heartbeat he had been playing tribute to the long lost daughter of Alan Woodston, Lord Dashlund. And then Ella would do no less than murder him for never telling her himself that he was a prince and then his father would have no one to turn the kingdom over to when his health failed him. “How is Father doing today?” he asked instead of answering her questions.
His mother bit her lip to stifle the grin that was even now apparent upon her features. “Why do you not give up this girl and go and see for yourself? He could use some company. Unless, of course, you would prefer to stay and chat with me…”
Anthony stared right into his mother’s playful eyes. She had to be a witch the way she could read his mind so well. He heaved a huge breath of air and walked back into the large, richly decorated, cream-colored sitting room. Plopping onto one of the great gold velvet chairs, he waited for his mother to join him, her gown splaying out as she sat daintily upon the seat across from him, before he asked, “What would you like to know?”
“Everything.”
“Such as?”
She laughed. “Who she is. Where she is from. Who is her family? Just typical everyday conversation starters would be best.”
“Mother, I am not in love with the gel, so it is of no importance whether you know who she is or who she is not.”
“Hmm…” She gave him an arch look and sat more comfortably in her chair. “You are not in love with her? You are sure?”
“Of course! I hardly know the woman.”
She raised her chin a notch while watching him a moment and then asked, “How did you come across this girl you do not love, yet smile like a fool when you are sneaking out to meet her?”
“Mother!” He chuckled and shook his head. “You are incorrigible. I do not smile like a fool.”
“Yes, I am sure it is not quite like a fool, for how could my handsome son be considered to look anything like that?”
“How indeed?” He smirked. All he needed to do was stand next to Ella for a good quarter of an hour and he would feel the fool soon enough.
“What are smiling at? What have you remembered just now?”
He shook his head, setting his thoughts aside. “Your words reminded me how this girl you are most eager to find out more of does often put me in my place and remind me to watch how I present myself.”
“Does she now?” The queen reached for the little bell on the table near her elbow and rang for tea.
He watched as she spoke to the footman, ordering their refreshments. She really was a very beautiful woman. Time had smiled kindly upon her. Even her eyes, though much more clouded with the strain of the secreted illness, were still sharp and her mannerisms were all that were graceful and lovely.
She soon turned back to him and said, “I do believe I would like to meet someone—especially someone who can keep my son in his place.”
He shrugged. “Mayhap you would be fond of her. I do not know. As I said earlier, I do not know her well enough to decide if I like her.”
“Is there a reason you should not?”
“She is not a spy from one of the neighboring kingdoms, if that is what you are implying.” He rested one foot upon his knee and put his hands together. “She is simply a girl.”
“So what are you doing with her that is so clandestine; so very secretive even your own mother must pry it out of you?”
“You are not prying anything out of me. And it truly is not that big of an issue.”
“That big of an issue? Anthony! She is closeting herself with this kingdom’s heir and you say that this is not something to concern myself over?”
“She is not closeting herself with anyone. And do not jump to conclusions, Mother. Besides, she does not even know who I am.”
The queen’s mouth fell open for a few moments before she caught herself and clamped it shut. Leaning over she hissed, “You mean to tell me there is a girl who lives within riding distance that has no idea you are the
His mother bit her lip to stifle the grin that was even now apparent upon her features. “Why do you not give up this girl and go and see for yourself? He could use some company. Unless, of course, you would prefer to stay and chat with me…”
Anthony stared right into his mother’s playful eyes. She had to be a witch the way she could read his mind so well. He heaved a huge breath of air and walked back into the large, richly decorated, cream-colored sitting room. Plopping onto one of the great gold velvet chairs, he waited for his mother to join him, her gown splaying out as she sat daintily upon the seat across from him, before he asked, “What would you like to know?”
“Everything.”
“Such as?”
She laughed. “Who she is. Where she is from. Who is her family? Just typical everyday conversation starters would be best.”
“Mother, I am not in love with the gel, so it is of no importance whether you know who she is or who she is not.”
“Hmm…” She gave him an arch look and sat more comfortably in her chair. “You are not in love with her? You are sure?”
“Of course! I hardly know the woman.”
She raised her chin a notch while watching him a moment and then asked, “How did you come across this girl you do not love, yet smile like a fool when you are sneaking out to meet her?”
“Mother!” He chuckled and shook his head. “You are incorrigible. I do not smile like a fool.”
“Yes, I am sure it is not quite like a fool, for how could my handsome son be considered to look anything like that?”
“How indeed?” He smirked. All he needed to do was stand next to Ella for a good quarter of an hour and he would feel the fool soon enough.
“What are smiling at? What have you remembered just now?”
He shook his head, setting his thoughts aside. “Your words reminded me how this girl you are most eager to find out more of does often put me in my place and remind me to watch how I present myself.”
“Does she now?” The queen reached for the little bell on the table near her elbow and rang for tea.
He watched as she spoke to the footman, ordering their refreshments. She really was a very beautiful woman. Time had smiled kindly upon her. Even her eyes, though much more clouded with the strain of the secreted illness, were still sharp and her mannerisms were all that were graceful and lovely.
She soon turned back to him and said, “I do believe I would like to meet someone—especially someone who can keep my son in his place.”
He shrugged. “Mayhap you would be fond of her. I do not know. As I said earlier, I do not know her well enough to decide if I like her.”
“Is there a reason you should not?”
“She is not a spy from one of the neighboring kingdoms, if that is what you are implying.” He rested one foot upon his knee and put his hands together. “She is simply a girl.”
“So what are you doing with her that is so clandestine; so very secretive even your own mother must pry it out of you?”
“You are not prying anything out of me. And it truly is not that big of an issue.”
“That big of an issue? Anthony! She is closeting herself with this kingdom’s heir and you say that this is not something to concern myself over?”
“She is not closeting herself with anyone. And do not jump to conclusions, Mother. Besides, she does not even know who I am.”
The queen’s mouth fell open for a few moments before she caught herself and clamped it shut. Leaning over she hissed, “You mean to tell me there is a girl who lives within riding distance that has no idea you are the
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