Page 35 of Charmless
“That is no excuse.” I snapped. “Many people are disappointed in their first love.”Myself among them, I thought. “Not everyone who suffers a broken heart turns nasty and spiteful.”
“Some hearts are not as resilient as others. Your own father for instance.”
I bridled. “What about my father?”
“After your mother died, I heard that Julius never recovered from her loss. He became a recluse, didn't he? Even though he still had a young daughter who needed him.”
I had often resented the fact that my father had become so closed off after my mother died. But I would be cursed before I allowed anyone, especially not this king’s toady, to criticize Papa.
“My father did his best to provide and care for me. When he remarried, it wasn’t for wealth, but to give me a loving mother and two sisters. There is no comparison between how my father dealt with his grief and the horrid way the king behaved.”
“You do not understand the depth of his majesty’s feelings, my dear. King August more than loved your mother. He adored her, worshiped the very ground she walked on.”
“There is nothingmorethan love. It is our highest and best emotion. Anything beyond that is a selfish obsession. Perhaps the real reason that the king wanted my mother so much is because she was the one thing he could never have, just like?—”
I broke off, checking the thought. I had already said enough to be slapped with a hefty fine.
But the majordomo filled in softly, “Like Prince Florian? Alas, I fear that you find our prince a bit less than charming.”
A bit? It was all I could do not to snort.
The majordomo went on, “Florian is his father's favorite. I must admit that August has spoiled and indulged his oldest son to the detriment of the prince’s character. But if you came to know him better, you would discover that Florian is a very vulnerable young man, very unsure of himself.”
The majordomo stepped closer, leaning toward me in a confidential manner. “I am going to tell you something, Miss Upton, which I trust you will allow to go no further. Our king is extremely ill. He may never rise from his bed again. This will devastate Florian because he is very close to his father. Theprince might become king before any of us ever expected and I fear that he is not ready.”
“Will he ever be?” I retorted.
“He could be, with the right woman at his side.”
“Then I hope he finds her.”
“I believe the prince already has.” The majordomo smiled at me.
“Oh, no, no, no!” I said, flinging up my hands and backing away from him.
“At first, I was not convinced that the prince made the right choice, but now I am.” The majordomo stepped closer. “The lad is so smitten with you, Miss Upton. If you break his heart as your mother did with the king, I foresee the same tragic consequences. But if you reward our prince’s devotion, you could make such a difference in the kind of king Florian will become.”
“That is not fair to put such a burden upon my shoulders.”
“You are old enough to realize by now that life is not always fair, my dear.”
I took another step back, but the little man cornered me against the wall. “You could be such a great influence upon Florian. Only think about it. All the good that you could do for this kingdom if you were its queen.”
The majordomo captured my hands. His skin felt as brittle as paper, cool and dry. But his voice was soft and coaxing. “You would rule Florian’s heart and all of Arcady as well, bringing about a golden age that this kingdom has not seen since the days of Queen Anthea the Magnificently Wise. You could be a greater advocate for justice than your father ever was. The power would lie entirely in your hands.Think about it.”
He looked deep into my eyes, his own such a pale gray as to be almost colorless. His gaze was mesmerizing except— Did Ionly imagine it or was there something predatory deep in those misty gray depths?
“Let go of me!” I snatched my hands from his grasp.
He backed off immediately. “Forgive the impertinence, my dear. At times, I am overzealous in my duty to the royal family. A loyalty that would be yours should you become my queen.”
“I have already made my feelings quite clear. I will not marry the prince.” I was surprised when my voice shook a little, not sounding nearly as firm as I intended.
“Of course,” the majordomo said soothingly. “All I ask is that youthinkabout all that I have said.”
His smile was all that was humble and affable, but I could not even bring myself to bid him farewell as I turned and fled.
Seven
