Love Rules

CHAPTER ONE ~ 1845-2

Paulina stared at her in astonishment.

“To Russia?” she echoed. “But why – and what has – happened? Can you be going to – marry a Russian?”

The Princess nodded her head.

“Papa told me last night,” she said. “Oh, Paulina, it is thrilling in some ways, but at the same time I am frightened. Frightened of going so far away from Papa and of being alone in a strange country.”

Paulina covered her hand with hers.

“Start from the beginning,” she begged. “I cannot understand at all what has happened.”

“You cannot be more bewildered than I am.”

The Princess paused and drew in a long breath before she began,

“Last night after you left, Papa sent for me. I could see from the moment I entered the room that he was very delighted about something, but I never suspected – I never had the – slightest idea of what it – might be.”

Paulina said nothing. She was merely thinking how pretty Margarita looked, even though her lovely eyes were dark with apprehension and there was no smile on her full lips.

“It was then,” she went on, “that Papa told me what had happened.”

“And what was that?”

“You will remember I told you that my brother, Maximus, has been in Russia for some years?”

“Yes, you told me,” Paulina replied, “and that the Grand Duke had received an invitation from the Czar for him to live at the Court and serve in the Russian Imperial Army.”

Although Paulina had heard the story many times, she had never met Prince Maximus so she had not been particularly interested.

“The Czar is very pleased with Maximus,” Princess Margarita went on in a low voice, “so pleased that he has promoted him to the rank of Major-General, because he has won great glory in the War in the Caucasus.”

“Your father must be delighted,” Paulina exclaimed.

She knew how proud the Grand Duke was of his only son and that he had distinguished himself in battle would delight the whole of the Duchy.

“Yes, Papa is very excited,” the Princess agreed, “but in the same letter Maximus wrote that he had won the Order of St. George in battle and he said that the Czar had agreed that I should marry his cousin, the Grand Duke Vladirvitch.”

Paulina’s eyes widened.

She was a little vague about the hierarchy in the Russian Court, but her upbringing in the Diplomatic Service had taught her that the position of Grand Duke was a very important one and to be a cousin of the Czar carried in itself enormous prestige.

Even so, Paulina felt that happiness in marriage was far more important than any title, however grand and powerful it may be.

“Have you met the Grand Duke?” she asked.

“Just once,” Princess Margarita replied, “but the trouble is, Paulina, I cannot remember what he was like. He came here for a short visit and The Palace was filled with relations from all over Europe to celebrate Mama and Papa’s twenty-fifth Wedding Anniversary.”

For the first time she smiled as she went on,

“The Emperor of Austria had a very attractive aide-de-camp and, as I was talking to him and dancing as many times with him as I dared, I did not notice the other guests.”

“The Grand Duke certainly must have remembered you!”

“That is what Maximus says and, not only does he want to marry me but the Czar has given his permission.”

“Oh, dearest, I can only hope that you will be very very happy!” Paulina cried.

“But Russia is so far away,” the Princess complained, “and I will only contemplate going there if you will come with me.”

“But how can I? Will they not think it strange – ?” Paulina began.

“You will come as my Lady-in-Waiting,” the Princess interposed. “I am certainly not going to take that boring old Baroness Schwaez with me and I just doubt if she would come anyway. She has a large family and is always moaning of how unhappy she is to be away from them.”

“I don’t – think Papa will – let me go,” Paulina said hesitatingly.

“If I explain to Sir Christopher just how much I need you and that I promise not to keep you for a very long time, I am sure he will understand,” the Princess said. “Oh, please, please, Paulina, you cannot desert me – not when I need you so terribly.”

Paulina was touched by the appeal in her voice.

No one knew better than she did how sensitive Princess Margarita was about many things and that it would be a great strain on her to have to live away from her own country and in Russia of all places.

The stories about Russia, while very intriguing, were also rather frightening and the tales about the Czar Nicholas had lost nothing in the telling.

Paulina thought that she could think of nothing more terrifying than to be married to a Russian and live under the edict of a Ruler whom even the most Diplomatic of Diplomats described amongst themselves as both ‘eccentric and tyrannical’.

However, because she loved Margarita and wanted her to be happy, Paulina knew that in no circumstances would she ever repeat such opinions to her.

She was wise enough to understand that the Princess was being offered a position that from a worldly point of view exceeded anything that the Grand Duke Louis could have hoped for or desired for his daughter.

Whatever the Princess might feel, she would be married to the Grand Duke and therefore she must accept the situation whether or not it fulfilled her dreams.

Because she knew that it was the right thing to do, Paulina said,

“I think you are very very lucky and I am sure that you will be extremely happy with the Grand Duke.”

“In Russia?” the Princess queried.

“Why not?” Paulina asked. “And, as it is now so much easier and quicker to travel by train, I expect your husband will take you to Paris, London and undoubtedly the South of France.”

“Papa was saying the other day that the Russian aristocrats enjoy France because it is so gay,” the Princess remarked, “but he never mentioned that their wives went with them.”

This was a problem that Paulina had no answer for and she said quickly,

“The Czar and his family are enormously wealthy so you will live in great grandeur.”

“I shall be very important at Court,” the Princess said, as if she spoke to herself.

“Of course you will,” Paulina agreed, “and Papa says Russian aristocrats have the most fabulous jewels in the whole world, so you will look very beautiful at the balls that are given at The Winter Palace.”

Some of the anxiety seemed to fade from the Princess’s face.

Then she said swiftly,

“I refuse to go unless you say you will come with me.”

“I shall have to talk to Papa before I can promise you that,” Paulina replied.

“I will ask my father to speak to him too,” the Princess said. “You never know, if the Czar takes a fancy to you he might easily insist that Sir Christopher be appointed as British Ambassador to St. Petersburg!”

Paulina laughed.

“I can see that before you are finished all your friends will somehow find their way to the Imperial Court.”

“Why not?” Princess Margarita asked. “If I am going to be so grand, I might as well have what I want and I want you, dearest Paulina, far more than I want diamonds and emeralds.”

Paulina realised as the Princess was speaking that she was gradually becoming used to the idea of leaving her home and living in Russia and they talked of what it would be like, exchanging their limited knowledge of a country that neither of them had ever seen.

When it was time for Paulina to leave and drive back to her father, the Princess pleaded with her,

“Promise, promise that you will not fail me,” she begged, “for even though Maximus will be in St. Petersburg it will not be the same as having you there. No man could ever understand how frightened I feel of marrying someone I cannot even remember.”

Paulina thought that she too would be very frightened in the same position.

But she knew that Royal marriages were always arranged and there was no question that, if it was something that the Czar had decreed, Princess Margarita would be unable to refuse.

At the same time, as she drove back in the carriage, she thought how lucky she was to be a commoner.

Her father and mother were married because they loved each other and that was why they were so happy.

‘When I marry somebody it will be because I love him and it will not matter whether we live in a Palace or a cottage as long as we are together,’ she told herself.

Paulina had lived for too long in Diplomatic circles not to realise that such a freedom of choice was only for those of no social consequence and certainly not for anybody who had Royal blood.

It was true that the Grand Duke Vladirvitch was thirty-five and Margarita only eighteen, but she knew that the Princess might easily have been chosen as the bride of a man who was very much older and perhaps desperate for an heir before he died.

‘Arranged marriages are a hideous idea,’ she told herself firmly.

She knew that very few people would agree, but to her it seemed criminal that regardless of any human feelings Royal blood must be espoused to Royal blood and a Nobleman must marry a woman of noble birth.

“Perhaps in complete contrast I shall fall in love with a crossing-sweeper,” Paulina said with a little smile, “or perhaps an ordinary soldier with nothing to recommend him except his smart uniform.”

This thought came to her as she could see the sentries outside the British Ministry, who presented arms as her carriage then drew up outside the front door which was surmounted by a Union Jack.

Paulina jumped out and ran into the house.

“Where is His Excellency?” she asked of the servants in the hall.

“In the study, miss.”

Paulina ran down the passage and burst into the study, hoping that her father would be alone.

She was fortunate.

Sir Christopher was sitting comfortably in a deep leather armchair with a newspaper on his knees, although his head was laid back against a cushion and his eyes were closed.

“Papa, wake up, Papa!” Paulina cried as she ran towards him.

“Hello, my dear,” Sir Christopher replied in a drowsy voice. “I must have dropped off.”

Paulina, taking off her bonnet, flung it down in a chair and knelt down beside her father, her full skirts billowing around her.

“Listen, Papa, listen!”

Sir Christopher’s eyes were on her face as she spoke and he thought with a pang in his heart that his daughter was very like her mother.

Only to think of his wife whom he had loved so deeply was to bring back the agony of losing her and he put out his hand to Paulina as if he would hold her close and never let her go.

“I have just been over to The Palace, Papa,” Paulina said, “and what do you think has happened?”

Sir Christopher smiled.

“The Grand Duke Vladirvitch has proposed marriage.”

“Oh, you knew,” Paulina exclaimed.

“The Prime Minister told me as I was leaving after a conference we had this afternoon. It is a great honour, not only for the Grand Duke but for the Duchy.”

“And you think Margarita will be happy?” Paulina asked.

Her father shrugged his shoulders.

“We can only hope so, for there is no reason to believe that Vladirvitch resembles his cousin, the Czar, at least we hope not for your friend’s sake.”

Paulina drew in her breath.

“The Princess says that she will not go to Russia unless I can go with her.”