The Charity Ball
Just before Alix made her debut in society, Waldemar completed his own official introduction as well. There was no avoiding it — he could not escort her otherwise. With their formal debuts behind them, the two were at last free to move through high society as they pleased.
Alix, of course, had not yet come of age, and so she was still required to attend every gathering with a chaperone in tow.
"I hate that."
Waldemar took Alix's debut as an opportunity to appear with her at social functions with some regularity. Most were elegant affairs hosted by the imperial household or the great nobility. A few were not.
Alix, noticing that Waldemar occasionally frequented gatherings beneath the dignity of the royal house, ventured a cautious opinion.
"Your Highness is a man of noble birth. I don't think a gathering where bankers come and go is quite befitting of your station."
"You're not wrong, Alix. But you can't live in this world on dignity alone. What have I been teaching you all this time?"
"Economics."
"And the people who move that economy are the capitalists, Alix. There was a time when dealing with nobles and soldiers was enough to get by. That time is over. Don't forget — in this world, money has become every bit as important as honor."
Alix nodded obediently.
He had given her everything she wanted — his affection, the status of a fiancée, her debut in society — and she had returned to the gentle, compliant princess he had first met.
Waldemar brought his young fiancée to a charity banquet hosted by one of the great financiers. Alix, still a girl, kept to the white dresses typical of her age. Waldemar had no such constraint.
The event was hosted by Ernst von Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, a titan of the financial world. He held no title, but as co-director of Mendelssohn & Co., president of the Berlin Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Central Committee of the Imperial Bank of Germany, he stood in a position that warranted even royal acquaintance.
Upon hearing the butler announce Waldemar's arrival, Mendelssohn-Bartholdy came out to greet him in person.
"Your Highness."
Waldemar returned the greeting with a slight bow.
"Your presence this evening is the greatest honor I could ask for."
"This is my fiancée, Princess Alix of Hesse."
At the word fiancée, color rose in Alix's cheeks as she offered a graceful courtesy.
"Princess Alix. It is an honor to meet you."
Waldemar and Alix followed Mendelssohn-Bartholdy into the drawing room, where bankers, officials, nobles, and foreign diplomats had already gathered. After being introduced to the assembled notables, Waldemar exchanged a few brief words with each of them.
"These days, even royalty and the nobility must take asset management quite seriously. Should Your Highness have any interest, I would be happy to recommend a private service."
"If I ever have occasion to place my assets in someone else's hands, I shall give Herr Fürstenberg the most serious consideration."
"Haha — then I shall be most grateful. I will see to it that Your Highness receives the very finest terms."
Waldemar answered them all with a modest courtesy, taking care to leave a favorable impression.
As the last of the introductions wound down, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra — invited by Mendelssohn-Bartholdy himself — struck up a symphony by Anton Bruckner. While the hosts discussed matters of patronage, Waldemar handed Alix a light refreshment. She accepted it and barely wet her lips.
"You're not bored, are you?"
A room full of aging dignitaries was bound to feel tedious to a young girl.
"Not in the least."
Simply being here with Waldemar, she said, was pleasure enough.
"And you, Your Highness?"
"I'm enjoying myself too, of course."
Servants began carrying dishes to the tables, and the rich aroma of well-prepared food filled the air.
"Mendelssohn-Bartholdy has gone to considerable trouble with the menu tonight."
The guests enjoyed the lively music and the lavish banquet their host had laid out. Waldemar went to the serving table, selected a variety of dishes, and brought a plate to Alix.
"Alix, eat something now."
"I'm not very hungry."
"We'll have to dance later, you know."
"Ah — that's right."
Only then did Alix accept the plate he had prepared for her. Whether it was the tightly laced corset or something else, she managed to finish barely a quarter of it. She handed the remainder to a servant.
"Even if it's difficult, couldn't you eat a little more?"
"No. This is plenty. I'm full."
She sipped at her light drink instead. Waldemar was considering whether to fetch her some fruit when Mendelssohn-Bartholdy raised his glass and offered the tribute due any member of the royal house who graced such an occasion.
"Honored guests, I thank you all for being here this evening — and most especially His Highness Prince Waldemar and Princess Alix."
Waldemar lifted his glass in a brief acknowledgment.
When the banquet concluded, Mendelssohn-Bartholdy invited Waldemar to open the dancing.
"Then I shall not refuse."
Accepting their host's courtesy, Waldemar led Alix out for the first dance.
"I love that I can dance with you as much as I want now."
"You should have eaten more, then."
Every eye in the room was on them as they moved across the floor.
"Ah — so those are Prince Waldemar and Princess Alix."
"The prince who gave up his debut for his fiancée."
When the first dance ended, Waldemar seated Alix in a chair.
"I'll just rest a moment, then I'll get up."
No sooner had he settled his fiancée than a young lady approached.
"Your Highness, if it would not be an imposition — might I request a dance?"
Alix's brow furrowed at the words. Waldemar caught the look and answered with impeccable politeness.
"I'm afraid that would be difficult. I came this evening with my fiancée. My apologies, Fräulein."
At his refusal, Alix's expression brightened at once. But the requests did not stop at one. Young ladies approached him several more times, and as the challengers kept coming, Alix could bear it no longer. She rose from her seat and slipped her arm through his, making no effort to hide the wariness in her eyes.
"Alix, you should sit a little longer. You're already up?"
"If I sat any longer, those girls would have stolen you away and then some."
She looked prepared to stand for the rest of the evening, leaning on him if she had to, so long as she could keep the competition at bay. Waldemar had little choice but to let his fiancée rest against him.
The ball lasted nearly four hours. By the time it ended, Alix — who had been leaning on Waldemar the entire while — was on the verge of collapse. He all but carried her toward the donation register, and every woman in the vicinity turned to look.
"We all know the prince loves the princess, but isn't this a bit... bold?"
"This is the man who openly refused his society debut. This is nothing. Oh, seeing them together in person is just so romantic."
Waldemar's ears burned at their whispers. The more he thought about it, the more mortifying the spectacle became — but he could hardly set Alix down. She, equally embarrassed, buried her face against his chest and did not move.
"A contribution, if you please."
Waldemar handed a check to the gentleman receiving donations.
"Ah — yes, Your Highness. How much shall I record?"
"Three hundred thousand marks, for the orphans of the Empire."
"Yes — three hundred thousand."
The gentleman registered the figure without thinking, then froze, his face going slack with astonishment.
"Your Highness — did you just say three hundred thousand?"
The annual pension of a Hohenzollern prince who had come of age typically ran between ten and thirty thousand marks. Waldemar was a young prince who had only recently reached his majority. To produce a sum like this without stripping his personal fortune to the bone was all but impossible.
"I did."
The gentleman recorded Waldemar's name and the amount.
"His Highness Prince Waldemar of the House of Hohenzollern has donated three hundred thousand marks!"
The announcement of a new major donor sent a ripple of shock through the room.
"Ah — and one more."
Waldemar produced a second check.
"A further three hundred thousand marks, in the name of Alix of Hesse."
"Ah."
The gentleman had no astonishment left in him. He recorded Alix's name and the amount, then called it out once more.
"Her Highness Princess Alix of Hesse-Darmstadt has donated three hundred thousand marks!"
"What?"
The room was stunned all over again. Where on earth would Princess Alix have that kind of money? Everyone present found themselves wondering just how wealthy Waldemar and Alix truly were.
Waldemar had known from the moment he displayed his fortune that every eye in the room would follow him. He had calculated for this. The time to show some wealth had come anyway. Had he never debuted, it would have been a different matter — but once he had stepped onto the stage, the old rules no longer applied. For the sake of his future reputation, he needed to demonstrate enough substance that the notables of society would not dare dismiss him. He had no intention, of course, of showing them everything.
Waldemar took his fiancée and made an early departure. Herr and Frau Mendelssohn-Bartholdy saw them out with every courtesy. As they followed a servant toward the door, Alix — who had been nestled quietly in his arms for some time — whispered to him.
"Your Highness... why did you donate three hundred thousand marks in my name?"
"Because I won't have them looking down on us."
What he meant was that her dignity was his dignity, and he had protected it accordingly. Alix heard something else entirely.
He was thinking of my standing, too.
A sweetness bloomed in her at the thought of his affection. The prince could be a little cold in his everyday manner, but he never failed to show his love through what he did. This time, she resolved, she would find the courage to give something back.
"Your Highness."
"Hmm?"
Alix rose quickly onto her toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
"That's your three-hundred-thousand-mark reward."
Having kissed him, she immediately grew shy and burrowed back into his arms. Waldemar laughed, caught somewhere between amusement and disbelief. He did not mind it, though. Every now and then, perhaps it was all right to let himself be carried away by a feeling like this.
Together, they walked on through the sweet moonlight.