My mother trained me well.
Crown Prince Theodor and Princess Elise step into the aisle, their black coats buttoned high. Their entourage hovers at a respectful distance. Theodor’s fire-scarred face has patches of stubble he’d never display in public under normal circumstances. Elise wears flats. They must’ve come straight from the hospital.
The royals walk toward Millie and me but pause. Forhim.
Alex stands beside the notary a few feet away. He turns as the royals near, his expression unreadable.
Grr, that stillness of his!
Prince Theodor extends his hand. “Monsieur Castellane. Please accept our condolences, on behalf of the royal family.”
“Thank you,” Alex replies evenly.
Not “Your Royal Highness.” Not even “Your Highness.” Just a nod and “thank you” as if he’s accepting sympathies from a colleague at work.
Elise touches his arm. “We were devastated to hear about your brother and nephew.”
Alex inclines his head before asking, “How is Princess Felicia?”
“Same,” Theodor replies.
They move on to my mother-in-law, Brigitte, sitting by the wall with a glass of white wine she’s been topping off all afternoon. She begins to heave herself up, but Theodor gestures for her to stay seated.
Defying protocol, the prince and princess lean down and hug Brigitte.
It dawns on me that from now on, my official title is dowager duchess. Most will still address me as “Your Grace” out ofcourtesy. Others, starting with the estate manager, will switch to “Lady Castellane.”
Brigitte thanks the royals, tears streaming down her wrinkled face. I feel for her. Unlike me, she’s genuinely shattered. She lost her only child and her grandson, both of whom she adored. “So young! Too young to go!” she said. It’s been her mantra set on repeat since the accident.
While true for Julian, I don’t consider Geoffroy’s sixty-two all that young—not from my thirty-five, anyway. But at eighty-seven, when your son and grandson beat you to the grave…
God, I wouldn’t wish that on anyone!Certainly not on Brigitte. Despite turning a blind eye to her son’s deviousness, she’s never been unkind to me. Actually, she’s been kinder than my parents.
When the royals reach Millie and me, I begin to curtsy.
“Oh, please, Eva,” Elise mutters and pulls me into a warm embrace.
Theodor offers words of comfort to Millie, then to me. “We’re so sorry for your loss, Eva!”
“I can’t tell you how much your presence means to me,” I say as Elise hugs Millie. “Especially with everything going on.”
Theodor sighs. “It’s the least we could do.”
“How is Princess Felicia?” I ask, hoping for more details than they gave Alex.
“We just left her,” Elise says. “She’s stable for now, but no change.”
“Mother is still unconscious,” Theodor adds. “The doctors are uncertain about her long-term prognosis.”
My throat constricts. “I’m so sorry!”
He nods briskly. “Her driver passed this morning.”
“I didn’t know.” My hand finds Millie’s shoulder.
Along with Geoffroy, Julian, and Geoffroy’s chauffeur, which makes four lives taken to make sure Princess Felicia wouldn’tsurvive. The police have been very tight-lipped about the investigation, and I still don’t know whether Geoffroy or Julian were targets, too. From what little I’ve heard, it seems Felicia was the sole target.
I don’t understand it. Who would want a beloved royal, not in line for the throne, dead so badly they’d kill four other people to ensure it?And why?
