“Has your Majesty never thought of an alliance through marriage with one of the Powers? Not a direct alliance, perhaps, but one which might be useful to us if the worst should come.”
Ughtred shook his head.
“A dream, my friend,” he answered. “There is only one country in the world who could help us, and I fear an English princess would be beyond our wildest dreams. Friendship with Russia is more to be dreaded than her open enmity. France has no royal family, and is bound up with Russia. Germany and Austria are tied.”
“Your marriage has been spoken of, sire,” Reist said slowly. “I have promised to convey to the House your views. A queen would be very popular.”
“I am not prepared at present to make any announcement upon the subject,” Ughtred answered.
“I should not hesitate at any sacrifice which the safety or benefit of Theos seemed to require. At present there is no question of anything of the sort.”
Reist bowed, and abandoned the subject. But late that night he sought his sister. She was sitting on the stone balcony which led from her own suite of rooms, her elbow upon the worn balustrade, her clear, beautiful face clouded with thought. For the first time Nicholas noticed a change in her. She was thinner, and there were dark lines under her eyes. A vague trouble was in her eyes.
“Marie,” he said, “you have not been to the palace lately.”
“No.”
“Tell me why.”