Affairs of State(17)

“She has good reason to be apprehensive. She’s the only one who could be accused of doing anything wrong here. She says she didn’t tell my father about me because she didn’t want to prevent him from going off to college, but surely he could have made his own decisions about how to handle it. After all, if he can manage to become president of the United States, I think he could probably handle supporting a family while taking his classes.”

“You’re right. I’d be devastated if I got a girl pregnant and she didn’t tell me.”

Her eyes widened. Sometimes Simon was shockingly frank. He hadn’t even looked up from his plate, and was busy munching on some arugula. “Is that something you have to worry about a lot? I mean, any child you had would be in line to the throne.”

“Believe me, I’ve heard that over and over again since I was old enough to understand. My grandmother, the queen, would prefer that none of us date at all. If she had her own way we’d all be safely tucked away in arranged marriages by age twenty.”

“Have they tried to pair you up with anyone?”

“Oh, it never stops.” His eyes were smiling. “They’re constantly digging up blushing blue-blood virgins and inviting them to palace tea parties.”

“But so far none of them has piqued your interest.” She nibbled on a crisp green bean.

“Oh, several of them have piqued my interest.” He chuckled. “But not in the way Grandmama was hoping, I’m afraid. And luckily, I haven’t gotten any of them pregnant, either.”

“You’re shocking me.”

“Why? You don’t think a prince has feelings like any other man?”

“Well…” She bit her lip. “Of course I know you do, it’s just…”

“You can’t believe I’m talking about it out loud when I should be much more subtle and surreptitious?” He raised a brow. His dimple was showing. “My family hates how blunt I am. I can’t stand beating around the bush. Heaven knows I do enough of it when I’m out in public, so in private I prefer to speak my mind. Don’t be too shocked.”

“I’ll try not to be.” She smiled. His candor was refreshing. He was so different from what she’d expected. It was disarming and intriguing and she had a hard time maintaining her own cool reserve around him.

“How did we start talking about me? I was asking about your mother. Didn’t you say she lives in Ireland?”

“When she wrote to me there was an address on the inside of the letter. A post office box in Kilkenney, Ireland. She must have rented it so no one would find out where she lived. I haven’t told anyone she wrote to me, except my closest friends. I told her I’d like to meet her and I’m willing to travel to Ireland if she needs me to.”

“How will you do that without taking the international press corps with you?”

“I’m cunning when I need to be.” She smiled mysteriously. “And it’s always a good idea to do some location scouting for a big wedding, or something.”

“Your profession lends itself to international travel. I’m forced by circumstance to do most of my travel in the British Commonwealth.”

“The countries that were in the former empire?”

“Exactly. Lucky thing it was big and had so many interesting countries.” He grinned, looking disarmingly boyish. “How did your mother end up in Ireland, anyway? I thought she was from Montana.”

“I don’t entirely know. I think she met an Irish man after she gave me up for adoption. Hopefully I’ll find out the details once we meet.”

“I’m sure she’s missed you far more than you know.”

She drew in a shaky breath. “I don’t know. She might have other children. She didn’t say. She didn’t mention anything about wanting to meet me.”

“She’s probably nervous that you don’t want to meet her. She did abandon you, after all.”

“I told her in my letter that I have no hard feelings and that I had the best childhood anyone could want. I said it would mean so much to me if I could meet her.”

“Has she responded?”

“Not yet.” A sudden chill made her shiver. She put down her plate. “What if she doesn’t?”

He smiled. “She will. I can feel it.”

“Psychic, are you?” She sipped her champagne. The slight buzz it gave her was soothing, given the tense topic of conversation. “I wish I had your confidence.”