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To aid the reader of this tale, what follows is the cast of principal characters:

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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.  Eugénie’s sisters had taken kindly to him and were now teasing him and ruffling his hair when they were alone, as if he was already their brother! Anatole, being unused to the intimacy of siblings and was certainly not used to this treatment! Eugénie laughed along with her sisters and explained that they were treating him as their brother and he should accept it and tease them back, which he eventually did.

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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 to the East that the young couple would undertake which Prince Karl and Princess Caroline had carefully planned together with Anatole. The young couple would be married in the little church at the edge of the forest close by as soon as possible. They would then need to set off in all haste via train from Omsk, and then across Russia, to Chita, where they would next journey into Manchuria. Here Mary, Princess Caroline’s married sister, lived and where she would help the young couple settle.

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 and felt certain that her sister would help in this matter. She had no doubt that Eugénie was capable of taking up such a position since she was accomplished in the necessary requirements.

Prince Caroline also said that Mary’s husband, Count Demetri, was in charge of the private guard of the Head Official of the District who has been appointed to administer the area. Sadly, at that time, that part of Manchuria was plagued by Bandits and she 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 number of letters to family friends and friends of the Prince who live close to the route taken by the train asking them to meet the train while en route and offer any help needed. She had also written two letters to her sister: the first was to briefly explain the situation that now existed, and a second and longer one, which Eugénie was to carry with her and give to her Aunt upon arrival at their destination recounting  recent events in depth.

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Prior to the family leaving,  The Chaperone asked to speak to Princess Caroline. She confessed that the Grand Duke had told her to spy on Princess Eugénie and how she had shielded the young couple from him finding out about their relationship. However, she said that the Grand Duke had many spies who undoubtedly passed information on to him. She said that he was a vicious and vengeful man and the quicker she and her family left, the better. Princess Caroline said that wouldn’t his wrath spill over to encompass her? The Chaperone said it would, but she was also going to leave now. She had family in Sweden where she hoped she would be safe. And at that, The Chaperone wished the family well and quickly left the room.

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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 home 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. While waiting for the Grand Duke to enter the room, he hoped that he would not choke himself when he told him that he agreed to give his daughter to him in marriage! The thought of having to say that he would allow his beautiful daughter to marry this odious man was almost too much for the Prince to bear, but he knew for the sake of Eugénie’s future happiness, it had to be done!

When the Grand Duke entered the room, he sat down without a word of greeting. He sat in his overly large chair and looked exactly what he was ……. a vicious narcissist. With a smirk on his face, the Grand Duke asked if he and wife had come to a decision. The Prince could bearly speak, but somehow coughed out a YES ……. they had and agree to the union! The Grand Duke said that he was happy to learn that the Prince had decided to accept his generous proposal! But he knew that the Prince would comply since, after all, he believed every man has his price and his offer had been more than generous! After getting the result that he knew he would, the Grand Duke began to pour them something to drink, but stopped when her heard what the Prince had to say next.

The Prince said that his family had returned to their home as his daughter needed to collect her Trousseau and return with it along with her sisters, since she wanted them as her Svideteli (Свидетели) or Witnesses (Bridesmaids). He said that like all young girls, his daughter had been dreaming of a tradition Russian wedding, and that she had been collecting things for this since she was a young girl. The Prince said that his daughter was still very young and did not, as yet, understand The Ways of the World, and he felt that he could not deny her or his wife this one thing.

After listening to the Prince, the Grand Duke became annoyed and said that he would have provided everything for their wedding and that she had no need to return to her home! But since her family had gone, the Grand Duke hoped that they would not be tardy in their return, as he wished to hold the wedding as soon as possible. The Prince said that he planned to return home as soon as possible in order to hurry them along.  The Grand Duke stood up, sniffed, and suggested that he did! In the interim, he would go ahead with the plans for the wedding. And with that he left the room leaving the Prince alone, and happy to be so!

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The Prince left Odessa later that day. He could not wait to leave the Grand Duke’s estate and return to his home in The Urals and breath the fresh air there. When he arrived he found his family and Anatole involved in great activity. It had been decided that the Princess Caroline and an assortment of staff would accompany Eugénie and Anatole to the city of Omsk where the couple would board the Trans-Siberian Railway to Chita. Eugénie’s nurse, Marusya, who had tended to her since childhood said that she would go with them to Manchuria and remain with her, as neither she nor Eugénie could bear to be parted from each other, and no one could dissuade either otherwise. Marusya, always slow to warm to strangers, had began to warm to Anatole since she recognised how much he loved ее дорогой (her dear one)! From then on, she took to calling him молодой джентльмен (the young gentleman) and a lasting friendship was begun!

The day after the Prince’s arrival, the Princess Eugénie and Prince Anatole were married in the small church. The whole village turned out in their best clothes to celebrate the wedding.

Love is in the air (1977) – John Paul Young (1950)

The bride was even more beautiful in her mother’s wedding dress and the groom looked even more handsome in his uniform. There was a celebration at the house for which everyone was invited, but alas not everyone could not fit into the building. Those that could not were prepared to make merry by feasting, drinking and dancing outside.

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Eventually it was, time to leave. The various parties boarded the three Troikas that had been obtained and were needed, as there had been an early snowfall. A rider had gone ahead to arrange exchange of horses since the journey to Omsk would take a number of days.

Prince Karl found it very painful to say good-bye to his daughter and also to his wife, although he knew that Princess Caroline would soon return. He also was amazed at how hard it was to say good-bye to Anatole even though he had only known him for a short time, but he was comforted by the fact that his daughter loved him and that he obviously adored her and that her sisters had taken to him very much. What actually made the parting even harder for him was the fact that he did not know if he would ever see Eugénie again ( Préparez vos mouchoirs, s’il vous plait!).

As Prince Karl watched his other daughters hugging and kissing Eugénie and Anatole and listening to their promises not to forget them as they cried, he  shuddered at the thought of the Grand Duke’s response and the depth of his anger once he learned of the marriage and the couple’s flight. He knew that he would seek revenge and that he would attempt something dastardly. But he could not worry about that now, he needed to concentrate on Eugénie and Anatole and enjoy their company while they were still here. 

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Eventually it was time to set off on the long and probable grueling journey. The Troikas were loaded and just awaited Eugénie, Anatole and Princess Caroline to board. Most, if not all, of the whole village was present to wave the couple good-bye and it seemed like Eugénie wanted to thank each one individually. The sisters hugged her and Anatole and kissed them a number of times and promised to write often. Anatole was rather dazed by the affection shown towards him by his newly found sisters, but Eugénie had warned him to expect it since they were a demonstrative family.

As they left, Eugénie blew a kiss to her father, and the full realisation hit him and finally brought the tears that he had been holding back to freely flow from his eyes. He remembered her as a child when she proudly declined French, Russian and English verbs for his pleasure! He also remembered reading Fairy Stories to her just before bed and he remembered the agony he suffered when she caught her first cold and then those terrible childhood diseases! He thought of his old English teacher and of reading of Romeo and Juliet and remembered the line, Parting is such sweet sorrow! 

Once the Troikas moved away, all that was left of Eugénie was her kerchief being waved from the open window and then finally disappearing from sight, and he hoped, oh how he hoped, that Shakespeare had been correct in his assessment!

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The journey to Omsk was long and arduous, but it went well without too many problems. The snowfall had been heavy and it took longer to travel through the glorious and glistening country. Fortunately there were always fresh horses waiting for the caravan at the various stops on the way to bring them closer to their destination. Most of the horses were supplied by friends of Prince Karl or of his father. However others heard of the flight of the young couple, and since they were less than friendly toward the Grand Duke, offered food and other necessities for the party.

Eventually after a number of days of travel, they arrived in Omsk and learned that the next train eastwards was in two days. Fortunately, one of Prince Karl’s old school friends was present to meet them and happily offered lodging for Princess Caroline and her party. The party was pleased to sleep in a good bed since some of the inns (гостиница) on the way, although sufficient for their needs, offered lumpy beds and did not make for a good night’s sleep!

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The train arrived three hours late, which they learned was not unusual at that time of the year. The snow fall had been particularly heavy in that part of the country and at times had to be cleared before the train could move forward. But now the train had arrived and was blustering as steam escaped as it waited for the passengers to board. Princess Caroline entered the train and inspected where Eugénie, Anatole and Marusya would be housed for the long journey to Chita. She hoped her sister had arranged for some friendly representative to meet them and escort them to their journey’s end in Manchuria. 

The parting was as difficult for all parties as it had been earlier when they left Prince Karl and the others. Princess Caroline told Marusya amongst their tears to watch over her charges and take care of them for her. Marusya that she would die before allowing anything to happen to them. When it came for her to leave the train, Princess Caroline kissed and hugged the journeymen and wished them well telling Eugénie to always remember her prayers and to love Anatole as she had promised in the church. 

Princess Caroline left the train and came onto the platform where she grasped the outstretched hand of Eugénie from the window. Copious tears were shed as the train began to move and separated Princess Caroline from her eldest child, now a married woman. She prayed that they would escape the wrath of the brute, the Grand Duke, and have a happy life, and that one day, they would be able to return to their family.

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Prince Karl left for Odessa soon after seeing his wife, Eugénie, Anatole and Marusya off and ensuring that his wife’s instructions regarding the care of his younger daughters were understood by them and the caregivers and in place. Everyone had been reminded to say nothing about the flight of Eugénie and Anatole. Should an official arrive during his absence, everyone remaining at the estate, including his daughters, was to say that both Princess Caroline and Princess Eugénie had left for a short visit to the home of a sick relative in another part of The Urals who they feared was close to death. As a result, the young Princesses were left at home under the care of their nurse and family staff. 

The Prince was glad to busy himself with preparation for his trip and ensuring that everyone was aware of the gravity of any uncertain event that might take place during his absence. However, his thoughts would often race back to thoughts of Princess Caroline, Eugénie, Anatole and Marusya now en route across The Eurasian Steppe.

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The journey to Odessa was long and exhausting. Prince Karl slept little, and when he did, his dreams were filled with possible dangers that might befall his family.  When he finally arrived at the Grand Duke’s estate, he felt very much the worse for wear, which would bode well for the lies he was about to impart. Upon arrival, he requested an immediate audience with the Grand Duke who did not keep the Prince waiting long. When he arrived in the Reception Room there was a supercilious smirk on his face for he felt more than confident that the Prince was about to inform him that the Princess Eugénie was waiting in the Anti-chamber to be presented to him!

The Prince knew that the Grand Duke was not a patient man and that it would be best to inform him of the bad news quickly! Since the Prince was exhausted from his trip and by recent events, it was not hard for him to feign an outward anger and pretend that he was furious at Eugénie and Anatole. He told the Grand Duke that when he arrived home, he found that Anatole had followed Eugénie there contrary to his knowledge and that he had convinced her to go against everything that she had ever learned and held dear and to elope! She had broken the heart of her mother, her sisters and himself and had brought shame on the family name by agreeing to do so! No one, it seemed, knew where they went, but that he heard talk in the Hamlet that they had left for some unknown destination in Poland!

At hearing the news, the Grand Duke jumped up and kicked the small decorative occasional table close to his chair across the room. The table rolled across the floor and smashed as it came in contact with the wall. The Prince saw the fire and rage in his eyes and the hateful look of determination on his face. The Grand Duke said that he would have vengeance on this Prince Anatole and on anyone that aided him! He continued by saying that retribution would be his! The Prince echoed his sentiments and said that Anatole deserved to be beaten for what he had done. The Grand Duke said that he had in mind a far worse fate for this insufferable person! For this act, this fop – this conceited peacock – must die, and die he would, once they met again! This, he said, could be counted on.

The Grand Duke went silent, only for the grinding sound of his teeth could be heard, as he was deep in thought planning his revenge on Anatole. The Prince felt that he had to say something, but what? Better to say nothing, he decided. After a minute or two, the Grand Duke gained some modicum of composure and appeared to have regained his senses although that terrible look was still on his face while the fire remained in his eyes. He told the Prince that he would find this Prince and have his revenge and that he would bring his daughter back to her family. The Prince asked if there was anything that he could do to aid the Grand Duke, but was told to leave the matter with him! With this the Grand Duke dismissed the Prince with a wave of his hand and then left the room evidently off to plan his revenge. The Prince shuddered at the thought at at the thought of the plan that was being devised by this monster!

Now alone, and totally exhausted, the Prince needed to sit down for a minute or two after helping himself to a glass of brandy from the bottle on the remaining table.

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The Prince drank his drink and then left the room. He was eager to leave this dreadful estate and did so the next morning to travel home and await arrival of Princess Caroline. He prayed that the Grand Duke had taken the bait and would search for the young couple to the west and not think of looking to the east, but he knew that the he was a shrewd villain and would perhaps not believe what the Prince had said. Well, he could not worry about in which direction this monster would look, but rather hope that the young couple would arrive at their destination and so be out of the grip of this hateful man.

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Meanwhile, the Grand Duke wasted no time and called a number of his spies together and told them that he wished to know the destination of the runaway couple. He told them to find out and to spend lavishly if necessary. He said that anyone found to have aided them should be dealt with in the usual manner!

The Grand Duke soon learned that Prince Anatole had recently resigned his commission in the Czar’s personal force. He demanded to know if any of his companions-at-arms had any knowledge of the Prince’s plans. He then questioned his parents, but they were both anxious and very, very angry that the action of their son.

The Grand Duke now realised that the disappearance of the young couple was evidently carefully planned. He realised that they most likely had left Russia and that he needed to extend the area of his search. He called for his secretary and began dictating letters to various allies dispersed throughout Europe. He promised himself that he would hunt the couple down and make them pay for the insult that they had paid him.

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