Ida raises a brow, looking down at me. She’s very small and very fierce; she eats lesser men than me for breakfast. That’s her unspoken communication sent to me, anyway.
I shift in my seat, struggling to keep my face assembled in a remotely pleasant expression. “And you think that MissKeane will just… what, sign a nondisclosure agreement? I’m assuming that you believe that she will agree to lie for the royal family.”
She scans the room, pretending at being thoughtful. “Prime Minister Finley, cabinet members… would you please leave us? I think my grandson and I should speak in private.”
Finley bows, turning to usher the rest of the small group out of the room. Picking up my coffee cup, I take a sip and look at my grandmother. I would guess that she came up with whatever plan she’s about to unveil days ago.
She comes up to me, pulling out a chair and sitting down. Ida looks at me, her blue eyes like two frozen pools of ice.
“Now then.” She cants her head. “Perhaps we offer Miss Keane something… like an exclusive story with you, close up and personal. We could have her sign documents saying that you were working together in New York… and she won’t be able to contradict us, because she will have signed a nondisclosure agreement. We will control the story, not the other way around.”
Ida’s lips quirk; she looks pleased with herself, from what I can tell. I narrow my eyes at her.
“Momse,” I say, careful to use her pet name. “I don’t think this is a good idea. Will Miss Keane just write an article based on nothing, then?”
My grandmother’s lips flatten. “No. She will follow you around for a few weeks or a month to complete the charade.”
I shake my head. “People don’t like to be led around by the halter,Momse. I hate the press as much as anyone. You know that. I don’t want or need anyone in my private business. But?—”
She pushes herself to her feet with an anger that isborn of ruling a kingdom with an iron fist for ages. “Enough! I expect more from you, Stellan. I pulled you out of the fire once already when you were wrapped up in drugs. I stepped in and made sure that other girl and her family stayed quiet.” Her expression turns from disappointed to terrifying. My toes curl up in my shoes. Even though she’s old and almost a third of my size, she’s still domineering. She has been this way since I was born.
I lower my gaze. “I know,Momse.”
She slams her hand down on the table, startling me. “I was willing to write that off as a youthful failure,ja? But this? This could be the end of the monarchy.”
I stare at her for a second. Yes, she absolutely did have to save my fucking neck once. And she did so without question. But that was ages ago.
I feel defensive. Rising to my full height, I fold my arms across my chest. “That was a lifetime ago,Momse. And this little mistake with Miss Keane? It was just that. Why can’t we just let it be?”
When Ida gets angry, she glares at me and her face puckers like a wrinkled apple. Her eyes flash, their blue icy enough to cut fucking steel.
“One day soon, I will be gone. Let’s both face it; your father does not have the instincts that my husband had. So I am trying to instill those instincts in you.” She pauses. “I think I’ve done a passable job. But I will not have this family brought down by some little girl. You understand? I won’t allow it.”
I soften a bit, reaching out to touch Ida’s elbow. “I know,Momse. I don’t want the monarchy abolished either. Okay?”
That’s a lie. Or at least a partial truth… when I was a kid, I used to lie in bed at night and dream about the monarchy’s downfall. I wanted to do normal things like go to school or have play dates with friends.
That was a long time ago, though. I squeeze my grandmother’s arm in an attempt to make her feel better. She pats my hand a few times and then pulls away.
If anything ever defined our relationship perfectly, it’s that moment right there.
“Miss Keane will follow you around for a month.” She goes over to the chair that she previously occupied and presses a button to summon the staff. “And you’ll be on your best behavior now that you know who she is.Ja?”
I incline my head. “Ja.Sure,Momse.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “There are half a dozen suitable girls just waiting for you to look their way, Stellan. I’ve given you my list of acceptable candidates. The next time you find yourself in need of company, call whichever one you want. It’s long past time that you got married.”
I shoot her a scowl just as a butler sweeps into the room. He bows. “Your purse and coat, your royal highness. The car is waiting for you downstairs.”
She walks stiffly over to the door, then pauses just before she hits the threshold. “I’m off to Sønderborg to try to dig your brother Finn out of whatever mess he’s in. Do try to stay out of trouble while I’m gone, won’t you?”
I hesitate. She doesn’t wait for an answer. She just glides out of the room, patting her perfectly coiffed gray hair.
I am left alone to stare out the window and curse the luck of being born royal.
Chapter Four
Margot
