Fortunately Attila was now old enough to spend more time with her father.
She had finished with her teachers and could ride with him in the morning and unless he had some particular duty at which ladies were excluded, she would accompany him wherever he had to go.
Unfortunately if it was anything really spectacular the Queen insisted on coming too.
The King was intelligent enough to realise that as soon as he was ill, the Queen was plotting to take his place if he died.
He was determined that Attila should rule Valdina on his death and he wanted to make certain that she took his place without any outward hostility.
He had spoken about his concerns only a few days earlier to the Prime Minister.
“I am sure Your Majesty is not going to die,” the Prime Minister said, “but if such an unfo
