Page 90 of Her Royal Houseguest

Prince Vaji nodded. ‘It was very young. Deva’s mother died in childbirth when he was four years old. His mother had no relatives among the harem, so Deva was given to other women of the harem.’

‘Other women? To raise him.’

‘Yes. But naturally, their own children came first. And if he ever became too difficult, he was passed on to the next palace. If he ever missed at a task, if he cried or made a fuss, he moved to the next home. If something went wrong—whether or not it was his fault—he was pushed on.’

Tears burned her eyes, an aching sadness for the unloved little boy.

‘He stayed the longest at my home with my mother.’ He squared his shoulders as if steeling himself to reveal something difficult. ‘My mother is a cruel woman. When Deva came to live with us, I was so happy. Someone else would take her punishments. Someone else to blame.’

‘Oh dear. Was he?’

‘Certainly. Until I learned that two can work together to bring safety to both. One who is fast can distract while the other hides. And the one who is clever can make someone else look guilty.’

‘Which were you? The fast one or the clever one?’

‘I learned to be both, as did Prince Deva.’ His expression shifted then, turning hard and cold. ‘Then came the day my mother learned I loved him more than I loved her. That is the day—’

‘Vaji!’

Anna jolted upright. There in the doorway stood Deva, his expression thunderous.

‘There is no need to tell this tale,’ Deva snapped.

‘There is every need,’ Vaji stated. Then he took a step backwards, leaving the path to her bedside open. ‘You may continue it now.’

Deva looked at him as if the man had lost his mind. Then Vaji shot him a knowing look.

‘It is why you came here, isn’t it? You have come to apologise to her? You cannot make amends if she does not understand what needs to happen.’

‘You overstep,’ Deva stated but there was no heat in his tone.

‘Only if I am wrong.’

Deva had no answer to that except to dip his chin as he turned to her. ‘May I enter?’

Why not? Tonight had been so bizarre, what was two brothers in her bedroom? At least they were all clothed.

‘Yes, you may,’ she said.

‘Please,’ interjected Vaji. ‘Continue my tale.’

Deva shot his brother an irritated look but he spoke calmly. ‘My brother is telling the tale of how I was sent to the young men’s quarters three years early.’

She winced. She couldn’t imagine a seven-year-old trying to make friends with ten-year-olds. It wouldn’t work. And so her thoughts were caught up in the plight of two little boys surrounded by people who would not protect them, who had to band together for any kind of safety or love. Her heart ached with the sorrow of it.

Vaji poked his brother’s shoulder. ‘Tell her why she must know this. What is the lesson?’

Rather than answer, Deva glared at his brother until Prince Vaji arched a brow, bowed to her and withdrew. Apparently, this was a tale Deva wanted to tell in private. Anna waited until he finally spoke to her, his tone low.

I thought I must be perfect or thrown away. It is a childish belief but…’ His voice trailed away.

‘But you still feel it.’ What a terrible burden to put on anyone.

‘This trip, this trade mission is the biggest gamble we have ever made. Everyone in Siam knows of it, everyone believes it impossible. They expect we will return home with nothing to show for it or even worse, a terrible treaty.’

‘That’s so unfair!’ She knew how ridiculous that objection was. Nothing about their lives had been fair and yet look how far they had come. Both men were honourable people, fair-minded and kind. She knew many people who had much better beginnings and had grown into awful adults. In fact, it sounded like Vaji’s mother was one such person.

She stayed in her outrage for a time, feeling for both men until she realised that Deva looked at her as if she needed to understand something more. Something deeper. Then she understood.