“Relax,” Alex whispered in my ear. “Just keep it simple and be yourself.”
“Thanks.” He let go of my hand and took his seat while I was left to face the crowd. I had no way of judging how many people were actually standing in the village center watching me, but it felt like I was giving a State of the Union address. I squeezed the paper in my hand, the one I couldn’t remember anything from, and gave the crowd a smile.
“People use the word honored in award speeches, they talk about how grateful they are and humbled. Well, I’m not sure how to catalog today, but it feels as though I’ve won an award and I am all of those things: honored by your reception, humbled to be a part of such a wonderful legacy, and grateful that Her Majesty sent His Highness to find me.” I paused, trying to remember what else I was supposed to say, and was surprised by the applause. I looked over the crowd, stunned. “I’m going to keep this short because I hate to keep you all out in the cold—you might turn into Popsicles.” There were chuckles from the crowd. “Thank you so much for coming out here to meet me. I look forward to learning more about each and every one of you.” Very carefully, I said the words for “thank you” in Lilarian and silently prayed that I got it correct.
People stood up and clapped. I should have felt proud, but I just felt silly—like they were humoring me. I stepped away from the microphone and let Simone shake my hand. She turned toward the crowd, still holding my hand and motioned to me again while the crowd cheered. Not sure what to do, I waved with my free hand and smiled. When she let go, I moved to where the others had stood. They shook my hand like they hadn’t already been introduced to me and told me how happy they were that I was back. It was very surreal and I didn’t really understand why they were so excited. I was starting to think I never would understand.
People stopped me just off the stage. There was a lot of handshaking and smiling. So many names and faces I would never be able to keep up with. Through it all, Alex stayed by my side. He was a living, breathing wall of support. Every person that he spoke to felt at ease; the women swooned and the men felt important. By the time we got back in the car, I felt like I had seen a whole new side to Alex.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” He settled into his seat and raised an eyebrow at me.
“Thinking.”
“About how incredibly sexy I am?” He turned to look at me with a smirk.
“How do you have room in your head for anything other than your ego?” I laughed. “And no, I was thinking that you make a really great prince.”
“Why is that?”
“You put people at ease and they still respect you.” I smiled. “You’re a natural.”
“I’ve had years of practice. You didn’t do so bad yourself.” He pulled at my coat pocket and retrieved the speech Chadwick had written. “Was that really what Chadwick told you to say?”
“I couldn’t remember it.” I winced.
“So you winged that?” Alex whistled in appreciation as he unfolded the paper. “Wow, this wasn’t bad either, but I think you nailed it.” He read over the paper quickly.
“It may have been the shortest speech in history.” I looked out the window as the car finally began to move.
“It was exactly what you needed to say.” He folded the paper and stuck it back in my pocket. “It’s exactly what the crowd wanted.”
“Thanks.” I met his eyes and bit my lip. Would it be wrong to take what I wanted? Would it be worth it if I let myself give in? The more time I spent with him, the harder it was to fight my attraction to him.
“You’re welcome.”
Surprisingly there were no cars following us except for our own detail as we drove through the winding roads. When we came to a thin driveway with a gated entrance, the first car pulled in and the driver punched a code into the small keypad. I craned my neck to try to see the house through the trees, but they were too dense.
I sat up in my seat and leaned forward as we pulled through the gate. Seeing this house in person would clinch the whole deal for me—it was where I thought I’d finally be able to understand my place in this weird direction my life had taken. The trees cleared and I was rewarded with a breathtaking sight. The house wasn’t really a house. With the stone walls it looked more like a castle.
A short burst of laughter exited my mouth. I had seen pictures, but they hadn’t done it justice. There was a large staircase that led up to a massive door with elegant statues and stonework on either side. There was a small garden in the center of the circular driveway, a light frosting of snow sitting on top of the sculpted bushes.
“It’s something out of a fairy tale.”
“Welcome home, Samantha.” Alex’s warm voice drew my attention from the house. His eyes were warm and there was a soft smile pulling at his lips.
“Thank you.” I whispered the words. I meant for everything—for coming with me, for not running away every time I pushed, and for being my friend when I needed one.
He reached out and wrapped his fingers around mine before lifting my hand to his mouth and pressing a soft kiss on my knuckles. There were no words, no explanations, but they weren’t needed. He had said he wouldn’t kiss me until I asked, but this didn’t count. It was less than the kiss I had wanted in the bookstore, but more than I could ask for right now.
He got out of the car and walked around to open my door. I stepped onto my family land for the first time while Alex stood next to me. It felt right for him to be here. A shiver ran over my body as my eyes drank in the surroundings. A long time ago, my ancestors had lived here. Not many people could trace their family as far as the queen had done for me.
The front door opened and a man stood at the top of the stairs. He was tall with a friendly face and silver hair. I took the stairs carefully, Alex a step behind me. The man at the door bowed and I held my hand out.
“Duchess Rousseau, it’s a pleasure.” The man shook my hand briskly. “I’m Stanley Wessex.” He motioned to the open front door. “Welcome home.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Our Very Own Royal Upgrades Homes
—College Daily
The inside was much more spacious than I would have thought. Two women stood just inside and curtsied when I entered the house. Stanley introduced them as his wife, who was the cook, and a slight woman named Jeanette, who was the housekeeper.
I took the time to talk with them each, but I was itching to run through the rooms. The furnishings were elegant, but nothing too grand. It felt like an ideal French chateau. After depositing our coats, Stanley led Alex and me through the rooms. He took the time to point out important furniture pieces and rooms that were used for something special.
“Two years ago we decided to upgrade the kitchens and bathrooms. The queen felt like it was a worthwhile expense and now I know why. She must have been close to finding you.” Stanley showed me the lovely kitchen, large enough to make food for a big party, but nothing like the industrial kitchen of the palace. “Margie has really enjoyed the changes.”
“It’s beautiful.” I liked the counters and soft colors of the walls. “I don’t think I would have picked anything different.”
“I’ll have to tell Margie. She worried that you wouldn’t like the things she chose and wouldn’t feel at home.”
“No, I love it.”
“I’m glad.” Stanley ushered us through the formal dining room, sitting parlor, and the more relaxed living room. As he led us up the stairs, he looked over his shoulder at me. “I’m afraid that we kept most of the renovations and upgrades to the main levels. We felt that if any of the family came home they would want to have a say in their bedrooms. There are eight bedrooms total, six bathrooms on the top level, and two bathrooms on the bottom level.”
At the top of the stairs was a landing with a desk and two hallways that ran in opposite directions.
“The right wing is typically used for the family, while the left wing is used for guests.” He started down the right hall. “There are four bedrooms on either side, and four bathrooms on the family wing. The one on the end will be yours.”
He led me straight to the last room down the right-hand hallway and opened the double doors. The room was beautiful. While the furniture was on the older side, it had a more antique feel rather than being outdated. The ornate furnishings and decorations were balanced by a simple, white bedspread and gauzy curtains. This room spanned the entire wing, which meant there were plenty of windows and natural light. The detailing along the walls and ceiling was beautiful. I looked around, trying to believe that it belonged to me.
“What do you think?” Alex asked from his vantage point in the doorway. He was leaning against the wall, his hands tucked in his pockets as he watched me.
“It’s beautiful.” I shook my head. “I can’t believe it’s mine.”
“We did update the master bath, of course, and the mattresses.” Stanley opened a door so that I could look at the bathroom. “Simple and clean. If you want to change anything to have a more American feel, it should be simple enough.”
“Thank you, but everything really does look great.” I smiled at him. “You’ve done a wonderful job of maintaining the home.”
“My pleasure.” Stanley smiled. “I’ll leave you to look through everything. I’m sure you’d like to have a peek without someone breathing down your neck. I’ll be downstairs helping Margie with the food if you need me.”
“Thank you.” I chuckled, relieved. I did want to poke around, but it felt odd with someone watching my every move. It was my home, but not my home. Like when you’re house hunting and you want to check the closets to see how much room there is, but someone’s stuff is inside.
“Well?” Alex was still leaning against the wall.
“Wow.” I laughed. “Completely surreal.”
“There’s a library.” He stood and motioned for me to come with him.
I followed him out of the room and into the other wing. He stopped at one of the doors and motioned for me to go in. I turned the handle and was rewarded with a beautiful sight. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that made my knees weak.
“Oh, that’s gorgeous.” I walked inside and sighed. It even smelled like a bookstore. I couldn’t wait to explore the titles and see what was in there.
“I thought you might like it.” He peeked around at the books. “Looks like you’ll have a lot of exploring to do.”
“It’s like a treasure hunt.” I ran my fingers over the large desk in the corner. “I don’t know what I’m going to find next.”
“What are you waiting for?” He gestured to the door.
I bit my lip, thinking, before pulling my shoes off and running out. I opened every door, peeking into each room and closet. Alex followed me at a more sedate pace, but chuckled each time I found something that made me “ooh” or “ahh.”
“This is really mine?” I looked at Alex over the giant antique bed in one of the guest rooms.
“It’s really yours.” He placed a hand on the ornate poster at the end of the bed. My heart sped up when I realized we were staring at each other over a very inviting mattress.
“I keep thinking there’s a mistake.” I looked away from him. “I know it’s real, but it doesn’t feel real.”
“But the house helps?”
“Yes. I think so.” I shrugged. “Last week, I kept thinking if I could just get here it would fall into place. That I’d find my groove.”
“I shouldn’t have asked you to wait for me. I didn’t realize how uncomfortable you really were.” Alex frowned.
“No, I’m glad you came with me. It feels right that you were here.” I met his eyes, hoping he could see what I meant. “And I met some great people in the city and learned a lot.”
“Things will calm down eventually.”
I forced myself to nod. Out here, away from the crush of the city, I could almost believe it. “I hope so.”
“Are you ready for some lunch?” He stepped away from the bed. “I have to leave soon. I have a meeting at home I can’t miss.”
“Oh. Of course.” I didn’t move. My heart stuttered because I realized that I might not see him for a long time. “Will you be going back to the city soon?”
“I haven’t decided yet.” He watched me carefully.
“Can I see you again before you go?” My hands were sweating, so I set my shoes down on the floor and stepped into them. I hadn’t asked him to kiss me, but maybe if I took small steps I’d get there eventually.
“I’ll make sure of it.” One side of his mouth curled up.
“Good.” I felt my own mouth turn up.
We joined everyone else downstairs, where Margie served us a large meal. It was much more laid-back than it had been at the palace and I found myself relaxing. Stanley joined us at my insistence, though Margie politely declined, intent on serving all the food herself. We talked about the property, about the village, and about the local people. We discussed the fishing and hunting in the area. Stanley was looking forward to my father’s arrival. He was an avid fisher and was excited to share his favorite spots.
Chadwick was as lively as ever. With some of the pomp removed from our surroundings even he relaxed with the protocols. When Margie finally delivered the plates of tiny desserts and a cake, she sat down with us and Chadwick grilled her for recipes. After a short while Alex checked his watch and looked over his shoulder to where he could see his assistant, Ned, sitting in the hall. Despite the fact that Chadwick had sat with us, Alex’s assistant claimed that he wasn’t hungry.