The Paleys (1921-1927) - An Alternate Romanov Story

Last Preparations

Tsarskoe Selo, November 1922

The final preparations for departure were in full swing. Natalia's room was a mess, with clothes being folded and trinkets being packed by the maids. She carefully selected which books and magazines to bring along, while her trunks cluttered the hallway. Her father had refused to walk through that part of the palace until she finished packing, but Natalia enjoyed the chaos of it all. As she picked out each item, it felt like she was getting ready to go back home.

Although school wouldn't officially start until after Christmas, Natalia's parents had decided to leave for the city a month earlier. They wanted her and Tata to have enough time to get settled and buy everything they needed for their exciting journey to France. During the week, Natalia would attend classes, but on weekends she would stay with Tata at the magnificent mansion in Bolougn-sur-Seine, the very same house where Natalia had spent her childhood. Despite being surrounded by maids, housekeepers, and chaperons at all times, Natalia couldn't contain her excitement for the upcoming shows they would be attending. Opera, ballet, theatre - perhaps they could even sneak into a jazz club to catch a performance. Natalia had heard that this new style of music was causing quite a stir in the city and she could feel her entire body buzzing with anticipation.

There was a dark side to it all, of course. She would be separated from Irina and Alexei. Though she tried not to dwell on it, the thought of saying goodbye to them eventually crept into her mind. She knew that Alexei would manage without her; he was doing well in university and had his own responsibilities as a Tsar-in-training. But Irina was different. They had never been apart for such a long time and she relied on her sister's guidance and wisdom. She couldn't imagine how she would cope without her. Additionally, she felt guilty about taking Tata with her and leaving Irina alone in Russia. However, the chance to travel was too great to pass up.

For weeks, there had been a thick and uncomfortable tension between them. Finally, they decided to have a long conversation about it. Irina felt resentful that she wasn't given the same opportunity as Natalia, but she tried not to blame her sister for it. Even though it was difficult for her to stay behind, she understood why Natalia needed to go and gave her full support. With the weight of their issues lifted Natalia could fully focus on her upcoming trip with Tata. They had spent weeks planning out every detail of their adventure and now they would depart the very next day. Tata had already settled into the Paley Palace, where they would make final arrangements before leaving.

Natalia was aware that Tata preferred staying at the Paley Palace rather than living under the same roof as her mother. Their relationship was rarely discussed, even though Natalia and Tata had been best friends for years. The truth was that Natalia could count on one hand the number of times she had seen them together.

The countess was a stunning woman with captivating eyes, but she seemed distant and uninterested in children. Except for her son George, who held a special place in her heart as the only child with Romanov blood. Most nights, the countess would go out partying with friends and spend her mornings and afternoons recovering to do it all over again. Tata hardly ever saw her, having been raised by nannies. One time, when Natalia's mother complimented Tata's dress and said she looked beautiful in it, Tata revealed that her own mother never gave her compliments.

"She always seems to find fault with everything I do or say," she had told her, sadness evident in her eyes.

Natalia prodded for more details, but Tata quickly changed the subject. She didn't like pity, always striving to present herself as a strong woman who could overcome any challenge without showing signs of struggle. Natalia looked up to her and felt childish in comparison. When someone hurt or offended Tata, or spoke in a way that Natalia deemed inappropriate, she could feel it deep in her bones and would make sure everyone knew exactly how much their words affected her. That was the biggest difference between them: Natalia openly displayed her emotions while Tata kept hers buried inside.

In any case, even if the reason for Tata to be there early could have been better, she was still excited about having her. Irina never liked packing and was indifferent to fashion, while Tata shared her passion for it. In fact, Irina wasn't even at the palace. She had spent the afternoon with Maria - her lady-in-waiting - and her family and still hadn't returned, even though it was late afternoon and still dark outside.

"Natalia," Tata called out as she rummaged through one of the bags. "Do you mind if I go to the library to check if I left my Lelong catalogues there? I can't bear the journey without them."

Tata, who was helping a maid fold a delicate dress for travelling, immediately agreed. "Of course, no problem. But won't your brother disapprove of keeping fashion catalogues in the library?"

Natalia scoffed. "I couldn't care less what he thinks. I'm not getting rid of my catalogs and I can't store them all in my room, so he'll just have to deal with it."

With a grin, Tata exited the room and made her way to the library.

A little while later, there was another knock on Natalia's door. This time, it was her mother peeking in with a beaming smile.

"Alexei is here to visit you," she announced.

Natalia's first instinct was to look outside. The sky was dark and heavy with clouds, and snow had started to fall a couple of hours before, blanketing the streets and rooftops in a pristine white coat. It looked like a winter wonderland, and Natalia couldn't help but smile despite her initial irritation at the thought of having to scold Alexei for his impulsive visit. She knew he must have left his classes early just to make the journey to Tsarskoe Selo to see her.

As she made her way through the elegant halls of the palace, she couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement in her chest. It had been two long weeks since they last saw each other, their busy schedules keeping them apart. Despite trying to come to terms with the fact that she wouldn't see him before her departure, a small part of Natalia had always hoped for a surprise visit from Alexei.

"I told him he didn't need to come all this way," Natalia muttered under her breath as she followed her mother into the grand drawing room. She tried to sound cross, but deep down she was touched by Alexei's gesture and couldn't wait to see him again.