A Scandalous Adventure by Lillian Marek Page B

his—those big, warm hands that made her feel both fragile and protected—and said, “You are not to worry, Suse. I will take care of you. I promise that I will not let any harm come to you, or to your friends.”
    She almost believed him.
    Almost.
    It was not that she did not trust him because—for reasons she did not quite understand—she did. It would only be for a few days, and a part of her was looking forward to the adventure. But what if he was wrong? She could not rid herself of the fear that some unknown danger was lurking out there in the dark forest.
    Gradually the landscape changed. The forest thinned, and the train tracks ran alongside the river. Sharp hills on the other side kept the train close to the bank, but on the other side of the river, a wide plain was covered with the stubble of this year’s harvest. Distant slopes were home to grazing cattle and sheep.
    One of the servants came in with a question for Max. At least she thought it was a question. Both the servant and Max spoke a language that was unknown to her. When the servant had left, she could not keep from asking, “Why do you have foreign servants?”
    He looked startled. “But I do not.”
    She frowned. “But you speak to them in a foreign language.”
    His face cleared and he smiled. “No, not a foreign language. The people here mostly speak the Schwäbisch dialect.”
    Olivia’s head spun around and she looked appalled. “But I didn’t understand anything you said to him. That was Schwäbisch? I don’t know how to speak Schwäbisch! How will I manage? I won’t understand anything people say.”
    The general smiled and patted her hand. “There is nothing to worry about. Only the peasants speak Schwäbisch. The nobility and anyone you are likely to encounter will speak proper German, Hochdeutsch .”
    â€œOnly proper German? They do not speak the local dialect?” asked Lady Augusta. She did not sound as if she approved.
    Staufer nodded. “I fear that is too often the case.”
    â€œBut that’s preposterous,” said Susannah. “How can you work with people if you can’t understand them?”
    The general looked surprised at the question. “One has agents, stewards. And the upper servants always speak proper German.”
    â€œBut you speak Schwäbisch,” she said, looking at Staufer.
    He smiled. “I like to work with people I can trust. How can you trust a man if you cannot even speak to him?”
    The general shook his head. “Radical notions. Staufer here would be a revolutionary himself if he were not so closely tied to the prince.”
    â€œThe prince himself speaks Schwäbisch well enough,” said Staufer mildly, “and would speak it more often if he were not always tucked away in his castle.”
    The general opened his mouth as if to argue but then glanced around at the women and settled back in his seat with an irritated grunt.
    Olivia had been listening in growing distress. “This will not do,” she said firmly. “If I am to pretend to be the princess, I cannot make things more difficult for her and for the prince by insulting the people. There will be people at the station, along the way, in the town… At the very least, I must learn a few phrases so that I can speak to them.”
    The general seemed about to protest, but Lady Augusta overrode him. “The princess is quite right.” When the others looked startled, she continued, “If we are going to succeed in this masquerade, you had better start thinking of her as Princess Mila. And that means that when she asks you to teach her some phrases in Schwäbisch, you obey.”
    Olivia sat up a bit straighter and smiled, as if the idea of being obeyed had a decided appeal.
    * * *
    Nymburg
    Dressed in the formal uniform of the Supreme Commander of the Armies of Sigmaringen—white tunic, dark-green