For the first time since he’d know Catherine, Queen of Lauchtenland—his mum—she seemed frail. Even a bit broken.
“All right. I’ll tell Morwena.”
“There’s one more thing.” Here goes. “I’m in love with Daffy. I know you have some angst toward her from the past, but it’s time to move on. I’ve asked her to the ball and she said yes.”
Now for real courage. To make sure Daffy didn’t change her mind.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Daffy
“I know you’re in there.Open up.” Ella’s voice pressed through the door. “We know you broke up with Thomas. We know you got sacked.”
Her sister’s muffled pronouncement of all the disastrous events shot Daffy just a wee bit lower.
“Then you know to leave me alone. Besides, it’s almost midnight. Don’t you have to work in the morning?”
“Not if you need me.”
“I don’t.” Daffy burrowed into the couch cushions and pulled her favorite blanket up to her nose. Her body ached as if she’d crawled up and down the mountain path to the Hand of God. Her heart churned like the stormy sea she and Gus had watched together.
Gus.
“Daffy?”
“Go away.” She needed to think, process.
Friday she broke up with Thomas. Sunday morning, she declared her love for Prince Gus. In the afternoon, she was sacked for something she didn’t do but was, in truth, her responsibility. The queen was right to let her go.
And now…now she needed to figure out what happened next. But before she accepted, once and for all, that her dreams of a life with a prince had been nothing more than that—a dream—could she please have a quiet moment to replay the scene at the Hand of God? To kiss Gus over and over in her mind? To succumb to the chills of his whispered“I love you”?
Lucy had called, wanting to know what happened. Daffy gave her the Dalholm shorthand version.“Chair. Lost. Sacked.”Told her to find any gown for theUnknown Bride.
“So that Adelaide lady had no idea what she was talking about?”Lucy dug for further explanation but Daffy answered in again in Dalholm-speak.
“Queen. Dress. Hates.”She was beginning to see the wisdom of her northern countrymen.
“Daff?” Ella knocked again.
“Sleeping.”
“I can hear the television.”
Daffy hit mute. The show she wasn’t really watching had gone to commercial and Leslie Ann entered her living room by way of the air waves. She strolled through some wooded, hilly countryside. What was she saying? Daffy raised the volume. “…this year’s most fascinating documentary.”
“Daff, I’m coming in. I have ice cream, and it’s melting.” The lock clicked. The door creaked open.
“What kind of ice cream?”
“Your favorite.” Heavy footsteps echoed on the hardwood, stopping just over the threshold. “Chocolate peanut butter.”
“Okay, but one bowl and you’re out of here, sister.” Daffy kicked off her blanket and tugged at her trackies. “What’s everyone saying about me and Thomas? No one has texted or—Gus.W-what are you doing here?” She smoothed her hair, tugged down her short, tattered T-shirt.
He scooped her into his arms with a fast and furious kiss heating her surprise into desire.
“I had to see you. I hated how we parted so I borrowed one of Dad’s motors.” He held her by the arms, his forehead against hers. “You didn’t say you loved me, and the old Gus, you know, the one from before Florida, felt a bit wobbly.”
“I’m sorry but was feeling so blue…so confused, but you…here…makes everything better.” She pressed a quick kiss to his lips and reached for the ice cream he held. “And this seals the deal.”
