CHAPTER TEN
“AND WHERE DO YOU think you are going, my son?”
Anthony turned around in the doorframe and smiled as his mother approached. “Just out for a ride, nothing more.”
“A ride?” She grinned and raised an eyebrow. “A ride and nothing else? Dressed as fine as you are? You are most certainly not going out for a ride.”
It was uncanny how well the woman could read him. “Yes, I am.”
“Who is she?”
He stared at her blankly. “Who?”
She chuckled and put her hand on her elegant hip, her red sleeve flaring out as she did so. “The girl you are so keen on visiting. The same girl you went to see yesterday.”
He sighed and looked at his fingernails, attempting his best pretense at boredom. “Mother, I have no idea what you are referring to.”
“Of course you do.” She walked up to him. “Now, Anthony, are you going to tell me about her, or do I have to ferret it out by other means?”
Good heavens. She would call upon all her friends and the merry busybodies of court to spy upon him. Then word would be out within a heartbeat that he had been playing tribute to the long-lost daughter of Alan Woodston, Lord Dashlund. And then Ella would do no less than murder him for never telling her that he was a prince, and then his father would have no one to turn the kingdom over to when his health failed him. “How is Father doing today?” he asked instead of answering her questions.
His mother bit her lip to stifle the grin that was even now apparent upon her features. “Why do you not give up this girl and go see for yourself? He could use some company. Unless, of course, you would prefer to stay and chat with me…”
Anthony stared into his mother’s playful eyes. She had to be a witch, the way she could read his mind so well. He heaved a huge breath of air and walked back into the richly decorated sitting room. Plopping onto one of the gold velvet chairs, he waited for his mother to join him, her gown splaying out as she sat daintily upon the seat across from him, before he asked, “What would you like to know?”
“Everything.”
“Such as?”
She laughed. “Who she is. Where she is from. Who is her family? Just typical, everyday conversation starters would be best.”
“Mother, I am not in love with the girl, so it is of no importance whether or not you know who she is.”
“Hmm…” She gave him an arch look and sat more comfortably in her chair. “You are not in love with her? You are sure?”
“Of course! I hardly know the woman.”
She raised her chin a notch while watching him a moment and then asked, “How did you come across this girl you do not love, yet smile like a fool when you are sneaking out to meet her?”
“Mother!” He chuckled and shook his head. “You are incorrigible. I do not smile like a fool.”
“Yes, I am sure it is not quite like a fool, for how could my handsome son be considered to look anything like that?”
“How indeed?” He smirked. All he needed to do was stand next to Ella for a good quarter of an hour and he would feel the fool soon enough.
“What are you smiling about? What have you remembered just now?”
He shook his head, setting his thoughts aside. “Your words reminded me how this girl you are eager to learn of often puts me in my place and reminds me to watch how I present myself.”
“Does she now?” The queen reached for the little bell on the table near her elbow and rang for tea.
He watched as she spoke to the footman, ordering their refreshments. She really was a very beautiful woman. Time had smiled kindly upon her. Her eyes, though clouded with the strain of the secret illness, were still sharp, and her mannerisms were all that were graceful and lovely.
She soon turned back to him and said, “I do believe I would like to meet someone—especially someone who can keep my son in his place.”
He shrugged. “Mayhap you would be fond of her. I do not know. As I said earlier, I do not know her well enough to decide if I like her.”
“Is there a reason you should not?”
“She is not a spy from one of the neighboring kingdoms, if that is what you are implying.” He rested one foot upon his knee and put his hands together. “She is simply a girl.”
“So what are you doing with her that is so clandestine, so very secretive that your own mother must pry it out of you?”
“You are not prying anything out of me. And it is truly not that big of an issue.”
“Anthony! She is closeting herself with this kingdom’s heir, and you say that this is not that big of an issue?”
“She is not closeting herself with anyone—do not jump to conclusions, Mother. Besides, she does not even know who I am.”
The queen’s mouth fell open for a few moments before she caught herself and clamped it shut. Leaning over, she whispered “You mean to tell me there is a girl who lives within riding distance who has no idea you are the prince?”
“Not a clue.”
“Anthony!”
“What?”
“Is she a servant of some sort?”
“I do not know.” He frowned. “She should not be, and yet, I wonder if she is being treated as such.”
“Just a moment. Are you aware of who this girl is? Who her family is?”
“Of course. So are you—which is precisely the main reason why I prefer not to tell you about her.”
“Because of her family?”
“Just so.”
She threw her hands in the air and then folded them, her small foot tapping upon the ground. “Anthony, if you are delving into some family you know would not meet with my approval, I suggest you stop this at once.”
He stood up as the footman pushed in the tea cart. “But I cannot, Mother.”
“Why?”
Walking over to her, he placed a kiss on her cheek. “Because what if I am in love? I could not simply abandon the love of my life, now could I?”
“You are insubordinately impertinent.”
He grinned down at her and waggled his brows. “I know.”
“Anthony?”
“Yes?” he asked as he swiped a tart off the silver platter and plopped it in his mouth.
She watched him chew for a few seconds and then said, “You will always have my blessing if you truly love her.”
“I know,” he said as he pilfered another tart and took a bite.
“But, Anthony?”
“Hmm?”
“Be careful with her heart, please. If you do not love her, do not continue meeting with her. You are quite charming, and could make any woman fall in love with you. Do not accidentally use this gift to harm someone whose heart is already fragile. If you believe she is being treated as a servant—”
“I know, Mother.” He quickly placed another kiss upon her cheek and stole a few more tarts at the same time. “I promise not to break her heart.”
“Good.” She turned to collect her plate and gasped at the mayhem he had caused with the tray. The few tarts and sandwiches left were scattered about. “Be gone, you! Go meet your secret girl. And if you are not staying for tea, then kindly stay out of my refreshments.”
He grinned and went to grab one more, his other hand full, but she smacked his knuckles and shooed him. “Go, get. We will speak of this more tonight.”
Anthony laughed as he turned to go and lightly jogged out of the room. “I love you,” he called behind him.
His mother’s voice followed him as it echoed down the hall. “You’d better, you ungrateful wretch!”
He laughed harder.