A Dangerous Disguise Read Free Page B

eyebrows.
    "But why not?"
    "Because if they find out," she explained, "They will insist on my undertaking a lot of duties, meeting people I don't want to meet, most of them from the Balkans. In which case I might as well have stayed where I was. I've come to see London, and while I'm here I want to meet only Londoners."
    He laughed. He had an engaging twinkle in his eyes.
    "I can see your point," he said. "Very well, I'll show you what I can of the Palace but you must be careful not to tell your friends, otherwise I'll be overwhelmed with people asking the same thing."
    "Oh, that is so kind of you!" Ola exclaimed.
    "Come along. I'm breaking all the rules on your behalf but never mind."
    As they moved in the direction of the stairs Greta began to move with them, but Ola turned and said coolly,
    "Lady Krasler, you have our permission to remain here."
    "It might be more suitable if I – "
    "Here, if you please."
    "Don't worry," her escort said to Greta. "I'll take great care of her."
    Greta flung her a look of indignation, but Ola refused to see it. She was determined to do this on her own.
    He was, after all, an extremely good looking young man.
    She took his arm and they began to mount a flight of broad stairs.
    "I've not introduced myself yet," he said. "I'm the Duke of Camborne. I'm on duty here to attend to the visitors and, incidentally, to make sure that they don't take away any souvenirs."
    "You can be certain they'll try," Ola replied. "After all, it's something they'll want to remember, and what could be better than one of the paintings or even a smaller object."
    "I believe all the small objects have been moved out of reach," said the Duke, "and I suspect some of the pictures are firmly hammered into place."
    "I am curious," Ola said, "to see if this Palace, of which I have heard so much, is as marvellous as people say."
    "I only hope you won't be disappointed."
    They had reached the top of the stairs by now. He took her into a room where the walls were hung with paintings, and told her the names of the artists – Rembrandt, Vermeer, Holbein.
    Ola's head began to spin. So many masterpieces, all in one place and all owned by the Queen.
    After a while the Duke asked,
    "Have you really come all the way from the Balkans just to be here for Her Majesty's Golden Jubilee? Surely you have not travelled alone?"
    "Alone apart from my lady-in-waiting, whom you saw downstairs. For once I wanted to be free to spend my time as I pleased, without having to think of etiquette every moment. And it's nice to be able to forget all the worries, as well."
    "What worries does Oltenitza have?"
    "The Russians. Everyone knows that they are trying to gobble up the whole of the Balkan principalities one by one. Only those to whom Her Majesty has been kind enough to give her protection, feel safe."
    "Her Majesty has done her best," said the Duke. "She has already arranged a number of marriages. In fact they call her the 'Matchmaker of Europe.'"
    "You must be very, very proud of her. I can assure you we in Oltenitza admire her greatly."
    By this time they had moved into the Throne Room.
    "Is this where the debutantes are presented?" Ola asked.
    "That's right. And also high ranking foreign ladies. The seats on either side of the room are filled with the relations of the Ambassadors of the various countries.
    "The young women themselves wait in a sitting-room until their names are called. Then they are led in by whoever is presenting them."
    "It all sounds so exciting," Ola said, "and I would love to be presented myself."
    "Of course you must be," the Duke replied. "I am sure Her Majesty would be delighted to invite you to Windsor Castle when all this excitement is over, if you remain in England for long."
    "I will remain in England as long as I can," Ola told him. "I want to see your country as it is normally, and not just when it's celebrating a special occasion."
    "I am afraid you might be disappointed with London and find it like every other