and Titania explained,

  “There does not seem to be a book in the whole Palace except in the library and you know, Sire, that is forbidden ground!”

  The King laughed a little ruefully.

  “That is something else I never thought of, but, of course, you shall have some books. What do you want – novels?”

  “I can think of far more interesting books I want to read, especially about your wonderful country.”

  She thought that she caught a slightly cynical twist to the King’s lips and added quickly,

  “My father always took immense trouble to learn about a country before he visited it and then he did as much research as he could when he was there, besides of course meeting as many of the people as possible.”

  “You shall have exactly what you want,” the King promised her. As the two aides-de-camp joined them, he said to Kastri,

  “You are to immediately find a lady’s maid for Princess Sophie who speaks English, as I understand that the one who has been provided speaks only our language and that is not, I consider, very hospitable.”

  Kastri looked as if he thought the King considered that it was all his fault, but His Majesty had already turned his head towards Darius.

  “When Miss Brooke is free of her duties,” he ordered, “take her into the library so that she can choose whichever books she requires. I understand there are none in her sitting room or anywhere else in the Palace.”

  “I think, Sire,” replied Darius, “they were put away with the ornaments and all the other superfluous objets d’art when Your Majesty’s stepmother became Queen.”

  “Do you mean they are all preserved in some part of the Palace?”

  “Yes indeed, Sire, there is quite an Aladdin’s cave in some of the rooms that are never used.”

  “I think one day soon I shall have to explore them,” the King reflected.

  He then rode on with Titania beside him until they reached the stables.

  As she knew it must be approaching nine o’clock, she slipped from the saddle down to the ground and said to the King who had also dismounted,

  “Thank you again, Sire, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart! I have no other words to express what I feel.”