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short of slapping Caroline’s hand, moving her own hand away at
the last minute. “Please excuse her, your highness. The Haxbys are socialists
and have this silly idea that we are all equal.”
    “We are all equal,” said
Caroline.
    “Some of us are more equal
than others,” said Mrs Oakengate, with no trace of irony in her voice. “Now,
you will apologise to his highness for your insolence.”
    “I apologise,” said Caroline,
“but it only seemed to me that…” She looked up and saw Blake standing nearby,
listening to the exchange with an amused expression on his face. “Never mind.
I’m sorry if I spoke out of turn.”
    “Yes, well I rather think
it’s time for bed, don’t you,” said Mrs Oakengate, yawning. “I find myself
utterly exhausted again. If you will give us your leave, your highness.”
    “Are you going riding in the
morning, Mrs Oakengate?” asked the prince. “I desire more of your delightful
company. There is so much you can tell me about my father that I don’t know.”
    “I’m afraid my riding days
are over,” said Mrs Oakengate. “But perhaps I shall see you at breakfast
afterwards.”
    “I look forward to it.” The
prince stood up and made a courtly bow to Mrs Oakengate. Caroline he ignored.
    Caroline helped her employer
to her feet, and led her towards the hallway. Mrs Oakengate stopped for a
moment to exchange pleasantries with Count Chlomsky.
    “It is always good to see
you, Mrs Oakengate,” he said. His manner, though courtly, was more natural than
the prince’s and Caroline really did believe that he meant what he said to Mrs
Oakengate.
    “I believe we haven’t seen
each other since Fazeby Hall,” said Mrs Oakengate, holding out her hand.
“Goodness, that must be sixteen years ago.”
    “I believe that is so.”
    “We all thought you were a
crook, and it turned out to be Caroline’s father.”
    “Ah…” The Count smiled. “The
English always mistrust the foreigner first, dear lady.” He turned to Caroline.
“I met your mother. I even visited her in jail. Would you forgive me if I said
that I believed she was more sinned against than sinning?”
    “Thank you, Count Chlomsky.
My Aunt Millie always says the same.”
    “It is true. And her novels
still sell, do they not?”
    “Yes, there’s money in
notoriety,” said Caroline, through tight-lips. “It paid my school fees if
nothing else.”
    “Such is the world,” said
the count, sadly. “One must be notorious in able to attract attention.”
Caroline had the strange feeling he was talking about himself and Mrs
Oakengate, who was at that moment watching the prince walk up the stairs.
    “I just need to have a
little word with his highness,” she said, before leaving Caroline and the Count
alone.
    “You like Mrs Oakengate,
don’t you?” said Caroline, not unkindly.
    “I find her directness and
general way of looking at the world charming. She is selfish and demanding, of
that I am sure – I see it in the way she treats you and the way she has treated
previous companions – but Victoria Oakengate is also able to weather storms
that would… What is the word you English use? Scupper? Yes, she is able to
weather storms that would scupper most of us, simply by not allowing herself to
be aware of them. That takes a special talent.”
    Caroline laughed. “It
certainly does. I must admit I wish I had some of that tunnel vision myself.”
    “It would make life much simpler,
would it not? Me, I have seen too much upheaval, in my own country and in the
country I have adopted.”
    “And which country is that?”
    “Cariastan. They gave me
asylum after the last war.”
    Caroline’s eyes widened. She
had not known that. Or if her foster aunt and uncle mentioned it, she had
forgotten. “So you know the prince’s father then?”
    “Not very well. He did not
live for long after my arrival. These are dark times in Cariastan. Political
infighting, and the lack of a proper leader since the old king died,