Of course when I reached the safety of my room, I discovered that there were towels on the top shelf of the wardrobe. I dried off still feeling utterly stupid and embarra.s.sed. Of all doors, I had to knock on Siegfried's. All in all it had been a long and trying day.

It was lucky that I had had oodles of practice in dressing myself, as Queenie was more hindrance than help. She got my dress stuck trying to put my head through one of the armholes. Then her idea of doing my hair made me look like I was housing a bird's nest. But eventually I looked presentable, wearing burgundy velvet and the family rubies, and I was ready by the time the first gong sounded.

"I'm going down to dinner now, Queenie," I said. "I'm not sure where you go for your supper, but one of the servants will show you."

Her eyes darted nervously and I felt sorry for her. "I can't be late on the first evening here," I said. "Honestly you'll be all right. Just go down to the kitchen."

I left her looking as if she wanted to follow me and made my own way, with some difficulty, to the predinner gathering in the long gallery. The gallery was hung with more banners, and adorned with the heads of various animals, ranging from wild boar to bears, but it looked bright and festive with hundreds of candles sparkling on crystal chandeliers. The a.s.sembled company was dripping with braid, medals and diamonds, reminding me of one of the more extravagant Viennese operettas. I felt the wave of nervousness that always comes over me on such occasions, tinged with the worry that I'll do something clumsy like trip over the carpet, knock over a statue or spill my drink. I am inclined to be clumsy when I'm nervous. I was wondering if I could join the company without being noticed, but at that moment I was announced and heads turned to appraise me. A young man detached himself from a group and came to greet me, his hand outstretched.

"Georgiana. How good of you to come. I don't know if you remember me but we met once when we were children. I am Nicholas, the bridegroom, and I believe we are second cousins or something like that."

His English was flawless, with a typical public school accent, and he was tall and good-looking, with the dark blond hair and blue eyes of many of the Saxe-Coburg clan. I felt an instant stab of sympathy that he was being landed with Moony Matty. He was actually a prince I wouldn't mind marrying myself-if one were absolutely forced into marrying a prince.

"How do you do, Your Highness," I said, bobbing a curtsy as we shook hands. "I'm afraid I don't remember meeting you."

"At a celebration for the end of the Great War. We spent it in England, you know. You were a skinny little thing at the time and we made short work of a box of Turkish delight under a table, if I remember correctly."

I laughed. "And felt horribly sick afterward. Oh, I do remember now. You were about to go off to school. I was envious because I was stuck at home with a governess." Then I remembered something else. "You were at school with Darcy O'Mara, weren't you? He mentioned that you were a good rugby player."

"So you know Darcy, do you? d.a.m.ned good fullback himself. Plenty of speed. So how do you like the castle?" He grinned impishly. "Delightfully gothic, wouldn't you say? Maria insisted on having the wedding here."

"It's a family tradition, I suppose."

"Maybe for the original family-Vlad the Impaler, reputed to be Dracula, was one of them, I believe. But Maria's family hasn't been on the throne for that long. No, I think it has more to do with Maria's fond memories of summer holidays spent here as a child, and her romantic nature-wanting to be married in a fairy-tale castle." He leaned closer to me. "Frankly I would have preferred somewhere more comfortable and accessible."

"It does seem rather-gothic, as you say," I agreed.

We broke off as a large man barged up to us. "And who is this delightful creature? Introduce me please, Nicholas." He spoke with a heavy accent.

He was pale and light haired with the flat features of the Slav and his uniform was so covered in medals, sashes, orders and braid that he appeared almost a caricature of a general from Gilbert and Sullivan. And I noticed that he had called the prince Nicholas.

A slight spasm of annoyance crossed Nicholas's face. "Oh, Pirin. Of course; this is my dear relative from England. Lady Georgiana, may I present Field Marshal Pirin, head of the Bulgarian armed forces and personal adviser to my father, the king."

"Field Marshal. I'm pleased to meet you." I inclined my head graciously as we shook hands. His hand was meaty and sweaty and it held mine a little too long.

"So from England you come, Lady Georgiana. How is the dear old King George? Splendid old chap, isn't he, but rather boring. Hardly drinks at all."

"He was well when I last saw him, thank you," I said frostily, as I didn't like this supposed familiarity with the king, "although as you have probably heard, the king's health has not been the best recently."

"Yes, I hear this. And the Prince of Wales-is he ready to step into his father's shoes, do you think? Will he do a good job when the old man kicks the bucket, as you say in England, or will he still be the playboy?"

I really didn't want to discuss my family with a complete stranger and one not even royal. "I'm sure he'll be absolutely splendid when the time comes," I said.

The field marshal put a meaty hand on my bare arm and gave it a squeeze. "I like this girl. She has fire," he said to Nicholas. "She shall sit beside me at dinner tonight and I will get to know her better." And he gave me what could only be described as a leer.

"I'm afraid that my bride has insisted that Georgiana sit close to her at dinner. They are dear friends, you know, and they will want time to chat. Have you met Maria Theresa yet, Georgiana? I know she is dying to see you again. Let us go and seek her out."

He took my arm and led me away. "Odious fellow," he whispered when we were out of earshot. "But we have to tread carefully in Bulgaria at the moment. He is from our southwestern province of Macedonia, and there is a strong separatist movement in that area, wanting to break away from us-and Yugoslavia would like to annex our part of Macedonia to its own. So you see, it's delicate. As long as Pirin holds power, he can keep them loyal. If he goes, they will try to break away. There will be civil war. Yugoslavia will undoubtedly take the side of the break-away province and before you know it another regional, if not world, war will be on our doorsteps. So we flatter and humor him. But he's a peasant. And a dangerous one."

"I see."

"That is why this alliance with Romania is so important. We need them on our side if there is any kind of Balkan conflict. But no talk of gloomy things tonight. Tonight we feast and celebrate my wedding. Ah, there is my lovely bride now. Maria, Schatzlein Schatzlein, look who I have found."

I turned to see where he was looking but there was n.o.body I recognized. Only a slim and elegant creature, obviously dressed from Paris, her dark hair sleekly styled and an ebony cigarette holder in one hand, was moving gracefully through the crowd. When she spotted me, her face lit up. "Georgie. You made it. How wonderful. I am so glad to see you."

And she came toward me arms open.

She was about to embrace me when she stopped and laughed. "Your face, darling. I keep forgetting that people who haven't seen me in a while don't recognize me. It's Matty, your old friend Matty."

"I can't believe it," I said. "Matty, you look stunning."

"Yes, I do, don't I?" she said with satisfaction. "All those months in the Black Forest certainly paid off, didn't they?"

"The Black Forest?"

"They sent me for a cure at a spa, darling. Three months of utter torture, drinking carrot juice, cold baths, long runs through the forest at dawn and calisthenics for hours. But this is the result. Thirty kilos miraculously vanished. And then I was a year in Paris to pick up sophistication and voila. A new me."

I still couldn't stop staring.

"She looks utterly beautiful, doesn't she?" Nicholas said. "I can't believe my luck."

Nicholas put his arm around her and I thought I detected a brief second of hesitation before she looked up at him and gave him a smile.

"You make a very handsome couple," I said. "I congratulate you both."

"And we will have such fun trying on our dresses, won't we?" Matty went on. "I have shipped in a wonderful little woman from Paris, you know. I do love exquisite clothes. Nicky has promised we can live part of the year in Paris, which will make me very happy. But do you remember that awful uniform we had to wear in school? It will be just like old times together with my dear school friends again."

"You have more friends from Les Oiseaux attending?"

"I do. You will never guess. Our old friend Belinda Warburton-Stoke is here."

"Belinda? Here? You invited her to your wedding?"

I was really angry. She had seen me only a week ago and said nothing.

"Not exactly," she said. "The most amazing thing happened. She was touring in this region and her car broke down right outside the castle. She had no idea who lived here or that I was celebrating my wedding. Wasn't it an incredible coincidence?"

"Incredible," I agreed dryly. "So you invited her to stay for the wedding?"

"My dear, I could hardly turn her away, could I? Besides, I knew you'd be thrilled to have her here with us. Belinda was always such fun, wasn't she, and most of the people here are so horribly stodgy and correct. Ah, there she is, over in that corner."

I followed Matty's gaze to the darkest corner of the room. I could make out Belinda's back in the elegant peac.o.c.k blue and emerald green dress she had designed herself. She had her head on one side, listening earnestly to another handsome and blond young man. He was smiling down at her with the rapt attention on his face that most men adopted when anywhere near Belinda.

"Who is that with her?" I asked.

"That's Anton, Nicky's younger brother. I'm afraid it's no good her setting her cap at him. He will have to marry royalty and keep the family firm going, like the rest of us." And she gave a brittle laugh.

The dinner gong sounded.

"You are sitting by me tonight," Matty said. "I want to hear all about what you've been doing since I last saw you. But you need an escort in to dinner. Anton looks as if he's otherwise occupied, so it had better be my brother."

She pushed her way through the crowd, dragging me by one hand.

"Siegfried, you know Georgiana, don't you?"

I knew that Siegfried was of the royal house of Romania but I hadn't realized that he was Matty's brother. How could I have been so stupid?

Siegfried eyed me warily. "Ah, Lady Georgiana. I am relieved to see you are fully clothed again."

"What's this, Georgie?" Matty asked, grinning in a way that reminded me of times at school when she overheard something she wasn't supposed to.

"I omitted to take a towel to the bathroom and I'm afraid Prince Siegfried saw me clad in only a wet nightgown," I said.

"Lucky Siegfried. Let's hope it gave him ideas," Matty said wickedly. "We can't seem to make him show any interest in girls. Papa despairs of him."

"I have told Papa I shall do my duty and marry," Siegfried said. "In fact, I tried to make a suitable match earlier this year. Now please let us drop this subject."

"Stop being such a stuffy old bore, Siegfried, and learn to have fun. Here, take Georgie in to dinner."

She forced my arm through his just as Count Dragomir approached us.

"Dinner is served, Your Royal Highnesses," he said. "May I suggest that you take your places to process in to the banqueting hall, naturally with you at the head, Prince Nicholas, since our own monarch and your father are not present. And may I also suggest that Lady Georgiana be escorted by His Highness Prince Anton?"

"I think Prince Anton is already taken," I said.

Count Dragomir looked horrified. "But she is a commoner. That can't be allowed. Your Highnesses should intervene right now."

"Oh, don't be so stuffy, Dragomir," Matty said. "Honestly. This is an informal occasion. My parents are not present. So stop fussing."

"As you wish, Your Highness." Dragomir bowed low and departed muttering.

"Such a bore," Matty said, shaking her head. As we made our way through to the banqueting hall another couple tried to cut in front of us. It was Prince Anton, with Belinda on his arm.

"Now here's a pretty problem," Anton said, grinning at Siegfried. "Who takes precedence here? Two princes, each of them only the spare, not the heir, and each with a pretty girl on his arm."

"Then I think I win this time," Siegfried said, "because my pretty girl is of royal blood and yours is decidedly not. And what's more, this is my family seat. But good manners demand that you please go ahead of me anyway."

Belinda put on an acting performance to rival my mother. "Georgie, it's you. What a lovely surprise," she cooed. "So you got here safely. I'm so glad. I had a beastly experience. Have you heard about it? If I hadn't come upon this castle, I'd have been done for."

"Poor Belinda's car broke an axle and she had to walk for miles in the snow," Anton said, gazing down at her adoringly. "Wasn't it lucky that we were in residence? Most of the year the castle is unoccupied."

"Belinda tends to be lucky," I said. I still found it hard to forgive her trickery, although I had to admire her gall.

We entered the banqueting room. It was impressively long and high ceilinged with arches along both walls and above them high leaded-pane windows. A white-clothed table extended for its entire length, big enough to accommodate a hundred diners, and footmen in black and silver livery stood at attention behind the gilt chairs. It was all very grand. Siegfried led me to the head of the table and I was seated across from Matty.

"Are your parents not here?" I asked Siegfried, realizing that we were being given places of honor and there was apparently not a king or queen in sight.

"My parents and the parents of Nicholas are supposed to arrive tomorrow," he said. "As will all the other royal guests. We are the advance party, so to speak, and thus we are rather informal." He looked across the table in distaste as Field Marshal Pirin was pushing his way into a seat close to us.

Nicholas saw that Pirin was aiming for me and forestalled him. "I suggest that my G.o.dfather sit next to you tonight, Georgiana. I am afraid his English is not brilliant but he tells me that he knows you." He turned to summon somebody. I wondered how many more surprises there would be tonight. Then I saw that the G.o.dfather in question was none other than Max von Strohheim, my mother's latest conquest.

"Georgiana, you remember Herr Von Strohheim, don't you?" Nicholas said easily. "And are you acquainted with his charming companion?"

I looked across the table into my mother's startling violet eyes.

"Yes, we are acquainted," I said.

Chapter 13.

Later that night

It was not one of my favorite dinners. Max's English was severely limited. My mother was clearly miffed that I was there, a living proof to everyone that she was over thirty.

"You might have warned me that you were coming along for this beanfeast," she hissed at me.

"I didn't know until a week ago when the queen asked me to represent the family."

Those eyes that had wowed audiences on a thousand stages opened even wider. "Why on earth did the queen send you?"

"How about 'It's lovely to see you again, my darling?' " I said.

"Well, of course it is, although you really do need a good hairdresser. I must say I was stunned to find you were here. I would have thought the Princess Royal should have been part of the wedding party, and not you."

"The bride particularly requested me," I said. "We were school friends."

"Ah. Well at last something useful has come out of that school." She leaned across Max and lowered her voice. "You know, this might be a good opportunity for you. Lots of eligible princes and counts."

"Too many," I said, glancing at Siegfried, who was chatting away in German to Max.

"You have to do something with your life, darling. You desperately need a good wardrobe and the only way you're going to get it is to find yourself a rich man."

"Some mothers might actually pay for their daughter's clothes," I said dryly, "but failing that, I'd like to find a job. It's just that there don't seem to be any jobs going for someone like me."

"Girls of your station are not supposed to find jobs," she said with distaste, overlooking the first part of what I had just said.

"You had a job for years until you met Daddy," I reminded her.

"Ah, but I was an actress. I had talent. I see nothing wrong with making use of talents, if you had any."

I was glad when Matty demanded my attention and regaled those around us with tales of our school days, none of which were how I remembered them and all of which put Matty center stage in the escapades. But I smiled and nodded agreement, wishing that the dinner would hurry up and be over. Of course it went on for hours-course after course. The main dish was venison and I was given a leg shank, such a sweet delicate little thing that all I could think of was fawns leaping through the forest. It was cooked very rare and blood rushed onto my plate as I cut into it.