“The queen called me in to meet with her this afternoon. We had a rather lengthy discussion about, well, many things. Including you.” He seemed to really see her now, nodding with an approving expression. “You look beautiful, Meredith.”
“Thank you. Kat helped me pick this out. She insisted I should be dressed to the nines for her formal affair.”
“Good for Kat.” He glanced at his watch. “Speaking of Kat, we shouldn’t keep her waiting.”
“No, of course not.”
“May I escort you?” He offered his arm.
“Thank you, Prince Spencer.”
His brow creased. “We’re back to titles now?”
“You’re looking rather royal in your tuxedo.”
“And you are looking rather royal as well,PrincessMeredith.”
She shook her head. “That’s not fair. I was only using your real title. You’re just teasing. And quite frankly I’m in no mood for it.” She pursed her lips, wishing he hadn’t mentioned the queen. That only made her more uneasy.
“I can tell you’re dying to know what Her Majesty said.”
“Are you a mind reader?”
He chuckled.
“I can’t imagine it’s anything good.” She paused by the door. “Maybe it’s best to wait. Unless I need to be forewarned about something. Is the queen planning to have me thrown out of the ball or lock me in chains down in the dungeon? Imprison me in some attic room? Ship me to the United States on a slow freighter?”
He laughed as he opened the door. “Nothing like that.”
“Well, I’m fairly sure she hates me. And I don’t blame her. My presence seems to continually upset her.”
“Actually, she admires you.”
Meredith stopped walking to stare at him. “Are you serious?”
“Absolutely. She can see you are good for the children and perhaps even good for me.”
“Really?” She blinked then swallowed. “She said that?”
“Not in so many words. With Queen Katerina, I’ve learned to listen between the lines sometimes. But I got her meaning.”
“Her meaning?”
He continued to escort her down the stairs. “She is stepping back a bit, allowing me to let me live my own life. Well, for the most part. No doubt, she’ll always be looking over my shoulder, particularly where the children are concerned. But something changed when I stood up to her the other day over Kat’s birthday celebration. I think it has caused her to view me in a different light. And your interactions with her have probably helped change things too.”
“I’m impressed. Here I was thinking you couldn’t teach an old dog new tricks.”
Spencer laughed loudly, but thanks to the music and crowd noise downstairs, she doubted he’d been heard. “I hope the queen never hears you compared her to an old dog.”
“Bad choice of metaphor. I guess it’s time to put on my royal party manners.”
They paused at the foot of the stairway, and he turned to look at her. “How do you feel about that?”
“About what?”
“About needing to act in a certain way to meet royal standards?”
“It’s not that hard. I guess I’ve gotten rather used to it around the queen. And I try to be extra respectful when the children are around. Privately with her, well, as you heard, I speak my mind.”
