“Leo said he wasn’t supposed to leave the palace that afternoon. He told Damien to bring me back and not mention him.”
The queen nodded at Evelyn’s explanation, putting something together in her mind but not sharing what it was. “Well. I hope it was a fun outing before the day went to hell in a handbasket.”
Evelyn laughed much too loudly and covered her mouth with her hand.
“It was fun before that.” Another question formed in Evelyn’s mind. “Does Prince Alexander want to marry Hannah?”
Queen Camille hummed. “What makes you ask about that, dear?”
I would feel better if she just said yes.
“I know Hannah likes the prince,” Evelyn explained. “But they’ve barely spent any time together. I don’t want my sister heartbroken if Alexander drags this out and then rejects her.”
The queen stared at Evelyn intently for several seconds before asking, “Can we keep our opinions just between you and me?”
“Of course.”
Queen Camille picked her words carefully. “Your sister is lovely. She would make a good wife and a fair queen. I have only kind words to say about her and absolutely nothing against her. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Evelyn said, wondering where all this praise was going.
“However,” the queen continued, “I do not see Hannah as a match for my son. She hasn’t done anything wrong, and neither has he. There is simply no real spark between them. But Alexander is under immense pressure from his father. And I believe Hannah is swept up in the glamour of meeting a prince.”
Is Hannah trying to force a connection? She deserves better than that.
“Do you think they will get married anyway?” Evelyn asked.
“For their sakes, I hope not. I want my son to be hopelessly in love with his bride. Hannah deserves to be head over heels for her future husband. But they won’t find that in each other.”
“Is there anything we can do?”
“No, dear, there isn’t. They need to make their own choices.”
Forget that. I need to talk to Hannah.
After lunch, Evelyn was headed upstairs when she heard voices through the front door.
“You are wasting time!” King Gerard yelled.
The second voice was too low to identify.
“It’s even more important now that you marry quickly!” the king said.
He must be talking to the prince.Good to know Alexander doesn’t raise his voice like his father.
“That Anna girl?—”
The king was interrupted by the quieter voice again.
“It doesn’t matter what her name is,” King Gerard snapped. “You need to propose and be done with it.”
He can’t even remember Hannah’s name?
“You have until the ball, or I will make the arrangements for you,” the king declared.
Wait… the prince is going to propose the night of the ball? Should I tell Hannah?
Evelyn hurried upstairs before King Gerard or Prince Alexander could catch her eavesdropping.
