Page 47 of Her Royal Houseguest

The duchess looked about the mess in the room. ‘Yes, yes, it is.’

‘It will take us a week or more,’ he lied.

‘A week? But—’

‘Until the grand celebration your prince has declared to welcome us.’

‘Oh. Well, if it’s a matter of honour.’ The lady shook her head.

‘You should rest. It has been a difficult day. Should your people bring you something to drink?’

‘What? Oh, perhaps. Yes, I think I’ll have a bit of chocolate. Anna, could you see that Mrs Barker sends someone up?’

‘Yes, Mama. Right away.’

‘Very well, Prince Deva, satisfy your honour. Anna, I’ll send a letter round to get the dower property cleaned for you by next Friday.’

Deva watched as Anna’s shoulders sagged. ‘Yes, Mama.’

‘Don’t worry. It will be better for you in the country. Besides—’ she said with a heavy sigh ‘—you didn’t want to marry an Irishman anyway. They’re too foreign.’

On that note, the duchess drifted away. Finally. He waited until she was down the hall. It was time for him to speak.

With quick steps, he shut the parlour door. He doubted that was appropriate but he didn’t care. He would have plain words with Lady Anna and that could only happen in private.

‘Prince Deva—’ she began but he cut her off.

‘I will have the details now, if you please.’

‘What details?’

‘Your curse. Tell me everything that you know and I will see it broken.’

Chapter Fifteen

Anna stared at Prince Deva. He’d been in their home for one day and already someone had told him. She wondered if he’d heard about it last night from some well-meaning gentleman. Someone must have said, ‘Don’t get too close to Lady Anna. Her bad fortune might rub off on you.’ Or had her mother whispered about the curse to explain Anna’s failures with managing their servants?

Did it even matter?

‘Who told you?’ she asked.

‘Your father.’

She sighed. ‘He fears my blunders will make him less popular. They say that women are the ones who gossip but I think the men do it even more. They’re supposed to be running the country. Instead, they’re talking about when I laughed during a dance.’

He frowned. ‘Was that the error? That we laughed?’

‘That was my error. You’re allowed to do whatever you want.’ She tried to keep the bitterness out of her voice. She’d been dealt a bad hand and was trying to make the best of it, as was her entire family. After all, it wasn’t her father’s fault that she couldn’t seem to get anything right. He was a man in politics. He had to be careful of how everyone viewed him and his family. Either way, it wasn’t Prince Deva’s problem. ‘No need to worry about my problems, Prince Deva. Is there something you require?’

‘Your home meets my needs.’

Damned by faint praise.

‘I wish to assist you,’ he continued. ‘My brother loves learning about magics and spirits. He has collected stories. Perhaps he has the answer to your curse.’

Hope surged inside her for a moment. A very brief moment but it was bright enough to temporarily rob her of breath. Could this be the answer? Could a foreign prince know the secret to making her capable? Able to do the things others accomplished with ease?

She quickly squashed the hope. ‘Prince Deva, I have searched throughout England for an answer. I have spoken with witches and healers of all types. I have dipped in healing waters, been prayed over by the greatest cleric in Christendom. One even performed an exorcism on me.’