“Is Father well enough for my visit?” She was still partly hidden by the queen.
“Yes.” He opened the door wider, peering curiously at both of them. “Your father eagerly awaits your arrival, Princess Adelaide.”
She smiled stiffly at the queen. “Seems you are confused. My father is expecting me.” She gently but firmly pushed past the queen. “Please, excuse me.”
“Mein leiber!” the king called from his chair. “My sunshine has arrived.”
As she hurried to his side, she could see the queen still peering into the room as Herr Schneider closed the door. “Good morning, Father.”
The king beamed at her. “Thank you for calling me Father. It does my old heart good.”
She leaned over to kiss his cheek. “Thank you for allowing me to call you Father.” She sat across from him and started describing her busy morning in the great hall. “It’s the most beautiful nativity I’ve ever seen. Each piece is so wonderfully carved and painted so delicately. It’s so lifelike. I even chatted with some of the shepherds and angels.”
He laughed, clapping his hands. “I knew you were the right one to take care of that for me. Danke schoen, mein lieber. I wish I could see it.”
“Do you ever go down there?” she asked.
“Nein. My good doctor and nurse and Herr Schneider keep me locked up here like a prisoner.”
Herr Schneider, who stood by the door, cleared his throat.
“A well-cared-for prisoner,” Adelaide said. “They just want you to be well, Father. And I have a surprise.” She pulled out her phone and showed him the photos of the finished nativity scene.
His eyes lit up. “It is perfect, mein lieber. Your grandmother Adelaide would be proud.”
As they visited, she found she was doing most of the talking. It did seem his energy was less than yesterday, and she suspected he was trying hard to pretend it wasn’t. Maybe the queen had been right . . .
“Queen Johanna thought you were not well enough for a visit,” she told him. “I don’t want to wear you out.”
“Your visit breathes life into these old bones.”
Now, in the hope of keeping him quiet, Adelaide told him about the last section of the Montovian lawbook she’d been reading. She asked a few questions, making sure they could be easily answered with a word or two. She could see he was tired, but even more concerning was the tone of his skin. It seemed even more sallow today.
After an hour, the nurse came in with a tray laden with a light lunch and some medicines. “I think this is my cue to go,” she whispered. Standing up, she kissed him on the cheek again, then said “adieu.”
He reached for her hand. “First you must promise to join me for dinner.” He squeezed her fingers. “We will dine early so you can attend the festivities in the village.”
“Oh, yes, tonight is the tree-lighting ceremony, isn’t it?”
“Ja.” He stuck out his bottom lip. “I am sorry to miss it, but my doctor has forbade me.”
Hoping to distract him, she returned the conversation to the dinner plans. “You said an early dinner. What time shall I come?”
“Fünf.” He held up a hand with fingers splayed and then switched to only two fingers. “For dinner only wir zwei. We two. Und we will eat in here.”
“Oh?” Getting his meaning, she nodded eagerly. Just the two of them for dinner at five in his private quarters. “I look forward to it.” As she left, her steps lightened at the thought of being spared from the rest of the royal family for one evening. Just the two of them. How lovely!
CHAPTER
Ten
Dining alone with her father was much more enjoyable than with the royal family. Although she knew the queen would not approve, Adelaide was glad her father had planned it like this. He seemed to enjoy the more informal meal too.
“Everything was excellent,” she proclaimed as a servant removed the last of the dishes.
The king set his napkin on the table. “I asked for all my favorite foods tonight.”
“And it was all delicious. I’ve never eaten goose before—and that apple dressing was fabulous.” She sipped her coffee. “What was that chocolate dessert called again?”
“Sacher torte.” He leaned back with a satisfied smile. “I am not sad to miss the tree-lighting celebration, mein lieber.”
“Why is that?”
“It will be cold . . . my old bones want the warm hearth.”
“Then I’m glad you’re not going.” Yet she felt the stiffness in her smile. “I’ll try to get some photos to bring back for you.”
“Ja, ja, that will be good. But there is another reason I am not so sad, liebe Tochter.”
She felt warmed to hear him call her dear daughter. “What is that, Father?”
“You must take my place.”
“Take your place?”
“Ja. You will light the village tree tonight. Albert is informed of my plan. He will make your introduction.”
“Really?” She blinked. “How exciting.”
His eyes twinkled. “Ja, you will be well-received. It will be good.”
She wasn’t so sure she’d be well-received by all, primarily the queen, but not wanting to worry him, Adelaide kept her concerns to herself.
“You must dress for the cold.”
“Yes.” She nodded. “Anton said that snow is forecasted.”
Her father called out to his ever-present assistant in fast German, asking him to fetch something. Adelaide couldn’t make out what he had requested, but Herr Schneider took off like a shot.
“You are my representation,” the king told her. “I cannot be present, but you will be like my . . .” His brow creased as if he were struggling for words. “My ambassador.”
Herr Schneider returned to the room with a large rectangular box.
“Ja, ja.” The king gestured for him to open it.
Herr Schneider did so, then peeled back layers of tissue paper to reveal a furry garment. The king instructed his aide to take out the dark brown coat and help Adelaide try it on.
Shocked by what she knew must be a very expensive coat made from real fur, and slightly worried about how some of her animal activist friends back home might react, she gingerly slipped her arms into it. The satin lining slid on easily, sumptuously. “Oh my.” She didn’t know what to say. “What is this made of?”
“Russian sable.”
Although she wasn’t sure what that meant, she suspected it was special by his tone.
“It belonged to my mother.” His eyes twinkled as he looked at her. “A gift from my father for their twenty-fifth anniversary.”
She stroked the soft fur. “It’s beautiful.”
“Beautiful like you, mein lieber Tochter. You must wear it with pride.”
Adelaide wasn’t sure about that, but holding her head high, she reminded herself that she would be representing the king tonight. “I will take good care of my grandmother’s beautiful coat,” she promised.
“It has been remade for you, Adelaide. It is your coat now.” He reached for a blue box that had been tucked beneath his chair. “And you must also wear this.” He handed her the velvet-covered box.