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“Plant it?”
“More—offer them an exclusive look into a love story-turned-wedding. My affair is well done and over with. But, if I was falling for another woman and about to marry into another royal family—fairytale and all that—it could be juicy.”
“Are you about to marry into another family?”
“I could be?”
“Do you get on with Alexandra? Because you swore up and down the girl was unappetising.”
“I enjoy her company. We have plans to go out riding shortly.”
“Really? That is good.”
“I can make it work if it will spare you and Mamma the humiliation, Pappa.”
“And you haven’t angered her?”
“No,” I lied.
I had but she was willing to put it away and accept me if I otherwise left her alone.
“I will float the idea. Is Alexandra comfortable with this?”
“She will be, yes,” I answered.
“I will see if it works.” Father sounded suspicious, but there were no easy answers.
I sat, wondering where I went wrong with my life and if this was what I had to look forward to—a sham marriage, press coverage to cover my affair with a married woman, and a move to another country. It was terrible. I could only blame myself, though. My poor decisions landed me here.
I pulled my shoes on and disappeared to my room, hearing no more from my father. Soon, Martin appeared.
“Sir, breakfast is being prepared in the kitchen. Will you take your meal here or in the dining room?”
I wanted to have breakfast here, but that would appear antisocial. Now, more than ever, I needed to impress Alexandra with how wonderful I was. I had no room for error. I needed her to marry meandgo along with the press scheme.
“In the dining room,” I answered.
“Follow me, sir,” a footman said.
I walked to the family dining room and was introduced, but Alexandra was nowhere to be found. I encountered Celeste and several men she introduced as her courtiers.
“Will Her Majesty be joining us?” I asked.
“The girl will not be joining us,” Celeste answered.
The way she flippantly referred to Alexandra as “the girl” annoyed me. Like it or not, Alexandra was a queen. Despite this regency and through no fault of her own, she was the monarch. She deserved the respect. I didn’t understand how Celeste squared an arranged marriage to a man of nearly thirty by referring to her granddaughter as “the girl”.
“Oh. Well, that’s a shame. I was hoping to make plans with her for later,” I said.
“Plans? I must remind you, Your Royal Highness, that her reputation is sterling,” a male courtier said.
“Lord William, it’s alright,” the Dowager Queen said. “Well, depending on his intent.”
“I wanted to take her out on a hack, as I indicated. If we are to be serious about this, I would like to get to know her better. She wants the same. We discussed it on our short walk yesterday,” I explained. “She’s a sweet woman.”
That wasn’t a lie. I might not have been attracted to her, but Alexandra was sweet and clever. She may have also been slightly mad, but you took the good with the bad. Celeste almost recoiled at my compliment.
“It is good for them,” Lord William said. “Majesty, they must acquaint themselves if they are to pursue this. Is that your intent then?”
