To Love A Prince (True Blue Royal Book 1)

by Rachel Hauck

  “We’re so grateful.”

  The carpenter had exchanged his wool anorak for a wide work apron. He was leaner than she imagined, and muscled. A streak of morning light kissed his milk-white hair. And he was fragrant with a rich perfumed oil, like a powdery spice.

  “On the workbench.” Emmanuel motioned to the wide, clean table.

  When they’d settled the chair, Daffy surveyed the shop, which was clean and airy, made of plaster walls and a wide board floor, furnished with two workbenches, a large tool cabinet, a sink, and coffee maker, and in the corner, a shiny, black potbelly stove.

  “Can I ask how you got on the grounds? In this shop?” Gus said.

  “I was granted permission a long time ago by the Family. Grab an apron, son.” Emmanuel peeled back the blanket to inspect the damage. “Your King Titus I was quite a skilled furniture maker. I see a bit of him in you, Gus. Only he didn’t let a broken heart derail him. He got back in the fight.”

  “I take it you are a student of history, Emmanuel. As well as a reader of modern newspapers.”

  “That, and then some. Now to the task at hand.”

  “I brought the specifications.” Daffy lifted the satchel over her head and set it on the second workbench. “There are photos, details, materials, as well as an inventory of repairs.”

  Emmanuel inspected the chair’s legs. “We can’t use gray cedar since the tree is extinct, but ordinary cedar will do.”

  “How did it break?” Gus leaned to see what the carpenter saw.

  “You sat in it,” Daffy reminded him.

  “I mean, why did it break?”

  “Time. Even the old gray cedar became becomes fragile. If it hadn’t been you, Gus, the next person to sit in this chair would’ve come crashing down.”

  Gus gave Daffy an “I told you so face.”

  She smirked. Whatever.

  Emmanuel set out a plan for the repair. Fix the legs with rod and glue—whatever that meant—and reattach to the seat base. He spoke with assured authority, so Daffy was more than satisfied the King Titus was in good hands.

  “Well, I should go,” she said. “Stand watch at the castle. I’ll take the cart.”

  “I’ll drive you.” Gus walked her to the door. “Emmanuel, I’ll be right back.” He grabbed Daffy’s arm and leaned close. “He’s weird, right? Acting like he knew King Titus. Saying I was like him.”

  “Who cares? He has a solid plan to fix the chair. Also, you can’t drive me and leave him alone with the chair. We trust him because of Ernst. But do we want to leave a priceless chair with him? I think not.” She spied the keys in the ignition and sat behind the wheel. “Let me know how it’s going.”

  “I’ll text you to come get me.”

  “Can’t.” She offered him a small smile. “I’m going up to the lodge.”

  “How will I get back?”

  “Walk. It’s only a kilometer or two. Looks like our carpenter doesn’t have a motor.”

  “He probably flew here. With his wings.” Gus glanced over his shoulder. “I’ll borrow a horse from the mews. The groom can retrieve my trusty steed later. John sent up a dozen for the ball weekend. I am a prince, you know, and princes ride horses.”

  “You really do read fairy tales, don’t you?” She patted his chest. “Text me.”

  “Have fun at the lodge. Tell Thomas I said hello.”

  “I will.” Their eyes met and her smile faded. Then she pressed the gas, and the cart fired over the cold, white ground toward Hadsby.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Daffy

  Lunch at the lodge was scrumptious. Roasted lamb, garlic potatoes, asparagus with a hollandaise sauce, and warm, sticky toffee pudding.

  Now reclining in the lounge by a roaring fire, a fresh snow falling, Daffy curled next to Thomas, her elbow brushing his, relaxing, letting the burdens of the past week fall away.

  Forget Gus and the chair. She was with her fiancé. Her friends. She’d never taken the time—had the chance, really—to relish being a bride-to-be. To enjoy the idea of Thomas being her man for the rest of her life.

  Her phone buzzed from its perch on the large coffee table. Thomas reached for it while talking football with Rick.

  It was Lucy raving about her massage and oh, they needed to find a gown for the Unknown Bride.

  Daffy replied.

  Check. Let’s look this week. But let’s make headway on the existing gowns first.

  If need be, the Unknown Bride could be fitted with a gown from Mum’s closet. Although, according to tradition, the dress should be special, symbolizing all future brides. Representing the hope of love. Preferably, the gown needed a story.

  Daffy wasn’t sure when the tradition started, but somewhere through the generations, a special frock was staged during an upcoming royal wedding. Perhaps to give hope to the young lasses longing for a match. Maybe as a way to celebrate the future princess. In the twentieth century, the dress, whatever color or fashion, started going to a deserving woman. It was the equivalent of a royal medal.

  After Princess Catherine II married Edric, the Duke of Connought, the Unknown Bride was given to a staff member who’d recently become engaged.

  Queen Catherine’s mum gave her Unknown Bride gown to one of her maids to wear at her wedding reception when she married Prince Rein IV.

  A memory of the queen flashed through Daffy’s mind. The day she found ten-year-old Daffy in her dressing room wearing the blue dress. She squeezed her eyes shut to fade the scene. The queen had been so angry…

  “Daffy, are you hearing this?” Rick stretched across the table to tap her foot.

  “What? Yes. No. What’s going on?” She glanced to where Rick pointed. To Marlow, who told an animated story.

  “I’m in the ski lift, you see, and in the distance is this, this pink thing sticking out of the snow, flailing.” He demonstrated by flopping his arms and body about. “As we glide over I realize it’s Blinky, crashed into a snow drift headfirst, her pink ski suit legs sticking straight in the air.”

  “What?” Daffy turned to her friend. “Are you all right?”

  Marlow concluded his story. “From the ski lift it looked just as if a giant rabbit had swallowed cotton candy.”

  The gang, including Blinky, laughed and toasted her Olympic-level blunder.

  “But are you all right, Blink?” Daffy stretched around Thomas to touch her arm.

  She was being such a sport, but being the brunt of a joke wasn’t always fun.

  “Oh gosh, of course.” She looked up at Thomas. “I had my hero. He rescued me.”

  Daffy peered at him. He was blushing. “Just a friend helping a friend,” he said.

  “You’re a good friend, darling.” Daffy rubbed her hand over his back, but he didn’t look at her.

  He wasn’t usually so shy with praise, but then he’d never been called a hero before either. Not that she was aware of.

  Tonya and Kayle announced their craving for hot chocolate, which sounded good, so Daffy joined in the order. So far, she’d not had much time alone with Thomas. The whole lot wanted to hang together. Gus’s inquiry surfaced.

  “You’re not going to the lodge? To be with him?”

  Maybe it was time she took their relationship to the next level. She had his ring. His promise.

  “Anyone for more skiing?” Frank glanced at the lads. “Jones? Albert?”

  “I’ll go.” Ella rose to her feet.

  “Not me.” Leslie Ann sank into her chair, eyes closed. “I’m beat. This piece I’m doing on the queen—”

  “We know.” Everyone. In unison.

  Leslie Ann didn’t even open her eyes, but gave them her best snarl. The idea of more skiing led to talk of dinner, followed by the Sunday-morning departure time.

  Thomas roped his arm around Daffy and nuzzled her hair, his breath hot on her skin. “What do you think about staying with me tonight?”

  She twisted his ring about her finger. “I was thinking maybe I could.”


  He pressed his lips to her cheek. “I was hoping so.”

  She searched his eyes. For what she wasn’t sure. A hint of his heart. An “I love you.”

  “Thomas, I know you proposed, but why do you think we’re not very, well, verbal? We’ve only said ‘I love—’”

  “Did you tell her?” Blinky moved from her spot on the other side of Thomas and plopped on the center table. “Daff, I can get you a great deal for your wedding and reception at Saldings on the Waterfront.”

  “Saldings?” Very fancy. Very pricey. “We’ve not really talked about it. We haven’t even set a date let alone a budget.”

  “Blink said if we book now for October we’ll get half off.” Thomas pulled his arm from around her shoulders and leaned toward the woman in the pink suit with bright blue eye shadow. “She said she’d go with me since you’re working. Unless you can get away.”

  “We can send you tons of pictures. Tom said an October wedding would be perfect.”

  Tom? Did she mean Thomas? No one ever called him Tom. Not without being corrected. “I’ve been to Saldings. I know it’s beautiful, but I want to get married in our church. We can have the reception there I suppose.”

  “But Saldings, babe. Imagine the wedding photographs.”

  “Look, let us talk to her.” Blinky patted Daffy’s knee. “We’ll get back to you.”

  Us? We? Since when was Blinky in the middle of this relationship?

  “October seems perfect, Daffy darling.” Forgive her but Thomas, er, Tom, sounded more like he was siding with Blinky than Daffy.

  “I agree,” she said. “October is a lovely month for a wedding.”

  “Good. I’ll give you a full report.” He pulled out his phone and picked a date to tour with Blinky.

  This wasn’t what she expected, but Blinky was a good friend. And Thomas liked to have things researched, scouted, and detailed. Really, when Daffy considered it, Blinky was doing her a favor.

  The hot chocolates arrived and the room split. The lads gathered to talk more football, while the girls talked weddings.

  “How’s the famous dress display going?” Leslie Ann settled next to Daffy. “Can you get me a press pass?”

  “You know I can’t, Les. Go through the Chamber Office. And the dress display is beautiful. Thank you.”

  “But what about your wedding, Daffy? What are your plans?” Kayle’s voice was ever sweet as she raised Daffy’s ring hand. “I never got a good look the night he proposed. It’s beautiful.”

  “Should be. He spent enough.” The lot of them turned to Blinky, who’d squeezed in between Daffy and Thomas. She popped a handful of nuts into her mouth as her wide eyes regarded them.

  “How do you know how much it cost?” Tonya spoke first.

  “I might have been with him when he picked it out.” Blink sank into the couch cushion. “Sorry, Daff, but he needed help.”

  “It’s fine.” She waved off the apology. “I think most guys need help with a ring. Just wish I’d known he was even thinking of proposing. When did he go shopping?”

  “You mean you two never talked about marriage?” Kayle switched her surprise from Blinky to Daffy.

  “Not really but I do like surprises.” Daffy smiled. See, I do like surprises.

  “Blink, what did he say about Daffy when you two went ring shopping?”

  “How should I know?” She reached for her cocoa mug. “I can’t remember a conversation we had two years ago.” She froze, the mug still to her lips, then glanced away.

  Daffy looked at the others then Blinky. What did she mean, two years ago? “Darling, you must be mistaken. Thomas and I have only been dating a year.”

  “Right, right.” Blink nodded, her laugh breathless. “That’s what I meant. A year. Two? Pfbbt, what was I thinking. I’m so bad with dates. Can’t remember my own birthday.”

  “Blink, the other day I was trying to remember when we first met.” Leslie Ann angled around Daffy. “Winter of our second year of A-levels?”

  “What? And you’re a reporter? We met on the first day of our first year, at orientation, and you know it. We ate lunch together. Oh, do you remember seeing Luke Jonas? He had on a blue shirt and—” She stopped, then yawned. “Look at the time. Who’s ready for bed?”

  “It’s two-thirty.” Leslie Ann pressed Blinky back in her seat. “Did you help him pick out this ring two years ago?” She used her telly presenter voice.

  “Maybe.” Blinky winced as she faced Daffy. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say anything.”

  “So far you haven’t.” Leslie Ann bulldozed right along. “Spill the deets.”

  “Les, leave her alone.” Daffy elbowed her pushy friend. “Blinky, you don’t have to tell me any details.”

  But shouldn’t she? Two years ago Thomas dated someone else.

  “It’s not a big deal. Honestly.” She looked toward Thomas, who’d gotten up to demonstrate a football move to the lads. “I mean, the man is gorgeous, right? With a great career and future. Who cares if he bought the ring two years ago?”

  Ella joined the debate. “Two years ago he was dating Sorcha Davenport.”

  “Was he?” Blinky gulped her cocoa. “Hey, how about that time I ended up headfirst in a snowbank? What a sight.”

  “Thomas?” Daffy’s tone stopped his demonstration. “Did you give me Sorcha’s ring?”

  “What?” He shot a glance at Blinky which told her everything. “Who said anything about Sorcha?”

  “Me. My big mouth. I’m so sorry.” Blinky reached for Daffy. “Oh, I forgot this part. She never saw it. She broke off with him before he could propose. Right, Thomas?”

  Blinky thought she was digging herself out of the hole, but she was only going deeper and dragging Thomas down with her.

  “Thomas?” Daffy pulled away from Blinky’s grasp.

  “Daff, love… Blink, move aside.” He shoved in next to Daffy. “Leslie Ann, do you mind? Yes, I have had the ring for a while. But I—”

  From the back of the sofa, Ella hovered between them. “Ella—you’ll be my sister one day, but I don’t need your nose in the situation right now.”

  “A while?” Daffy stiffened at Thomas’s touch. “How long? Two years?”

  “Something like that, yes.” Thomas made a nervous reach for a bag of crisps from the bowl on the table. When he tore it open, fried potatoes flew in the air. “She never saw it. Never knew I had it.” He bent to pick up the scattered crisps.

  Rick’s low whistle underlined the conversation. “Mate, what were you thinking?”

  Daffy closed her eyes. Inhaled. Exhaled. “Why didn’t you return it or sell it?”

  “I told you Sorcha never saw it. Why dispose of a perfectly good ring when I didn’t have to?” He held up Daffy’s hand. “Darling, the ring is you. Perfect.”

  She pulled her hand away. Yes, the diamond, the setting were beautiful. But was she wrong to want him to be thinking of her when he’d selected it?

  Most of her life she’d been ordinary. Average. Good at sports, but not great. Good in school, but not excellent. She had to work really hard for her high marks. Not the prettiest girl in the room but she could hold her own.

  While her parents and family loved her, and she had a lot of stellar friends, her marriage proposal was to be special. About her. In that moment, she should be more than ordinary. She should be the girl who consumed her man’s thoughts. The one he serenaded under a proverbial ivy-covered trellis. She didn’t need fame or fortune, she just needed to be one man’s chosen. His favorite. The girl he couldn’t do without.

  “I need to go.” Daffy shrugged off Thomas’s touch.

  “Love, wait. Where are you going?” His hand slipped down her arm.

  “Daffy, darling, don’t blame him. This was my blunder.” Blink pulled her around and, gripping her arms, pressed her forehead against Daffy’s. “I wasn’t thinking.”

  “But now I must.” She wanted to escape the lounge, the watchful eyes, wanting nothing more than to
end the three-way conversation with Thomas and Blinky. She needed to breathe.

  “Daffy.” Thomas refused to let her go, standing between her and her exit to the door. “Maybe I should’ve purchased a new ring.”

  “You can say that again.” Thank you, Leslie Ann.

  “But you, and only you, were on my mind when I proposed. I didn’t think of Sorcha at all.” He wagged his finger at Blink. “What do you mean outing me?”

  Ella swatted at him. “What kind of man gives his girl a ring he bought for someone else?”

  “If you must know, the ring was darned expensive. I couldn’t return it and I didn’t want to sell it. I’d lose a quarter or more of the value.” Thomas’s repentant countenance turned to one of defense. “What’s the quarrel here? Albert, help me out. You’re a shrink.”

  “You are on your own, mate. Daffy, I’m available to talk.”

  Thomas flared to his defense, a growl in his voice. “If she talks to anyone, it should be me.”

  “You’re the one who gave her another girl’s ring,” Tonya said.

  Around, around, around they went. Daffy sank beneath the weight of it all just waiting for her moment of escape.

  “All right, enough.” She raised her voice and hands to silence the banter. “This is between Thomas and me.”

  “Hello, what’s happening here?” The entire lot jumped to their feet as a smiling Prince Gus leaned on his skis and into the conversation. “Sounds like a good old-fashioned row.”

  “Your Royal Highness.” Ella curtsied, as did Leslie Ann, Blinky, Tonya, and Kayle. The men bobbed with a curt bow.

  Daffy locked eyes with him. What was he doing here? What about the chair? Was it fixed already? Oh, who cared? She was glad to see him. Happy he interrupted the debate.

  “Ella, good to see you.” Gus winked at Daffy, and the tension in her middle over the ring eased. Well, wasn’t he pouring out his princely charm? “Are you missing Florida as much as Daffy and I?”

  Daffy and I? Oh, he was definitely having fun at everyone’s expense. When he peered at her again, the bothersome blush crept across her face.