Page 36 of Her Royal Houseguest

Anna spent the day trying to soothe the ruffled feathers of her staff. And by staff, she meant their butler and housekeeper. The couple, though not married, were lockstep in their attitude towards the ‘heathen interlopers’.

This home had seen guests from all over the Continent. Guests who drank and caroused to the embarrassment of all. Apparently, those gentlemen were tolerated but a pair of monks who bathed were too difficult to handle. Though, she did agree that the chanting was tiresome.

She tried gentle persuasion but they would not listen. Threats had never worked since they knew their positions were secure. Both of them treated the duke and duchess as veritable gods and therefore neither of Anna’s parents would hear of dismissing them. Nothing Anna said penetrated those bonds, so she’d had to resort to other means to ensure a smoothly run household.

She bribed them.

They did not object to the insult. They objected to the size of the purse. Here, she drew the line.

‘Last time, I gave you enough to cover the grumbling of the maids and footmen. You both kept those funds, so I cannot trust you to share.’

They gasped at the statement but she had had enough.

‘There is a limit to how much you can extort from me. I allow it because I believe your salaries are low but I have not been able to convince my father otherwise. That purse is to cover what I think you rightly deserve. You will get no more from me.’

With that, she left the kitchen to silently fume. How was it that others got their servants to work? No one else complained that they had to bribe their servants to carry bathwater. Clearly, she was doing something wrong. Especially since she doubted she could handle the household without them. There was too much to be done and not enough focus in her scattered brain to remember it all.

And what was worse? She knew that the moment she left the kitchen, both of them would curse her pinchpenny ways. She shouldn’t care that her butler and housekeeper hated her. They were servants hired to do a job. Affection didn’t come into it. Except they lived in her home and disharmony here upset everyone.

She went upstairs intending to tackle the mess in her sitting room but the sight of it depressed her. Instead, she hid in her bedroom and read a book. Something silly about a pirate adventurer who was desperate to rescue his one true love from a wicked count. It made her smile even though it was silly. Imagine a man risking everything to save a woman. Oh, to be someone’s true love like that!

She was about to fall into a happy nap when her mother finally roused from her bed. Looking at the clock, Anna was shocked to realise it was eleven o’clock. She had only an hour to see that her mother was served twice as much food as needed so that the excess could be sent to Monk Vaji before his noon cut off. The man probably hadn’t eaten a bite of the mess from earlier and so needed some better food.

She forced herself out of her fantasy of true love to speak with the cook. The woman was very grumpy. News of the bribe had no doubt spread to her. Fortunately, Anna had come prepared with a coin, which she slipped to the cook. She would need to keep a full purse with her throughout the Siamese visit to hand out to the rest of the staff.

It was ridiculous but sometimes that’s what it took to keep everything running.

Thankfully, it worked. She was able to take a bowl of hot food to the attic where she passed it to Clarke, who then gave it to Monk Vaji. Anna remained at the top of the stairs, pleased to see the prince’s grateful expression. And then she overheard him ask Clarke where he could walk in London that would not unduly upset the locals.

‘Perhaps an escort would be appropriate?’ the prince asked, glancing in her direction.

Her heart sank. Of course he wanted a tour of the city but this afternoon was her mother’s salon and she had to be present for that.

‘I shall see what can be done,’ she said.

He bowed deeply to her, his gratitude clear. And then there was a rapid fire of Siamese that came from behind. The abbot, of course, calling him back to…whatever it was he was supposed to be doing. She flashed a quick smile before retreating. Perhaps she could read a few more pages—

‘Goodness, Anna, your dress is filthy. I despair of ever keeping you in clean clothes!’

Anna turned to see her mother standing at the base of the attic stairs.

‘I apologise, Mama.’ Then she looked down at herself in confusion. She’d been careful to keep her skirts clean.

‘Your shirt sleeves, Anna. There’s ink on them.’

Oh dear. That was not something that could be cleaned easily. ‘I was making notations in the account book.’

‘Well, don’t. No husband wants a wife who buries herself in books. There’s barely enough time for you to change before my salon.’

‘I know,’ she said. ‘But Monk Vaji would like to see some of the city. I thought I might miss—’

‘The monks will not speak to any woman. If he must go, let Clarke take him.’

‘That’s hardly respectable, Mama. It should be someone important. He’s a prince.’

‘Then he shouldn’t be so strict about not talking to women, should he?’

It was a sound argument but she couldn’t imagine her mother telling a Christian monk not to be so fastidious about his prayers. In any event, she didn’t think it was the Monk Vaji who cared. It was the abbot but she didn’t argue with her mother. Especially since the lady flashed her a happy smile.