Nicholas and Rose Marie

Just about now he was worried about the end. But this line applies to a number of guys in the story.

First Prince Nicholas. Several episodes of his life ran through his mind. One was the angry interruption of Violet Marie’s funeral. His family gathered about him, his wife, Andromeda and three daughters all weeping were distracted by a growing noise of people in the cemetery. Besides themselves there were the two grave diggers further down the hill. Their small group, besides the family was the Anglican sexton and a Russian Orthodox priest, a very large young man. Her casket was already in the crypt wall. The noise grew as the crowd rounded the corner and came full on, shouting and gesturing. Andromeda grew fainter and three daughters held on. Nicholas stood before the crowd shouting at him, they demanding their gold. The sexton stepped forward as well as the priest, to no avail as all three men were shoved aside and Nicholas caught fast by the arms of two large men.

Two men seized the end of the casket and began dragging it out of its niche and two more came to help. The women were horror stricken as the coffin came free and was dashed to the ground. It cracked and an man with a sledge hammer stepped close to finish opening it up. Then several men turned it over on its side and pushed away the lid. Just the tiny emaciated body further dried by the mortician rolled out stiffly now there was a hush, Andromeda sobbed and fainted, looking at riot and wreck.

At that moment two uniformed police and two detectives came running up, no doubt cued and expecting to arrest Nicholas for fraud and finding this rudeness and desecration as Nicholas began to roar and struggle. The two uniformed men went over to help restrain the frothing Nicholas hammering out curses in Russian on the mob and several men in particular. The two detectives ordered the crowd to disperse and then gathered one of the men close and started asking very pointed questions.

By that time the two grave diggers from down the hill had run up to assist the sexton, who had a bloody nose stopped by his kerchief. Violet’s doll and bush her mirror broken on flagstones.... .:.
That was a bad moment but this was worse, the Denver Police wanted to question him about his son in laws death. But the treasure was hid, so he forced himself to take a deep breath and then went down the stairs. .:.:.

"I want my little girl here, I want you to go get her and bring her back. And I don’t want any of your shenanigans along with it. And I want to rebury her on the anniversary of her death.", Andromeda. She was prepared for the anger of Nicholas and was very surprised by his meekness and prompt acceptance of this burden.

Now Andromeda was immediately suspicious. He had indeed been a changed man this last year outwardly, but was it sincere. Immediately she thought to add Rose Marie to the quest and said the young lady would be accompanying her father to England.
And so the unforseen bond, not because she couldn’t see it but because he couldn’t, between Nicholas and his eldest daughter was to be formed, on a mission to recover some of the family’s honor. .:.:.:.

In the salon of the steamer, she sipped anisette and he brandy and he having because of proximity over the last few weeks, he had picked up on her shrewdness. When he had pictured his daughter before she was always just behind Alexandre in a supporting role. She was about to surprise him again.

"So father,", she paused as he looked up, "What was it they were looking for when they made a travesty of Violet’s internment?"

"They say I robbed them and had their gold. They had their vulagr thoughts and acted upon them." The roll of the ship swirled their drinks.

"Where did you have the gold, father?" She took a demure sip of her glass.

He rose and said, "I am going on deck to have a cigar."

She stood quickly saying, "Excellant, then I can have a cigarette."

He was shocked but only half a second and offered her his arm and carrying their glasses, they went across the nearly empty salon and out the door onto the deck.

It was high summer but the Moon was new so only the stars lit the sky. They could hear the paddles digging into the water and the friction of the hull’s passage through the low waves as they strolled further forward.