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WHERE DID
HER GRACE THE GRAND DUCHESS
COME FROM?

Over the years, whenever Her Grace The Grand Duchess of Cumberland County has been asked by some eager journalist where she came from, a variety of answers were given. Her answers tended to reflect her mood, but several versions pleased her very much and were often retold only to be denied at later interviews since her mood had changed! It was apparent that, at times, Her Grace allowed her somewhat wicked sense of humour to season her replies. Her Grace enjoyed teasing (and perhaps tormenting) the четвёртая власть or Fourth Estate, as the Americans would say!

Once Her Grace was settled into her new home at Welmar Palace, her Aide de Camp contacted a number of newspapers and magazines to say that should their publications be interested, she would agree to being interviewed. Of course her Aide insisted on having all questions submitted in written form for Her Grace to study. Naturally everyone contacted agreed to Her Grace’s requests and so a date was settled upon for this special event to take place. The date of the interview arrived and a number of journalists arrived at Welmar Palace and were ushed into the room chosen for the event where they sat and waited for Her Grace to make her entrance.

Before her entrance, Her Grace’s  Aide de Camp informed those present of how to address Her  in the manner that she was now accustomed to.

Soon after, Her Grace entered the room on the arm of her Aide. Several of the journalists were unable to stifle a gasp since she looked especially beautiful that day. She smiled at those present and bade them sit and wished them Good Morning and welcomed them to her home. After the pleasantries were over, her Aide invited the first question which was the one that they all were eager to hear. This question dealt with her family and where she was born.

This question always amused Her Grace, as she offered a number of versions dependent on her mood! She knew that this was wicked, but she could not resist the telling of tales and watching the faces of her audience looking captivated by her words.

Since it was now autumn, the leaves of the trees were golden in colour and were beginning to fall and cover the ground. In addition the sky was a wonderful blue without any clouds and there was a slight chill in the air. This combination foretold of future days to come. This caused Her Grace to slip into a slightly melancholy mood, which her Aide always recognised and caused him to act accordingly for it always caused Her Grace to often sigh deeply and think of things Russian!

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One version of her origin that Her Grace enjoys telling, and at times will admit to, is that she was born in Manchuria to Russian parents. The story of her parents on how they met and eventually married is the kind of tale that captures the imagination of romantics the world over.

But first, to aid the reader in their reading, a cast of the principal characters.

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Prince Anatole, Her Grace’s Father (ее отец)

Her Grace’s father was a dashing fiery Russian Prince named Anatole (Anatoly) Sebastian Romanoff whose family was a distant relative of the Czar. Many of his family members held prominent positions at the Romanoff Court at the Winter Palace at St. Petersburg with the Prince’s father, Prince Konstantin, enjoying special prominence and the ear of the Czar.

As with all young men of noble birth at that time, Prince Anatole was educated at the Military Academy where he learned the necessities of his future life in the Service of the Czar and a life of duty.  And as he grew, he grew into a handsome young man who was popular with his cohorts. Besides being well-educated with an ability to speak a number of languages, he proved himself to be both quick witted and able to display great charm. As a soldier, he demonstrated a great proficiency with sword and pistol together with the ability to ride well. However he also developed an ability to consume a huge quantity of vodka that led him on occasion into trouble which he always managed to escape by the skin of his teeth by either application of his silver tongue or through fleet of foot.

Once the Prince’s  education was complete, he was recommended for a post in the Diplomatic corp.  As a result, he was sent on a trip to the great capitals of Europe in order to gain experience in the Art of Diplomacy. Unfortunately, in each City, he led a wild and riotous life resulting from his philandering ways. This resulted in the necessity of fighting a number of duels and leaving a trail of broken-hearted damsels each nursing a broken heart. These scandalous activities were looked upon by the Diplomatic authorities with scorn and irritation and brought about his early recall to Russia. Following his return home, now in disgrace, his father, Prince Konstantin decided that his son should best enter The Service of The Czar as a soldier. This decision was against the wishes of his mother, Princess Mariia who feared for his life.

Once the Prince received his Commission, his parents thought all that was needed for his future happiness was for them to arrange a suitable marriage. They were certain that Prince Anatole would then settle down to a calm family life. However, much to the chagrin of his parents, finding a suitable bride proved more difficult than they had thought for their son’s reputation for being a bon vivant and a person of danger had preceded his return to St. Petersburg thereby closing a number of doors to the Households of good families and so markedly limiting his marriage opportunities.

Despite limiting his marriage chances, The Prince’s charm, wit and flirtatious manner soon wooed the ladies of the Households of good families who quickly persuaded their husbands to allow the young Prince access to their Salons. However he was to remain an unsuitable husband for their daughters! It did not take the Prince long to became The Darling of St. Petersburg Society, but not the most eligible of the eligible bachelors, but this did not bother him since he had no intention of marrying at this time and especially not to one of the daughters of St. Petersburg Society! Now he felt free to return to his philandering ways and continue to enjoy a riotous life. Fortunately for him, his education had allowed him to develop great skill at the gaming tables since his lifestyle was such that he was always in need of money.

Her Grace said that she had fond memories of her father and that she remembers him as always being happy, jocular and attentive to her mother and her.

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 The Grand Duke Alexi Sergei Rostovitch

According to The Grand Duchess’ Aide-de-camp, Her Grace would love to tell how her parents first met. It was at a Grand Ball given by a Russian diplomat and nobleman, the Grand Duke Alexi Sergei Rostovitch, who held an influential position at the Romanov Court. The Grand Duke was a very wealthy landowner who had gained immense power since being invested with the title and was well known for his intolerance, cruelty and fear that he struck in those who dared to cross him. He was definitely a person not to anger!

The Grand Duke rose to take the title following his acceptance to come an live and work with his uncle, the then present Grand Duke, in St. Petersburg. While the young Alexi Sergei was on an errand for his uncle to Moscow, his uncle fell from the tower of his palace in Odessa. The uncle’s death was seen as mysterious and thought to be murder rather than by accident.  But since he was not universally loved and  of an age when he was less than sure-footed, and since no one name in particular could be summoned above the multitude of his enemies to have organised the dastardly crime, the authorities were happy to conclude that the old Grand Duke had died from an accident.  Of course no one asked what a man of his age and infirmities was doing at the top of tower however! As a result, Alexi Sergei was invested by The Czar with the title of Grand Duke and so inherited his uncle’s lands and possessions which were many.

As now the Grand Duke Alexi Sergei began to make his presence felt both in Court and espcially in political matters. Over the coming years, the Grand Duke steadily rose to prominence and in doing so made himself very dependable and popular with The Czar. As a result, The Czar granted him the title The Holder of the Keys which allowed him access to all matters pertaining to the country’s activities. He soon dealt with all requests and all Matters of State before they were passed to The Czar for signature.  This of course allowed him to become very rich since the Grand Duke was willing to help friends achieve their wishes ………. for a price, that is!

Although he had been married twice to women of position, he had no children, a disaster in his eyes, as he wanted a son to pass on his empire. In order to find his next bride, he decided to look beyond the Court and St. Petersburg Society and ordered Miniatures of eligible and beautiful young ladies of landowners of estates east towards the Ural Mountains to be painted and sent to him for his viewing. The excuse given for having the young ladies sit for the painting was that it was at The Czar’s request. Naturally, no one dared refuse this so-called honour. Amongst the small paintings, the Grand Duke spied a young raven haired Princess of remarkable beauty and seemingly not spoilt by the Affairs of Court.

The Grand Duke was pragmatic when it came to his appearance and charms. Physically the Grand Duke could by no means appear attractive to the kind of young maiden he was looking for. His grand position had not graced him with good manners or conversation, which he dismissed as having no value. His success in business and at Court was achieved through acts of treats, deceit and villainy of which he was a Grand Master. No, he certainly had nothing to tempt a young woman! However, the Grand Duke was no fool. He realised that he could only be granted the hand of a youthful girl by tempting her father with money and position. This had taken care of his wishes in the past.

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After just one look at one of the Miniatures, he decided to make this beautiful creature his next bride. In order to have her presented to him, he chose to hold a Grand Ball at his estate. Here he would discuss the question of marriage with her father! The Grand Duke saw no opposition to his request since he was willing to grease the bridal path with suitable incentives, and since he was not used to being refused, saw no problem to this future union.

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Toute la société were invited to attend the Grand Ball, and none dared not to attend and so risk his wrath of the Grand Duke after all, wasn’t this going to be The Grand Event of The Season? The Grand Ball was to be held in his beautiful stately summer retreat in Odessa which overlooked the Black Sea. The gardens were spectacular and filled with many rare species that had been brought from the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew in London. On the night of The Grand Ball, the air was balmy with a full moon in the sky and the absence of clouds.

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The Invitation to The Grand Ball

It was said that Her Grace’s father, Prince Karl, was distantly related to the Grand Duke Alexi Sergei Rostovitch whose summer estate at Odessa was where The Grand Ball was being held.  Despite this, it came as a great surprise to the family when they received an invitation not only to The Grand Ball was to be held the end of the summer when the days were less hot and the nights cool, but also to spend a week or so at the estate. Surprise or not, the Prince and Princess saw the invitation as an excellent opportunity to, hopefully, find spouses for their now-eligible daughters. Although this was true, and seen as a great kindness by the Prince, the Princess was less sure and felt that the Grand Duke had an ulterior motive for suddenly remembering them. She warned her husband of her suspicions and said that they should tread carefully. And of course the Grand Duke did have a more ominous reason for extending such an invitation!

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Princess Eugénie together with her sisters could hardly contain themselves at the thought of going to The Grand Ball. None of them had ever attended such an Event, for from her father’s description, it was going to be a spectacular night. Instantly they were filled with their dress.

Each dress had to be special and made to exaggerate their charms, since one did not know who one would meet! Each one hoping to meet someone handsome and dashing who would sweep them off their feet! And then the conversion turned to the question of their hair and how it had to be coiffed just right to show off the features of their faces. Their hearts raced, and as they did, their voices became louder with excitement, they began to giggle with joy. This scene proved too much for their poor father and caused him to hold his head and say that he needed to leave the ladies to their mother to discuss these matters further!

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Princess Eugénie, Her Grace’s Mother

When Prince Anatole first saw the young Princess Eugénie Natalia Sophia across the garden of the Grand Duke’s estate in Odessa on the night of La Grande Soiree, she was walking with several of her elder sisters and their elderly chaperone, he admitted to being instantly smitten by this raven haired beauty. Being known to the chaperone, The Prince quickly altered his direction to allow him to cross-paths with the group of young ladies and renew his acquaintance with chaperone.

The chaperone was unsure what to do when she saw the young Prince walking towards her charges since she was familiar with his reputation. But it was too late to alter their direction since the Prince had noticed them and was not walking towards them. Out of politeness, the chaperone presented the Prince to her party of young ladies who were flattered to be introduced to such a handsome young man. The Prince later admitted to his intimates that one look into the sparkling dark eyes of Princess Eugénie caused his heart to race as never before and he felt himself fall under the spell of this bewitching enchantress with radiant beauty and charm.

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The Princess Eugénie had noticed the young man earlier when she arrived at the Grand Ball and had felt her heart flutter too. She thought herself silly at this reaction since he was far too grand a fellow to show interest in such as she. But, she could but dream!

The Prince bowed to the group of ladies who in turn curtsied politely. The Princess did not dare look at him directly for she felt her heart flutter further. He exchanged some small-talk with the chaperone and then excused himself without looking directly at the Princess and returned to The Ball. From a good vintage point, he was able to keep a close eye on the French Windows that led to the gardens and so be certain not to miss the return of the group into the Ballroom, and in particular that of the Princess Eugénie.

By now, The Prince found that his head was spinning and his heart racing at the thought of seeing this beguiling young lady again, for he knew deep in his heart that this maiden would hold a special place there always …….. and began to think that perhaps she was the girl he would love one day!

Johnny Mathis (1935) – You are beautiful (1958)
This song is from the Richard Rodgers (1902-1979) & Oscar Hammerstein II (1895-1960)
musical, Flower Drum Song produced on Broadway (1958) and the West End (1960)

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Her Grace’s Family

Her Grace’s grandmother, the Princess Katherine, had met her husband-to-be, the Prince Nikolai, at a Ball in Kyiv (Київ; Kiev) in Ukraine. Prince Nikolai came from a poor, but honest family who lived on a small estate on the edge of a Hamlet among the Ural Mountains that is now part of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Neither his family nor that of his wife came from wealth and as a result, they lacked sufficient funds for their children to be presented at Court or spend an extended time in St. Petersburg and take opportunity to find suitable husbands for their three daughters and a wife for their only son, Prince Karl. However everyone enjoyed living on their small estate, and although they lacked finery, none lacked love.

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Her Grace’s parents, Prince Karl and Princess Caroline, met during a rare visit of Prince Karl to St. Petersburg. He first saw his future wife in a large store during a shopping expedition. Caroline was employed by a wealthy family as Governess to their children, and accompanied the family in the hope that her presence would control her normally unruly charges. When Prince Karl and Caroline first saw each other, it was love at first sight, and after a whirlwind courtship, he presented the young and charming Caroline to his parents. His parents, Prince Nikolai, and mother, Princess Katherine, were horrified at first when his son presented the charming young lady since it was their hope that his son would make a better match (i.e., richer) to help restore their estate to its former glory.

But, as Her Grace would say whenever she was in a whimsical and somewhat romantic mood, love conquers all, and as she would then add when telling this tale, her parents lived happily ever after despite being as poor as church mice! After a pause, Her Grace would wipe away a tear from her eye and then sigh deeply!

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Prince Karl and Caroline (Her Grace’s grand parents) were married in the little church on the edge of the forest. They lived on the family’s estate and were overjoyed when each of their four daughters were born. Their daughters were accomplished having been educated by their mother who had once earned her living as a Governess attempting to educate spoiled disinterested children.

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Crossing Paths

During the visit of Her Grace’s family to the estate of the Grand Duke in Odessa, Prince Anatole would arrange to cross paths with the beautiful Princess Eugénie as often as possible. At each meeting, the Prince would feign surprise at their meeting, but both he and she knew that their meeting was not merely by chance.

Marni Nixon (1930-2016) – Hello Young Lovers
This song is from the Richard Rodgers (1902-1979) & Oscar Hammerstein II (1895-1960)
musical, The King & I produced on Broadway (1951) and the West End (1953)

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The Proposal

Meanwhile the Grand Duke Alexi Sergei Rostovitch was putting his plan in place which was to  snare the lovely and youthful Princess Eugénie.

The Grand Duke invited Prince Karl to luncheon with him at his Club in Odessa. This was the most exclusive Club in the City and was an establishment that the Prince could never afford to join or visit unless invited. He was flattered by the invitation and was honoured to be introduced to some of the most powerful and influential figures of the City.  The Prince, sadly, was out of his element in mixing with such people and could offer little conversation. However, this did not matter to the Grand Duke since the Prince had not been invited for chitter chatter!

After a sumptuous lunch and once the Cognac had been served and their cigars had been chosen, the Prince felt himself relaxed, but was suddenly brought back to the reality of the moment when the Grand Duke informed Prince Karl that he wanted to make Princess Eugénie his wife! At first the Prince was lost for words, but once he regained his senses, he said that his daughter was far too young to think about marriage at this time. The Grand Duke, as cunning as ever, said that he more than understood this, and that he was prepared to wait a little. And now he played what he thought was his trump card!

The Grand Duke said that he realised that such a marriage would mean his daughter moving to St. Petersburg and would need to accompany him on journeys out of Russia, and that such a separation would be most painful to the Prince and his wife. However, he was prepared to offer the Prince a home in St. Petersburg to be used whenever his family chose. He quickly added that this pied-à-terre (consisting of eight bedrooms!) and would be fully staffed at the expense of the Grand Duke of course!) would prove beneficial in helping to find suitable matches for his other daughters. In addition, he said that he was prepared to make a certain sum of money available to the Prince to be used as he wished since he appreciated that the cost of raising eligible daughters was not always easy to meet. The Prince could hardly believe his ears and could say nothing.  The Grand Duke naturally had known that the Prince would be speechless at this offer and said that he recommended that he discuss the proposal with his charming wife, the Princess Caroline.

After dropping these bombshells, the Grand Duke stood up from the table and asked to be excused since he had another appointment to rush to ……. something of importance to The Czar.  At that, the Prince found himself sitting at the table alone, totally and utterly bewildered by what he had heard!

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Somehow the Prince stumbled back to the estate where he quickly told Princess Caroline about the Grand Duke’s proposal and his offer. Prince Karl said that there was much to think about now, but before he could finish, the Princess interrupted him, saying that their daughter was not for sale!  She did, however, and contrary to her better judgement, agree to inform Princess Eugénie of the proposal. The young Princess was summoned and told by her mother of the request for her hand in marriage.

The Princess Eugénie was horrified at the suggestion that she should marry such a person as the Grand Duke! And then she dropped her own bombshell into the mix. She told her parents that she wished to marry Prince Anatole and that he was planning on visiting her father the following day!

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Prince Anatole’s Reputation (Репутация) and His Proposal

Prince Karl was as horrified by this suggestion as he was by the one of the Grand Duke. But this second proposal reminded Princess Caroline of her earlier life, and she remained silent while her husband ranted about the reputation of Prince Anatole and that his daughter had entered into a liaison without the knowledge of her parents. By now the Princess Eugénie was in tears and clinging to her mother.

When the Prince appeared to have run out of steam, he collapsed in a chair and began to talk in a less grieved manner about the young Prince Anatole’s deplorable reputation. Princess Eugénie said that she was fully aware of his past since he had confessed all to her. Despite knowing this, she loved him and that she had forgiven him his past errors. At this Princess Caroline spoke and told her daughter to go to her room as she and her father had much to discuss.

When Prince Karl and Princess Caroline were alone, the Prince still seated in his chair, admitted to being mentally exhausted by the events of the day and could not think! His wife said that regardless, they needed to think and she suggested that nothing should be done until the young Prince presented himself tomorrow, and with this, she got up and left the room. She wanted to find her daughter and learn more about Prince Anatole.

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The following afternoon Prince Anatole presented his card to the butler and requested an audience with Prince Karl and Princess Caroline. The Prince was smartly dressed in his uniform and cut a dashing figure. He introduced himself to Princess Eugénie’s parents, quickly bowing his head with each greeting and shaking Prince Karl hand along with a click of his heels, and kissing the extended hand of Princess Caroline.

The young Prince declined the offer of a cup of tea from Princess Caroline, but welcomed Prince Karl’s invitation to tell them about his first meeting with their daughter. When he discussed the young Princess, Princess Caroline noticed how his face lit up and his eyes sparkled. He talked of their initial meeting at The Grand Ball, of the dance that they shared and of their accidental meetings in shops and then of their less-accidental meetings in the park. He said that he fell in love with their daughter and hoped that the Prince and Princess would not hold the horrors of his past life against him. He added that he knew that this was indeed much to request. He continued by saying that he promised to love her, provide for her, and hopefully, never bring her any reason to doubt his love. He continued by saying that he realised that he was not perhaps the ideal suitor that they might hope for, but said that no one would love her and treasure her as he would. After this he thanked them for their kindness in allowing him to speak. The Prince said that he and his wife would need to discuss the matter with their daughter and requested that he return the following afternoon for their decision in the matter. At this Prince Anatole thanked them both and bade them adieu until the following afternoon and quickly took his leave without asking to see the young Princess.

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Naturally the Prince was not overly impressed with Prince Anatole’s prospects, since he would remain a soldier and would, no doubt, find himself in situations where he would be tempted by the vices open to him. But he had to admit that the young Prince did sound sincere in his affection for his daughter.

The presence of Prince Anatole and his proposal once again reminded Princess Caroline of her own proposal. She was a mere Governess and Prince Karl was as eager and determined to marry her as Prince Anatole now appeared to marry their daughter. She said that despite their own romance being whirlwind, his parents had noticed the love that they shared. And now, they still loved each other and she knew that they would spend the rest of their lives together with joy. Princess Caroline said that she felt that she could not deny her own daughter the same opportunity. Her talk with her daughter had revealed to her that the Princess Eugénie felt the same towards Anatole as he did to her.  She believed that although she was young and inexperienced in the ways of the world, she loved the young man with a deep and lasting love.

The Prince was taken aback at the words of his wife, but they set him thinking. He thought back to his first meeting with the Governess Caroline and how his heart raced at the thought of her and how he knew she was the one that he wanted to marry and cherish.

The Prince and the Princess spent the remainder of the day and late into the night discussing this matter and had periodically asked their daughter to return on several to answer further questions. With each return, her parents realised more and more the deep passion that burned in their daughter heart.  And now after all their talk, they needed to speak further with Prince Anatole when he returned the following day.

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The Decision and Probable Repercuscion

That night both Anatole and Eugénie felt that their hearts would burst with anticipation. Each played out various scenarios as what would take place the following day. When light was first appearing over the trees at the far end of the garden, both fell into sleep which was filled with more images of their loved one.

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After Princess Eugénie left her parents alone, Prince Karl and Princess Caroline had sat quietly and thought about the decision they had to make. Once they started to talk, they discussed how it would be if they were to agree to this love-match and how it would be if they did not.

From the limited discussions they had had with their daughter, they knew that her feelings for the young man were deep.  Prince Karl said that he only hoped that Prince Anatole’s feelings were as deep. Princess Caroline said that she knew that were. The Prince smiled at his wife for he had learned long ago that she was an unusual woman with a keen sense for what was true and what was not, and was invariably right in her assessment. Anyway, they knew that their daughter would be heartbroken and would be inconsolable if they did not agree to the union.

The Princess Caroline remembered the pain she felt after her husband’s family said no to their wish to marry. Prince Karl said that he loved Caroline and that he would not give her up. And he did not. And now here they were facing the same situation. She and her husband went against his family and they have had no regrets.

Now if they agreed to the union of their daughter and Prince Anatole, they knew that there would be repercussions – very serious repercussions – since the Grand Duke was not a person to cross and that he would seek revenge on the whole family. They knew that in order for the young couple to have a life without fear, they would need to leave Russia and do so quickly for it was certain that the Grand Duke would pursue them and would most certainly have Anatole killed!

For the couple to venture anywhere in Europe and seek sanction would be tantamount to signing Anatole’s death warrant since the Grand Duke had spies and allies everywhere. But if they were to travel east, it would be a different matter. He had few allies there and certainly did not enjoy universal admiration there. Prince Karl had a number of friends living across The Eurasian Steppe and felt certain that there would be many willing and able to help the young couple escape the clutches of the tyrant.

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The next afternoon found Prince Karl, Princess Caroline and Prince Anatole seated in the drawing room. Prince Karl questioned the young Prince further on his feelings for their daughter and asked how he would support her and their eventual family. The Prince said that he had some money that his grandparents had left to him and that he was now a Professional Soldier in The Service of The Czar. All very nice the Prince said that should they agree to the marriage. However the Grand Duke would most certainly seek revenge once he learned of this! He said that should they agree to the union then he and Eugénie would have to leave Russia since he felt certain that the Grand Duke would pursue them, and have him killed. Anatole said that he would live anywhere and do any work available, as long as he was with Princess Eugénie.

Finally, the Prince was asked if he had discussed his marital plans with his parents. Anatole said that he had not since he knew that they would be angered as they expected him to marry a wealthy member of Court. And so he thought it best not to mention it. He said that he was not especially close with his family – certainly nothing like the relationship enjoyed by Princess Eugénie with her family. He continued by saying that he hardly knew them, as his father had always been too busy to bother with his children, much preferring the company of members of the Court and of his Club. And his mother found her children to be intrusive and bothersome and so allowed governesses and tutors to raise them. He said that his parents would certainly be furious with him and probably disown him.

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And now, the Princess Eugénie was sent for and the situation explained to her. She was overjoyed to learn her parents decision and said that although she was sad at having to leave her parents and sisters, it would not be forever. Her Parents and Anatole looked surprised at this remark. Eugénie smiled amid her tears and said that the Grand Duke could not possibly live forever and then they would be free to return! Her parents gave a sigh of relief since they had forgotten this!

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THE PLAN

The next day was taken up with packing for the family’s return to their home in The Urals. The family, except for Prince Karl set off late that night. Prince Anatole accompanied them. Already Eugénie’s sister had taken to me and would tease and ruffle his hair when they were alone. Anatole, being unused to the intimacy of siblings was not used to this treatment, but Eugénie explained that they were treating him as their brother and he should accept it and tease them back.

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The plan was for the family and Anatole to go to their home in The Urals with all speed. There they were to prepare for the long journey the young couple would undertaken that Prince Karl and Princess Caroline had carefully planned together with Anatole. Eugénie and Anatole would be married in the little church close by and then they would set off across Russia to the small village in Manchuria where Princess Caroline’s married sister, Mary, now lived with her family.

Mary had been a Governess for a number of years before she married. Princess Caroline said that Eugénie would need to find a position as a tutor or governess, but felt certain that her sister would help in this matter. She had no doubt that Eugénie was capable of doing this since she was accomplished in the necessary requirements made of a governess.

Prince Caroline also said that Mary’s husband was a high ranking officer in the private guard of the local Village Head (Simplified Chinese: 村长; Traditional Chinese: 村長) who is the official appointed to administer the area. Sadly, at that time, China was plagued by Bandits and felt certain that Anatole, with his skill and knowledge of army tactics, would be welcomed into the force.

Finally Princess Caroline said that she had written a long letter to her sister, explaining the situation and which Anatole and Eugénie were to give her upon arrival.

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Once his family had set for home, Prince Karl waited a day and then made contact with the Grand Duke. The longer the Grand Duke took to give him an audience the better thought the Prince. This would mean more time for his family to journey and start making necessary preparation for the long trip ahead of the young couple. The following day, the Grand Duke sent word that he had some time to speak with the Prince.

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What faced them on The Eurasian Steppe

p

CAT PANTALOONS: The Definitive Guide

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and added that love carried them to Vladivostok where an old sea captain took the young couple under his wing, and offered to carry them to Europe on the sailing ship he was to see safely to Alexandria;

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