“Don’t ask” was all he said, but firmly enough to make his point.
Ella nodded and changed the subject, asking, “How are Frederick and Nikola faring? Anything interesting happening at court?”
“The queen is still far too anxious over the rebel situation, but at least she’s entertaining again, which reminds me.” He turned to his grandfather. “Ernest Bruslan’s widow was dining with them recently and asked after you. She—um, misses your humor.”
Christoph said that so suggestively, he obviously didn’t think it was humor the widow was missing, and Hendrik laughed, agreeing with him. “I actually thought about renewing our old acquaintance a while back, but Norbert Strulland was already entrenched as Auberta’s ‘retainer,’ and at my age I didn’t feel like competing with that old goat.”
“She seems to be paving the way for Frederick to name her grandson Karsten his successor, bragging about all of Karsten’s recent accomplishments.”
Ella was surprised by that news. “That would certainly solve a lot of the current difficulties, but wasn’t Karsten following in his dissolute father’s footsteps?”
Christoph laughed. “He was definitely trying for a while and hasn’t exactly abandoned the wenches yet, but he’s giving a very good impression of having changed enough to shoulder some family responsibilities now—and endearing himself to the commoners in the process.”
“So he’s paving the way as well?”
“He actually thinks he’d make a good king.”
“Would he?” Christoph merely shrugged, so Ella changed the subject again. “As long as you’re here, I insist you stay the night. Your father will be back soon from his hunt. He will be annoyed if he misses you.”
They all felt the draft as the front door was opened, and Ella added, “That must be him now, though why he would use the front door . . .”
It wasn’t Christoph’s father who appeared in the doorway to the parlor, but his lady “friend” whom he’d had forcibly removed from the palace grounds. Nadia gave them all a bright smile. Even dusted in snow, she was incredibly beautiful.
Her eyes lit on Christoph and went no further. “How wonderful to see you again so soon, Christo.” Then she blushed prettily as if she’d only just remembered her manners and told his mother, “I’m sorry for not knocking, but it was too cold out there to wait. I’m lucky to have made it here at all. I was out riding when the snowstorm rushed down the mountain. I must have gotten turned around in it. I thought I was heading home, but here I am instead.”
“That’s quite all right, Nadia,” Ella said graciously. “You know you’re always welcome here.”
“No, she’s not, not anymore,” Christoph countered. “And she knows it.”
Ella gasped. “Christo!”
“He’s been quite mean to me, Lady Ella,” Nadia complained in an aggrieved tone. “He trifled with my—affections—then forbade me to visit him anymore.”
Christoph’s expression darkened with anger. No one could miss what the blond beauty had just implied. But Alana didn’t doubt it was true. How like a barbarian to end an affair as rudely as she’d seen him do.
Elle apparently believed it, too. “Our neighbor, Christo? How could you?”
“I couldn’t, so be at ease, Mother. Nadia has merely become vindictive in her old age.”
Nadia gasped. Hendrik found something to look at on the ceiling. Ella nodded, believing her son without needing further explanation.
Yet still the gracious Englishwoman, Ella told the young woman, “Nadia, warm yourself at the fire for a few minutes while our coach is readied to take you home. Hendrik, would you mind seeing to it?” But Hendrik wasn’t about to leave the room just then and simply bellowed for a servant. Ella sighed. “I could have done that.”
Nadia, quite stiff with indignation now that she knew she wasn’t welcome, moved to the fireplace. As she passed the sofa, her eyes narrowed on Alana and then dropped on Christoph.
“Isn’t this the wench you took to your quarters at the palace the other day?” Nadia said cattily. “You insult your mother by bringing your mistress here?”
“Why don’t you learn some manners, wench?” Alana surprised them all by saying. “Or is the captain going to have to throw you out of here as he did at the palace?”
Christoph burst out laughing. All anger gone, he stood up and tossed Alana’s coat at her. “Come, wench,” he said, laughing again, probably because it was a name he’d called her so many times himself. “I’ll show you those wolves you were so interested in.”
“I’ll join you,” Hendrik said, adding with a chortle, “It’s probably warmer out there than it is in here right now.”
“I’ll go, too,” Ella said, but she was the last to leave the room, and she paused at the door to tell Nadia, “I don’t know why he’s annoyed with you. I don’t care. But I warn you, don’t ever try to turn me against my son again as you did here today. Be gone before we return.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
ALANA NEEDED A FEW minutes alone to freshen up before she went outside again. The Beckers had a small retiring room downstairs. Hendrik went ahead to clear the path of snow. Ella gave her directions so Alana could follow when she was done, probably because Ella wanted a few minutes alone with her son. Christoph, that barbarian, asked if Alana needed assistance. She closed the door to the water closet in his face.
