Then she remembered how hard it had been at times to keep her eyes on his, how his expression had made her blush, how occasionally he gave her a mocking and quizzical look which made her feel very young and immature.
There was so much for her to learn, so much to understand and she felt it would be possible only if the King came to love her.
“Make him love me God! Please – please – make him love me,” she whispered.
She thought there was a note of hope in the song of the birds in the sun-kissed and fragrant garden.
Later in the day Anastasia was told that there was a crowd outside the gates and the sentries had been reinforced.
But the local peasants were only standing and staring at the Palace as if they would ascertain for themselves the truth of the rumour of the Queen’s arrival.
A
