Page 107 of May I Have the Pleasure
“Mr Hopkins, I am learning Swedish for the sole purpose of bludgeoning the king into submission until he lets me go back home.”
“It may take some time.”
“I imagine it will, but what other options do I have? Am I rich as Croesus?”
“Yes, your highness. You have some control over your estates, but the crown maintains an interest. They are not quite yours to do with as you will, as you did in England, but you do have a considerable amount of autonomy. Perhaps you can find enough interest in their management to while away your mourning. I understand you to be an active estate manager.”
“You are suggesting I work to increase my already obscene income to stave off boredom?”
“Or perhaps, you can work to make the several thousand people under your protection slightly better off.”
“That sounds workable. I do not suppose the king will allow me to ride my lands?”
“No chance whatsoever. For appearances sake, he wishes you to be visibly mourning for a year or two, and you cannot be visibly mourning and riding your estates at the same time.”
“I did in England.”
“Were you a princess in England?”
“No.”
“There you have it.”
“I see. So, this prison will take some time to escape.”
“I am afraid so, but if it is your desire, I will start working on it straightaway.”
“Do you judge my chances of success good.”
“I shall do my best.”
“That is not an answer.”
“It is what I have.”
“Very well. what strategy do you suggest?”
“Inattention and boredom. Follow the king’s dictates for the mourning period, and hope he forgets all about you when it is done. Then I will think furiously about how to hand yourlands back to the crown. There is no chance whatsoever that you will leave with your lands intact.”
“I do not want my lands, nor do I want my settlements. I just want to go home.”
“Let us work towards that end, your highness.”
“An admirable strategy, sir.”
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Stockholm—April 1817
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“LIZZY… Lizzy… Lizzy… Lizzy…”
“Kitty, Anne… it is so wonderful to see you. You sly devils, you never told me you were coming.”
“Where would be the fun in that, Lizzy… Oops… I mean, Princess Elizabeth… ah… Your Royal Highness.”
“Not you too, Kitty!!”
