Stealing Cinderella(25)
“We have been informed by your secretary that you’ve been gallivanting around England to find some mystery woman from the ball.”
My body becomes unnaturally still, and I glance at Calder, who seems just as concerned as I am about where this conversation might be heading.
“It seems she made quite an impression on you,” my mother adds softly. “So, I think you will be happy to hear we have discovered the very woman you were looking for.”
“You have?” Alarm stirs inside me.
The king nods briskly, a lingering note of bitterness in his tone that I never accepted Princess Yasmine. “We have invited her and her family to stay at the palace for a length of one month. Adequate time for you to get to know her in a controlled setting. After which, we can announce your engagement.”
“Engagement?” I scoff. “You want me to marry… who exactly?”
“It’s the woman from London,” my mother answers hopefully. “Lavinia Maddison.”
The air in my lungs turns to ice as the consequences of my behavior comes back to haunt me. I was aware that Hayes would run back to my parents with this information, but I could never have imagined they would bring that dreadful woman here.
“Don’t you think you’re getting a little ahead of yourselves?” Calder asks. “He barely knows this woman. You can’t expect him to marry her after one month—”
“I have been patient for long enough!” My father slams his fist down onto the table. “Your mother has gone to a lot of trouble to bring this woman here. I’ve given you time and space. I’ve indulged your refusals of perfectly suitable women. But you can no longer afford to shun your responsibilities. I will see you married in three months, and this is not negotiable.”
I bite my tongue as my mother’s face crumples. She’s visibly shaken, and I seem to be the only one who remembers that stress can aggravate her condition.
“Don’t get yourself so worked up, Elias.” She pleads with the king. “It isn’t good for your heart.”
“My heart will give out before the New Year if the gods have anything to say about it. And then where will we be? A son who is woefully unprepared to take his place at the throne, let alone take care of his ailing mother.”
“Don’t ever question my abilities to take care of her,” I snarl, rising to my feet. “She will never want for anything.”
“Please,” my mother begs with tears in her eyes as she reaches out to touch my arm. “Let’s not fight today. A beautiful woman is waiting to meet you this afternoon. And I’m certain you will be pleased to see her again.”
My eyes drift over her face, and she seems thinner than the last time I saw her, only a week ago. Maybe it’s my imagination, or maybe she truly is getting frailer every day. But I know I can’t afford to crush her spirits now. Her only desire is to see me at peace, and I can’t fault her for that.
Leaning in, I place a gentle kiss on her cheek. “I’m sorry, Mor. I don’t mean to upset you.”
“You could never upset me.” She squeezes my hand in hers and then releases me. “Now, come. Let’s put this stress behind us and meet this lovely woman and her family.”
“Your Royal Highness.” Lavinia offers an overly exaggerated curtsy as I enter the room. “What a pleasure it is to see you again.”
She’s wearing a yellow floor-length gown that’s entirely too formal for this afternoon’s tea session, and it does nothing for her ghostly complexion.
My mother prods me along, encouraging my manners as I greet her mechanically.
“I believe the last we met, you were telling me how you’d lost your shoe.”
“Of course.” She turns her attention to her mother, who seems to be preserved by plastic as she forces a tight smile.
“Your Highness.” Narcissa greets me in a slightly less dramatic fashion. “It’s such a pleasure. I think you’ll be amused to learn we brought her heel with us for the occasion. We thought it would provide a bit of humor.”
“I don’t doubt that,” I remark dryly, wondering what they will produce.
“Magnolia.” Narcissa snaps her fingers. “Go and fetch your sister’s shoe, will you, darling?”
“Is that really necessary?” My mother arches a brow at me. “We’re about to have tea.”
“It won’t take long, I’m sure.” I nod and help my mother to her seat at the table while Narcissa and Lavinia follow suit. Calder isn’t far behind, but my father has willfully chosen to abandon this mission, given that we can barely tolerate each other for longer than twenty minutes.
My mother gestures for the steward to prepare our tea, and I look at Calder, who seems far too amused by this turn of events.
“I thought perhaps you could show Lavinia some of our beautiful city this week?” My mother opens the conversation.
Lavinia does her best to remain poised, but her eyes betray her satisfaction. She already feels like she’s won, and I don’t have the patience to deal with this situation. But the alternative is to send her away only to have the king produce someone else to fill her place. The question is, how long can I tolerate Lavinia before things implode?
“I have a busy schedule this week,” I answer stiffly. “But I could find some time on Friday, perhaps.”