the return value wrapped in the string tag is how the web service conforms to
standards.

if you don't want to write a web page, write a DLL with a web reference to
the web service (which generates your client proxy).  have your DLL implement
the same methods as the webservice and just pass the results back out.  your
DLL can expect a string return type without the xml around it.

this is known as a service gateway pattern, from MS P&P
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnpatterns/html
/DesServiceGateway.asp

as a tip: if you use an interface to define your members it makes it a
little easier to ensure you are exposing everything from the web service in
the DLL.

cheers.