“Now? I think she’s gone hiking with Dad.”
“As soon as possible.”
Gus settled her in her the guest suite, though since she didn’t have luggage, it was only a matter of showing her around and giving her the lock’s passcode.
She offered monosyllabic answers to his questions and stared away from him more than at him. He suggested a walk over the grounds, but she didn’t bring the right shoes. She raised her foot and pointed to her thin-soled trainers.
“Darling, I wish you’d tell me what’s wrong.”
A tear dropped from her eye to her hand. “You’ll know soon enough.”
“Tell me now. Let me help.”
“I’m not sure I can say it twice.”
The hour they waited for Dad and Mum to return might as well have been a trip around the moon. In slow motion. Gus ended up watching the telly, sitting on the couch alone, just to keep himself distracted, to keep from freaking out.
How could she still love him and be so aloof and cold? No probing for a hint of her mission worked, so he waited.
When they were called to the queen’s lounge, Dad, Mum, John, and Holland were all present. Daffy appeared both pale and green, hunched over as if she might be sick. He placed his arm around her shoulders, but she shrugged him away. Her eyes glistened with ebbing and flowing tears.
“What is it?” Mum spoke into the silence that had stretched on too long. “You have us here, so you might as well say it.”
“Perhaps, ma’am, I should speak to you first. In private.”
“We’ve no secrets.” Dad’s voice was gentle, but firm. “Go on, Daffy. And relax. You’re among friends.”
“Yes, we’ve done away with firing squads and sentences to the tower.” John’s laugh added a bit of lightness to the room, but only for a moment.
Holland chimed in, complimenting Daffy on the beauty of the wedding dress display.
Still, Daffy did not speak nor move from her position in front of the telly.
Mum stood. “Perhaps I should talk to her in my office.”
“Sit, Catherine.” Dad again. “Daffy, just tell us. Gus, do you know what this is about?”
“Not a clue.”
Daffy raised her chin with a long inhale. “When I was friends with the princes, I wrote a story.My Life with the Prince. It was all pretend. Just pretend. A sweet journal of how our love affair began.” She glanced at Gus and his heart nearly broke for her. He wanted to sweep her away and remove the thorn she bore. “When we were children. Of course, I had no idea I’d actually fall in love with him one day.”
“You two are in love?” Holland sat up, glancing at Gus then Daffy. “Since when? I’m thrilled.”
Daffy held up her hands. “Let me get this out. Most of you know the story of the queen finding me in her dressing room.”
Gus glanced toward Mum. She sat straight, her hands clasped in her lap, her ankles crossed just so.
“I tried on a blue dress. Which I found again, quite oddly, at the Shop Vintage by the quay. We were going to use it for theUnknown Bride.”
“And I requested she change it.”
“You told her to burn it, Mum,” Gus corrected.
“Why would you want to burn it?” John, more than curious.
“But Mum rescued the ole thing herself,” Gus said. “Where is it?”
“Anyway—” Daffy’s raised voice reined in the scattering questions—“I was sent downstairs. I felt horrible for overstepping my bounds.” She glanced at Mum for half a second. “I loved you. All of you. I thought we were friends, even family. But I realize my error. I was young and silly.”
