CHAPTER TWOHartley Castle had been in the possession of the Hartley family for six hundred years. Starting as mere Barons, they had risen to Viscounts and then to Earls.
During all that time they had increased their wealth due to their friendship with whichever Monarch happened to be on the throne.
The castle had been added to, made less draughty and more comfortable and luxurious. An apartment was always set aside for visiting Royalty, and only two years ago the Prince of Wales had honoured them with his presence.
Charles’s mother lived in an apartment in the east wing and his way to it took him along the great picture gallery, where hung pictures of almost all the family, going back for twelve generations.
Here he paused for a moment to regard some of the portraits, for his cousin’s
