Ruled by Love Read Free

so many different ways.”
    â€œWell, that is certainly a step in the right direction at any rate. And if he has any brains he will support you in anything you suggest in the future.”
    â€œThat is just what I need. We are three independent countries, but we have to be united. Otherwise we will be swallowed up by the Prussians like Upper and Lower Silesia and cease to be the individuals we are at the moment.”
    Zoleka gave a little sigh.
    â€œDon’t even think about it, Papa. It frightens me that those Prussians would so love to get their hands on our country and Krnov. Don’t forget we both have mines and they are increasingly pleading for our lead, iron and zinc to supplement their own production.”
    â€œThey are not going to have any of it, if I can help it. That is why, my precious little daughter, I want you to find out all you can about what is happening in Krnov.”
    He was silent for a moment before he added,
    â€œI had actually set some enquiries in motion earlier. But when I heard nothing from Krnov and Prince Majmir never bothered to communicate with me, I thought it best to let sleeping dogs lie.”
    â€œI would have been only too glad to have agreed with you,” sighed Zoleka.
    â€œBut now that they have approached me, it is very difficult to refuse. As I have already indicated, I feel that only someone with your fine intelligence could find out what is really going on.”
    â€œDo we have any diplomatic communication with Krnov, Papa?”
    â€œThere has been no reason for it. We want nothing from them and they have wanted nothing from us – until now.”
    The Prince rose and walked to the mantelpiece and then back again, clearly deep in thought.
    â€œI suppose if I am completely honest with myself, I have been worried for some time as to whether we should do something positive about Krnov. But there has been so much going on and it did not seem of such great importance. So I ignored a little voice in my head which told me that something was wrong.”
    â€œI will try to find out what it is, Papa.”
    Zoleka gave a deep sigh before she enquired,
    â€œHow soon do I have to go?”
    â€œAs soon as possible! Let’s get it over with, my dearest. I want you back here and it is going to be a very miserable month or so for me while you are away.”
    â€œWhere is the envoy who came from Krnov to see you?”
    â€œI sent him to talk to members of the Council. But I think they will get very little out of him. I sensed he was scared to say too much and had received strict instructions from his Prime Minister as to what he should and should not tell me.”
    â€œIt does sound to me as if I am going to have a very hard time learning anything in Krnov, Papa.”
    Her father smiled.
    â€œAnd I have never known you not to learn what you wanted to learn. Also we must not forget that astute little ‘Third Eye’ of yours, which you used to talk about when you were a child.”
    When Zoleka was quite young, she had been given a book about Egypt.
    In it she had seen that the Egyptian Pharaohs had a strange bump on their foreheads.
    Her father explained to her at the time it was what the Egyptians called their ‘Third Eye’. They used it to know instinctively and clairvoyantly the truth, which other people failed to see.
    Zoleka at the time had thought it amusing and she had walked about with a paint mark on her forehead, which she informed her father was her Third Eye.
    He told her stories of how people had saved their lives by using their instinct and how others had made many precious discoveries. They had been made aware of many truths that were hidden from ordinary men and women.
    Zoleka had practised using her intuition from the time she was twelve.
    Now she sensed that she knew almost instantly the character and personality of men and women she met.
    Long ago she had learnt that what she actually felt about them was