A Princess in Theory (Reluctant Royals #1)(74)
“Ah. I thought sizing you by photograph would be hard, but I’ve still got it. Now try this.” She handed her a cloak similar to the one Thabiso had wrapped around her the day before, and what many people had been wearing at the airport.
“This is a blanket of Thesolo. They are a very important part of our culture,” the woman explained as she showed Naledi how to wrap and fold the blanket so it fit snugly. “We use them for many purposes. You can get similar ones from the tourist shops, but some people prefer having a distinctive pattern, made just for them. The prince chose this for you. The design was difficult, but my weavers did their best.”
Ledi stared down at the pink coffee-bean-like shapes floating in a field of purple and suddenly realized what the pattern had been based on. She gasped, and then burst into laughter as she stroked her fingers over the thick material.
“If you don’t like it, I can make another.” The woman looked down at the ground. “I am sorry if I’ve displeased you, my lady.”
Ledi clasped the woman’s arm. “No! I love it! It’s just . . .” How did she explain that the design was based on the shape of a gonorrhea bacillus? That Thabiso had remembered the humiliating story she’d told him the first day she’d met him? “It’s a private joke between the prince and I. This blanket is beautiful.”
The hurt look dropped away from the woman’s face, replaced by a bright smile.
“Very good. I hope everything else is to your liking, my lady. There are a variety of shoes and warm socks for you so you don’t get frostbite on your toes.”
She bowed to Ledi and left the room. Just as the door was closing, a familiar face peeped in.
“May we enter, my lady?” Likotsi asked politely.
“Yes, you may.” The formal words seemed bizarre, but it was hard to speak normally when everyone was talking like they’d escaped from a period film.
Likotsi entered, dapper as usual in a slim-fitting green suit, followed by Thabiso.
“Mmoro,” Ledi said, trying not to cringe at the sound of the beautiful language being destroyed by her pronunciation. How could two syllables be so difficult? Still, her attempt was greeted by bright smiles from both Thabiso and his assistant.
“And good morning to you,” Likotsi said. She pulled out her tablet and started swiping. “We were thinking we could take a short tour on the way to see Annie and Makalele. Your grandparents. They are at the Royal Hospital, here on the palace grounds.”
Ledi tugged at her cloak.
“I see. Thank you for telling me more about them, by the way. In the emails. Your writing is beautiful.” She’d discovered the source of the persistent emails, and now that she knew the truth behind them she realized what a kindness Likotsi had done her, even if she had been complicit in Thabiso’s lies. As she’d read through the emails in the aftermath of the truth, they’d changed from demands for response to informal histories of the people Ledi had never known, more intimate than the Wikipedia pages and tourism websites she’d found could provide. She’d learned of the highest point in Thesolo from a website, but it was Likotsi who had described what the annual solstice festival held at the summit of the mountain looked, tasted, and smelled like. She’d learned her parents’ names, but it was Likotsi who had shared stories of how they met, their hopes and dreams.
“It was my pleasure,” Likotsi said.
“Also, I apologize for the rude email response. Before.” Ledi cleared her throat.
“Already forgotten, my lady. Please let me know if you need anything. I am Thabiso’s assistant, but I am also yours until other arrangements can be made.”
She’d be gone before she needed an assistant, but Ledi didn’t say that.
“This is for you,” Likotsi said. She handed Ledi the envelope she was holding.
Ledi expected it to be light, but it was slightly heavier than a stack of papers that thickness should be, and firmer. She opened the envelope and slipped out a sleek, thin tablet, the kind she had seen everyone over at GirlsWithGlasses freaking out about a couple of weeks ago. The one Brian had been scrolling the internet and shouting the specs for on the day it was announced as she’d filled out his grant papers. The one she hadn’t even bothered to look at the price for because it was way out of her league.
“This is too expensive. I can’t.” She meant to hand it back, but strangely she was still clutching the cool glass and plastic, imagining all the ways it could be helpful to her in her research.
“You can and you will. I had important papers, such as your birth records, a selection of your parents’ papers from university, and family photos uploaded. It’s already been personalized.”
“I guess I’ll keep it then.” She placed the tablet down on her pillow. She would peruse the photos later when she was alone. She walked over to the rack of clothing and chose a pair of socks and pink leather ankle boots, and sat on a chair.
“May I suggest these instead?” Likotsi held out a pair of knee-high black boots with thick, rugged soles. Her expression intimated that it wasn’t actually a suggestion.
Ledi took the boots.
“Now you see what I live with every day,” Thabiso said with a smile. He’d been surprisingly quiet, but Ledi had never forgotten he was there. Keeping her gaze from drifting to him was difficult, even when she was giving her full attention to Likotsi.