All of them were welcome, but only to ‘serve’ the family in their various ways, certainly not becoming a part of it.
Perhaps the women who bore the aristocratic name of Estérházy were even more proud and more implacable than the men.
Prince Miklós well knew that there was not one of them, including his sister Misina, who would accept Aletha as her equal.
How could he find tranquillity or happiness in The Palace in those circumstances?
He had to live there, it was an integral part of his Kingdom.
He had to minister to those who bore his name in the same way that his ancestors had done.
They had built up a Kingdom within a Kingdom.
They all, Miklós mused, bowed to the Emperor, but privately they considered themselves superior to an Austrian.
When finally Prince Miklós walked back to
