Date: Wed, 4 Apr 2012 09:18:47 +0200
From: Amy Redek <adultreading@gmail.com>
Subject: The Countess of Lark. Part Eight.

      This story is for persons of eighteen years or over.  All comments,
good or bad, are welcome and all will be answered.

      Part Eight

     I couldn't refuse what the Prince had asked and he was delighted to
find that I was staying at the same hotel as he was, the Savoy. His equerry
collected my wrap and Malcolm gave me a sly smile as he kissed my hand
goodnight just before I was whisked away and back to the Savoy.

     The equerry collected all our room keys as we walked to the lifts and
was inside with us as we went up to my floor, where the Prince took my room
key from the equerry and it was him on his own that led me to my room.

     Those butterflies were now so big that I couldn't help but stammer
when he asked if he could have a drink with me in my room. We were now
alone, no Malcolm or his equerry, and so I went to the mini bar and got us
both a gin and tonic, which I'd noticed he drank too.

     But he was ahead of me, for he'd come up to where I was pouring out
our drinks when his left arm came round my waist and pulled me back to feel
his erection pressing tight to my bum.

     `Magenta! Oh Magenta,' he breathed into my ear. `You have captivated
me. You have enslaved me.'

     Christ! Has he been reading too many Mills and Boon petty romance
stories to come out with that line I thought. Maybe Malcolm hadn't been
wrong when he had made that reference to me of being Cinderella. I might
not have a glass slipper but at least I had something that he could put his
foot into. Though he would have been a man above men if his cock was twelve
inches in length.

    I didn't resist when he took me into his arms and kissed me, pressing
his body up close to mine, making it quite clear that he wanted me with
what I could feel between his legs.

     `Oh Rupert,' I said with a gasp, using his name without the
prerequisite use of his rank as he held and kissed me.

     `Oh Magenta,' he gasped in a likewise voice as he slipped a strap off
of my shoulder, pulling it down so that a breast came free. He was quick to
move his face from mine to bend his head and take the nipple into his mouth
and start sucking on it.

     `Rupert!' I cried, trying to make it obvious that I was trying to free
my tit from his mouth, but not trying that hard, loving having his lips
surround the nipple, his teeth now nibbling at it as he sucked on me.

     `Magenta, oh Magenta. Can't you feel how much I need you! Please,
please, let me make love to you!'

     Such was his plea and my need for what I could feel pressing up
against me, that I felt myself go limp in his arms, which made it easy for
him to lift me up and put me onto the bed.

     It was in a bemused state that I lay there as he pulled my gown off
me, drawing it right down over my legs and off over my feet. Both breasts
were now clear and he turned his attention to pulling my panties off and
leaving me naked apart from my suspender belt and stockings.

     He gave me a big smile as he looked at my almost naked body as he
pulled his tie free from his shirt. I could tell he was trying to tease me
with the slowness he took everything off, even to having his back to me as
his trousers and underpants came off. The cheeks of his bum were quite full
and he had sturdy thighs which told me he was a horseman, hunter or polo, I
didn't know which if either. Then he turned round slowly and it was the
head of his erection that came into view first, up at an angle and noted
that he had a foreskin. When he was fully facing me, I could see that it
was of an average size, but it was a hard and upright cock, and one that I
wanted.

     It swayed slightly from side to side as he walked those few steps to
the side of the bed and bent down and kissed my feet as he started to climb
on. He even kissed my muff before kissing my stomach as he began getting
the studs out from my stockings. He gave me a gentle push to make roll over
onto my side so that he could unclip the belt and he pulled this free for
me to roll back.

     He was kneeling on the bed, his cock sticking up from between his
thighs as he rolled down my stockings and pulled them from the toes. These,
with the belt were dropped on the floor as he moved up now having his hands
either side of my body as he kissed my stomach once again and licked his
way up to my breasts. The undersides came first before he took one nipple
that was up and hard into his mouth and gently nipped it as he sucked on
it. Then the other nipple which was just as hard, but only for a moment
before he lay down beside me and pulled me towards him and kissed me, his
cock now digging into my thigh.

     `You look and taste lovely Magenta,' he breathed out as his hand
wandered down and in between my thighs. My legs opened automatically and
his fingers found their own way into me.

    He could feel that I was nearly ready for I was now soaking wet down
there in anticipation. My arm went up round his neck and pulled him tight
to me as I gave out a groan as he found my hard clit.

     `I'm ready Rupert,' I gasped out as my body trembled under his
touch. It was the second time I'd used his forename and as he didn't make
any comment about this, I continued to call him that while in the later
throes of making love.

     He rolled over onto me, the light hairs on his chest rubbing my
nipples before he came up onto his forearms as I felt his cock slide across
my thigh and come in between my open legs. I think we both gave out a big
sigh as his erection started to move up into me until his pubes were up
against mine. Only then did I think that it was a Prince that was inside
and now going to fuck me.

     It was lovely to once again have a hard cock up inside me, even though
it was less than twenty four hours since Malcolm was in the same
position. But with Rupert now moving on top of me, his cock sliding
backwards and forwards, I was being taken to heaven once again.

     I'll say this for him, he could last a bit longer than Malcolm and I
was truly getting a right royal fuck, and I loved it. He ploughed himself
in and out of me and as he neared his peak, he came up onto his hands and I
had him then ramming himself into me.

     At the first spurt of his semen into me, I came and gave out a scream
and clawed at his back as I bucked my body up to meet his thrusting into me
as more and more of his sperm, hit my insides. He was giving out a groan as
he pumped his hips hard up to me in the throes of his ejaculation, his eyes
were closed and there was sweat on his forehead.

     But he then opened them and gave me a big smile as he eased his body
down onto mine and kissed me.

     `Thank you Magenta. That was most wonderful,' he said, his weight
heavy on my front but it was a man's body so I didn't mind. Also I could
now smell the man who'd just fucked me. Prince or not, he was a man and had
the right tool to see to my needs.

     `I thank you too Rupert, for giving my body the release that it
needed,' I said, still panting from my exertions. As we kissed some more,
he kept twitching his cock in response to my vaginal muscles flexing all
along the shaft of the erection inside me. But I could feel it starting to
shrink and begin to slide out of me and vainly tried to hold it there, but
it came out and he rolled over onto his back.

    I was quick to rise up and move down the bed and take his still
reasonably hard prick into my mouth and suck on him. It was lovely chewing
on him as it got softer and could therefore, get more of it into my mouth
to suck. His sperm tasted nice too.

     I finally released him and stretched myself up on his body, my breasts
getting squashed against his chest as I kissed him.

     We lat together saying the silly words that people say after a good
fuck for nearly an hour before I felt him getting hard again and so, for
the second time that night, he fucked me and I loved him for it. Though we
didn't linger on the bed after he had given me another orgasm with him
coming at the same time again. After I had sucked and cleaned him up, he
got up and got dressed and came over and gave me a long lingering kiss
before saying goodnight, leaving me still spread eagled on the bed, full of
semen and thoroughly pleased that I had been able to give pleasure to a
Prince.

                                                           *

     The next morning, the Countess of Lark was as happy as one as I sang
in my bath and I had just returned to the bedroom when the phone
rang. Malcolm, I thought to myself, going to ask me about and if, I'd had
the Prince or not. But it wasn't him, it was the Prince himself asking me
to come up to his suite for breakfast.

     I stammered that I would and would be dressed in about fifteen
minutes. It only took me ten to get dressed and see to my make-up and I
went out of my room to find his equerry outside waiting to escort me
upstairs, for the suite was, well, I think the word is the penthouse.

     I was ushered inside to find that there was another man with the
Prince, who turned out to be his valet. Rupert came over and gave me a
kiss, ignoring the other two men in the room. Just as we broke apart, an
hotel waiter wheeled in a big heated trolley and stopped it by an already
laid table.

     `Thank you,' the Prince said to the waiter. `We'll see to serving
ourselves. You two can go and have your breakfast downstairs now too,' he
said to the equerry and the valet. They both gave a bow of their heads and
left the Prince and myself alone.

     `Come Magenta. Come and sit down,' he said, pulling a chair out for
me, which I did. `Now what would you like to eat?' he asked as he began
lifting up the lids of the platters on the trolley.

     `Let me get it,' I said, starting to rise up from my chair.

     `Nonsense,' he replied, pushing me back down. `You're my guest so as
you served me last night,' he said with a wicked grin on his face, `it's my
turn to serve you.' A wicked thought came into my head as he spoke those
words.

     `Is that all the servicing you're going do, or give me?' I asked,
giving him a similar grin back. He laughed.

     `The other servicing we will see to in the bedroom through there,
after we've had some sustenance to keep me going,' he replied and smiled at
me as he served me up my breakfast.

     After our meal, we went through into the bedroom where he saw to
giving me some more good servicing which delighted me. Also, he even went
down on me and gave me an orgasm with just his tongue and fingers before
giving me another one when he fucked me. I got to understand that he had
had his equerry cancel all the plans made for that day and we had lunch
together in his sitting room, served by the waiter this time. After which,
it was back to bed for him to have me twice more before dinner.

     I stayed all night in his bed and even got a good fucking in the
morning before we had breakfast, which I served this time. With that over,
we both went to speak at the same time, only to find out that we were
really going to say the same thing. It was that he was returning to his
country that day while I was saying that I was returning to Lark Hall.

     There were tears in both our eyes as we kissed before parting and I
still had the sniffles when I was informed that my car was outside waiting
for me. I left some tips for the hotel staff before I left and was soon
back at the Hall, being greeted as though I'd been away for weeks instead
of three days.

     The first thing was to see if my babies were okay, William being
pleased to see me whereas Alexandra didn't seem to care one way or the
other. The next was to phone Malcolm, which I did from my study. It was to
thank him for taking me to the ball which I had really enjoyed.

     `Did you have a good time with Prince Rupert?' he asked.

     `It was okay,' I said in an indifferent voice, `though I'd rather it
had been you,' I replied.

     `Well what could I have said when the Prince asked me if he could
escort you home? Well, to the hotel,' he replied.

     `You could have said no,' I said, petulance in my voice now.

     `You could have said no too,' he replied, which shut me up for he was
perfectly right, I could have said no and spent that time with him
instead. Being wrong footed now, I changed the subject.

     `I didn't really thank you properly for the lovely ruby pendant you
gave me,' I said.

     `You can thank me the next time you're here in London,' he chuckled. I
was on the phone for a few more minutes, also telling him that I didn't
know when that would be. This was because it was getting close to the
children's birthday and I knew I could get what I wanted for them from
Cambridge. He promised to have some presents sent up within a few days, and
with that, the conversation ended.

                                                           *

     Apart from the few children on the estate, I had some of the villagers
children up to the Hall for the birthday party for William and Alexandra,
which was a success as far as all the children were concerned. Though
again, it was William who was the more excited over the presents he
received.

                                                           *

     During those summer months, I went out riding nearly every afternoon,
occasionally having Arthur ride round with me instead of covering the
ground in his Land Rover. The horses needed the exercise and I couldn't
very well ride two at the same time.

     It was mid September when Stanford answered the phone and told me that
it was the equerry of a Prince Rupert on the line. I took the call and I
was told that the Prince had two free days while in England and hoped that
it wouldn't be to presumptuous on his part if he could spend them up at the
Hall.

     I told him that I would be delighted to entertain the Prince and found
out that there would be four of them, the Prince, the equerry, valet and
driver who was really a bodyguard. In four days time. The time frame suited
me and had the Hall staff really clean out four rooms for my guests and
they were in somewhat of a dither being told that it was a Prince that
would be staying. I even got Arthur to have the fishing hut cleaned up by
one of the outside females, hoping that I would be able to get Rupert out
to it.

     I'd been without a man now for well over four months and was really
looking forward to having him once again, in whatever position he would
want me. It was four hectic days for the staff in really cleaning up the
insides of the Hall and having the outside staff see that the grounds
looked perfect, and I was very satisfied at the result as I stood out on
the steps at being warned that a vehicle was approaching the Hall. It could
only be the Prince and his party and I was right as the Bentley came to a
stop at the bottom of the steps and it made me wonder if it had been a
deliberate choice in the car that the Prince now stepped out of.

     The chauffeur, who I presumed was also his body guard, had opened the
door for Rupert, whose face was one big smile as he came up the steps. I
greeted him with a returning smile as I dropped him a curtsey, with
Stanford and the footmen behind me, giving him a bow.

     `Welcome to Lark Hall, your Highness,' I said before I rose back up.

     `It's with great pleasure to meet you once again Countess,' he said,
taking my hand and kissing it. `You look as radiant as when I last saw
you,' he added which brought a flush to my face.

     `This is Stanford, my major domo who will see to all the needs of you
and your party,' I said, letting him see the tip of my tongue as I had
stressed the words of you. He smiled and acknowledge the bow of Stanford
with a nod of his head. I offered my arm to the Prince who took it, and let
me lead him into the Hall.

     `I must say that the Hall looked truly magnificent as we drove up to
it. I wonder that you can ever leave it,' he said as I was leading him up
the staircase to show him to his room.

     `There are certain things that a lady needs that cannot be found if
one is buried away here in the country,' I said.

    `Such as?' he asked.

     `Male company,' I replied, giving his arm a squeeze, feeling my
insides churn at this exchange and a certain wetness between my thighs. He
gave out a chuckle as he squeezed me back as I led him into his sitting
room and showed him which door was to his bedroom and I waited and he just
had to ask, a smile on his, as to where did the other door lead, and I
blushed as I said it was to my bedroom.

     No more was said as one of the footmen came in carrying two large
suitcases followed by the valet with another which were taken through into
the bedroom.

     We had lunch down in the hall and he spent the afternoon with me in
the lounge and was much taken with the children, but only five of us sat
down together for dinner. The other three sat three places away from us to
that we could talk privately. Rupert gave his compliments for Stanford to
pass on to the kitchen for such a lovely meal. The wines too were superb
and after coffee and brandy in the sitting room, we were all soon up in our
respective rooms getting ready for bed.

     I had bathed and waited in my room for the expected knock from his
side of the room, which wasn't that much later after me getting into bed. I
called out for him to enter, and it was only a few strides he took before
he flung himself onto the bed to take me into his arms and kiss me. He was
wearing his dressing gown whereas I was naked under the covers which he had
already half removed as he pulled me into his arms.

     `Oh Magenta,' he breathed after the first passionate kiss. `I could
barely contain myself at dinner you looked so gorgeous,' he said as he
stroked my bare shoulder before taking hold of one tit in his hand and
massaged it till the nipple was up and as hard as a nut. `Ever since we
last parted, and at home, all I could think about was you. You, and when I
could be with you again. It's been pure agony for me,' he said, moving his
head down and then sucking on the nipple he'd raised up. That he wanted me
was more than obvious and I wanted him, not sitting on the bed, but being
in it and also in me. I pushed his dressing gown off of his shoulders and
let him remove it completely for me to see that his erection was up and
hard.

     He pulled the bed cover right down to see me fully naked and waiting
for him as he then climbed onto the bed and without any further ado, got
between my legs and pushed himself up into me.

     A hard male penis! My totem! My constant craving was now where I
wanted it. Up inside and palpitating my insides with the throb of the man's
heart beat. My arms went up to hold his shoulders as my legs went up to
hold his waist as he moved in his fucking of me. Moving in and out as he
strived to get as much of himself into me, banging away at my pelvic bones
as his cock caused havoc to both my vaginal nerves and the churning in my
stomach.

     So once again I had a royal prick up inside me, to give me what could
have been the beginning of life for another royal family member, but I was
still on the pill. But it was what I needed, that hard male cock soothing
my insides and giving me joy at the same time.

     Such was my need that I'd already started my orgasm and began to
thrash about beneath him and it triggered him off to come inside me at the
same time. What a coupling this was as I revelled in not only the release
of my own fluids, but to feel his fighting against mine. Covered now in
sweat, we strained our bodies against each other, his pushing me down as I
pushed upwards, both of us gasping for breath. Until almost exhausted, we
came to a stop and I had his full weight on me, his cock still twitching
inside me as we slowly came back down to earth from the heavenly peaks we
had both reached.

     I gave out a cry as I felt him slip out of me as he then rolled over
onto his back. I then moved myself to pay homage to that piece of flesh
that had just pleasured me and took him into my mouth and sucked and
cleaned him up.

     He next went down on me and it wasn't long under the ministrations of
his tongue, teeth and mouth that I was approaching my second orgasm. But I
pushed him off and got him flat on his back and straddled his pelvic region
and held his lovely tool upright and sat down on it. I crooned as I felt it
enlarging my passage as I sank down on him. As I rode up and down on his
shaft, his hands were not idle, alternately squeezing and rubbing my
nipples as he fondled my breasts

     I cried out in the throes of my orgasm and felt my juices really flow
out of me, coating his balls as he took over by grasping my hips to bounce
me more on his thighs till he gave out a cry, his body shuddering as he
came inside me. I almost lost his rampant cock as I straightened my legs to
lay full length down onto his body, my sweaty tits getting mashed to his
chest as he held me tight, his cock still throbbing away inside me.

     He took me once more that night before with a final goodnight kiss,
left me exhausted but mentally satisfied at having three orgasms to fall
into a much needed sleep after such a traumatic day. I say traumatic in the
sense of having worried that everything had been done that could be done to
make the place and atmosphere a fitting place for royalty, and it seemed to
have gone perfectly.

                                                           *

     The next day, we went out horse riding, just the two of us but I
couldn't stop his bodyguard from tagging along, though he had to handle the
dog cart. We did manage to lose him at one stage and this was when I led
the Prince to the fishing hut. We tied the horses up outside and went in
and there had him fuck me once more.

     The bodyguard had found us but had waited a short distance away, no
doubt guessing what we had been doing in the hut. It was the horses that he
had seen and so had waited for us.

     I was in Rupert's room that night, romping on his bed, getting his
royal essence in both my mouth and up inside me, and after so much cock
sucking, I was rather thirsty. I got up from his bed and went into his
sitting room to get us both a drink. As I was pouring it out, I thought of
his valet who had the room next to his, and so quickly went over and slid
back the frieze that I knew moved so that I could see into his bedroom. I'd
had my doubts about him from the first time I laid my eyes on him, and I
was right. He was gay! For there, looking through the fretwork, I could see
that he was up on his knees, though I was surprised at who it was behind
and fucking him up the arse. It was the bodyguard, and I thought that it
would have been the equerry. It shows that you can't always be right in
appraising another person into their sexual proclivities.

     It was when I was back in bed with Rupert that I asked if his valet
was gay.

     `I would think so,' he replied, taking a sip of his drink. `He does
seem to like it when he washes me, spending a bit longer on washing my
private parts than is warranted.'

     `Does he also hold this,' I put my hand on his, at the moment, flaccid
cock, `when you go for a pee?'

     `Now that would be taking things a bit too far,' he laughed. `I also
wipe my own bum.' I didn't pursue it any further as to whether he had had
his valet or not, which really had nothing to do with me, though it would
have done with what he came out with a little while later.

     We'd just had another very satisfactory coming together and were
laying on our backs when he suddenly rolled up onto his side and looked
down at me. His hand was roving over first one tit and then the other,
stroking my stomach in between.

     `I want you to answer the question I'm going to ask you, but first let
me kiss you,' and didn't stop him from bending his head and giving me a
lovely slow and sensuous kiss, but wondering what he was going to
ask. `Will you marry me?'

     I nearly shit a brick and couldn't help my body from going almost
rigid at the question he'd asked. God, did my mind go into a whirl at this
or not!

     `I...I...I'm, er, flattered beyond belief that you should ask this of
me,' I stammered, trying to come up with words while my mind reeled.

     `Magenta, darling. I've thought of nothing else but you since that
night of the ball. I know it was only those two nights and these two nights
here, but I think I fell in love with you when I first saw you in that line
at the ball. Your hair shone with a light that I cannot describe and I
looked at your beauty and couldn't help myself from falling head over heels
in love with you. What came after was the bonus that I was making love to
the woman who had captured my heart.'

     `Rupert, oh Rupert. I'm taken aback at what you have asked of me, but
you don't know me. Know what I have done what...' He closed my mouth with
his as he kissed me again.

     `I don't care about your past, it's now and the future that I'm
thinking of. My brother is a sick man and he's not married, so there's
every likelihood that I'll soon be king, and I would be most proud to have
you as my queen sitting there beside me.'

     `Rupert, Rupert. I am a widow and have two children to think of. One
being the Earl of Lark,' I began, but he interrupted again.

     `He could also become a prince as Alexandra would become a princess,'
he said.

     `But he is not of your blood and so therefore, if you did become king,
he would never be able to take your place in the future. That would mean
that we would have to have an heir to the throne and then he would become a
half brother. I cannot put William into such a position. It...it would
cause much jealousy that I would never be able to live with. Rupert, oh
dearest Rupert, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for what you have
asked of me, but I've got to say no. I have all these people here at the
Hall to think of as well, not just the children. I love you in a way,
especially these few days we've had together, but not enough to leave this
place and live out a life in your country, queen though I may be one
day. Being a Countess is enough, I'm sorry, Rupert, but I must say
no. You'll find another woman who will not have the same ties that I
have. Please forgive for not accepting, please.' I was almost up on my
knees now, a girl from the streets begging not to possibly be made into a
queen. To many it would probably seem that I had gone a little mad in
refusing this proposal, but, I was content with what I had, though the only
thing lacking was what he was also offering me, a male penis to give me my
kind of pleasure.

     I now had tears flowing down my face, my mind in an uproar and my
stomach churning so much that it almost made me feel sick. He pulled me
tight to his body and I could feel his chest heaving and wondered if he was
crying too and this made me feel even worse at causing him to do this.

     `Oh Magenta, Magenta. Maybe I've picked the wrong time and place to
ask this of you,' and his voice had a catch in it which led me to believe
that he was also in tears.

     `No Rupert. You've picked the right place to have asked, but there
would never be a right time, I'm so sorry,' I sobbed.

     We lay there together for quite some time, holding each other as our
tears dried up and he then turned his head and kissed me.

     `I think you may be right what you said in respect of the
children. For I would be expected to have two sons to carry on the line,
but then, there might be daughters either first or in between. As you said,
it might cause some friction between them and that I would not be able to
stand with us then having to take sides to settle any arguments that might
develop. As much as it has broken my heart, I believe you have given me a
mother's insight of what could happen and this would not go down well with
either of us,' he said in a low voice.

     `You forgive me then for saying no Rupert?' I asked, my voice sounding
rather thick.

     `Yes Magenta. My darling Magenta that was almost the one for me,' he
said with a catch in his voice. `There is one more thing that I ask of
you,' and my body began to tremble at what this might be. `Can I once more,
for a lovely memory to take away with me, make love to you one more time?'

     `Oh Rupert,' I cried, tears once again flowing, `it would be a
memorable memory for me too,' I replied, feeling his hard prick up against
my side as he looked down at me.

     `Your hair splayed out on the pillow like it is. Your beautiful face
and eyes, I will cherish and this wonderful body of yours will linger in my
heart for many years to come, but my memories will be of the love that I
lost.'

     `Say no more Rupert, please, I beg you. Just make love to me and let
us both remember this night for the rest of our lives,' I cried, not being
able to stop the tears from flowing down over my cheeks.

     We were both crying as he mounted me for what would possibly be the
last time, and I gave him as good a fuck as I could, him ramming his cock
into me and lasting far much longer than he had before, giving me two
orgasms before I felt his release spurt up into me and as he finished
coming, letting his full weight come down on me.

     I held him tight to me, having his cock still twitching and throbbing
inside me as I squeezed it as hard as I could for those few minutes he lay
atop of me. With a sigh and to my regret, he pulled out of me and rolled
over onto his back for me to move down between his thighs and suck on his
shiny wet cock head.

     When he was clean, I slowly got up from his bed and put on my dressing
gown and leaned over him and gave the head of his cock one last kiss and
one more on his lips.

     `The words thank you, do not seem enough for the pleasure you've given
me and for having me here,' he said, tears in his eyes again. I couldn't
answer him for my throat was filled with too much emotion and with tears
running down my face, fled back to my own bed where I flung myself and
finally fell asleep, still crying.

                                                           *

        It was a sombre mood at the breakfast table next morning, few words
being spoken by any of us. The only words of import was for Rupert to tell
his valet to see that his things were packed. I guessed he wouldn't stay
after my having rejected his proposal of marriage and so, about ten
o'clock, out on the steps of the Hall, we said goodbye.

     Not the usual handshake, for he took me into his arms and hugged and
kissed me after thanking Stanford and passing on his congratulations of the
way he and his staff had been treated. I had tears in my eyes again as I
watched him get into the car and replied to his wave of a hand with mine.

     I stood on the steps until the car drove on out of sight before slowly
turning, and entering the hall and went off to the sitting room. Stanford
followed me and as I sat down he spoke.

     `I know it is early m'lady, but would you like a brandy?'

     `How astute of you Stanford. Yes please.'

     `I could feel the tension at the breakfast table m'lady and knew that
this would be what you wanted,' he said as he went and poured me out my
drink.

     `The tension was all mine Stanford,' I said. `Last night, the Prince
proposed marriage to me, and, and I refused him. I said that the Hall and
my children were more important to me than possibly being his queen.'

     `Right or wrong m'lady, I know that those here at the Hall will be
grateful for your decision,' he said, giving me a bow and leaving me with
my brandy.

                                                           *