Royal Secrets

by Abramson, Traci Hunter

  “About six weeks.” He lifted his eyebrows as though remembering she hadn’t read about the details of his accident. He touched his right hand to his shoulder. “Broken collar bone.”

  Alora’s voice was sympathetic. “That must be incredibly painful.”

  “Only when I refuse to wear the sling and don’t take my pain medication.” He started to reach for a pitcher of orange juice and winced. “Or forget how short my reach has become.”

  “Here. Let me get that.” Alora stood up and poured him a glass. She then turned to serve her children. “Were you wearing a sling when I first met you yesterday?”

  He shook his head. “I was doing great until I sat down at my desk and reached for my keyboard. Apparently I need the sling to remind me not to do simple tasks.”

  “I’d be happy to help out if there’s anything I can do for you.”

  “I may take you up on that.”

  Patrice and another servant walked in, each holding two plates. Alora’s eyes widened when she saw the huge Belgian waffles garnished with peach slices, a dollop of fresh whipped cream, and three slices of bacon.

  “Oh wow,” Giancarlo said, edging forward in his seat.

  Alora looked up at Patrice. “This looks wonderful. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. Enjoy your breakfast.”

  “Mama, will you cut mine up?” Dante asked as Patrice left the room.

  Alora nodded. She slid his plate closer and cut the waffle into bite-size pieces. Then she repeated the process with Giancarlo. When she looked up, Prince Stefano edged his plate toward her and looked at her expectantly. Her eyes lowered to his plate to see his breakfast was still untouched. With a laugh, she reached for his plate and then took her knife to his waffle as well.

  Chapter 13

  Stefano stared at the eighteen file boxes stacked along the wall in his office. He knew analyzing the latest environmental studies was a necessary step to ensure that the new U.S. naval base wouldn’t create any significant impact on Meridia’s local waters or wildlife, but he had hoped the newest batch would be sent to him in summary report form instead of boxes of raw data.

  He had requested that the reports be redone only to find that the engineers responsible for gathering the data were already conducting the next set of soil and water tests off the coast of Bellamo. Resigned to the reality that he would have to sort through these boxes himself, he looked down at his sling and considered having his personal secretary join him from the palace in Calene.

  As he thought of all the scheduling details Lorenzo was juggling for him because of his accident, he shook his head. If he had someone to help search through the boxes, he knew he could get everything done within a few days. Immediately he thought of Alora’s offer to help.

  Turning away from the boxes, he picked up his phone. “Martino, I need a favor.”

  * * *

  Alora unpacked the last of her clothes into her dresser and slid the top drawer closed. She nested her smaller suitcase inside her larger one and then moved to her walk-in closet to store them. Even though all her clothes were now hanging neatly, half of the closet was still completely empty. Maybe with the steady income Janessa had promised her, she would finally be able to improve her wardrobe as well as buy her children a few new things for their upcoming school year.

  Patrice had pointed out the school when they had ventured into town earlier that morning. The building itself had been neat and tidy, the grounds impressive. Alora smiled as she remembered Dante and Giancarlo’s excitement about exploring the playground. Since returning from town, her children had been unbelievably quiet, playing in their bedroom as they continued to discover toys that had previously been buried in the bottom of their toy box.

  Alora padded quietly across the thick carpet to peek into their room. She grinned when she saw both boys leaning against their new play table, the train set Janessa had given them surrounded by little green army men. Giancarlo was busily arranging his troops while Dante perched a ratty stuffed dog on the edge of the table, where it could supervise the coming battle. “How are you boys doing?”

  “Good,” both boys echoed without looking up.

  “Are you about ready to take a break and have some lunch?”

  Giancarlo shook his head. “Not yet, Mama.”

  “You need to eat something,” Alora told him. “Tell you what. You keep playing, and I’ll make you both a sandwich.”

  “Okay.” Giancarlo reached into a plastic bucket and pulled out another handful of army men.

  Alora left them to their toys and walked into the kitchen to fix lunch. She started gathering her supplies, wondering if she could convince the boys to leave their toys for a while after lunch to go outside. She prepared the sandwiches as she enjoyed the picturesque view of the Mediterranean through the window. Another walk on the beach would do them all some good, she thought.

  Alora put two plates on the table and called out, “Boys! Lunch is ready.” She turned to fix herself something to eat when a knock came at the door.

  “I’ll get it!” Dante rushed to the door and pulled it open to reveal Brenna standing outside.

  “Well, hello there, Master Dante. How are you today?”

  “We’ve been playing with our new train.” He lowered his voice as though sharing a secret. “An army’s about to attack it!”

  “Oh my. That sounds pretty scary,” Brenna said in a completely serious tone. “Are you going to let me see?”

  “Okay.”

  “Dante, you need to eat first,” Alora told him and waved at Brenna to come in. “Hello, Brenna.”

  “Prince Stefano asked if you would be willing to assist him with some work in his office this afternoon.” Brenna motioned to the children. “I can watch the boys for you here in your suite, or I can take them outside to play.”

  Alora nodded automatically. She wasn’t sure what to think of Prince Stefano requesting her help, but if she was going to work here, she supposed she should do what was asked of her. “I guess that will be okay.” She glanced down at her cotton pants and T-shirt. “I should probably change.”

  “Oh, you don’t have to do that.” Brenna shook her head. Then she stepped closer and lowered her voice. “By the way, is it okay if I take the boys swimming?”

  “They don’t know how to swim yet,” Alora told her quickly. “They would probably enjoy playing on the beach though.”

  “I’ll make sure they’re entertained,” Brenna assured her. “And that they stay safe.”

  “Thank you.” Alora glanced toward the kitchen, considering if she might have time for a quick lunch. Afraid to keep the prince waiting, she turned back to Brenna. “Where is the prince’s office?”

  “Just go past the main staircase. His office is the third door on the right.”

  “Okay.” Alora leaned down and kissed each of her boys on the forehead. “You boys be good for Brenna.”

  “We will,” Giancarlo told her around a mouthful of sandwich.

  “And don’t talk with your mouth full.” Alora laughed and leaned down to kiss him again. She looked at Brenna. “Let me know if you have any problems.”

  “We’ll be fine. I’ll plan on having them all washed up and ready for dinner. We’ll meet you in the dining hall at six if you don’t finish before then.”

  “Thank you.” With a last glance at her children, Alora walked into the hall and closed the door behind her.

  * * *

  Stefano looked up, relief and gratitude showing on his face when Alora walked through his open office door. She was dressed casually, her hair pulled back in a ponytail, making her eyes look more exotic somehow. Her T-shirt looked like it was designed to be fitted, but it was several sizes too large and hung loosely past the waistband of her khaki colored pants. Her eyes were wary as they had been when she first spotted him in the breakfast room that morning, but she offered him a timid smile.

  “Thank you for coming.” He motioned to the stack of boxes and returned her smile. �
�I’m afraid I’m in a bit over my head.”

  “What’s all this?” Alora moved closer.

  “Environmental impact studies for the expansion of the military base. I need to review them before construction begins on Thursday, but sorting through these files one-handed . . .”

  “Is painful,” Alora finished for him, her smile widening.

  “I was going to say difficult, but painful is probably a more accurate statement.”

  “Tell me where you want me to start.”

  “Let’s start with box number one. It should contain a summary of where everything is filed.”

  Alora shifted boxes until she could access the correct box and pulled off the lid. “Okay, here it is.”

  “Great.” Stefano reached out with his good hand and took the stack of papers she handed him. He moved over to his desk and lowered himself into his chair. “It’s going to take me a minute to get organized. Would you mind calling Patrice and having her send up some lunch? You haven’t eaten yet, have you?”

  “Actually, I haven’t.”

  “Good. I hate to eat alone.” He motioned to the phone on the corner of his desk. “Just dial five for the kitchen. Patrice said she was fixing roast beef sandwiches for lunch, but if you want something else just let her know.”

  “Whatever she’s fixing is fine,” Alora said. She picked up the phone and called in Stefano’s request.

  He listened halfheartedly to Alora’s side of the conversation. When she laughed in response to something Patrice said, he looked up inquisitively. She grinned at him and spoke again into the phone. “No, that’s not the reason. I’m actually helping him with something else.”

  After she ended the call, he asked, “What was that all about?”

  “Patrice thought you asked me to have lunch with you so I could cut up your food.”

  Stefano’s laughter joined hers, and he shook his head in amusement. “I can’t say her logic is flawed.” He glanced down at his sling and considered for a minute. Humor lit his eyes when he added, “Maybe I should plan my meals to coincide with yours while I’m here.”

  Her smile didn’t fade, and Stefano felt a sense of satisfaction when she spoke as she might to a friend. “I’m happy to help with whatever I can.”

  Chapter 14

  To Alora’s amazement, she was given free run of the chateau and treated more like a guest than an employee. She and her children started each day in the breakfast room with Prince Stefano. Her original plan to fix breakfast for her family in their quarters had been overruled by both Patrice and the prince. He had teased that he would go hungry without her help, and Patrice had insisted that it was no trouble to cook for three more.

  Alora gave in as soon as Patrice promised to let the boys help with a few simple chores so they wouldn’t get too accustomed to being waited on. After their chores were done each morning, Brenna stepped in to oversee the boys’ activities. And Alora’s concern that they would miss her during the day was completely unfounded.

  A swimming instructor arrived every morning to teach her children, after which they played in the pool or on the beach under Brenna’s watchful eye. Alora still wasn’t sure who had arranged for the swimming lessons. When she had asked Brenna about it, her answer had been simple. The boys needed to know how to swim to make sure they were safe around the pool. The conversation had ended there, and Alora had been too grateful to argue.

  Dinner was served each night at six in the dining hall, where Giancarlo and Dante reveled in sharing their adventures of the day. Alora was touched by how patient Prince Stefano was with their stories. He acted like he was interested, whether they were telling him about the toad they found in the garden or the battle they were waging in their bedroom.

  When he arrived at their door on Saturday night, Alora thought perhaps he needed her help for something, but to her surprise he asked to see the boys. He looked at her hesitantly when he said, “I brought them something. I hope that’s okay.”

  “Of course. Please come in.”

  He barely made it through the door before both boys rushed out of their room to greet him. They both remembered to bow, and the prince watched them with a combination of amusement and an unexpected trace of sadness. “I have presents for both of you.” He lifted his good hand to reveal two small gift bags dangling from his fingers. “The red one is for Giancarlo, and the blue one is for Dante.”

  “For us?” Giancarlo asked, even as Dante reached for his.

  Prince Stefano nodded. “I thought these might help with the battle you were telling me about.”

  The boys dumped out the contents of their bags, both of them grinning when they saw the assortment of miniature tanks and army jeeps tumble out onto the carpet. “These are great!”

  “What do you boys say?” Alora asked gently.

  Both boys looked up and echoed, “Thank you!”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Do you want to come see our army?” Dante broke protocol and grabbed Prince Stefano’s hand.

  Stefano looked over at Alora as though silently asking her permission. A little self-conscious, Alora looked at him helplessly and shrugged.

  “Sure, I’ll come take a look.”

  Alora watched Dante pull him into their room. As soon as they were inside, she could hear the prince making the appropriate comments about what a great job they were doing. When he emerged from their room alone a minute later, he was grinning.

  “They’re deciding where to put the new vehicles.”

  “That was very sweet of you.”

  “It wasn’t any trouble.” Stefano nodded toward the door. “They’ve been good sports about letting me borrow their mother this week. I thought they deserved a little token.”

  Emotions tangled within her as Alora considered that this was the first time since the bombing that her children had received a gift from anyone besides her or Janessa. She managed to push aside the grief that threatened and focus on her gratitude. “Was it you who arranged for them to have swimming lessons too?”

  “Brenna mentioned that they didn’t know how to swim,” Stefano said in the way of an answer. “I thought you would feel more comfortable here once they were water safe.”

  “That was very astute of you. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” Stefano stared at her a moment, his eyes dark. Then he drew a folded piece of paper out of his pocket. “I thought you might need this.” He gave an awkward shrug when he added, “It’s directions to your church. Last time I saw Janessa and Garrett go to Sunday services, they left around eight-thirty, so my guess is that services begin at nine.”

  Touched by his thoughtfulness, she stared up at him. “Thank you. I was going to ask for directions in the morning.”

  “You are still going to have breakfast with me before you leave, aren’t you?”

  “Of course.” Alora smiled. “I’ll see you downstairs at eight just like always.”

  Stefano returned her smile and gave her a satisfied nod. “Good. I’ll see you then.”

  * * *

  Stefano checked the caller ID on his phone before pressing the talk button. “Hey, Garrett. Is everything still going okay with the future in-laws?”

  “So far, so good; I’m quickly gaining a strong appreciation for people who grow the food Patrice puts on our table.”

  “I gather they’re putting you to work out there.” Stefano chuckled.

  “Something like that,” Garrett agreed easily. “I was actually calling to see if you can do me another favor.”

  “Possibly. What do you need?”

  “I was hoping you could speak with Martino about setting up an office in the chateau for Janessa,” Garrett told him.

  “I thought she was working over at the naval base.”

  “She is, but she’s also doing a lot of work in her private quarters. We both know how difficult it can be to try to relax when your work is staring at you from across the room.”

  Stefano stared across his office
at the stack of files and nodded to the empty room. “Did you have a preference of where you want her office to be?”

  “I thought Uncle Elam’s old office would work well,” Garrett suggested. “He hasn’t used it since the new offices were built for the Meridian Church in Calene two years ago. The layout is perfect, since Alora could use the adjoining office for herself.”

  “That’s a good idea. It shouldn’t take much effort to modernize the equipment,” Stefano considered. “Although we should probably speak to Uncle Elam before we make any significant changes.”

  “I already did,” Garrett told him. “In fact, that’s why I didn’t ask you about this sooner. I left a message for Uncle Elam last week, and he didn’t respond until this morning.”

  “What was his reaction?”

  “He thought we had taken over his office months ago.” Humor laced Garrett’s tone. “If it’s okay with you, I thought perhaps Alora could help you. After all, she’ll be spending a good amount of her time there.”

  Stefano considered the prospect of working with Alora for a while longer, and he found himself looking forward to it. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything.”

  “Thanks, Stefano.”

  * * *

  “Prince Stefano knows.” He breathed the words, his voice filled with angst.

  Dark eyebrows drew together. “The prince knows?”

  Frustration and impatience surfaced now. “Blood work was done when he was in the hospital after the accident. The test was ordered for Merid’s syndrome. The results would have been processed days ago. He must know by now.”

  “How did you find this out?”

  “I had one of the orderlies at the hospital check the prince’s chart. A series of blood tests was run before he was released from the hospital. The one for Merid’s syndrome was among the blood tests ordered, but the results were missing from the file.”

  “It’s possible that someone else stole the results . . . just as we did when the test was run years ago.”

  “But how can we be sure?” Anxiety hummed through his voice. “If the royal family knows the truth, they may realize that Prince Stefano wasn’t the only one we were after in that car accident.”