“But Your Hi—I mean, Siegfried—I believe you are as little attracted to me as I am to you,” I said tactfully. This actually meant I know you prefer boys, and it was better than shouting “Not if you were the last man in the universe” for all of Scotland to hear.

“That has nothing to do with it,” he said. “We of noble birth do not marry for love, we marry to cement alliances among the great houses of Europe. It is important that I choose the right wife. I may be king someday.”

“If your brother and your father are assassinated, you mean?”

“Possibly.”

“And what makes you think you won’t follow suit?”

“I shall be a just and popular king, unlike my brother and my father. And you will make a suitable consort for me. I know that your family is in favor of this match and do not think you could do better.”

The local gamekeeper would be better, I longed to say.

“I shall make few demands on you,” he went on, waving a hand expansively. “Once you have produced me an heir, you will be free to take lovers, as long as you are discreet at all times.”

“And you will also take lovers, and be equally discreet?”

“Naturally. That is how things are done.”

“Not for me, Siegfried,” I said. “I intend to marry for love. I may be naïve, but I believe that I will find true happiness with the right man for me someday.”

He looked extremely put out. “But your family wishes this alliance.”

“I’m sorry. My family doesn’t contribute a penny toward my sustenance. They don’t have a say in my happiness. I wish you well in finding a suitable princess.”

“Very well.” He got to his feet. “We shall now make the descent. After you, my lady.”

“We can belay down past the overhang,” I said. “Do you want me to go first, while you play out the rope for me?”

“If you wish.” He was cold, remote and correct, obviously not used to being rejected. I adjusted my harness and walked out backward over the cliff. I had only gone down a few feet, past the worst part of the overhang, when I heard a sound I associated with sailing ships at sea. It was the creak and groan of a rope under stress. While my brain was still processing the thought that the rope was about to break, it did and I fell.

I made a grab at the rock face but my fingers were torn from their handholds as I plummeted down. I had an impression of rock wall flashing past me, and the words formed themselves in my brain, I am about to die. Bother. And for some reason I was remarkably annoyed at being about to die a virgin.