At the time of closing our little transaction, she took the precaution
to protect adequately and seal all letters and documents from my
perusal. Of course that was a disappointment. I put the packet away
carefully, closed up my aftairs in London and went back to Germany,
going direct to Mecklenburg-Schwerein where I delivered the package to
the old Grand Duke in person. He seized it eagerly and opened it in
my presence. I noticed as he ran through the letters that he did not
stop even to glance at them. He did, however, stop and pick out from
the pile an official looking document, at the sight of which a
tremendous sigh of relief seemed to escape him. The document had a
decidedly close resemblance to a marriage license as issued in
Switzerland. Of course I only got a fleeting, cursory glance at it,
but the eagerness of the Grand Duke in pouncing upon that one document
and ignoring the letters, and hints previously dropped by her
ladyship, embellished by rumors I later heard in Switzerland, all
leave very little doubt in my mind that a clandestine marriage did
actually take place between this lady of the English nobility and the
young Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerein.
His Royal Highness must have been satisfied, for besides a fee of 5000
marks, I received a few days later through Wedel a diamond pin and a
magnficent gold watch and chain inscribed with the Grand Ducal arms of
Mecklenburg-Schwerein inscribed:
"For services performed faithfully to my house.
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