Constantin was still on his way back, so Ernst planned to use this interval to visit Bagamoyo city.
"Karina, I'm going to Bagamoyo Shipyard first today. I should be back tomorrow. Stay home today and have Mother-in-law keep you company. If anything comes up, tell the servants. If you feel unwell, call for a doctor..."
Ernst carefully rattled off a whole string of reminders. Karina was now pregnant with their second child; otherwise, he truly would have liked to take her with him to Bagamoyo for a stroll and a change of scenery. But traveling to Bagamoyo meant going by water, so Ernst was not at ease.
"All right, you don't need to worry about me. I'm not a child, and the palace lacks nothing. There are so many servants to order around, too. But when do you think we can go see Grandmother? She calls often, and little Friedrich hasn't even met her yet. Grandmother likes him very much," Karina asked.
Karina had been raised by Empress Dowager Sophie since childhood, and they shared deep affection. But ever since Karina had come to East Africa, she had been unable to see her grandmother. At least the telephone allowed them to stay in touch and ease some of their longing.
"Father-in-law occasionally goes to Austria to see Grandmother. She is still in very good health, and your younger brother Little Rudolf and your uncle are doing well too, so there's no need to worry too much. Next year, I'll accompany you back to visit them," Ernst promised.
In truth, the Austrian royal family had quite a few vexing troubles, though many of them were related to Franz. Little Rudolf often kept in contact with Ernst, so at least someone was there to guide him. In this era, no one cared