After returning to St. Petersburg for the winter, Marie noticed a picture on her father’s desk of a young, beautiful little boy. Then later in that year, without knocking on her father study door, she opened the door. Marie saw the back of woman and that woman turned around. She remembered seeing her a while ago from a distance. Despite the recognition, Marie felt a sense of jealously and concern of loosing her father. Her father had said to her later that his tenderness for her would never change.
In the summer of 1902, Marie felt this was her last year of her childhood and her life would change forever. Instead of going to Ilinskoie, she and Dmitri stayed at Tsarskoie-Selo, about 30 miles away. Marie and Dmitri left by carriage of 4 horses to visit their father at the military camp.
Preparations were occuring for the marriage of her cousin Helen with her uncle Prince Nicholas of Greece. This prince had not been in Russia since Marie’s mother’s passing. There appeared an unexpected divide between her father and Prince Nicholas. Around this time, Marie’s Uncle Serge and Marie’s father had a disagreement. However she recalled her uncle ended the conversation and said, “(Marie’s father) should take better care of himself.” (p46).
The marriage of the Prince was in the choir area of the palace’s church. Prior to the wedding, Marie had placed a gold piece in the bride-to-be’s shoe. Following the ceremony, Marie kissed her cousin’s hand feeling much respect for her cousin. The day following the marriage, Marie’s father left by train and Marie felt she may never see him again!
Dmitri and Marie stayed at Tsarskoie until the festivities had concluded. They followed the court to Peterhof, where her grandparents were installed in the house of the Emperor’s mother, the Dowager Empress Marie. “Installed” meant it was customary to move bathtubs, lots of luggage, and special objects when moving to another palace for a period of time.
Mlle. Hélène spoke to Marie that the Greek prince as having bad manners and that he would only be a bad influence on her. Once the couple left, Marie and Dmitri were back at Tsarskoie. Sadness was the ambiance as the season had changed and the leaves were dead. Planks covered the statues for weather protection.
Marie’s governess had given Marie a piece of mail and Marie recognized the handwriting - her father’s! From the letter’s first sentence, a feeling of sad foretelling for her, which it was. Her father announced his marriage to Olga Valerianovna Pistolkors. He spoke of his loneliness and how this woman brightened his life. He had also noted that Marie and Dmitri would still remain in his affections.
Maries’ reaction was hours of sobbing and nervous hiccuping. Her father was now dead to her. Then, she went into a more ego argument with herself, on how could he do this to their special relationship. This was her first real sorrow. Marie did write a response to her father - solely to him and a sentence in smaller size at the end of the letter referring to her new stepmother (as Marie’s governess strongly suggested for Marie to speak to her new stepmother as well in this letter).
As it turned-out, Uncle Serge was angry and felt it was illogical for her father to marry this new woman who got a divorce to marry her father. Uncle Serge felt it would ruin Marie’s father’s life and future - and took him away from the children who need him!
The marriage took place quietly in Italy. In Rome, her father learned of the Emperor’s verdict - that Uncle Serge would become guardian of Marie and Dmitri. Thus, the palace in St. Petersburg would be closed and in the Spring, she and Dmitri would move to Mosca indefinitely to live with their Uncle Serge and Aunt Ella. Uncle Serge often said, “It is I who am now your father, and you are my children!” (p50)
This was the first year to not have Christmas festivities at the Palace on Neva. Her aunt and uncle, who primarily lived in the Governor General’s palace at Moscow, spent holidays in Neskuchnoie - a small palace the Crown owned and was located outside of the city and on the Moska banks. They would return several days into the new year back in St. Petersburg.
In the palace where she now lived there seemed to be a feeling of death, neglect and ruin. Now there was not enough work for the servants and many empty rooms, and servants had been leaving.
Grand Duke Michael - the younger son of Emperor Nicholas I, came to visit periodically. He was an elderly man of great grace and manners. He was the last of the Grand Dukes and tutoi-ed with the men, and bowed gracefully, then, kissed a woman’s hand.
Often she and Dmitri went to the Winter Palace to play with the little Grand Duchess. The experience felt like a family environment with tender, simple, calm ambiance. The happiness of the Emperor and his wife, and they with their children, was heartfelt and was a memorable time for Marie.
Dowager Empress Marie, widow of Emperor Alexander III, had asked Dmitri and Marie to visit. They would go to the Dowager’s preferred residence - Gachina, 40 miles from St. Petersburg. Emperor Paul I had built that château. The ambiance and decor was of a chivalrous monarch with a dark feeling. In one of the tower’s rooms, there were bloodstained-covered bedsheet moved from the St. Petersburg and upon which he had been stretched after his tragic death. The servants felt that place was haunted by Paul I and they had shared many shocking stories.
The land was vast - with rivers and lakes full of fish and there was a park. There were kennels, bear hunting, and stables - attended by small “army” (p52) of grooms, trainers, and professional huntsmen. Since Alexander III’s passing, these facilities were not used by Emperor Nicholas II as he did not like hunting.
The Empress Marie had enjoyed a retired, peaceful life at Gachina. At that time, the Grand Duchess Olga (Marie’s godmother) and Grand Duke Michael had younger children. Olga, Marie’s cousin, was gifted in sports, child-like, “disarming simplicity.” (p52)
After the Chapel mass in the palace, in a reception hall, all offered farewell to Marie and Dmitri. Even the old butler who had seen them born - gave a speech with a shaky voice. Marie went to the family vault and she placed flowers on her mother’s tomb. She and Dmitri left for Moscow with Mlle. Hélène, Dmitri and General Laiming.
Marie’s childhood is now left behind in St. Petersburg. The great palace on Neva was now empty and quiet.
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