But he was obviously feeling pleased with himself.
Aletha thought that it would be impossible for any woman not to find him attractive.
Later in the day the Duke told Aletha what instructions he had given to Mr. Heywood.
As he did so, she was regretting even more that her father could not go to Hungary and take her there with him.
She had read about the beauty of Budapest and the wonders of the Steppes where the horses galloped freely.
She had also heard of magnificent Palaces built by the Hungarian aristocrats.
And they, she had been told, were the most handsome and attractive men in all Europe.
If this was true, she could understand why the Empress preferred the Hungarians to the rather prosaic and stolid Austrians.
In fact everyone knew that she was most unhappy in Austria and s
