“Georg even helped by admitting his mother has been having an affair with Steffen for several years.”
“My poor father.” She shook her head. “I wonder if he knew.”
“It would explain the coolness in their relationship.” Albert sighed. “Very unfortunate.”
“Although I have no warm feelings toward Johanna, I would want her to be dealt with fairly.”
“We plan to offer her and her son permanent exile from Montovia.”
“Will she accept it?”
“According to Montovian law, we could imprison her ... or worse.” He shook his head grimly. “I think she will accept our terms.”
“Well, please keep me apprised,” she told him.
He smiled. “You already sound like a queen.”
“I hope so. I really don’t know how this will go, but I want my father to be proud of me. I’m doing this for him.” She held her chin higher. “And for Montovia. I have really grown to love this country. I want to serve it the best I can.”
“It will do the people good to know this. A country can suffer during a shift of power.”
“I wondered about that. After all, some will see me as an outsider.”
“That’s true. But the majority of citizens loved their king. When they read his letter, which will be included in the press release, they will probably be relieved. Most of them, anyway.”
“I assume Johanna and Georg had some devoted followers too.”
He nodded. “You saw what happened at the Krampus party.”
She cringed at the memory.
“There will undoubtedly be some opposition to you. We will do our best to manage it.”
“Will the queen’s exile be public knowledge?”
“It will be handled most diplomatically.”
“Well, do please keep me informed, Albert.”
He tipped his head. “I will. You will have a busy day ahead of you. Your staff will be preparing for Sunday’s ceremonies, and you will have some advisors helping you to understand your role.”
She thanked him, then vaguely wondered how the queen of Montovia was supposed to navigate a romantic relationship. She knew the queen of England’s husband had been Prince Philip, but the queen was the true monarch. How would Anton Balazs feel about being called Prince Anton? Perhaps she was letting her imagination run away with her. Best to keep focused on the task at hand. Besides, she suspected, a monarch’s life was probably a bit of a lonely one.
CHAPTER
Sixteen
Adelaide didn’t think it was her imagination that her relationship with Anton had seemed to change overnight. Instead of feeling like her friend, he felt more like a royal advisor on assignment. The warmth she’d enjoyed before had been replaced with an efficient businesslike attitude. Certainly, Anton was helpful, but he was clearly just doing his job. And by the end of the next day, he’d convinced her that her new personal assistant, a tall blond woman named Lina, would take over where he left off.
Adelaide had no complaints about her new assistant. Lina spoke perfect English and was well educated, and as the daughter of a deputy minister, she was devoted to her homeland. Lina had been handling PR for the palace and Parliament for the last ten years. She was dedicated to her career and now, it seemed, to Adelaide as well. A perfect choice for the queen’s personal assistant. But was that any excuse for the coolness Adelaide now received from Anton?
And so, as Anton was telling Adelaide good night on the eve of her father’s funeral and her coronation, she decided to cut to the chase and question him. “I feel like you’re stepping awayfrom your friendship with me,” she said as they lingered in the doorway of the royal family’s living quarters. “Is that right?”
His eyes looked cloudy, but he nodded. “As always, you are perceptive.”
She reached for his hand. “But you’ve been such a good friend, Anton. I hate to think I’m losing you.”
He squeezed her hand, then released it. “It’s not proper for me to remain a close friend, Adelaide. Tomorrow I will address you as queen. You have Lina to assist you with the things I once helped with. She is highly qualified and well connected to the palace staff.”
