Broken Road by Unknown Read Free Book Online

husband,” Isabella replied, raising the Duchess with a smile. “Tell me, Catherine…how long have you lived in the British Isles?”
    “I am afraid I’ve never lived in the Isles, Your Majesty. I met Andrew while he was traveling in Greece on a diplomatic mission and we married shortly before leaving Thessalonica.”
    The Empress looked as if she wished to inquire more about this, but a slightly older woman nudged her just then.
    “Yolanda, may I introduce you to the Duchess of Hartford?” Isabella favored Catherine with a smile. “Catherine, this is Yolanda de Courtenay, the Queen of Hungary and my best friend.”
    Queen Yolanda nodded at Catherine, but her eyes were back on Isabella almost instantly.
    “There are others to receive, Your Imperial Majesty.”
    The Empress apologized to her friend and sent the Duke and Duchess on with a nod of her own. As soon as they had stepped away, however, Catherine tugged on Andrew’s arm.
    “I wasn’t expecting that cool of a reception from the Queen of Hungary,” she said in Greek. “Do you suppose she’s on to us?”
    “Doubtful. But even if she is, she has no idea of my true nature.”
    Amihan steered her toward a table in a corner. “If Yolanda is pushing Isabella so hard, perhaps Hungary wants something from the Empire.”
    Krystállina didn’t answer right away, but sat down and took off her shoes. After going maying that morning (and making love in the woods), she and Amihan had staggered back to the palace in time for the luncheon. After the meal, girls came in from the countryside to dance around the maypole and show off some other choreographed feats. But this was the first time she and Amihan had been able to sit down since the grand feast three hours before.
    “How does a ten year old get dragged into marriage with the Holy Roman Emperor, anyway?”
    “Isabella is thirteen and became Queen of Jerusalem shortly after birth,” Amihan explained. “The widowed King wanted Frederick’s help with the Sixth Crusade and gave his daughter in exchange. But Isabella’s father got more than he planned.”
    “The Emperor stole his title.”
    “And everything else with it,” he agreed. “Isabella’s proper title is Holy Roman Empress, Queen of Jerusalem and Queen Consort of Sicily.”
    Their conversation ceased as servers began to arrive with wine, sweetmeats and other delicacies. Krystállina accepted a plate with a pair of songbirds on it and a goblet full of dark, rich wine.
    “Looks like they are preparing for a galliard,” Amihan mused as his wife tucked in to the first of the birds. “I never did ask you if you knew how to dance.”
    Krystállina looked at him as she wiped her mouth on her handkerchief. “I grew up in an olive orchard, remember? When would I have had time to dance?”
    Her ability to pretend, however, was soon put to the test. The galliard went by in a whirl and Krystállina had just gotten her goblet refilled when the Emperor arrived, glowing from his recently completed pavane.
    “Your Grace, you would do me a great honor by joining me for the next dance.”
    The Duchess glanced at her husband, but Andrew didn’t hesitate to give his permission. Frederick nodded to the Duke, smiling, as he led Catherine out onto the floor.
    “My dancemasters have been working on this one especially for me,” he explained. “It’s still in the early stages yet, so I beg your pardon if it’s not quite what you’re used to.”
    Frederick directed Catherine to place her left hand on his shoulder, while he placed his on the small of her back. He took her free hand in his own and the orchestra struck up a song that the Duchess would later describe as having a “flowing feel”.
    After a few minutes of whirling about the floor, the Duchess realized that the dance was so new, the court could only stand and watch. Flushing, Catherine put her head closer to the Emperor’s.
    “What do you call this?”
    “I intend to name it the Viennese waltz. Do