Bruce scratched his forehead. 'Not easy,' he said. 'On the other hand, I haven't told you the price I was asked to pay to become Armbruster's vice-president.'

'What's that?'

'I'd have to become part of his family. I'd have to marry his daughter Judith.'

Karen studied the man beside her. 'Well, why not do that?'

'For one thing, I don't love her. For another, I care for you. There you have it, Karen. I'm sure of this. I care for you.'

She squeezed his hand tightly. 'And Bruce, I care for you.'

He leaned over and kissed her on the lips. She clung to him, kissing him back.

After they parted briefly, she said, 'That was delicious. But Bruce, you've got to be practical. What are you going to do about money?'

'Tomorrow I'm going to Washington Park to sell Frontier. That should bring enough to keep me afloat.' 'I hope so.' 'Come along with me and we'll see what happens.'

Arriving at the Washington Street main doorway to City Hall, Harold T. Armbruster checked his watch and noted that he was on time.

Entering the marble lobby, he made for the recently installed elevators, and told the operator inside that he wished to go to Mayor Carter Harrison's office suite on the third floor. After the slow ride up, Armbruster stepped into the corridor and headed for the mayor's office.

In the reception room, he was met by a young man who left him to inform the mayor that Armbruster was present. Moments later, the young man returned to guide him through the empty secretarial office into the mayor's own impressive sanctum.

Mayor Harrison was already on his feet, hand outstretched. Armbruster impatiently shook it.

'You wanted to see me,' Armbruster said.

'Yes, yes, please sit down.'

Armbruster sat on the edge of a chair across from the mayor's desk, as Harrison settled into his own high-backed leather chair. The summons from the mayor had been unexpected, and Armbruster was restless with curiosity.

The mayor shuffled some papers and raised his head. 'It's about the matter of Prince Henry's visit to Chicago.'

'I hoped you'd have some news,' Armbruster said. 'He hasn't changed his itinerary, has he?'

'No, he will be here exactly as scheduled. A morning, an afternoon, an evening, before returning to New York, and to Germany the following day.'

'Well, did you inform him of the wedding and the banquet at my home?'

The mayor nodded. 'Up to a point.'

'What does that mean, Mayor?'

'It means I had to follow protocol,' said Mayor Harrison. 'I worked out a schedule with my staff to cover every hour of the prince's visit to Chicago. It included your son's wedding and the banquet to follow. Then, still observing protocol, as I'd been advised, I sent the schedule to the German ambassador in Washington, D.C. I want you to see the schedule so that you will know that I have faithfully kept my promise to you.'

Harrison half lifted himself and handed a sheet of paper to Armbruster.

The meat-packer studied the official schedule. It read:

OFFICIAL PROGRAMME FOR PRINCE HENRY

6:30 a.m. Arrival at Union Station. 10:30 a.m. Visit to Lincoln Park. 11:oo a.m. Choral festival at First Regiment Armoury. 12:30 p.m. Luncheon at Germania Club. 3:00 p.m. Reception with Mayor Harrison and aldermen at City Hall. 7:00 p.m. Grand Banquet at the residence of Mr and Mrs Harold T. Armbruster, to celebrate the prince's visit, as well as the wedding of Mr Alan Armbruster to Miss Cathleen Lester.

Satisfied, Armbruster returned the schedule to the mayor's desk. 'You have it there, and you put it well,' Armbruster said. 'You haven't told me the prince's response.'

'The very reason I wanted to see you,' said the mayor. 'I have a response of sorts, but it is from the German ambassador, and not from Prince Henry. I want you to read it.'

He handed another sheet of paper over his desk to the meat-packer. Armbruster took it. The sheet of heavier paper with a smooth cottony surface was thicker than the sheet that bore the schedule, and the letterhead was embossed with the address of the German Embassy. Armbruster read it carefully:

Dear Honourable Mayor Carter Harrison,

I am most pleased to have received the programme you outlined for the overnight visit of Prince Henry of Prussia to your renowned metropolis.

Of course, Prince Henry will wish to lay a wreath at the foot of the Monument in Lincoln Park. He certainly will be pleased with the luncheon at the Germania Club, aware as he is that the city of Chicago possesses the sixth-largest population of Germans in the entire world.

Regarding the rest of the schedule, including your reception at the City Hall and the banquet to be hosted by the distinguished Mr and Mrs Armbruster, I can only assume that the prince will be honoured and pleased. However, I do not have his official reaction to the plans as it is too soon to have heard from him.

I have forwarded your programme to Berlin via diplomatic pouch, and I expect to have Prince Henry's response soon, certainly before his arrival in Chicago.

I will keep you further informed.

With best wishes,

Sincerely, Hans Schulter Ambassador

Armbruster reread the letter and then, shaking his head, threw it on the mayor's desk. 'It's an acknowledgement, but it doesn't tell us a damn thing.'

'Not yet, perhaps,' said Harrison, trying to pacify Armbruster, 'but it does indicate that the ambassador expects Prince Henry to approve of everything on our programme, including your festivities.'

'You may be right,' said Armbruster, somewhat mollified. 'Still, the prince himself has not yet approved. You must let me know the moment you hear from him. After all, Mrs Armbruster and I have to make special, more elaborate plans for a royal guest.'

Mayor Harrison threw up his hands. 'What can I say, Mr Armbruster? I know only what you know from the ambassador's letter, that he expects to hear from Prince Henry before the prince's arrival in Chicago.'

'That could be cutting it close.'

'I really don't think you have to worry, Mr Armbruster. The prince can only be pleased with your invitation. I feel that you can go ahead and plan accordingly.'

'Fine,' said Armbruster, standing. 'I'll take your word for it and proceed.'

The mayor also rose. 'Are you still expecting to make your request of the prince?'

'My request? Ah, you mean to tell him of my desire to be the next ambassador to Germany?'

'Precisely.'

'I'll be totally honest with you, as I was when I first brought this matter up,' said Armbruster. 'While it will definitely improve my social standing in Chicago to have the prince in my home, it is equally important that he feel obligated to me, his host, and that he find time to speak to me alone.'

'I understand,' said Harrison amiably.

'I want to get him aside. To impress upon him how qualified I am to be ambassador, and to let him know how eager I am to have the post. Obviously, he can't play any decisive part in this except to influence the kaiser, who may then make it known to the White House that I would be most welcome in Berlin. Am I making a mistake in undertaking this?'

'Not at all, not a bit,' said the mayor, seeing Armbruster to the door. 'You do things for people, and then you expect them to do something in return. It is the way of the world.'

'I'm relieved to hear you say so. Thank you very much, and keep in touch with me.' He paused. 'Meanwhile, I wish you luck in your reform campaign. I agree that it is necessary to have Chicago clean as a whistle on the day Prince Henry arrives.'

They were in the stable area of the old Washington Park race track, some distance behind the wooden two-tier grandstand. Bruce Lester and Karen were escorting a horse owner named Robert Clifford to the farthest stall, where Bruce's colt, Frontier, was feeding.