Ever After (Unfinished Fairy Tales #3)(51)
Elle twists her fingers together. “Yes, but…”
The carriage grinds to a halt. I put my hand over Elle’s and level her a confident look. “Trust me, Elle. I had been princess for eight months—longer, if you count the time Edward and I were engaged. If anything, Sir Langley is more likely to believe I am princess, as we had met when we rented the school grounds.”
Perhaps infected by my determination, she nods. “Let’s have this completed as soon as possible.”
We stop in front of a tall building about ten stories high. Few buildings—apart from the palace—in the capital are this tall; the height alone tells me it’s one of the newest constructions. Still, ‘new’ in Athelia isn’t glass and steel. The stones merely are less weather-beaten compared to the other older buildings.
I take a deep breath. That incident with Lord Fremont had made me appreciate how useful it is being a princess. What I am doing is outrageously illegal, but I’ve no other options. Trying to get Edward, or the queen, or anyone to persuade Katriona to hand over Princess College is unlikely to succeed, not to mention she’d be furious to learn I’ve returned. Well, she’s bound to know it sooner or later, but at the moment I’d rather keep my existence a secret from her knowledge until a better timing.
A small rectangular placard with a gold border is nailed into the right-hand side of the doors: Spencer’s Sky-High Realty.
It’s been at least a year since Elle and I had visited Spencer’s Sky-High Realty. I had convinced Sir Langley, the head of the commercial real estate company, to sell me the building that was later converted into Princess College. He belongs to the minority of aristocrats involved in business and trade, though from my experience of reading the papers, the number of noble-turned-businessman is increasing. Sir Langley himself was only the son of a country squire, but when his father left a rather nasty debt when he died, Langley had gone into business and proved to be successful at it. Edward himself had given Langley a loan, which is part of the reason that Langley is willing to sell me Princess College, since there certainly are more lucrative offers.
The clerk in charge of screening visitors looks surprised when Elle and I enter. Yeah, I guess it’s uncommon for ladies to conduct business with Sir Langley. However, it turns out not to be the case.
“Er...Your Highness?” The man says tentatively, squinting at my face. Here’s someone who recognizes me. It doesn’t happen a lot when I’m downtown, but it can happen sometimes.
I incline my head gracefully, as any princess would do. “I would like to see Sir Langley, if he is not currently occupied.”
He bows. “Certainly...please, have a seat.” A messenger runs upstairs, and I wonder how long it’ll take for telephones to be invented. If I’m not mistaken, Sir Langley’s office is on the seventh floor.
A while later, the boy is back, and Sir Langley is right behind him.
“Your Highness!” he says, astonishment written over his face. “Good lord, if you wished to see me, all you had to do was send a message. There’s no need to exert yourself coming to this part of the city.”
Yeah, like I could receive him in the palace now.
“I cannot stay in the palace all the time, Langley,” I say, offering him a gracious smile. Inside, I’m rejoicing. They didn’t detect anything suspicious about me. “I would make a poor monarch indeed if I shut myself away from the people all day.”
He flushes, then grins. “Your Highness, you are too magnanimous. Ah, and this is Lady Elle. Allow me escort you to a more comfortable place instead of keeping you standing.”
He leads us to an office marked “Private” and guides us to our seats before he sits down and orders tea. I can’t help but wonder how he’ll treat me if he knew I’m a commoner now.
“How may I be of service, Your Highness?” Langley asks solicitously. “Is there any property you are interested in?”
I take a deep breath. I have to do this fast and convincingly, or I’d be in deep trouble. “As a matter of fact, I have a favor to ask.”
“Anything, Your Highness. Your word is my command.”
“I would like to sign over the ownership of the school I purchased to Lady Elle.”
There. I’ve said it.
Sir Langley raises his eyebrows and looks at Elle, who gives him a sweet, pacifying smile, like this is what we’ve been planning all along.
“Why, certainly, Your Highness, if that is what you wish,” he says slowly. The unspoken question hangs between us: then why didn’t you have Lady Elle own the school in the first place?
I could come up a few explanations, such as my duties getting too onerous for me to manage the school, but I’m aware that as a royal, it’s not custom to explain for your actions unless the occasion calls for it. You just give orders and expect others to bow and say yes. “Thank you, Langley. If you would be so kind to provide the documents necessary for the process.”
Langley calls for his secretary—a tall, curly-haired blonde dressed like an actress out of a classic film. She curtsies as she hands her boss the necessary papers.
“Here.” Langley points at a dotted line on the bottom. “This document states that you, the current owner of 102 Longbourne Street, is voluntarily relinquishing ownership and transferring it to Lady Elle, the eldest daughter of the late Earl Bradshaw. Please sign three copies, and each of us will keep a copy for future references.”