“Invitations to Harrison’s graduation party were sent out today.”
“I’ll have Bertrand watch for it. Maybe we can make it.”
His father glared at him. “You’ll be there. It’s already on your calendar, as is the graduation itself.”
Kensington smirked as much as he dared. “I know. I’ll be there. Anabelle’s attendance depends on what we’ve found about her grandfather and any potential threats against the two of them. If we’re not sure, they stay home.”
“Agreed. So far there’s nothing.”
He couldn’t read his father’s tone of voice. “Is that good?”
“I’m not sure. It could be. I’d feel a lot better if we found a little bit of evidence of something so that we’d feel more confident that we found all of the evidence rather than her grandfather being that good at hiding everything. I’d have expected to find something about how he’s keeping an eye on them or having someone in San Majoria do it for him. But nothing? That seems odd.”
When he put it that way... “I would appreciate it if you’d keep me updated if you do find anything.”
“Of course.”
Kensington stood. “I need to get back to San Mediano. Grandmother is meeting me and Anabelle for lunch. I really don’t want to miss it because it’s likely the last one until after the Games. I’ve just got too much to do, unfortunately. I’ll be having business lunches many days and want to spend as much of my time as I can with Anabelle and Gracie outside of work hours. I’m hoping Grandmother will be able to make it to San Mediano for dinner, but the weekly lunches will have to wait.”
“I’ll walk you out.” His father pushed to his feet. “I quite enjoyed my time with Anabelle and Gracie on Easter. I know your mother did as well.”
Speaking of Easter... “We missed Esther. I know you’re not telling us what’s going on with her, but is she okay?”
His father sighed. Kensington took that to mean things could be a lot better. “She has challenges to work through right now, ones best handled far from the media spotlight. She’ll be fine.”
Which meant she wasn’t right now. He wondered if Harrison knew what was going on. “You don’t need to walk me out, but thanks for the offer.”
His father gave him a big hug and held on for several seconds.
“Come see us on San Mediano. Gracie hasn’t stopped talking about the egg hunt and the whole family.”
“Perhaps.” The phone on his father’s desk rang. “Have a safe trip back,” he said as he reached for the receiver. “I’ll see you soon.”
Kensington let himself out of his father’s office and nodded to the assistants in the outer portion before heading to the portico. From there, it was a short drive to the docks and then a boat ride home.
He wondered if Anabelle was nervous about lunch with Grandmother. They’d only met in passing on Sunday so this would be their first real interaction. Kensington knew they would love each other if Anabelle could calm down enough to be herself.
He sent her a text to tell her he was thinking of her, then opened his tablet case to get to work.
Why was she so nervous? At this rate, Anabelle’s stomach wouldn’t be settled enough to eat anything at lunch with the Queen Mother. Everyone in Kensington’s family had been very nice and accepting of her, but this woman was the matriarch. Sure, the king was... well, the king, but even he wouldn’t dare cross his mother. Most good kings probably wouldn’t.
“Ma’am?”
Anabelle looked up from the picture she was coloring with Gracie. The picture she was trying to concentrate on coloring anyway. “Yes, George?”
“The Queen Mother’s car will be arriving in a few minutes. I thought you would like to greet her.”
It was a suggestion, but not at the same time. “Is Elise available to watch Gracie?” The nanny had worked for the royal family when the children were young and had retired, but was helping out for the time being.
“I’m certain Her Majesty would welcome the young lady as well.”
Also not really a suggestion. Anabelle put her crayon back in the box. “It’s time to go, Gracie. Remember Kensington’s grandmother? You met her Sunday.”
Gracie shrugged and kept coloring.
“Her name is Grace, just like yours.”
“I ‘member.”
“She’s going to be here in a few minutes, and we need to go say hello to her.”
Gracie gave a dramatic sigh, but put her crayon away. Anabelle took her by the hand and followed George. She’d learned her way around most of the house, but there were a few areas she still wasn’t sure about. Getting to the front entrance was one of those things since she hadn’t used it yet.
All of her comings and goings had been via a side entrance, and there had been precious few of those.
George didn’t actually say anything, but still managed to indicate where Anabelle and Gracie should stand.
Anabelle crouched near Gracie and straightened her clothes. “Remember your curtsy?”
Gracie nodded and scratched the stork bite on the back of her neck. Anabelle needed to check it again later. The red spot/birthmark had been a bit dry lately.
“When the Queen Mother gets here, we both curtsy, all right?”
She nodded again as Anabelle finger combed her fine blond hair off her face. Anabelle licked her thumb and used it to clean Gracie’s cheek before standing at the sound of a car pulling up outside.
“Where’s Kensington?” she asked George.
“On his way back from San Majoria after a meeting with the king. He should arrive shortly.”
The tall wooden door was pulled open by a staff member who stood hidden behind it as Queen Grace walked in.
Anabelle squeezed Gracie’s hand and curtsied, bowing her head as she did. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Gracie’s attempt. Not bad for someone who hadn’t had much practice.
“Oh, bother.”
Anabelle looked up at the queen’s words. “Pardon?”
“I am not the queen, and even when I was, I was the Queen Consort, not the monarch.” She pointed at Anabelle. “No more curtsies, understand?”
Anabelle managed a weak smile. “Yes, ma’am.”
The queen raised an eyebrow. “How about Grandmother? All of my grandchildren call me that.”
Anabelle swallowed her sigh of relief. “Of course, Grandmother.”
Grandmother turned to Gracie. “Now, we met the other day, but just for a moment. I do believe we share the same name.”
“Uh huh. G’acie.”
With a chuckle, Grandmother reached for Gracie’s hand. “I don’t think anyone ever called me Gracie, but it certainly suits you.” She looked to the side. “Good afternoon, George. Where are we having lunch today?”
“The east balcony, ma’am.”
“Oh good. It has a lovely view. One of my favorites.”
Anabelle had no idea which balcony that was, so she let the former queen lead the way. She tried to stay only a half-step or so behind, that way it wouldn’t look like she was lost.
“You probably need a map, don’t you?” Grandmother glanced back over her shoulder. “I remember what that was like.”
“I’m learning.”
“Of course you are. You won’t have to think twice about where you want to go before long.” Grandmother looked down at Gracie. “I bet you know your way around some, don’t you?”
Gracie smiled. “I does, G’anmama G’acie.”
The queen stopped dead in her tracks and threw back her head for a full-throated laugh. “Oh, my dear! I love that! Grandmama Gracie has a ring to it, doesn’t it? G and G. The alliteration is wonderful.”
“Gigi,” Gracie pronounced. “I call you Gigi?”
“It is a bit less of a mouthful than Grandmama Gracie.” The queen nodded decisively. “Gigi it is.”
They resumed their walk toward the east balcony.
“Do you know what we’re having for lunch?” Grandmother asked.
“I’m afrai
d not. Kensington spoke with Cook this morning, I do know that, but not what was decided.”
“No matter. Cook always does a wonderful job. I’m certain it will be delicious.”
“I’m an okay cook,” Anabelle admitted. “But it still seems odd to me to have someone cook for us so I try to do it myself whenever I have time.” Which was always. “I’m kind of surprised Kensington hasn’t insisted on Cook making our meals, or at least tutoring me.”
They reached the balcony. “I’m certain Kensington appreciates your efforts.”
Anabelle let loose with a full-fledged grin. “That sounds like a polite way of saying he chokes down my efforts because he doesn’t want to offend me.”
Grandmother just shrugged as Gracie ran to look over the railing at the edge of the balcony. She turned to look at Anabelle. “I am glad for this chance to get to know both of you. You are always welcome at my weekly lunches with Kensington, though he’s already warned me they will be coming to a temporary end until the Games are over. Perhaps you and I can try to have lunch together instead.” She bowed her head slightly. “If that fits in your schedule.”
As if there was anything else on her schedule. “I would love that.”
By the time he made it to the east balcony, Kensington was much later than he’d hoped to be. He needn’t have worried, though. Anabelle and Gracie were laughing with his grandmother like they’d been family all along.
“There you are!” Grandmother looked up from her lunch as he walked out. “We didn’t wait for you when they told us they weren’t sure how long you’d be.”
“I’m glad you didn’t.” His kissed his grandmother on the cheek then turned to do the same to Anabelle.
“Do you think I don’t know you kiss your wife? It’s all right.”
Anabelle gave him a smirk but turned her face for a quick peck.
“Kenny! Where mine?” Gracie reached for him.
“Kenny?” Amusement filled his grandmother’s voice. “I like it almost as much as Gigi.”
Kensington hugged Gracie and kissed her cheek before setting her back down. “Who’s Gigi?”
“I am. It’s what Gracie calls me now.”
A smiled crossed his face. “Do I get to call you Gigi now too?”
“No, you don’t, young man. Only Gracie. And perhaps Sofia. And the new baby.” Grandmother arched an eyebrow his direction. “And any other great-grandchildren who come along.”
He took his seat as a member of the staff brought him his food. “I’ll be sure to let Astrid know.”
As he ate, Kensington learned his grandmother and Anabelle planned to get together without him for the next several months. He was happy to hear it. It would be good for Anabelle to have time with other people.
That gave him an idea. But it had to be in just a couple hours. When Grandmother left, they put Gracie down for her nap. Elise stayed with her, but Kensington led Anabelle to the side entrance where the car waited.
“We’re driving ourselves,” he told her and handed her a floppy beach hat. “But this way no one should know who we are.”
With a baseball hat tugged low over his eyes and sunglasses waiting for him when he parked the car, Kensington left the palace. Security would make sure they weren’t followed by any reporters. Fortunately, his presence on the island had gone mostly unnoticed.
“Where are we going?”
“Just to a market not too far away. It won’t be anything exciting, but it’s out of the house at least.” Maybe he could find a trinket for her. His mother had loved the figurine he’d picked up in Eyjania. He needed to remember to get something for her from one of the souvenir shops after the Games started.
He parked in the only empty spot he could find, far from the entrance, because he wasn’t using his clout to do this.
By the time he emerged from the vehicle, Anabelle waited for him by the rear. He took her hand and decided to simply enjoy doing something as trivial as walking hand-in-hand.
As they wandered through the market, Kensington noticed a couple of sideways glances at him, but no one said anything and none of them lingered. As far as he could tell, no cell phone pictures were taken either.
The market was near a dock for cruise ships, and, as such, was filled with tourists. Though not run by the cruise industry like in some countries, many of the shops would appeal to the foreigners. That was one reason he chose this location. Fewer locals who might recognize him.
“Where do you want to go first?” he asked as they stopped to look around.
“It doesn’t matter.”
Three sides of the marketplace square held buildings filled with shops and restaurants. The fourth, toward the dock, held a building where passengers would check back into their ships.
“Maybe we can find something for Gracie,” she suggested. “A toy or puzzle that she’d like.”
“We can certainly look.” That sort of thing was more likely found in the middle of the marketplace. The center was filled with vendors like a street fair, though more permanent.
Some of the booths held goods clearly made by the artists who manned them. A few contained food local to the islands, and San Mediano in particular.
“What is that?” Anabelle asked pointing at one of the food booths. “It looks delicious.”
“I think it’s kind of like a fish taco, but it’s not something I’m familiar with,” he told her, his voice quiet. If he was recognized, it wouldn’t do for him to be on record admitting he wasn’t sure what a local dish was.
They watched as the woman shredded a bit of fish, plopped some sauce on it, and wrapped it in something that looked kind of like a tortilla but wasn’t.
“Try one?” she asked Kensington as she handed a plate of four to an American family from one of the ships.
“Sure. Just one please. We already had a big lunch, but a snack would hit the spot.” If they liked it, they could always get another one.
She made it the same way as the previous one, but this time she tossed some shredded cheese on top. The other family must have asked for it without.
Kensington handed over a couple of bills to a teenager working with the woman then took the plate from her.
Anabelle pointed to a small table being vacated by a couple whose shirts proclaimed them to be newlyweds. Once seated, Anabelle bowed her head and closed her eyes for a moment, then reached for the taco.
She took a bite and handed it to him as she chewed. He watched the reactions cross her face. Finally, she swallowed and shrugged at the same time. “Not bad. Probably not something I’d eat daily or even weekly though.”
Kensington took a bite and let the flavors roll around on his tongue. Definitely a local fish, though he wasn’t certain which one. The tart flavor of the sauce prevented that, but complemented it at the same time. He agreed with her assessment and took another bite before handing it back to her.
“I wonder if the cook could take the basic recipe and make a few tweaks,” Anabelle wondered before she took another bite. “It’s a bit too spicy or something for my taste, but just a little less, and I think I’d like it more.”
“I’m sure she could.” He opened the little bit left and took a picture of the inside. “She probably even knows what it is.”
He took one more bite then let her have the rest. Finished, they started back toward the artisanal section of the market to find something for Gracie.
12
With her hand snug in Kensington’s as they wandered around the market, Anabelle felt more normal than she had in a long time. Quite a feat given she was wearing a giant hat so no one would get a picture of her if they recognized Kensington.
The fish thing had been all right, but she wasn’t sure it would sit too well in her stomach. She generally didn’t do anything too spicy or tart or whatever that was.
They walked down the walk between the vendors in the middle and the shops on the other side. Nothing stood out to her. Kensington didn’t seem to notice anything either.
<
br /> Next they went down the center aisle, with vendors on either side.
“What about that?” she asked, pointing at a wooden puzzle set. “She loves dogs, though we’ve never had one.”
Kensington picked it up. It wouldn’t be too hard, but would hold up through whatever she could dish out - and probably a few other kids, too.
Grandmother’s insinuation about more great-grandchildren came to mind and caused Anabelle’s face to heat. They hadn’t talked about children, not really. Just that they both wanted more someday. That discussion shouldn’t really take place until their relationship had gone public.
“Are you all right?” Kensington asked, a bag dangling from his hand. He must have bought the puzzle when she wasn’t paying enough attention.
She turned on her brightest smile. “I’m fine. Did you see anything else she might like.”
“Not at that booth.”
They continued wandering slowly, taking it all in until Kensington pointed at some homemade dolls. “What about one of those?”
Anabelle let go of his hand and picked one up. “Maybe.” Did Gracie have a real doll? She thought through all of the toys back at Lowery House. “I don’t think she has anything similar.”
They poked through the dolls until they found one that at least sort of resembled Gracie. With yellow strips of fabric for hair and bright blue stitching for her eyes, it nearly matched Gracie.
Kensington paid for it, then for two others that resembled each of them.
“That one has too much hair.” Anabelle ran her fingers over the boy doll’s head. “You’ve got far less.” She bit her lip to hide her smile.
Kensington clutched his chest. “You wound me, love.”
She let the grin out. “Truth hurts.” Anabelle didn’t mind Kensington’s thinning hair, but wasn’t completely sure how he felt about it. His reaction told her what she needed to know.
As they walked away from the booth, his arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her close to his side.
“Just wait,” he whispered. “Your sons, or maybe your grandsons or both, are going to have a hairline that resembles mine.”
Crowns & Courtships Compilation Volume 1 Page 34