The King Without a Heart by Barbara Cartland

“Darius told me that you are at the beck and call of your cousin and your aunt.”
    â€œThey are ashamed of me and to punish me for what my father did, Uncle Edward is sending Nanny away – and I am terrified that he may now sell my Mercury.”
    â€œI am sure no one could be so cruel as to do that,” the King told her firmly. “But what I am going to suggest will prevent him doing anything so wrong and from sending your Nanny away.”
    Titania tried to wipe away her tears.
    She did not have a handkerchief and so the King drew a white linen one from his pocket and handed it to her.
    She rubbed her eyes and looked at him pleadingly, wondering what he could possibly suggest, feeling there was nothing that would prevent the Duke from doing what he wished to do.
    â€œYou were telling me why you are treated so badly by your relations?”
    â€œBecause Papa, when he was a young man, fell very much in love with my mother. She was very beautiful, but her father was only the Chieftain of a Scottish Clan. My grandfather believed that all his family must marry into families who were as important and blue-blooded as his own.”
    The King smiled.
    â€œI have heard there are English aristocrats who feel that way, but I thought it was just a fairy story.”
    â€œNo, Sire, it is not and Uncle Edward is just like his father. Nothing to him is more important than one’s ancestry and that is why they do not consider me as anything but a blot on the family tree.”
    The King smiled again.
    â€œI am sure no one could think of you as a blot on anything. You are very beautiful, as you must be aware, and I do not like to see anyone in my household in tears, especially someone who looks as if she might just be a Goddess from Mount Olympus.”
    Titania could not help giving a little laugh.
    â€œLike your Majesty’s mother!” she exclaimed. “I have been told how very beautiful she was and that she was Greek.”
    â€œI can only just remember her because I was only three when she died. But I know exactly what you are feeling, because my stepmother never liked me. She was angry that I should be more important to the country than her son.”
    â€œWas she unkind to you?” asked Titania, remembering that the Queen in question had been German.
    There was a little pause before the King said,
    â€œI understand from this letter that you love your horse Mercury and he loves you. I once owned a dog that I adored. In fact after my mother died he was the one thing I had to love and who loved me.”
    Titania drew in her breath. There was a note of pain in the King’s voice, which she understood only too well.
    â€œWhat happened?” she enquired almost in a whisper.
    â€œWhen I was sent to boarding school, I could not take my dog with me. But I asked all the servants to look after him and they promised me they would do so.”
    â€œSo what happened?” asked Titania again.
    â€œAs he whined and barked continually because he missed me, my stepmother had him destroyed.”
    Now his voice was hard, but Titania could see the pain in his eyes.
    â€œI am so sorry. I know how much it – must have hurt you. I now am frightened that my Uncle Edward, because he dislikes me, may dispose of Mercury. I think I would rather he died than he was sold to someone who – might ill-treat him.”
    â€œI agree with you there and it is something we must definitely prevent.”
    â€œHow can we do so, when I am here and Mercury is – in England?”
    The King chuckled.
    â€œI am going to send a cable now to my Ambassador in London instructing him that I personally wish a horse called Mercury and –“
    He paused.
    â€œWhat is your Nanny’s name?”
    Because she was listening to him so intently, Titania found it hard to answer for a moment.
    Then she said,
    â€œTucket – Miss Tucket.”
    The King continued,
    â€œ – that he