Believe me, if I could have crawled under the table and escaped at that moment, I would have done so. But there were too many legs around. I was profoundly grateful when the next course was brought in—a Hungarian delicacy of flaming meats on a sword. It was applauded with oohs and aahs. I watched it as if I were looking at a film of someone else’s life. This couldn’t really be happening to me. When had I ever given Siegfried any indication that I might marry him? I felt a cold sweat creeping over me. I had actually come close to flirting with him last night. I had begged him to dance with me to keep him from paying a visit to Field Marshal Pirin’s room. And he’d taken that as a sign that I’d changed my mind. And this evening he had asked me something that I hadn’t quite heard and I’d nodded and smiled. Oh, golly—had he asked me if I’d changed my mind then? I thought he was only talking about the food or the weather. Doomed, that’s what I was. The words “producing an heir” echoed around my head. Followed by Belinda’s laughing suggestion that I lie back, close my eyes and think of England.

That was never going to happen, if I had to throw myself off one of the turrets first. Well, maybe not quite as dramatic as that. Run away to Argentina, disguised as a peasant, perhaps, or even go and live with Granddad in Essex. I wasn’t going to marry Siegfried, but I’d have to find a way out without anyone losing face. Maybe I could just happen to discover that he was more attracted to men than women and let his parents know that I could never condone such behavior. That ought to do it. Only not tonight. Not now. At this moment I had to be Siegfried’s intended.

The meal finished with no more deaths, accidents or surprises and we ladies were escorted through to the withdrawing room for coffee and liquors. I was looking around to see if I could slip away unnoticed when the queen of Romania stood before me with open arms.

“My dear child,” she said. “I can’t tell you how happy this has made me. It was our dearest wish and that of your royal cousins too.” And she embraced me.