"It would be my greatest pleasure, if it were possible for me to show you kindness."

Hardly the manner in which a casual visitor should talk to a Princess. But he was young and she liked him for he had made her feel so much better.

"It is your turn to play. Monsieur de Busch," she said. He watched her beautiful slender fingers with the cards. She was enchanting.

I'm in love, he told himself. Caroline shall be my wife. My father will be pleased and the King of Prussia will be furious. And what will the King of Spain think when she has accepted me after refusing him!

He was in high spirits; and he was his most attractive when he was happy. His smile was sweet and he became very gay. Perhaps he was a little bold; perhaps he showed too clearly his admiration.

But Caroline even laughed now and then which made her brother look up sharply.

He was glad the travellers from Hanover had come to Triesdorf.

George Augustus came unannounced to the Baron's bedchamber.

"We must leave at once for Hanover," he declared. "We must tell my father that the mission is a success. I don't propose to wait another day. I have decided."

"Your Highness has come to a very quick decision."

George Augustus threw up his hands in the gesture his father so disliked. "But I am in love with her. She is beyond my expectations. Surely you can see for yourself."

"The Princess is charming, but..."

"I have decided."

"Then in that case, in the morning I will tell the Margrave that we have been called back to Hanover on urgent business."

"Do that. I shall not have a moment's peace until she is in Hanover."

"If Your Highness is assured that you are not being too hasty..."

"I always make up my mind quickly."

The Baron forbore to mention that this was not always with the happiest results. George Augustus would not listen. He was in love.

Would he have been quite so infatuated with the Princess of Ansbach if the Archduke Charles had not sought her hand? wondered the Baron. He knew his Prince.

The Princess was a charming creature, capable of affection, as her sadness at the death of the Queen of Prussia showed. The Baron hoped she would not expect too much from his mercurial little Prince—if she decided to accept him.

In the morning he told the Margrave that they were called back. They took outwardly regretful leave, although George Augustus could not completely hide the fact that he was bubbling over with excitement.

They returned to Hanover after a very brief absence; but the Elector was as near pleased as the Baron had ever seen him at the result of his strategy.

After the visitors from Hanover had left Triesdorf Caroline felt melancholy. They had certainly relieved the tedium and it had been pleasant to be so obviously admired by the young Monsieur de Busch.

Her favourite attendant Fraulein von Genninggen mentioned that his visit had been very agreeable. "I think it did your Highness good," she added. "I am sorry he and his friend left so soon."

"He was perhaps a little too bold," answered Caroline.

"I daresay that is the way at Hanover. But I certainly wish they had not hurried away so quickly."

It was true, thought Caroline. Monsieur de Busch had made her feel alive again and ... young. She was in agreement with Fraulein von Genninggen and also regretted their departure.

But a few weeks later when Monsieur Steding returned to Triesdorf, Caroline was disappointed that he was alone. He told the Margrave that Monsieur de Busch had returned to Hanover but he himself had gone to Nuremburg to meet some friends whose arrival there had been delayed and since the Margrave and Her Serene Highness, his sister, had been so kind recently and had said they regretted that their stay should not have been longer, he had taken the opportunity to throw himself on their hospitality for a few more days.

Monsieur Steding was very welcome, but both the Margrave and Caroline were sorry that she was not accompanied by the charming young Monsieur de Busch.

Baron von Eltz took an early opportunity of being alone with the Princess. He whispered to her during a card game that he must speak to her alone so would she grant him an interview. She agreed to this but when he reached her apartment he found Fraulein von Genninggen in attendance. He indicated that he must be entirely alone with the Princess so she told the Fraulein to go into the ante-room and wait there until summoned.

As soon as they were alone the Baron told her that he came on a mission from Hanover, and that his name was not Steding but the Baron von Eltz.

The Princess looked startled and von Eltz hurried on: "Before I put this proposition to you, I must have Your Highness's promise that if you decide not to accept it you will say nothing to anyone."

"I promise," said Caroline.

"Monsieur de Busch was an assumed name. My companion was George Augustus, Electoral Prince of Hanover."

"Oh!" said Caroline faintly.

"First I must ask you whether you are free of all matrimonial engagements and are not involved in any way with the King of Spain."

"I am free."

"The Electoral Prince had heard such accounts of your beauty, your charm and wisdom that he was determined to see for himself whether rumour was true. His visit here convinced him that what he had heard was not warm enough in its praise and having seen you he has told his father that he wishes to marry you."

Caroline was too agitated to collect her thoughts. She had thought he might have had a message from the Electress Sophia, not such a proposal as this.

"I had not expected..." she began.

"Your Serene Highness, a young man in love is impatient ... and His Highness, the Electoral Prince, is both."

Sophia Charlotte's nephew! If she married him she would live under the same roof as the Electress Sophia. Surely that was getting as near to Sophia Charlotte as was possible.

"I should have to speak to my brother," she said.

"Naturally. But I pray you do not delay. And there is one other matter. If you decide that this proposition is distasteful to you, it must be entirely secret. None but yourself and your brother must know of this. The Elector would be most displeased if it were bruited abroad. There is one in particular ho must be kept ignorant—that is the King of Prussia, for as your guardian he might take steps to stop your marriage. Not until the documents are signed should he be informed. Will you respect the Elector's wishes?"

"Yes, I will."

"And you will give your answer soon?"

"I must speak to my brother. There is no other House of which I would rather be a member than that of Hanover but ... I must have time to think "

The Baron bowed and left her.

Caroline walked up and down her apartment. She was thinking of the little man who had smiled at her so warmly, who had shown so clearly how he admired her.

She liked him ... as well as one could like anyone on such a short acquaintance. But she had liked Archduke Charles. If it had not been a matter of leaving Sophia Charlotte ... if it had not been necessary to become a Catholic ... Well, then she might by now be married to him.

But here was George Augustus—more ardent than Charles because he was less polished perhaps. About Charles's gallantry there had been a suavity which George Augustus lacked. Yet George Augustus was a pleasant young man; he admired her; he had helped her take one step out of the despondent morass into which the death of Sophia Charlotte had plunged her and she had regretted his departure.

She went to the window and looked out across the gardens now beautiful with summer roses. She could go to Sophia Charlotte's home, the Leine Schloss, Herrenhausen, the Alte Palais —of which she had talked so much that Caroline felt she knew them already. Between herself and the Electress Sophia there was already a bond—their love of Sophia Charlotte. Not only that, but they were of a kind. They were interested in discussion and ideas; and it was rare to find a companion who cared for anything but gossip, clothes and court scandal.

It was almost as though Sophia Charlotte's voice was coming to her over the immense distance which separated the dead from the living.

"I cannot be with you, my darling, but this will help you. Go to my mother; she will love you and you will love her. You have to marry sometime. It is the best way of life. You will agree when you have children. You will be there in my old home. My dearest child, it is the best thing left to you."

The best thing left! They were right when they said she could not go on mourning for ever, for one could not live with the dead.

Her brother came into her apartment. It was easy to see how delighted he was.

"Baron von Eltz has spoken to me. Why, Caroline, this is an excellent proposal. He wants your acceptance quickly. I hope you will give it. It is the best thing that could happen to you. You will accept this proposal?"

She hesitated only for a second.

"Yes, I accept."

Baron von Eltz rode with all speed to Hanover and in a few days he was riding back to Ansbach with instructions from the Elector to arrange the marriage of his son with Princess Caroline.

Not until George Lewis had the documents back in his hand would he break the secrecy and it was characteristic of him that he should send Count von Platen to tell his mother what had taken place.

Sophia had risen from her bed for she was beginning to recover and when she received Platen in her audience chamber, he was smiling a little secretively as he bowed.

"Good news, Your Highness! The Electoral Prince is soon to be married."

Sophia stared at him in astonishment; anger threatened to betray itself, but long practice had disciplined her to keep it in check.

"Yes, Your Highness, your son thought it was high time, and he is sure you will agree with him. So a marriage has been arranged and we hope that it will take place very shortly as neither the Elector nor the Electoral Prince see any reason for delay."

A marriage! thought Sophia furiously. But I wanted Caroline for him. Why will George Lewis never listen to me!

"The matter has been arranged in some secrecy. The Prince rode to Ansbach with von Eltz ... two gentlemen calling themselves Busch and Steding ... travelling for pleasure."

"To Ansbach! " cried Sophia. "Then..."

"The Princess Caroline of Ansbach is to marry the Prince, Your Highness. She has accepted him and the negotiations have now been completed."

The Electress did not know which was the greater—fury at being kept out of a plan which she herself had suggested, or joy that what she so desired had come about. Being the sensible woman she was she quickly suppressed the former and indulged in the latter.

She composed her features.

"I am delighted," she said. "Pray tell my son that if I had been consulted I should have suggested that the best possible bride for my grandson would be the Princess Caroline of Ansbach."

Hanover was in a state of excitement preparing for the wedding. It was no longer a secret. In his apartments the bridegroom was strutting before his mirror, commanding his servants to help him dress in the clothes which were being made for his wedding. He tried on his wigs and wanted them built up in the front to give him height. For the first time he was the most important person in the Court, the focus of all attention; and he was delighted with himself. Even his father treated him with a new respect. George Augustus was a happy bridegroom.

In the kitchens there was great activity; banquets to surpass all banquets must be prepared to celebrate the wedding; comedians and actors were commanded to concoct plays and entertainments to enliven the celebrations. Even the Elector, usually inclined to be parsimonious, had implied that a little extravagance was warranted on such a happy occasion. It was a unique occasion. For the first time most people remembered the Elector was pleased with his son.

Sophia Dorothea was as excited as her brother.

"Marriage is in the air," she declared. "I shall be next. And I'll tell you something, George Augustus, the Crown Prince of Prussia is asking for me."

"You think his father will allow that. He's furious about my marriage. He wanted Caroline for himself, some say." George Augustus stood on tiptoe and studied himself in the mirror. "The King of Spain wanted her; the King of Prussia wanted her; but she wanted me."