Chapter 996: A Powerful Presence
Alexandra picked up the pen, stole a quick glance at the Crown Prince, and then began to write rapidly on the paper:
"When moonlight flows like silver glaze over the Winter Palace dome, I dip into the Neva’s mist to stir the indigo tides—
Should you ask why my brush always drifts to the southwest,
’Tis because there lies the unfinished canvas of my dreams.
Your sapphire eyes reflect the morning dew of the Seine, As I spread twelve colors in ripples across the cloth;
The palette trembles at the border of day and night, As the beautiful iris awakens upon the silk..."
She wrote out the sonnet she had revised countless times in elegant Roman script, then handed it to Joseph with a heart full of anticipation.
"Your Highness, since I was unable to bring anything into France, this is the only gift I could think of to give you."
Joseph read the slightly unpolished verses aloud, a warm smile spreading across his face. He hadn't expected the young girl to be so romantic...
He then pinched the bridge of his nose with a look of slight embarrassment. "That... please forgive me, it seems I forgotten to prepare a return gift for you..."
The young princess immediately waved her hands in earnest. "No, Your Highness, you have already given me something. It is a gift I will never forget for as long as I live."
"Oh? Is that so? What did I give you?"
Alexandra nodded. "The Eden Amusement Park. You know, when I first came to Paris, I could hardly believe such a wonderful place existed in the world.
"When I sat on the carousel, I felt as if I were in heaven.
"Don't laugh at me, but I rode it over a dozen times that day.
"At that moment, I thought that the person who could invent all of this must be a messenger sent to Earth by God.
"Later, when I learned it was all your masterpiece and I finally met you, I fell deeply in love..."
Joseph looked at her sparkling blue eyes and her serious expression as she spoke of love, and he couldn't help but feel as if he were looking at a character straight out of a storybook.
The carriage fell silent for a moment. Alexandra seemed to grow shy under his gaze and quickly searched for a new topic.
"So, Your Highness, what have you been busy with lately?"
Joseph found her attempt at acting like an adult rather amusing. He replied casually, "Mmm, inspections, meetings, handling internal affairs, drafting industrial development plans—that sort of thing. It's quite dull. Thanks to your arrival, I’ve finally been able to take a few days off to rest."
The girl appeared very interested. "Industrial development plans? Aren't those things the factory owners should worry about?"
"Well, if they are left to their own devices, French industry would go through a cycle of reckless investment, bankruptcy, trying a new field, bankrupting again, and trying once more. It would continue until some lucky soul happens to find exactly what the market needs, which would then drive a certain level of development.
"The government’s role is to guide them as much as possible so they fall into fewer traps. That is what a development plan is for."
Alexandra’s eyes lit up, and she nodded vigorously. "That sounds truly remarkable. No wonder France has developed so rapidly these past few years."
She then added expectantly, "Your Highness, is there anything I can do for you?"
"You?" Joseph was taken-back for a moment, then smiled. "I am touched by your sentiment. If you really want to do something, perhaps you could start by studying. For instance, Monsieur Lagrange has begun giving lectures at the Palace of Versailles again this year..."
He suddenly felt that this was somewhat similar to his own experiences years ago.
The princess nodded with great seriousness. "Very well, Your Highness, I will certainly study hard. And in my spare time, I can help you organize some events for the people, just as Her Majesty the Queen used to do..."
Amidst their conversation, the convoy soon arrived back at the Palace of Versailles.
What followed was the inevitable succession of balls and banquets. It wasn't until ten o'clock at night that Alexandra finally finished the day's proceedings. After bidding the Crown Prince goodnight, she returned to her room—which was located directly across from the Crown Prince's living quarters. Until they were officially married, they could not live together.
This was also Joseph's intention—he remembered from history that the real Alexandra had apparently died from complications during childbirth because she was too young. He wanted to avoid the same tragedy, and postponing the consummation of the marriage was the most effective way he could think of.
Back in her room, the Russian princess recalled everything that had happened that day. Her gaze swept over the two maids who were preparing her washbasins, and her brow furrowed instantly.
There was clearly something wrong with these two, but she had no hard evidence—they could easily claim their earlier behavior was due to nervousness or negligence, or even suggest that the Crown Princess herself had misheard them.
But having personal maids who were not loyal to her would surely lead to disaster later on.
Alexandra had grown up in the Russian court, where political struggles were exceptionally brutal. Having been immersed in such things since childhood, she was no stranger to handling them.
She forced herself to calm down, searching her memory for information on these two. Before she had left for France, the Ambassador to France had compiled dossiers on important figures in the Palace of Versailles and given them to her.
With nothing else to do on the long journey, she had memorized all the information.
Soon, she recalled their identities—second-class maids to the Crown Prince, Anna and Clarice.
Fortunately, since they were the Crown Prince's maids, Count Stroganov had specifically collected data on them.
Alexandra first changed out of her cumbersome gown, then pulled over a chair and sat in the center of the room. She spoke to the busy maids.
"Anna, Clarice, please come here for a moment."
"Yes, Your Highness."
The two had guilty consciences and stood before Alexandra looking rather uneasy.
The young princess did her best to emulate her grandmother the Tsar’s commanding presence. She let the two maids stand in silence for several minutes before finally speaking in a low, cold voice.
"Anna Erika de Garnaud. Clarice Joanne de..."
She couldn't recall the rest; after all, there were hundreds of people in the Palace of Versailles to remember. She brushed past it with a look of feigned disdain.
"Anna, your father is Viscount Garnaud. Your uncle serves as a secretary at the Paris Market Office, and you have two younger brothers under the age of ten.
"Clarice, both your mother and aunt are maids in the service of the Countess of Provence. You have a sister working at the estate of Baron Breteuil, and a cousin in..."
The two maids' eyes widened as they stared at Alexandra. A chill rose from the depths of their hearts—they hadn't expected this young Crown Princess to have investigated their backgrounds so thoroughly.
Alexandra looked at them askance, her voice like frost. "I hope you remember that as your mistress, if I am unhappy, I guarantee that you will suffer far more—as will those people I just mentioned."
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