The Proud Prussian

Heinrich turned and flashed his smile. He took her hand in greeting and was about to pull her closer when he realized the butler was still there and gave him his hat and gloves. Maria took his hand and pulled him along to the parlor where she rang for some tea. Both Maria and Heinrich settld themselves in facing chairs. "Now I'm glad that are older and we can talk calmly. There were so many rules before your debut." "Yes, I don't know how anyone could become properly acquainted with anyone else." "I'm afraid 'properly' had nothing to do with it, Maria." He paused while he studied her more closely. ________________________ Pauline Henrietta would always remember what the family came to call the 'Elisabeth Wedding' which referred to the last minute replacement of Fred with this Scot that no one had any knowledge of until Pauline saw him at the altar waiting for Elisabeth as she glided down the aisle. That was the end of Elisabeth's 'secret' career. As she stated later, "a lot of women in the old west survived by entertaining gentlemen and later became very distinguished in society. At least I had a career. What are they going to call key-punch operators?" Pauline got the last word with her curt comment, "Working girls...and Heaven help us." ___________________________ Back in her hotel room, Elisa rummaged in her purse to find the card he'd presented to her. She quietly studied it along with the tiny crest in the upper left corner. Heinrich Albert Wilhelm Bernard There was that nagging thought again. Oh, yes...her grandmother telling her that someday she would meet her prince. Nice thought. But, Heinrich was no prince and then she looked again at his last name. Impossible. He was simply a diplomat with a flair for languages. Still, the 'but' remained to taunt her. She was always coming back with a 'but'. She sighed and replaced the card telling herself to be sensible.