A Royal Engagement: The Young Royals Book 1 (6 page)

Where Meredith had vibrant red hair and grey/blue eyes, her brother was dark and his eyes were a striking blue, being darker around the edges and lighter towards the centre.
 
He was tall and strongly built and he wore a suit better than any man I had ever seen.
 
He really was pretty to look at.

"Get up," I said with a grin, shoving him.

He stood and matched my grin with one of his own before leaning in to kiss me affectionately on the cheek, his Armani fragrance swirling delicately about me.

"How are you Lys?" he asked, seriously and I had to blink several times to keep the tears at bay.
 
My ride through the paddocks had not done much to lighten my mood.

I sighed, "I'm okay," I said as I sat down in one of the overstuffed chintz arm chairs.

Frederic sat opposite me, his hands steepled and his chin resting on their tips, a look of concern on his face.

"Please," he said softly, "If there is anything I can do..."

"Thank you Freddie," I said with a sad smile, "I really appreciate it."

The door opened once again and admitted Alex who was ushering in the maids with a tea service and a tiered tray of cakes.

"Your Highness," she said, curtseying, "I thought you might like some tea."

I smiled at her and Frederic stood.

"Thank you Lady Alexandra," I said, "Have you met Lord Frederic?"

I saw Frederic's eyes light up as he ran his gaze over her.
 
"I don't think I've had the pleasure," he said taking her hand and kissing it.

Alex blushed prettily and I had to hold back my grin.
 
It was always a delight to see how other women related to Freddie's charms.

"Why don't you join us for tea," I said to Alex who looked askance at me but didn't refuse.

The maids set the tea table between us as Alex took a seat next to me and opposite Freddie.
 
He waited for her to be seated before taking his own seat.

"Shall I be mother?" Alex asked, leaning forward to pour the tea and dismissing the maids.

"Lady Alexandra is my cousin," I informed Freddie, "And is to be my Personal Secretary."

Freddie leaned back in his chair after she handed him a dainty cup and saucer of hot tea and smiled indulgently.

"Really?" he said, "So I dare say we will be seeing a lot of you then."

"Oh?" I asked, "You're staying in Merveille?"

He nodded, "Yes.
 
Father has determined that I have spent enough time scouring the earth and sowing my wild oats and he has requested that I return home and learn the family business."

"And have you?" Alex asked, and then blushed.

"Have I...?"

"Spent enough time scouring the earth and sowing your wild oats," she finished.

He laughed heartily, "I don't think I will ever tire of it," he said, "But I have a duty to my family and our shareholders, so, for now anyway, I will be curbing my wild impulses and will become a monk of Calanais."

The library doors sprung open forcefully and Meredith ran into the room.

"Freddie!" she yelled as she threw herself into her brothers arms, who had risen just in time to catch her.

"Steady on there Mer," he said with a gleeful laugh, "I'm an old man now."

Meredith, who had wrapped her legs around her brother's waist and her arms around his neck, gave him loud smacking kiss on the cheek before lowering her legs to the floor and releasing him from her strangle hold.

"You've always been an old man," she said as he straightened his navy blue suit.
 
He wasn't wearing a tie and his white shirt was open at the throat displaying a triangle of tanned skin and a hint of dark hair.

"Are you free to join us Meredith?" I asked indicating the tea.

She plopped down on the armchair beside her brother with a sigh, "I have a few minutes free," she said, "But then I am under strict instructions to bring the Earl of Avonlea here to meet with the Duke and Duchess."

Freddie rolled his eyes, "I've only just arrived," he said, "And I only saw them not an hour ago."

"I believe the Duchess said that the Duke had monopolised you from the moment you arrived and had not left sufficient time for her to greet you properly."

Freddie grimaced, "God," he said, "You know what that means, don't you.
 
She has a list of perspective wives for me."

"You're getting married?" Alex asked.

"Not if I can help it," he replied, "But that doesn't stop the Duchess from throwing every eligible daughter of a noble birth in front of me whenever I come home."

"Oh," Alex said and looked down at her cup.

"Since you are staying in Calanais for a while, you will be able to work yourself down the list," I said, "There will be enough receptions and dinners and the like over the summer for you to become quite intimately acquainted with each of them."

He dropped down to his knees in front of me and clasped his hands in supplication, "Oh, please, Lys.
 
Won't you marry me and save me from this torture."

The three of us giggled and I patted him on the shoulder, "Oh dearest Freddie, I would that I could."

He stood to his feet, "Ah, well, the offer is there if you change your mind," he said, "I suppose I should go and get this over with."

Meredith stood to accompany him but he shook his head.

"It's alright, sister dear," he said, "You stay here and keep the Princess and her delightful secretary company.
 
I am not too cowardly to face the music on my own."

He turned to me and bowed again and then took Alex's hand once again and kissed it.

"I very much enjoyed meeting you," he said softly before standing and leaving.

My Ladies in Waiting, Savannah, Margaret, Priscilla and Jeanette, along with Alex and Meredith were gathered around the table as I dealt the next hand of poker.
 
These women were all related to me, even Meredith, but apart from Meredith, I didn't know them very well at all.
 
We had all grown up apart and had very rarely the occasion to mix.
 
But they were here now and they were to be my support team, so a night of poker and alcohol had been scheduled to 'get to know' one another.

The current topic of conversation were the eligible men who were currently staying in or near the palace.
 
Each of my Ladies in Waiting were on the look out for a good marriage, preferably a titled or landed gentleman with money, oh, and he needed to be gorgeous.

"What about Freddie?" I asked as I picked up my hand and fanned the cards.

"Ooh, he is delicious," Savannah agreed.

"And so charming," Margaret added, to which Meredith rolled her eyes.

"And a player," she said, frowning at her cards.

"I thought he was sweet," Alex said quietly.

"He seemed quite taken with you," I added and she blushed.

"I'd prefer a blonde," Jeanette said, "Lieutenant Wicks is quite nice to look at."

"He is," Meredith agreed, "But I think he has his eyes set on someone else."
 
She looked directly at me and I ducked behind my cards.

"The Lord of Pemberton does it for me," Priscilla said, "He's so dark and brooding.
 
Makes me wonder what he'd be like behind closed doors."

"Ooh yes," Savannah squealed, "He'd be all demanding and alpha male."

I blushed.
 
The thought made my stomach flop and my skin heat.
 

"He is rather rude, though," I said.

"Hmm," Jeanette agreed, "And I think the family must have fallen on hard times.
 
The suit he wore last night was a bit threadbare."

I stared at her in shock.
 
"Threadbare?" I asked, incredulous.
 
There had been absolutely nothing wrong with his suit.

"Well maybe not threadbare, but definitely a couple of seasons old," she amended.

"It was Armani," Savannah added, "But the colour was definitely from two seasons ago at least.
 
And he needs a haircut."

"And he works with all those cows," Margaret said while crinkling her nose.

"Yes, but haven't you ever had a cowboy fantasy?" Meredith asked, flipping a couple of chips onto the table.
 
"A sweaty, virile man, his tanned skin glistening in the sun as he hauls bales of hay, his jeans sitting low on his hips and his shirt off to show well defined pecs, washboard abs and that wonderful vee of his obliques."

"Yummy," Savannah sighed.

There was a general murmuring of agreement around the table and small sighs of contentment as we each visualised Meredith's cowboy.

"But I'd still want him to have money," Margaret said, snapping everyone out of their reverie.

"Money or looks?" Jeanette asked, tossing a couple of cards down and taking a drink.

"Looks don't last forever," Priscilla said, "But money can. If invested well."

"But what about personality?
 
You have to live with the guy after all."
 
This from Alex who looked perplexed at the discussion.

"True," Jeanette shrugged, "He'd need to be able to hold a conversation, at least, and not embarrass me in front of people."

"Okay, so money and looks but no personality or looks and personality but no money?"
 
Savannah ventured.

"Money and looks," the three other Ladies in Waiting agreed as I dealt their replacement cards.

"What about personality and money but no looks?"
 
Alex asked.

"I'd probably prefer looks and personality without money," Priscilla replied, "I'm sure daddy would pony up with an allowance."

I shook my head subtly and Meredith barely contained her laughter.
 
Alex just looked shocked.
 
She was a lot more buttoned up than I had imagined.

"What was the CEO like that you worked for?" I asked, "Was he looks and money but no personality?
 
Or personality and money without the looks?"

"He had it all," she said dreamily and then shook herself out of it, "But he was married."

"Happily?" asked Margaret.

"Oh, yes," Alex replied, fussing with her cards, "She was his previous PA."

"Dipping the wick in the company inkwell," Meredith said and I snorted in laughter.

Alex blushed, "Oh, I don't..."

"It's okay Alex," I said, "Meredith is just being cynical.
 
She doesn't give much credence to romance."

Meredith shrugged, "I'm yet to be convinced that love is real and not just some made up sentiment designed to sell diamonds and chocolates."

"Someone broke your heart," Savannah said, patting Meredith's hand.

"What? No," she said shaking her head forcefully.

"What about you, Princess?" Jeanette asked, "Ever been in love?"

I shook my head and sighed, "No.
 
I was too focused on my studies when I was at university to have time for men and before that I was in an all girls boarding school."

"What about now?" Margaret asked.

I shrugged, "I wouldn't say I'm in love," I said, "But there is one or two gentlemen who've caught my eye."

Meredith smirked but thankfully didn't say anything.

"God," Priscilla shook her head, "Can you imagine the media frenzy when you announce your engagement?
 
The country will go insane."

That was the last thing I'd been thinking about.
 
But I suppose it would eventually be expected of me to get married and produce an heir.
 
What chance did I have of falling in love with someone when my every move was being watched and documented?
 
And why hadn't I spent some of my university years gaining some experience with the opposite sex.
 
At this point in my life, I should've at least been kissed.

But I never expected to become Queen and I never expected that I would have to navigate a romance with the whole country watching.
 
My mood soured and I sipped my drink morosely.

"Cheer up, Princess," Meredith said, "It could be worse."

"Oh really?" I said, "And how could it be worse?"

"You could've been forced into an arranged marriage."

The Palace was dark and quiet and I tried to walk without making too much noise.
 
Not that I was sneaking, I just didn't want to wake anyone.
 
Scott and Daniel followed me and were much better at keeping quiet than I was, their night vision was probably better than mine too.

I finally made it to the kitchen and switched on the overhead lights, blinking rapidly as my eyes adjusted to the brightness.

"You know you could have called someone to get you a midnight snack Your Highness," Scott said, amused with my final destination.

"It's not quite the same as searching through the fridge myself," I replied turning back to the kitchen.

"It's not really a fridge though, is it?" Daniel said, looking around the space.

He was right, it wasn't a fridge, it was a cold room.
 
The kitchen in the Palace was probably better equipped than most five star restaurants and had every gadget known to man in it.
 
Chef would be livid if he found me in here, but I didn't care.
 
I couldn't sleep and I was hungry.

Scott was also correct in saying that I could call someone to fix me a snack, there were kitchen staff on call for just that eventuality, but I refused to rouse someone from sleep when I could do it myself.
 
And I knew exactly what I wanted.

I pulled the heavy door of the cold room open and stepped into it's frigid interior.
 
It was about four metres wide by four metres deep and was lined with shelves that were stocked with food.
 
I ran my gaze over the stock until I found what I wanted.
 
Cheese.

I pulled out a selection and stepped back into the kitchen, closing the cold room door behind me.
 
Putting the cheese on the stainless steel bench, I then went in search of crackers.
 
The walk in pantry was at least twice the size of the cold room, most likely more and resembled a small grocery store.
 
I browsed the aisles until I found a packet of thin wafers and returned to the bench with my bounty.