Page 29 of Appointing

“It’s only a–”

“Please,” Ingrid said. “Ma’am,” she added.

Elin nodded.

“Thank you,” Ingrid replied.

“No, thankyou.”

“I’m pretty sure I’m the reason this happened,” Ingrid said, handing Elin an extra bandage in case she needed it. “I think I surprised you.”

“I thought you’d gone home already,” Elin said, sliding the bandage into the small front pocket of her designer jeans.

“I decided to work out of my new office for a bit on the gala.”

“New office?” Elin asked, seemingly confused.

“Yes, Ma’am. I will share an office down here now. I suppose, Katrin will be moving into my old one soon.”

“Why?”

“Because that’s how it works. Katrin will stay with Lillian, who’s next in line after you, so she’ll take my old office since Markus and Steven will be keeping their own.”

“I didn’t know that,” Elin said.

“It’s never really happened like this before,” Ingrid replied. “Normally, the monarch dies, and everything stays the same. The one with seniority still has it until they retire from service. With your father’s retirement and Christian’s abdication, that means things are changing pretty quickly.”

“I don’t think we ever consider that,” Elin said.

“Ma’am?” Ingrid asked, pouring Elin’s tea for her.

“That a change like this would change things for the staff as well. I didn’t realize you’d lose your office, Ingrid,” Elin replied.

“It’s just an office, Ma’am,” she lied.

“It’s not, though, is it?” Elin asked.

Ingrid sighed and said, “No, Ma’am.”

“Ingrid, I’m sorry. I–”

“Your Royal Highness, apologies for the interruption. His Majesty is asking after you,” one of the kitchen’s staffers said when he entered the kitchen after bowing slightly to Elin.

“Thank you,” Elin told him before turning back to Ingrid. “I have to go.”

“Of course, Ma’am,” Ingrid said, nodding.

Ingrid watched as Elin turned almost reluctantly and headed back out to the party. Ingrid followed her a bit until she reached the door, which had a small window allowing people to see others walking in and out to prevent accidents. When Elin had left the kitchen, her head had been hanging as if in heavy burden. The moment she emerged through it, though, her head lifted as if she wasn’t about to walk into a wolves’ lair where her family, who should be supporting her, had expressed their doubts that she could do the job that had been unfairly thrust upon her.

Ingrid watched as she smiled and then seemed to explain her burn to someone through a demonstration of how she’d poured the kettle and then missed her cup. She was laughing it off with them, but Ingrid knew how much it must have hurt and still did. She turned and picked up the phone from the wall and requested the royal physician check on Elin first thing tomorrow morning. Then, she made her coffee and stared at the now-lukewarm cup of tea Elin had left on the counter.

“Please bring a new cup of tea to The Princess Royal along withthis,” she requested from one of the staffers carrying a tray.

Ingrid placed two pills on the tray.

“Yes, Ma’am,” he said.

Ingrid waited as she sipped her hot coffee until the tea had been brewed and then delivered to the Princess. She watched as Elin looked surprised by the tea, the small glass of water, and the two pills accompanying it on the tray. Elin turned back to the kitchen, but Ingrid quickly moved away from the window and out of view. Then, she wondered to herself why she’d hidden at all.

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