Free A Dangerous Disguise by Barbara Cartland Page A

heard of it."
    "Most people hadn't until recently. Then it was in the newspapers once or twice. The royal family are trapped in their castle by Russian soldiers. You must have seen it and noticed it, without realising."
    "Oh my goodness! There really is such a place." She pressed her hands to her cheeks and gave a little laugh. "Fancy that! Oh, I've been such a fool!"
    "What kind of game were you playing? Where do you really come from?"
    "Scotland. My name is Ola McNewton. Papa and I were going to come to London for the Jubilee, but he died. He made me promise to come anyway, and I – I just thought it would be fun to be someone else. I was so bored with being me. Can you understand that?"
    "Of course I can," he said tenderly. "I can even see that it's amusing. No wonder you didn't want any contact with the Embassy. But my dear girl, can you imagine the chaos you've caused? We thought one of the family must have escaped from the castle and reached England, and we've been going crazy trying to work out the truth."
    Her hand flew to her mouth.
    "Oh dear, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to cause any trouble. I just wanted to enjoy myself, and think of Papa. You see, in some ways I've felt I was doing it for him. He was very sentimental about the Queen. A long time ago he was a little bit in love with her."
    "What?"
    "He was in the army then, and a whole group of officers were invited to a ball at Balmoral. He danced with the Queen, several times. In those days he had a very strong Scottish accent, and she had to make him repeat everything twice. He was starry-eyed about her all the rest of his life. Mama used to tease him about it, not minding at all, of course, because they loved each other so much.
    "He said it would be nice to see her again, just from a distance. And when he died recently, I was going to see her for him."
    The Duke regarded her with a rueful grin.
    'Wait until Danson hears this,' he thought, shaking his head. 'Innocence personified.'
    He took her hand between his.
    "Come with me," he said. "I want you to talk to a friend of mine, and then we'll put this business behind us, and think of the future."
    "The future, John?"
    He smiled and carried her hand to his lips.
    "Come," he said.
    They took a cab to Whitehall and were instantly admitted to see Sir Bernard Danson.
    He listened to the story, which they told between them, with an ironic smile on his amiable face.
    "And how about 'Lady Krasler'?" he asked. "Who is she?"
    "That's Greta Lanso, my maid. She came to look after me and make sure I didn't get into any trouble."
    "I have never heard such a farrago in all my days!" Sir Bernard said. "What were you thinking of, young woman?"
    "I know I haven't been very sensible," she admitted. "It was only a prank that went wrong."
    "A prank? Well, well, let's leave it at that. Let me have a statement in writing and we'll say no more. Yes, Hawkins, what is it?"
    He had looked up as a soberly dressed clerk entered the room. There was no sign in his manner that this had been pre-arranged between them.
    "Excuse me, Sir Bernard, there's a message for the Duke of Camborne."
    "Yes?" said the Duke, rising.
    "It's from Lord Baisley," said the clerk, naming the Queen's Comptroller. "Your Grace is wanted at the Palace without delay."
    "You'd better be off," said Sir Bernard. "If you're not back when Miss McNewton is ready to leave, I'll send her to the Imperial in a cab."
    The Duke smiled at Ola.
    "I'll return as soon as I can."
    "Don't worry," she said. "I'm all right."
    She watched him, smiling, until the door had closed behind him. Then she turned back to face Sir Bernard, and the smile died from her face.
    His own face had been stripped of its amiability, leaving only a cold mask behind.
    "Now," he said, and the word seemed to freeze the air. "Now, we'll have the truth out of you."
    "But I've told you the truth."
    He made a sound of contempt.
    "Please madam, those pretty tales will do for Camborne, but I've been around a lot