The King Without a Heart by Barbara Cartland Page A

there are not many young and handsome Crown Princes lying about! Actually, I am rather lucky to have found one.”
    Titania had heard stories at Starbrooke that Prince Frederick had originally asked Queen Victoria for an English Princess and the Queen had thought it somewhat presumptuous of him.
    â€œI find it difficult,” she had said to the Duke, who was in attendance, “to find enough Princesses for reigning Monarchs in Europe and a Crown Prince cannot expect, when his brother is so young, ever to be King.”
    â€œThat is perfectly true, ma’am,” commented the Duke.
    He had then paused before he had added somewhat nervously,
    â€œMay I remind you, ma’am, that my daughter Sophie is eighteen and is to be presented to Your Majesty this Season.”
    The Queen had stared at him,
    â€œBut of course, Duke, you are absolutely right. Prince Frederick would be very lucky to marry into your family, which is one of the oldest in England and I hear that your daughter is very attractive.”
    Titania had learnt what had been said from Nanny, who had been told it by Martha as she had heard the Duke telling his wife the story when he returned home.
    They had forgotten that Martha was in the room, or what was more likely, Titania thought, had imagined as so many employers did that their servants were blind, deaf and dumb.
    The story had of course quickly gone round all the senior servants of the household, who thought that Lady Sophie was very fortunate to make such a brilliant marriage.
    Only Titania thought that it was rather sad with Sophie being just second fiddle for a Crown Prince who could not catch a Princess.
    Prince Frederick, dressed in a spectacular uniform covered in medals, was waiting for them when the ship came into port.
    He was the first person to step aboard and Sophie was waiting for him in the Saloon.
    For a few minutes they were allowed to be alone and then they were joined by the Minister of State, the Ladies-in-Waiting and Darius.
    The Duchess made an almost dramatic appearance just before they were to go ashore and Titania was allowed to walk behind her.
    Prince Frederick kissed the Duchess’s hand and gave Titania a slight nod as she curtsied to him.
    Then he helped Sophie down the gangway to where the Prime Minister and other dignitaries were waiting to greet her. Only they were allowed near the dais where Sophie was being received.
    When they started to drive towards the Palace in open carriages, Titania could see a little of the City for the first time and the people who lived in it.
    It was as beautiful as had she expected and the streets were lined with trees in blossom.
    The crowds around them were waving the flags of Velidos and the Union Jack and there were children with posies of flowers who ran to give them to Sophie. When the carriages did not move slowly enough, they threw their flowers after them.
    The procession was led by a troop of Cavalry and a band on horseback.
    It was certainly all very dramatic and Titania was certain it had all been carefully arranged by Prince Frederick himself.
    She expected the Palace to look attractive, but it was in fact outstandingly beautiful. It was situated on one side of the City halfway up a small hill and there was a long flight of steps up to it with fountains on either side.
    What Titania had not expected but could now see in the distance were lofty mountains, their peaks still white with the snows of winter.
    She did not know why, but she had expected Velidos to be a flat country and now she could see the mountains, she realised the country would be even more appealing than she had anticipated.
    There was also a profusion of flowers in the Palace gardens and as the trees on the route were in blossom it made the whole drive seem enchanting, especially with the music coming softly from the band riding ahead.
    Sophie was in the first carriage with the Crown Prince, the Prime Minister and the Lord Chamberlain, while the