I returned home to find John and Ella waiting on me at the table. They rose upon my entrance. Ella gave me the most pleasant little curtsy as if I hadn’t just watched her get off days before. She seemed politely indifferent.
“I missed a party?” I asked.
“Oh, hardly, sir,” John answered. “Miss Mills was kind enough to make lasagna since Mandy fell ill and is out.”
“Oh, how nice of her,” I said.
“Leftovers are in the fridge. How was the shift, Your Royal Highness?”
“It was two shifts, as I am sure you heard.”
She nodded. “Yes. Sounds exhausting. Figured you could use a good meal. Well, sir, I’m about exhausted. I will leave you gentlemen to read a bit before bed.”
“Goodnight,” I said, disappointed to miss out on her.
I went to the fridge to unveil the food. I could drown my sorrows in a meal. She was a good cook at least.
“Poor Miss Mills.” John shook his head.
I started up the microwave.
“She’s fine,” I said. “She’s a good sport. We made a proper Christmas dinner and had power. I made sure she got Mum’s room. I felt terrible about the pipe. As did my parents.”
“She’s a nice girl,” John said.
He shot me a look, as if inquiring as to what my motives were.
“She’s a nice girl, yes,” I agreed. “And I don’t intend to run her off.”
John smiled. “Good. She seems relatively alright. I worried about her being here all alone. Ah, sir, we must meet with the director of the documentary series tomorrow.”
“Oh? Really? She’s coming here.”
“No, sir, our plan is to go to London. We will fly back, stay, and check in with your mother’s staff.”
“I only have two days off. I’d like to… relax, you know? This has not been an easy holiday, John.”
I hoped to relax with Eloise—somehow, someway—but that dream died.
“Well, sir. These marching orders come from up top. So, I wish I could tell you it would work out otherwise, but you know as well as I do?—”
“That this is it. Yes.”
I returned to my room, dulled by the job. But, instead of focusing on what I hated, I thought about what thrilled me. I slipped my note under Miss Mills’s door. Her light was already off. She must be asleep. It was early but I didn’t blame her. I climbed into bed, hoping she’d find it in the morning, and tried to get good rest so I could fly tomorrow.
28
THOSE THIGHS
ELOISE
Iclimbed into the bath first thing in the morning. It was early, but I was a morning person. I enjoyed beginning the day with a bath in the queen’s massive bathtub. I turned on the television above the door and watched the morning news—relayed with a Welsh accent I couldn’tquitegrasp yet. It was ironic there was a tv in the bathroom because there were few TVs throughout the house.
I dried my hair and passed the door where I discovered a note. I picked it up and read, surprised immediately.
Mistress Mills,
Where in the hell did Duncan get this shit from? And how did itwork? Because, yeah, it left me hot and bothered.
