Page 25 of Falling for the Widowed Prince

"Papa! Maddie!" The cries came from all five children.

More hugs were given all around.

Anthony tugged his tie loose and unbuttoned the very top of his shirt, allowing him to breathe a little easier. "I'm going to change clothes," he told the nannies. "Once I'm done, you'll be able to leave for the day."

He headed for his room and quickly changed into his favorite pair of jeans and a t-shirt. When he returned to the living area, the first thing he noticed was Madeleine sitting in one of the chairs reading a book to Issy.

Still in her wedding gown.

She looked up at him and smiled. He tilted his head toward the back part of the family's quarters, indicating she could go change. With a nod, she turned back to the book. It was then he noticed she'd already let the nannies go for the day. She must not have felt the need for the assistance. That had to be a good sign. After several more minutes, she finished reading the book and gave Issy a big hug then stood.

From his new location next to Catherine, Anthony watched as she walked down the hallway.

He continued helping Catherine with her sums and didn't notice anything amiss until Issy spoke.

"Papa, when Maddie comin' back?"

Surprised, Anthony looked up and then around. "I don't know. I'll go check on her." He gave all of his children his best stern father look. "Behave." Normally, they did well together, but occasionally there were fights, and days when they had been expected to be “on” for part of it were worse than most.

Walking down the corridor, he reached the door to his room still standing open as he'd left it. "Madeleine?" he called as he took a couple of steps inside.

"Anthony?" Her voice came from behind him.

Puzzled, he turned back to the hall and called out again to determine where exactly she was. When he reached that closed door, he knocked lightly.

"It's open."

Though she knew he was coming, he still opened the door cautiously until he saw her sitting on the edge of the bed still in her bridal gown. "Are you all right?"

She gave a half-shrug and sent a small smile his way. "I didn't know where my things had been taken, but then I realized that even if I did, I don't think I can get this dress off by myself. I was going to text Liana to come help me, but I think she's already home, and I don't have my phone anyway."

He felt himself grimace. "I'm sorry, Madeleine." Sitting next to her on the bed, he took her hand. "Please be sure to come to me if you have any other issues or questions along those lines. I'm here to help."

"I know you are, but it didn't seem quite right to ask you to help me. If I'd thought about it, I would have asked one of the nannies, but they were long gone by then. I know it would seem odd under most circumstances, but everyone knows these aren't most circumstances."

The Duke of Lancheshire had made it quite he expected their marriage to be a real one in every sense of the word, but the Prime Minister managed to rein him in enough that they didn't have to sign some sort of paperwork saying it would be. However, Anthony knew at least some appearances needed to be kept up.

"Actually..." He pulled out his phone. "I'm surprised Caroline's stylist didn't come to help you. She often helped Caroline with complicated gowns or hairstyles." When he saw the messages waiting for him, Anthony groaned. "I never turned notifications back on." Quickly sending a text, he turned to Madeleine. "She'll be here in a few minutes, but your things have been taken to the Monarch's Suite."

Her head tilted. "That isn't Catherine's room?"

"No. She'll move in there eventually, but for now it seems best to keep things as normal as possible." He stood and held out a hand to help her to her feet. With a hand resting lightly on her back, he directed her through one open door and to another. Once inside the suite, he showed her where her closet and dressing room would be.

"Thank you, Anthony." She turned and gave him a better smile. "I appreciate all of your help. You don't happen to know where my phone is, do you?"

With a laugh, he pulled his back out of his pocket. "No, but I can find out."

He followed her into the dressing room and started to show her some of the things she needed to know about it. "The safe holds anything of value, like tiaras and earrings and all of those sorts of things."

Madeleine quirked an eyebrow at him, something he hadn't known anyone could actually do until she had a few weeks earlier. "I won't be wearing tiaras. I'm not a member of the royal family. I'm simply married to the late queen's prince consort. That doesn't give me any kind of title or expectation for that sort of thing. It also means there won't be pressure on me to do any number of things I would have had to do if you were the member of the royal family rather than Queen Caroline."

"If I'd been a member of the royal family, there would be no need for a regent," he pointed out.

"True, but the point holds. I remember when you married the first time. Within a week there was speculation about when your first two children would be born. I don't have to deal with any of that," she reminded him.

Before their conversation could go any further, the stylist walked in holding Madeleine's phone. She curtsied slightly toward Anthony then tilted her head toward the door. "Out."

Long years of acquaintance let her do that and have the only repercussions be his laugh and Madeleine's look of horror.

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