Edwina & the prince

Chapter 2: You always meet twice

Wow. 

The estate of the Dowager Countess is overwhelming. Dense forests that sway in the gentle sea breeze, huge fountains with beautiful decorations and well kept gardens with the most diverse colors and varieties of flowers.

The house itself - or better the castle - is gigantic, with lots of windows, small bay windows and turrets. On the highest is a flag with the coast of arms of the Earls of Blithisfield.

Edwina can't help but be amazed. 

"Miss? The Dowager Countess is ready to receive you."

She looks away from the window and follows the servant to a small but lovely room. In its centre stand a few couches. On one of them sits an older woman with gray hair, a bright smile and a penetrating gaze.

"Miss Edwina Sharma. How wonderful to finally meet you. Welcome in paradise."

"Thank you for letting me be here, Lady Blithisfield." Edwina sits down where the Dowager Countess points at.

"You will love the sea, the town, the people and the wonderful weather. Well, maybe not today." Lady Blithisfield laughs and it is the moment Edwina knows that she likes this elderly woman. 

"It is indeed not the best weather at the moment." Edwina smiles.

"I hope you still had a good journey? And your companions, too? I told my servants to be very friendly to your driver and your society lady."

"That's generous of you. Unfortunately we got a bit wet. My dress is already dried", she adds with a view at the questioning face of the Dowager Countess.

"Very well, then. What I wanted to say is that you will love your stay here and that I am going to do everything necessary and possible to offer you a pleasant stay in Weymouth." She leans a little forward. "Gossip rarely takes its way from London to Weymouth, darling. You are free here. And you will be free again when you return to the capital."

Edwina feels that her cheeks get red.

"Oh, you don't have to feel bad, my dear. You can believe me, I know how hard those rumours about your own person are."

"Really?"

"Oh, yes. It was ... let me think about it ... yes, in the year 1761 of our Lord when I first came here."

"May I ask you why?" Edwinas asks after a short moment of silence.

"No." The Dowager Countess laughs happily. "But your stay is long, my tongue is fast and we will have many more talks together, won't we?"

"Of course."

"I have to build up some tension. Oh, about tension ... Rufus!"

The servant at the door looks up. "Yes, Mylady?"

"Could you please ask Prince Friedrich if he wants to join our company?"

"Of course, Your Ladyship."

As he disappears, the Dowager Countess continues: "The Queen told me that you wish to spend a bit of time with Prince Friedrich of Prussia?"

"Did she?" The words come out of her mouth before Edwina can think about it. "Oh, my apologies, I ... I meant that ... I am aware of the possibilty that we could meet each other in Weymouth. Is he at your estate right now?", she asks to distract.

Lady Blithisfield raises her eyebrows in amusement but anwers: "Yes, indeed. In fact, he lives here during his stay in Weymouth."

"Oh." Edwina's eyes get wide.

"You don't want to tell me that you didn't know, do you?"

Edwina doesn't know what to say. Well, The Queen certainly knows how to hide important facts. At leat it makes sense now that she was sure that the prince and Edwina would meet each other. Obviously when they would live in the same house ...

"I think The Queen forgot to told me about that."

"Oh. Yes, sometimes she forgets some things ..." Lady Blithisfield grins knowingly.

It doens't take long until the famous Prince Friedrich enters the room.

Edwina tries to hide her curiosity but can't help but starring bluntly at him. A high figure, light blonde hair and bright blue eyes. At this very moment, she understands why half London talked about this german prince, why the Duchess of Hastings apparently was spotted with him ... and why The Queen was thrilled about her nephew.

But - and with this thought she takes a deep breath and starts smiling politely as usual - she didn't came her in first place to seduce a prince. She doesn't want to marry him. Everything is fine.

She repeats these last words in her head while the Dowager Countess introduces the two of them to each other. 

"And this is Miss Edwina Sharma. Your aunt told you about her, if I am right?"

"Yes, indeed." Prince Friedrich bows to her. "It is a great pleasure to meet you."

"I can only respond to these kind words, Your Royal Highness." Edwina stands up and drops into a deep curtsy.

"I have to apologize", the prince says as he sits down next to the Dowager Countess, "for my aunt The Queen. I fear she somtimes goes overboard with her good nature."

Edwina takes her seat again and looks questioningly at him. "Excuse me?"

Prince Friedrich smiley softly. "Well ... I am not quite sure what she told your about your - let me call it tasks - for your stay here but she wrote to me outspoken as always."

She automatically feels her cheeks getting red again.

"I want to assure you that right now The Queen is far away in London and that you will enjoy your stay here without her all-seeing eyes."

Edwina isn't sure what the prince wants to tell her with that but she feels better. She has the feeling that Prince Friedrich is a good person and that they would have a good time together - no matter what The Queen wants to see. 

Before she can inquire what he meant, the door next to Rufus opens again and another man with blonde hair and blue eyes enters the room.

A very well-known man with blonde hair and blue eyes.

Edwina blinks in confusion.

"My dear Lady Blithisfield, you didn't tell me we are expecting a guest." The young man goes to the Dowager Countess and kisses her hand. Even though there is an unmissable similarity between the prince and him, he radiates a completely different aura.

"Oh, really? How is this possible. Well, I guess my brain gets more forgetful every day. I am so sorry." Edwina can hear the irony in the voice of Lady Blithisfield. 

The not-so-unknown-unknown now for the first time looks into Edwina's direction. His face reflects her emotions perfectly: surprise, amaze, disbelief.

"You", he says confused and at the same time Edwina - still paralyzed in her astonishment - asks: "You?"

"What is happening here right now?", a not less confused Prince Friedrich asks, his gaze moving back and forth between them. 

"This, my dear Miss Edwina", the Dowager Countess explains helpfully, "is Prince Friedrich's brother, Prince Carl Georg of Prussia."

"But you can call me Prince Carl." He smiles gallantly. 

Edwina has to control herself so that her mouth doesn't fall open. 

Prince Carl - better known as the mysterious stranger at the inn!