“You were there?” I said, surprised. “You came all the way to the States?”
There was a strange silence again.
“You weren’t born in America,” my mom said shortly. “You were born in Evonia.”
“I was what?” I practically jumped out of my seat. My parents had kept so much from me. This was the last straw.
“Grace, please,” my dad said. “Let us finish the story.”
“No. I want Caroline to tell it,” I said, looking from him to my aunt. “She seems to be the only one who’s trying here. And so far, she hasn’t hidden anything from me. Right now, I trust her more than either of you.”
Both of my parents were dumbstruck and didn’t protest. Caroline took over the story.
“Shortly before you were born,” she explained, “your father was arrested by the Evonian authorities and charged with espionage.”
“Seriously?”
“It was beyond ridiculous,” my father added under his breath. “I’d make a terrible spy.”
“Well, my father didn’t think it was ridiculous,” said Caroline, still not looking at my dad. “He’s the one who reported Miguel to the authorities.”
“He only did that because he was trying to split us up,” snapped my mom. “Which didn’t work, by the way.”
“Your mom fought to get me released from jail,” my dad chimed in, trying to get the story back on track. “And I was.”
“And then you promptly fled the country.” My aunt’s voice was sizzling with bitterness. “When you were just six weeks old, Grace, your parents left and never returned. Not even after your grandparents died.”
“How could we bear to go back, after the way Miguel was treated there?” my mom said in a voice that was angry and tearful at the same time.
The conversation tapered off, and I sat back down, stunned. I tried to make sense of it all—my grandfather accusing my dad of spying, my dad getting arrested, my parents fleeing my home country. It was a lot to take in.
Finally, my aunt broke the silence. “I’d like Grace to return to Evonia with me and be officially introduced to society as the heir to my title.”
“What do you mean, your heir?” I asked.
“I have no children,” Caroline told me, “so when I die, you’ll become the next Duchess of Ardlan. So naturally, I’d like you to become comfortable in Evonia.”
My dad started to protest, but my mom put up her hand to stop him. She looked at me and asked, “Is that what you want?”
For a long moment, I didn’t say anything. Ever since the divorce it had felt like my parents had been making decisions about my life without consulting me. I’d been angry about it. But now I truly didn’t know what to do. This was so much to take in. Finally, I said, “I think I want to spend time with Caroline and see the country where I was born.”
My dad gave me a small nod.
“Then it’s settled,” said Caroline matter-of-factly. “She can fly back with me by private plane tonight. I will return her in exactly three weeks.”
I could see tears forming in my mom’s eyes even as she nodded her approval.
6
Aunt Caroline sat in her air-conditioned car making phone calls. My dad went back to his house to get my passport. And my mom helped me pack a suitcase. My mom was moving very slowly and deliberately, as though she might still be in shock from everything that had just happened.
“What’s the weather like in Evonia?” I asked her as she took a dress out of my closet and folded it carefully. I was trying to be friendlier to her, already feeling bad about how angry I had been.
“The weather is lovely in the summer. It isn’t hot and humid like this.” She pulled a cardigan that I never wear from the back of my closet.
Thinking about how much I didn’t want to wear the cardigan, I threw my favorite blue hoodie into my suitcase and then another one too for good measure.
“Things at Caroline’s home will be much more formal than you’re used to,” my mom said. “The ways we were taught to dress and eat and talk are very . . .”
“Royal?” I guessed.
“Refined,” my mother said with a sigh. “My parents raised us as if we were always on stage. Caroline did well under that kind of pressure. I did not. I grew up feeling stifled by all the unwritten rules that we had to follow. I felt like I could never be myself.” She hesitated for a moment and then added, “I wanted you to have a childhood where you felt free. You should be prepared for things to be different while you’re visiting Caroline.”
She finished folding a black dress that I had worn once to a funeral. “I wish I had time to take you shopping.”
“I’m sure Aunt Caroline will take me,” I replied.
“I’m sure she will.” My mother laughed for the first time that day.
***
My parents walked me to the black SUV where Aunt Caroline and Duncan waited for me. I turned and hugged them before I got in.
“I’m sorry,” my mom said, kissing my forehead. “I wasn’t trying to keep secrets from you. It was just so hard on me and I didn’t want you to have to deal with it.”
I nodded. I wasn’t quite ready to fully forgive her, but I also wasn’t furious anymore. “Love you guys,” I mumbled.
My dad handed me a list of numbers to call if, for any reason, I felt as though I wasn’t allowed to leave. The US Embassy was listed at the top. Then he leaned into the SUV and said to my aunt, “Keep her safe. And promise me that she’ll be back by August first.”
My aunt just pursed her lips.
“Promise me.” My dad’s voice grew stern.
“You have my word, Miguel,” Aunt Caroline said. I realized it was the first time she’d spoken to him, or even acknowledged his presence, since she’d gotten here.
I looked down at the slip of paper in my hands, and suddenly I felt a little scared about leaving home and going to the country my parents had run away from.
7
At the airport, a private plane was waiting for us on the runway.
I looked around as I sat down in a leather seat and was immediately offered an ice-cold soda in a crystal glass. I’d flown on an airplane once before, but it wasn’t anything like this.
Dinner was served on fine china with real silverware. And when I started to get sleepy, I reclined my leather seat all the way back, which turned it into a fairly comfortable bed. I slept through the refueling in New York, and when I woke, the sun was just rising.
My aunt was already up and having a cup of tea. I was surprised by how nice she looked. Her hair was freshly styled, and she was in new clothes—a navy suit with a white silk scarf.
“Good morning,” she said. “If you look out your window, you’ll be able to see Evonia.”
Outside jagged black cliffs rose from the sea along the green countryside below us. We flew over scattered little towns and descended to an airport just outside of a small city.
A car met us on the tarmac, and we drove through rolling hills. Eventually we reached an elaborate metal gate that marked the entrance to Caroline’s property.
On the left side of the road, we passed a fenced pasture. A boy and girl my age stood with horses just beyond the white fence. They waved as we drove by.
“Who are they?” I asked.
“Sasha and Petra,” my aunt said. “They help out at the stables. They’re wonderful with the horses.”
“My mom once told me she had a horse when she was a kid,” I suddenly remembered. “We were driving through Iowa, and she pointed out a silver horse with a white mane standing in a field. She made my dad pull over so we could climb through a ditch and up to the fence to watch the horse.”
“Yes, your mother and I used to go riding all the time,” my aunt said. “She was quite good.”
As we came over a hill, I saw what looked like a stone castle.
“Wow,” I said. “Is this where you live?”
“Ardlan Manor,” my aunt said. “It’s belonged to our family fo
r generations.”
I pressed my forehead against the window as we pulled up. There were two towers on each end of the building and vines crawling up over the stone. It looked like something out of a fairy tale.
My aunt turned to me and said in almost a whisper, “You were born here.”
“In this castle?” I asked, surprised.
“Yes,” she said. “I remember that day like it was yesterday. I held you and you opened up your eyes and looked at me and gave this adorable little yawn.”
I smiled. It was nice to learn about this after all these years. Maybe this place could feel like home in a way that Iowa never had.
8
Duncan introduced me to Ardlan Manor’s staff. Duncan, it turned out, was not only my aunt’s driver but also the manager of her household. He was in charge of the rest of the staff, my aunt’s daily schedule, and all her social events.
My aunt looked at my astonishment with a gentle smile. “Duncan will help you with anything you might need.”
“I actually do need something,” I said sheepishly. “A toothbrush.”
I’d forgotten one in my hurry to pack and hadn’t realized it until I was on the airplane.
“You will find all the basic toiletries, including a toothbrush, in your bathroom,” he said quickly.
“Thank you,” I replied.
“Duncan is always one step ahead,” my aunt said with an approving nod.
“I’ll try not to be too much of a pain,” I whispered to Duncan. He gave me a small smile.
Duncan led me up a flight of stairs and down a long hallway to my room. When I caught a glimpse of what was inside, I let out a small gasp of surprise. A massive canopy bed stood in the middle of the room, and there were several doors leading off to little side rooms and walk-in closets. One door led to a private bathroom with a staggering amount of marble surfaces. And, sure enough, I saw a toothbrush among the bottles and bars that were laid out on the counter.
Duncan looked pleased at my expression. He strolled across the room and opened a pair of doors that led out onto a balcony. A cool breeze floated into the room. I stepped out on the balcony and looked around.
“Could you take a picture of me?” I asked, handing Duncan my phone.
He looked a bit taken aback but agreed.
Once he’d handed me back my phone, I sent the picture to my parents to let them know I had arrived.
Duncan cleared his throat. “We will have visitors joining us for dinner tonight. They will be arriving at six.”
“Tonight?” I said.
“Yes,” he said. “Everyone is very excited to meet you.”
“Me?” I had never been someone people were excited to meet before.
He just nodded at this and then cleared his throat.
“Before dinner, the duchess would prefer you remove the piece of jewelry attached to your nose.”
“Umm, I can do that.” I said, instinctively touching my nose ring.
Duncan gave a very quiet sigh of relief. “Very good,” he said and then pointed to a landline phone beside my bed. “Dial zero if you need anything.”
“Thanks, Duncan.”
After he left, I turned to unpack my things, but as I sat down on my bed next to my suitcase, I realized how exhausted I was. I was jet-lagged, and the bed in my room was so soft. I climbed under the covers and was fast asleep almost instantly.
9
“Darling.” My aunt shook my shoulder gently. “Our guests will be arriving soon.”
I rubbed my eyes and sat up in bed. Outside, the sky had turned dark. A storm had rolled in.
“I just need to splash some water on my face, and I’ll be right down,” I said.
“You’re going to need to change too.” She eyed my rumpled clothes.
I looked down at my jeans and sweater and then started digging through my suitcase.
“How about this?” I asked, pulling out the black dress my mother had packed.
My aunt stared blankly at the dress, mouth slightly open. She composed herself quickly and said, “I’m sorry you had to pack in such a hurry. You probably didn’t have a chance to pick out your best clothes. Go ahead and put that on and meet me out in the hall.”
I blushed and didn’t correct her assumption that I owned nicer clothes. After she left, I dressed and pulled on a pair of tennis shoes, fairly certain my aunt would appreciate this fashion choice about as much as she liked my dress. So not at all.
Out in the hall, my aunt looked at my feet and said, “But it’s summer, my dear. Don’t you have a pair of heels?”
I shook my head.
She sighed. “Follow me.” She headed off down the long hallway. It was a good thing I was in a pair of sneakers rather than heels because there was no way I would have been able to keep up with her otherwise.
I followed her through a large wooden door that led into her bedroom. I stood awkwardly in the doorway as she disappeared into a huge walk-in closet that was even bigger than the one in my room.
“Let’s see if these fit,” she said, reappearing with a pair of black silk pumps. I slipped them on. They were a little tight, but they fit.
“Oh, much better,” she said brightly. Then she disappeared into her closet again, this time returning with a black jewelry box in her hand. Opening it, she carefully took out a beautiful string of pearls with a sapphire pendant at the center.
“This used to belong to your grandmother, Lady Henrietta,” she said as she took the necklace out.
The sparkling blue gem was more beautiful than anything I’d ever seen up close. And probably more expensive too.
I held up my hair as my aunt clasped it around my neck.
“And,” Aunt Caroline said, reaching back into the jewelry box, “earrings to match.”
I carefully clipped them on.
“Lovely,” my aunt said, admiring me. “Now, we just need to do something about your hair.”
And I let her pin up my hair. By the time I looked in the mirror, I didn’t recognize myself.
10
My aunt told me to wait upstairs until the guests arrived. “Once everyone is here, I’ll send Duncan to get you.”
“So I’ll be making a grand entrance?” I asked.
“Of course. That is how the guest of honor enters a room,” she said with a smile.
So I went back to my room as my aunt headed downstairs. I took dozens of pictures of the view from the balcony and of my room itself. Then I took a quick selfie.
Finally there was a knock on my door. Duncan popped his head in my room and gave me a nod. He led me to the stairs but waited at the top.
“Aren’t you coming?” I asked.
“It wouldn’t be proper for a member of the staff to escort a young lady such as yourself,” he said.
“That’s weird,” I said.
“It is proper etiquette,” he said with a nod.
“Well, I’d feel more comfortable if I wasn’t walking into that room alone,” I responded with a hopeful smile.
“You’ll be fine,” he said in a slightly stiff way. Then, in more of a whisper, he added, “Walk tall. Chin up. Smile. Nod. And look everyone in the eye.” He gave me another small smile, which made me feel a little bit better.
“Thank you,” I said and then made my way down the stairs, happy when I made it to the last step without falling.
Four adults and three teenagers around my age were gathered at the bottom of the stairs waiting for my entrance. I understood right away why Caroline wanted me to dress up. The men, including a teen guy, were dressed in expensive-looking suits. And the women all wore cocktail dresses and pearls.
Everyone looked at me, sizing me up. I felt myself blush. I’d never been the center of attention—not like this.
“I’d like to introduce you to my lovely niece, Grace Valmont.”
My aunt didn’t use my full name. Valmont-Diaz, I wanted to correct her, but before I could say anything, Caroline started introducing the guests to me.
“This is Lord and Lady Middlebrook,” she said, gesturing to one of the adult couples. “And their charming children, Lisle and Victor.” Lisle was a platinum blonde girl my age, and Victor was a tall, dark-haired guy a year or two older.
I smiled at Lisle and then turned my attention to Victor. His eyes were the same color as the sapphire around my neck. They shined. I stuck out my hand to shake his, but when he took my hand in his, he raised it to his lips and kissed it.
That had never happened to me before. I felt a flush of heat in my cheeks and neck.
He lowered my hand and said, “Welcome to Evonia. I hope you’ll allow me to show you around.”
“I’d love that,” I said.
Then Lisle came forward and kissed me on the cheek, which completely threw me off. “So delighted that you’re here,” she chirped.
“And these are Lord and Lady Gilspead,” added Caroline, moving right along. She nodded at the ginger-haired girl standing next to the Gilspeads. “And their daughter, Jaqueline.”
Jaqueline smiled at me with a row of teeth that seemed too small for her mouth and leaned in to kiss me on the cheek, but I stuck out my hand to shake instead.
“So American,” she said with a smirk.
“Now,” said Caroline, “as the guest of honor, Grace, would you care to give a toast?”
A member of my aunt’s staff appeared next to me and handed me a crystal goblet filled with sparkling water.
“Umm. Thanks for having me,” was all I could think to say. I took a sip from the goblet, but my mouth still felt extremely dry.
11
After a few minutes, Duncan came out to announce that dinner was ready.
My aunt sat at the head of the table, and I sat to her right. Victor sat next to me. And the girls were at the other end of the table, whispering to each other.
I looked down at my place setting to see an alarming number of forks and spoons in front of me. I had no idea what they were each for, so I watched my aunt, who seemed to know I needed guidance and put her finger on the tiniest fork when the first course was served. Unfortunately for me, the first course was oysters. I had never been a fan of shellfish, so I just casually sipped at my water and hoped no one would notice that I wasn’t eating.
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