Christine frowned at Flicka, though she was still laughing. “Third chair, ‘doing well,’ right.Dip!”
Flicka let herself fall backward against Christine’s arm as they both laughed.
Christine said, “You should attend the Philharmonic with Pierre. Afterward, come backstage, and I’ll introduce you around. You know,make contacts.Contacts are important.”
Contacts were important if one was actively pursuing a music career. It didn’t feel like Flicka was doing that anymore. “It would be great to hang out with you, but I don’t think I’ll need contacts anymore.”
“Why not?Dip again!”Christine pushed Flicka backward over her arm.
“Because I married Pierre, Christine,baby!It’s just so busy. There are so many things to do.”
Christine stopped moving, and Flicka stumbled at suddenly being held by an immobile object. “Did we time-warp back to the sixteenth century or something?”
“We don’t appear to be doing the time warp at all,” Flicka laughed. “But maybe later when everyone gets a little drunker.”
“Are you giving up music?” Christine demanded.
“Well, I’ve hardly had time to practice this last year, between the wedding planning and all the charities that had to be involved. It’ll take another six months to finish setting up the schools that will come out of this. I want them open next September.”
“But you graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in London! It’s the best conservatory in the world! You’re an amazing musician. You shouldn’t have to give up your career just because you married some guy withdynastic problems,as everyone is calling it these days.”
“It’s different, Christine.”
“Look, I might not be exactlyauthorizedto offer you a piano soloist position with the Monaco Phil, but I’m doing it anyway.”
Flicka laughed at her. “Only the conductor can do that. And there are auditions and protocols.”
“First of all, you’re better than our current soloists. Second, crowds would throng the halls and fight for tickets if we had the Princess of Monaco playing solos. We could sell only season tickets and jack the prices up sky-high. The Philharmonic would beswimmingin money. Say you’ll do it.”
“If you guys need money, I’ll just ask Pierre or his uncle.”
“Flicka,baby,I’m talking record deals. I’m talking concerts where the Philharmonic is out on a floating stage in the harbor and we nail thousands of seats to the cliffs.”
Flicka was cracking up at the ludicrous image of people sitting in seats, nailed to the cliff face. “Okay, okay. I’ll think about it. Maybe after I get these schools set up, I can consider a few performances. I’ll ask Pierre about it.”
“Ask Pierre?Good God, Flicka. What iswrongwith you?”
“Well, being the Princess means I have royal duties, and I have to juggle everything. But I’ll see what I can do.”
“Good!” Christine said as they reached the other side of the dance floor. She changed the waltz position into a breezy hug. “Lovely reception. Great time. I have to go. My brother is here with some drunken Czech model, and he keeps making eyes at me to rescue him. See you in Monaco!”
The Wedding Night
Flicka von Hannover
Even a deposed princess
deserves a fairy tale
wedding night.
When Flicka returned to the hotel after her reception, she went directly to the concierge desk and explained to them that they would be hosting a reception for a royal wedding in approximately nine hours.
Panic flashed through every one of the assembled concierges, but they all pulled out their phones and began dialing and typing as they ran.
The most senior concierge, Huguette, who had worn a bathrobe over striped pajamas to the meeting, opened her desk drawer and removed a large, honest-to-God Rolodex. She spun the paper-stuffed wheel as if a genie would emerge and told Flicka, “We will handle the details. We need only to know what kind of food and cake you would like, what kind of music is appropriate, and the colors you would like on the tables and decor. We will make it happen, your grace.”
Flicka called her admin Alcide and had her samples book from her wedding delivered to the concierge’s office.
