“He pointed out that the first three Keys to the Key had been allowed in, and that it would be discriminatory to deny the fourth.”
“I like the way your crown prince thinks,” she says.
What I haven’t told Margot is that Theo, his mother Princess Felicia, his uncle, his siblings, cousin Louis, and everybody in the know assume Margot and I will be married soon, since she is my Key to the Key.
Free will, my ass!
“How long can you stay?” I ask her.
“Not sure yet… Why?”
“I’d like us to get to know each other better, and I’d like you to spend time with Matteo.”
“I’d like that, too,” she says to my relief. “Your son is adorable.”
Which reminds me.“How much did he tell you in the London house before Celeste arrived? What did Celeste tell you?”
“Not much.” She rubs her chin, thinking. “Ah, yes! When I referred to you as his dad, he said you weren’t. He said his dad was dead.”
She eyes me, and I hold her gaze, collecting my thoughts.
Margot speaks again, “You two seem to have a complicated relationship for your son to invent plots like that. From a psychological and pedagogical perspective—”
“He told you the truth,” I cut in. “His dad is dead.”
That wins me an open and shut mouth.
“Matteo’s dad is my twin brother Stephen,” I explain.
“You have a twin?”
“He died in a car crash, and his wife… um, that’s a story for another time. For now, just know that I have officially adopted Matteo. I love him like a son. In every way that matters, Matteoismy son.”
“I had no idea, Jonas.” Her magnetic gray eyes search my face. “I’m so sorry about your twin brother!”
“It’s been almost three years. The pain has lost some of its edge. For us all.
“Now I understand why you let Matteo call you Jonas.”
“I don’t like it, but what choice do I have?”
She gives me a compassionate smile. “None.”
“That’s right. I can’t tell him to forget his dad, nor can I lie and tell Matteo that Stephen was his uncle, and I was always his dad.”
“No, you can’t,” she agrees.
We keep quiet for a few seconds.
I take her hand. “It would be great if you could stay through the rest of the winter and the spring, until you’re due to play in Bath.”
“It’s unlikely Sandra will be rehiring me,” she says. “I went to the party she threw on Saturday, and she was careful not to say anything that would suggest she would.”
“Why wouldn’t she rehire you? You already know the part and you did a great job as Caroline.”
Margot’s lips paint a faint smile. “No, I did not do a great job. I ruined a costume and embarrassed myself on the opening night, and I made a muck of my final performance on Saturday.”
Because of how I’d treated you in the hours leading up to it!
