The image of Fred’s head attached to a cow’s body pops into my mind and it nearly makes me choke on my tea. “A constipated cow?”
Her eyes glint. “You can see it, can’t you?”
“He’s a little uptight.”
“Personally, I can tell he thinks you're rather marvelous, but he's so stiff he can barely express how he feels. Take for instance chocolate cake. We all know he loves it, but what does he say about it?” She lowers her voice and pulls her features into a scowl. “It was satisfactory.”
I snort a laugh at her imitation of my future husband. “Fred loves chocolate cake?”
I file the information away for future use.
“Oh yes. Healmostsmiles when it's served for afternoon tea.”
I relax into the conversation. I’ve found a kindred spirit in my future sister-in-law.
“What I don't understand is why you agreed to this in the first place,” she says as she pours me some tea.
“I thought it might be an adventure.”
“The words ‘Fred’ and ‘adventure’ are rarely used in the same sentence.”
“I've led a sheltered life, like you probably have as well.Us princesses don't exactly have the most expansive education and experiences.”
"Finishing school rather than attending a real university?”
“You, too?”
She nods. “But why Fred?"
I think of the glimmers I’ve seen beneath his exterior. “He's very handsome,” I begin, but even I know that isn’t the reason. His good looks are more the icing on the cake.
“I suppose he is.”
“Both our countries want this. That’s important.”
“But what about romance? What aboutlove? Don’t you want those things? I know I do. I don't want an arranged marriage. I want to fall in love with someone wonderful and spend the rest of my life loving them.”
I toy with the cloth napkin. “Romance was never part of the agreement.”
“Astrid, you sound like a robot.”
I know she’s right.
I let out a breath. “The thing is, I’ve always had a thing for him,” I admit.
Francesca’s eyes have widened. “For Fred?”
I press my lips together and nod. “Ever since we met when we were children. I always wondered if there was more to him than just the proper prince. That he had a beating heart beneath the formality.”
“Look, I love my brother. He’s brilliant and dedicated and honourable, all the things expected of him as the Crown Prince. But from what I can tell, he's built these walls around himself that he thinks he needs. It's like a fortress from Medieval times, with only tiny slits for windows.”
“So you’re saying I haven’t seen the real Fred yet?”
She takes a sip of her tea. “Not even close. Bear with him. There’s so much more to him than just being all formal and grumpy and, well, Fred-like."
I can’t help but smile. “I’ve seen a little of that, I suppose.”
“Well, let’s hope you see more of it because I think Fred would really benefit from being with someone like you. I think you could bring out the best in him, and we all know he can’t do that on his own.”
