The Breadth of Heaven Read Online Free Page A

pardon. But as my sister-in-law neglected to make a formal introduction ... ” He glanced at Natalia, who for the first time looked faintly amused.
    “Don’t be absurd, Leonid. You could perfectly well have told Miss Grant who you were yourself. Did you expect me to present her formally? Miss Grant,” turning to Kathy, “this is my brother-in-law, Prince Leonid of Tirhania. And it is quite clear,” mutinously, “that he has been sent by my other brother-in-law, the King—”
    “Natalia, that is definitely enough!” Prince Leonid’s voice was once again as sharp and biting as the crack of a whip, and not for the first time in the course of the last twenty minutes Kathy was conscious of amazement at the speed with which his mood could change. Only a very short time ago his manner towards his sister-in-law had been gentle and solicitous—almost affectionate; now, as he gazed towards her, his face looked coldly angry, and Natalia flushed painfully, and bit her lip.
    Kathy felt a sudden rush of sympathy for her, and in that moment she reached a decision.
    “Very well, if you really want to employ me, Your Highness ...”
    “You will work for me?” Instantly the Princess’s expressive face lit.
    Feeling suddenly shy, Kathy said: “It’s very kind of you to offer me the job. I don’t know that I’m really suitable, but I’m quite good at secretarial work, and”—glancing down at the sleeping Nina—“I’m very fond of children.”
    “Thank you, thank you! It is such a relief to me! I shall be able to talk to you ... I am sure we shall get on so very well together. And now that I have dismissed all my staff I shall have to have someone!” Throughout this interchange Prince Leonid had been standing by the flower-filled fireplace smoking a cigarette, his expression utterly unreadable. But as his sister-in-law’s final remark caught his attention he looked up abruptly.
    “You have dismissed all your staff, Natalia?”
    “Yes, every one of them!” Natalia was obviously summoning all her courage. “They were spies!”
    “Even the children’s nursemaids? You have dismissed them?”
    “Do not talk to me of those nursemaids!” Her voice ascended hysterically. “They tried to poison Nina!”
    He looked frowningly at the child, and then at his sister-in-law.
    “That is a serious accusation. The doctor—the Englishman whose services you engaged—he did not believe Antonina to be in any danger?”
    “They made a mistake. They must have poisoned her food, but not enough. They—”
    “And Joachim?” he asked sharply.
    “He is quite all right. He is asleep.”
    “Then I imagine there is little basis for your suspicions. Where are these people now? Did you pay them before you dismissed them?”
    She looked slightly conscience-stricken. “I—I asked the Baronin to pay them. They did ask whether they would have to leave this hotel immediately, and of course I said no, I would pay for them to stay on until they had found somewhere else to go.”
    “How extremely generous,” he murmured. “Did you ask the Baronin to pay herself as well?”
    Natalia flushed. “Well, she could do so. She has the right to sign cheques ...”
    P rince Leonid stubbed out his cigarette. “I will attend to her,” he said briefly. “But first, mademoiselle,” looking at Kathy, “I will speak to your employer. And you will come with me, if you please.
    “Yes, of course.” Instinctively, Kathy felt nervous at the prospect of facing her employer under such circumstances; but on the other hand, she knew quite well that Mr. McArthur would be extremely unlikely even to show slight displeasure in front of Prince Leonid.
    As they made their way down in the lift she felt too shy to say anything, but just as they reached ground floor level the Prince suddenly spoke.
    “You do realize, Miss Grant, that the Princess Natalia is a very neurotic young woman, and that you may occasionally find her unmitigated society a little ...