“Very funny. Go to sleep, Mrs. Langdon.”
“Yes, sorry. I will. It’s just that I’m worried about raising a baby here among two hundred staff members and all the delivery people in and out all the time. How do wereallyknow none of them is a pedo? I mean, how do we really know that?”
I open my eyes again. “All staff members are carefully vetted before they’re hired. I promise, there are no pedos in the palace.”
“How do you know?”
“I just do. Besides, the baby will be here in our private residence. There certainly aren’t two hundred staff members in and out of here. Plus, the baby will have his own bodyguard assigned to him.”
“What if—”
“Who won’t be a pedo, I promise. We can hire a woman if you feel more comfortable, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Feel better?”
“Yes. Thank you. Sorry to wake you like that.” She gives me a long kiss on the lips.
“Oh, that was quite the nice kiss.” I’m suddenly much more awake than I was a few seconds ago. “Does that mean—”
“No, it doesn’t.”
“Righto. Off to sleep.”
***
“VINCENT, COULD YOUcome into my office for a minute, please?” I say into the intercom.
“Yes, Prince Arthur.”
A moment later, Vincent walks in, seating himself across from my desk. “What can I do for you?”
“I’ve been thinking about beefing up security. I’d like to have criminal record checks redone on all staff members, including all delivery drivers and contractors who service the palace.”
Vincent pauses slightly, which is what he does when he thinks I’ve gone off my nut. Then he gives me a single nod and says, “Very good, sir. Although, this will prove rather expensive.”
“Doesn’t matter. Nothing is more important than safety, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Of course, Your Highness.” He jots down something on his notepad, probably something like ‘today’s insane request from Prince Arthur—ridiculous new security measures.’ I’d like to see his notebook one day...or maybe it’s better if I don’t.
“Oh, and I’d like to change our guest policy. Can you find out if we can have advanced security checks done on all guests, regardless of status? Just because someone’s royal or a national leader, doesn’t mean he’s not a pedo.”
Vincent stops writing and looks up at me, a skeptical look on his face. “Everyone?”
“Everyone,” I say with a firm nod.
“Let’s say the Queen of England were coming for a stay. You wouldn’t be including her on this list, would you?”
“It would hardly be fair to allow exceptions, would it?”
“But she’s in her nineties, and she’s one of the Princess Dowager’s oldest friends.”
“One rule for everyone avoids us having any pedos attempt to get around it.”
“I can check, sir, but I...don’t know if that would be advisable, or even possible.”
“Anything is possible.”
