Hans Borg gazed deeply at his beloved girl, “You’re about to get married and will become the closest people to each other. Share your troubles and worries with him, enter his life, and let him enter yours.”
“Have you become a marriage counselor again?” Wilhelmina teased.
“Willy…”
“Okay, I promise,” Wilhelmina squeezed his hand. “Marriage needs honesty, doesn’t it? I’ll talk to him.”
“Mom,” Albert said with a wry smile, “Wilhelmina is a woman, not a telephone pole.”
“Oh,” the Duchess calmly adjusted her hair, “I’m sorry, son. I actually wanted to compare her to a castle. But never mind. Dinner is ready. Let’s all sit at the table!”
The Duchess strode towards the dining room, followed slowly by father and son.
“You did well today,” the Duke of Seleberg said, “What does Her Majesty think?”
“She has ordered a thorough investigation, but I feel she seems to be hiding something,” Albert replied with a bitter smile. “Perhaps the time is not right yet.”
“No need to rush, child,” his father said. “Entering a woman’s heart is not easy, let alone a queen’s.”
The family sat down at the dinner table, where the cook had prepared goose liver stew, and the Duchess had instructed the butler to open a good bottle of wine.
Halfway through dinner, the doorbell rang in the front hall.
“Who would visit at this hour?”
The Duchess looked at her husband and son, “Nothing bad has happened, has it?”
“Perhaps a report from the palace,” the Duke replied unconcernedly.
Moments later, the butler returned, visibly excited. “My Lord, it’s… Her Majesty. She wants to see the young master.”
“Good heavens,” the Duchess exclaimed, “She’s actually come in person? To see Albert?”
The family put down their cutlery and stood up.
“Quickly clear these away,” the Duchess ordered. “Escort her to the sitting room, tell Molly to prepare tea and snacks, and keep the dogs from running around. What if she wants to dine with us?”
The servants sprang into action.
“Mom, calm down,” Albert said, placing his hand on her shoulder. “I think she just has something to discuss with me. She won’t be dining here.”
“Who knows,” the Duchess replied. “Go greet her quickly. I wish I had worn that blue-gray dress.”
