Page 82 of Her Royal Houseguest

Her friend really did look distressed but with Mabel that could mean anything. It shouldn’t take long to find out the truth.

So she slowed her steps as they wended their way to the very same doorway where Phoebe had disappeared. Anna did not frequent Carlton House, so she had no idea where the doorway went. And she greatly feared what might be happening between Phoebe and Vaji. She had no proof, of course, just a suspicion.

‘Mabel, tell me what is the matter,’ Anna said, hoping to settle the matter quickly.

‘It’s too noisy here. Let’s go through that door.’

It was exactly what Anna wanted but not with Mabel. ‘It’s quiet enough here.’

Stymied, Mabel finally confessed. She was afraid her husband was losing interest. The man did have a wandering eye. Anna said all the soothing words she could but when her friend began to cry, there was no hope for it. They needed to be private.

They ducked through the doorway. It was a narrow passageway, used primarily by servants. She heard men’s voices in one of the rooms and scurried on to the next doorway.

‘We’ll rest a bit in here,’ she said. ‘So you can compose yourself.’

Then she pushed open the door.

‘Oh!’

Oh, was right.

There were Phoebe and Prince Vaji in a tight embrace. Vaji’s back was to them but his hand was very clearly underneath Phoebe’s skirt. Anna might not have understood what was happening a month ago but now she knew exactly what was going on.

‘Oh!’ Mabel gasped. ‘I thought monks didn’t do that.’

They didn’t. Which meant Phoebe wasn’t the only casualty here. Monk Vaji was ruined as well.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Deva felt a change in the room long before Prinny did. They were in the middle of conversation about tobacco when Deva heard excited whispers grow in the background noise.

He looked up, intrigued, and saw a footman rush forwards, his face beet red. That did not bode well.

The man bowed deeply to the royals but before he could speak, malicious amusement rippled through the crowd. Deva knew that sound well. It meant catty people had just gotten their way.

It set his teeth on edge.

Not waiting for Prinny to acknowledge the footman, Deva turned to the man.

‘What has happened?’

‘If Your Royal Highness could follow me. The, um, your…’

Deva had already scanned the room. The abbot was within view but Vaji was not. Neither was Anna.

‘Monk Vaji?’ he pressed.

‘Er, yes. Please follow me.’

Naturally, Prinny wanted to know what was going on, too. So the two royals made a not-at-all discreet procession around the edges of the room while gleeful chuckles followed them. Whatever had happened, the English thought it was funny.

He kept his expression haughty but inside he was seething. What had happened? Could not one aspect of this trip go right? This was their formal presentation to England. Of all nights, this was the one to set their reputation.

He flicked a glance at the abbot who had finally noticed the commotion. Deva jerked his head in the direction of a side doorway. Then he and Prinny stepped into the narrow passageway. No use making sure that the door was shut behind them. Every eye followed them and every mouth would whisper what happened. Let them see. Otherwise, they’d speculate until there was no exposing the truth of the matter.

They entered a small room by Siamese standards, ornately decorated and with several people in a revealing tableau.

Anna sat on a settee beside Miss Phoebe Gray, who had her head bowed and was surreptitiously wiping away tears. Another woman stood to the back, her eyes shining with bright eagerness. She was not the victim in this scene but a happy witness.