Page 60 of Royal Darling
They chuckle, and Emma glares at them, hissing, “Keep the dirty laundry out of sight.”
Her mum glances over her shoulder at Lucas, purses her lips, and faces front.
Emma jabs a finger at her brothers and inclines her head toward their mum.
I whisper in her ear, “Since Anna is a commoner, will she invite the riffraff side back?”
Emma shakes her head. “Unlikely they would ever be accepted. Anna had to really prove herself, and she didn’t come with a bad reputation.”
Now who does that remind me of? Bad rep, commoner, riffraff. I try not to fidget on the hard wooden pew. “Where are the servants?”
“It’s a family service,” Emma replies. “No servants.”
“They’re not allowed?”
“They have their own chapel in the servants’ quarters. It’s a nice room.”
“A room?”Compared to this?
“Yes, a quiet space for them. Or they can go to church on the island. There are a few.”
I look around at her family, all dressed in custom-made suits and formal dresses, the expensive jewels glinting in necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earrings, their regal bearing. Under normal circumstances, I know exactly where I’d be, with the servants. The two of us alone in Italy, I let myself forget who she really is. The differences between us have never felt so stark.
I can’t fathom why she brought me here. Soon enough she’ll realize her mistake.
17
Emma
I’ll admit it was a bit surreal to return to the palace chapel after going through my wedding rehearsal only six weeks ago, but it felt very different with the Christmas greenery and holiday candles, and I felt very different on the inside, though I did my best to blend on the outside. I do want to make amends with Mother.
“I’ll meet up with you in a bit,” I tell Jackson once we’re in the hallway after service. “I’m going to talk to my mother. Go with my brothers to the private salon for cocktail hour. I’ll meet you there.” I go up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek, mindful of our audience.
He cups my jaw, his thumb brushing my cheek. “My night sounds better than yours.”
“I’m sure it will be fine,” I say, keeping a stiff upper lip.
He joins my brothers, who’re waiting nearby, talking to some of our relatives. Everyone has gathered in the hall, chatting cheerfully in a festive holiday spirit. I don’t see my mother. I assume she headed back to her room.
I go straight there, determined to bridge the distance between us. I’m going to explain my actions on my wedding day and the subsequent transformation, no,discoveryof myself as both a musician and a woman. I’ll tell her how happy I am and how much I’d like her to be part of my life again. I will not mention her rude dismissal of Jackson. Mostly because my future with him is uncertain. His boat is nearby, he has the diamond ring, and, honestly, I don’t know where we go from here. It isn’t something I wish to discuss with Mother, however. Whether or not she meets me halfway or shuts me out, I have nothing to lose given how things are between us.
I make it to her room, pumped up and ready to say my piece. I knock and her longtime maid, Joan, answers, opening the door wide. “She’s in the sitting room, Your Highness.”
“Thank you, Joan.”
I’m glad my mother hasn’t retreated to her bed yet. Maybe she’s ready to return to us. I find her sitting at the table by the window. She loves the view of the sea. Though it’s dark now, she still stares at it.
“Hello, Mother.” I lean down and kiss her cheek. Her skin is alarmingly thin and papery, not soft like it used to be. She’s lost more weight too while I was away.
I take the seat across from her. “Have you been eating?”
“Of course.” She lifts a hand. “Please give us some privacy.”
Joan bows her head. “Yes, ma’am.” She leaves the suite.
My mother stares at me for an uncomfortably long time. Her hazel eyes match mine, though hers look bleak. “You look well,” she finally says. “The time away has been good for you.”
“It’s been wonderful. I’ve been staying at Lucas’s friend’s house on Lake Como.”
