Hand-Me-Down Princess

by Carol Moncado

  With the pants and shell on, Jessabelle opened the closet door before searching for the right shoes to wear. She found some black pumps she knew she’d never purchased. Someone must be filling the many empty slots in her wardrobe.

  “You look nice.”

  Malachi’s voice surprised her, and she looked up to see him leaning against the doorway in that maddeningly casual way he had. “Thank you.”

  He moved to stand in front of her, his hands coming to rest on her hips. How long had it been since he’d kissed her? A while. Since not long after they returned from their honeymoon?

  “I mean it, Mia Belle. You look lovely.” The use of his nickname for her made Jessabelle feel both uncomfortable and special at the same time.

  “Thank you.”

  He pulled her closer, and she wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his chest. It was nice, standing like this. Letting him hold her was immensely comforting. When she did move away, Jessabelle noted Malachi’s tie matched her shirt.

  “Are you ready for dinner?” he asked.

  “Do I have to be?” She wrinkled her nose.

  “Yep.”

  “Then let’s go, I suppose.”

  Malachi led her through the corridors of the palace until they reached the dining room of his parents’ apartment. The next ninety minutes were awkward, much as Jessabelle expected, though not as bad as it could have been. At least everyone left alive.

  Before she went into the closet to change into pajamas, Malachi stopped her. “We’ve been invited to the Bayfield Family Foundation quarterly fundraiser in Ravenzario. It’s not for a few weeks, but I wanted to let you know.”

  “Okay.” Her first real foreign foray since the wedding. She didn’t have to look forward to it.

  “It won’t be that bad, I promise. We’ll likely be seated with Christiana and the Montevarian royal family. If anyone understands the position you’ve been thrown into, it’s them, or their spouses anyway.”

  Maybe that would be good. A chance to talk with others who were thrown into the royal limelight. The others had chosen to marry into the royal family, but maybe they’d have some advice or just commiserate with her. If she had the nerve to actually talk to them.

  “We’ll have Ana and Jonah’s wedding to attend before long, too,” he continued, walking into the closet before her.

  “Who?” She should know the names, but they escaped her.

  “Anastasia is the youngest of the three siblings in Montevaro. Queen Adeline married last summer. Prince Richard married on Christmas Eve. Ana and Dr. Jonah Fontaine are getting married this spring. He’s a pediatrician.”

  “Right.” She’d known that, hadn’t she? Seen it on the news before her father told her he’d signed her marriage contract.

  Malachi emerged wearing his favorite pair of Mevendia pajama pants and a plain white t-shirt. He sat next to her on the bed and took her hand. “You did great today, Mia Belle. I’m proud of you.”

  She nodded, unsure what to say but breathing a sigh of relief inside. Malachi shifted until his back rested against the headboard. “I’m going to read for a bit before going to sleep.”

  That was his way of letting her know he wouldn’t be getting up again, and Jessabelle could take as long as she wanted in the shower or tub without bothering him. She nodded and decided a soak in the Jacuzzi tub was just what she needed. The day had gone better than she would have anticipated when she woke up, but she still needed to unwind, especially after dinner with her in-laws. William was distant and didn’t talk to her much. He likely spent his time being grateful he hadn’t been forced to marry her. Yvette seemed moody and irritated about something. Malachi had written it off as being her typical teenage self. Neither the king or queen had spoken to her. Nana Yvette wasn’t feeling well and hadn’t attended.

  So what exactly was the purpose of a big family dinner if no one really talked to each other? She’d have to ask Malachi at some point. Her meals with her father had often been nearly silent, but that was a result of his personality. And hers. Neither one of them had ever been great conversationalists.

  Would she ever feel comfortable with her in-laws? Would they ever accept her as one of their own? More important than either of those, Jessabelle knew she would, one day, need to be comfortable in her own skin. If she wasn’t comfortable with herself, how could anyone else be?

  She walked out of the closet, ready for bed, and looked over to see him watching her. “What?”

  “What would you say to getting out of here for a couple weeks? Your father’s death has been difficult for you. I think it might be good for you to get away. What if we went to the States? You probably don’t remember Christiana’s date from our wedding, but he’s from Serenity Landing, where Addie went to university. I emailed him this week to ask a question, and he invited us again to come and stay with him sometime. I think maybe we should.”

  The thought spun around Jessabelle’s mind with the speed of a whirlwind. Get out of Mevendia for a few days? It would take longer to finish at her father’s home, but she wouldn’t turn down a trip out of the country. “I think that’s a great idea. I’d love to get away for a while. Visiting the States seems like just the ticket.”

  Chapter 16

  Jessabelle settled back into her seat on the family plane. “Where exactly are we going in the States?”

  “Jonathan Langley-Cranston came to our wedding with Christiana. He went to university with Addie in Serenity Landing, Missouri. He has plenty of room if we ever wanted to visit. I talked to him earlier, and he said we are more than welcome.”

  “I think that sounds lovely.”

  “I think he may actually have a guest house for us to use.” Malachi didn’t sit right down. “Would you like a glass of that Moscata you liked?”

  After she nodded, he poured her a glass. Ten minutes later, the steward gave a final warning if either of them needed to use the restroom. Five minutes after that, they were pressed back into their seats as the plane took to the sky. There would be a brief stop in Great Britain to refuel and then on to Missouri. Jessabelle said she had never heard of the town. Malachi would have had no idea either if not for Adeline attending university there.

  “Why did I need a swimsuit?” Jessabelle asked somewhere over the Atlantic.

  “Jonathan made sure to tell me his father had built the house with an indoor pool.” He smiled over at her. “I thought we could work on those swim lessons we discussed in Ravenzario.”

  He couldn’t decide if her smile was genuine or forced. “Sounds fun.” He would try to get a better read on her and see if Jonathan knew of any good, female swim instructors if he thought Jessabelle would be more comfortable.

  The rest of the flight was uneventful, and they touched down in Missouri after dark. A car drove them to the Langley-Cranston Estate, the iron gates swinging closed behind them. Prince Malachi sat on the other edge of the seat, checking a message on his phone. “Jonathan said he had something come up, but he will be back soon.”

  As promised, Jonathan arrived not long after they did and the three of them enjoyed dinner together. Jonathan showed them to the guest quarters. Not really a separate house, but it could be accessed from either the outside inside, though Jonathan said he would not enter from that direction without knocking.

  They slept in the next morning, then spent the day visiting some of the sights in the area. A trip to Bass Pro Shops was a must, so said the text from Addie, information she was passing along from her step-daughter. In the afternoon, they made a different kind of stop.

  Malachi held Jessabelle’s hand as they walked through an area filled with tables. A small eatery sat to one side, its doors closed and windows dark. Serenity Landing University students still sat around with books open, but only prepackaged vending machine food was visible.

  “Why did you want to visit here?” Out of all the things they could do in the States, she wanted to visit a university campus. And not a big, famous one like Harvard
or Notre Dame, but small, exclusive, SLU. His wife puzzled him.

  “I’ve never been on a university campus before.”

  “We have universities at home, you know.”

  “I know.”

  “And you didn’t visit any while you were in school?”

  A sad look crossed her face. “There was no point. My father needed me to take care of him, something your father provided for in the marriage contract, and since he was convinced I would marry you or your brother, why did I need a university education?” He could hear sarcasm and a touch of sadness in her voice.

  Malachi turned it over in his head as she released his hand to pick up a brochure. He didn’t say anything as she looked through it. She seemed to stop and stare at one portion but he couldn’t tell which one. He could see part of the picture on the other page and made a note to look more carefully another time. He picked up a brochure of his own and handed it to one of the security guards. He’d get it to look at later.

  She held onto hers as they continued walking. One of the open classroom doors appeared to have a mock-up of a hospital room set up in it. Students gathered around the mannequin patient as the teacher explained something.

  Jessabelle stopped in her tracks and turned. “Can we go now?”

  “Of course.”

  Later that night, she slept as Malachi picked up the slick pages and flipped until he found the right spot. On the other page, a nurse sat next to a little girl with a mask on and no hair. Had his wife suffered through childhood cancer? Did she have a friend who struggled with disease?

  He idly turned through the pages. In December, he’d taken his last final for his degree in Business Administration. His father urged him to go on to get his MBA, but Malachi wasn’t sure it interested him. William was working on his master’s degree in international relations, much as Addie had done in Serenity Landing, though he attended university in Mevendia rather than the States.

  Malachi sighed and flipped the shiny pages onto the table in front of him. Tugging his shirt off, he walked to his designated side of the bed. Making sure to sleep on top of the sheet that covered his wife, he drifted off.

  * * *

  “Are you ready?”

  Jessabelle wasn’t sure. Malachi had apparently asked Jonathan to help him find a qualified swim instructor. Jonathan had called a friend of his whose nanny was also a certified life guard. “Sure.” She didn’t know if she’d be more comfortable with Malachi or not.

  Alivia-wasn’t that her name?-sat on the edge of the pool and dangled her feet in. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to ask you to put your head in and blow bubbles or play Ring Around the Rosie just to get you in the water.”

  “You do that? Really?”

  Alivia smiled. “With little kids, we do, but Mr. Cranston said you’re comfortable in the water but have never learned how to actually swim.”

  Jessabelle sat down next to her. “My mom said she wanted me to be able to not-drown. That’s how she put it.”

  “But you never took actual lessons or were on a swim team?” Alivia clarified.

  “No. Prince Malachi was in school, but not me.”

  Alivia looked confused. “Prince who?”

  Jessabelle realized Alivia must not have been told who she was married to. Instead of looking at the other girl, she focused on her feet where they kicked lightly under the water. “My husband is Prince Malachi of Mevendia.”

  She seemed to be assimilating the information. “Okay. I’ll make super-extra sure you don’t drown then.” Alivia slid off into the water. “Let’s get started.”

  Jessabelle enjoyed the lesson and felt like she had a pretty fair grasp on freestyle, though she would need practice and lots of it. Alivia promised to come back a few more times while they were there and teach her the basics of the other strokes. Jessabelle dried off, wrapped her towel around herself, and put on her slippers to walk through the house to the guest quarters. Malachi waited for her in the living area.

  “Have a good time?”

  She nodded. “I think I’ve got the basics of freestyle down.”

  He grinned. “You’ll have to show me later.”

  “No racing,” she called as she headed for the bathroom to take a shower and get rid of the chlorine smell.

  “Of course not. But you’ll beat me before long, I know it.”

  Jessabelle just laughed. Something she hadn’t done in quite a while.

  During the next couple of days they went to various local sites, including a shopping trip in nearby Branson, Missouri. They went to the St. Louis area for two days. They talked about visiting the wineries or the Anheuser-Busch Brewery, but since only Malachi was old enough for the samples, they decided to save that for another trip.

  They were staying in the town of Edwardsville, Illinois, just a few miles across the Mississippi River from St. Louis proper, or so the hotel website said.

  “See anything else you want to do?” Malachi flopped into the chair on the other side of the room.

  Jessabelle skimmed through the attractions listed online. “The world’s largest bottle of catsup isn’t very far away.”

  Malachi raised a single eyebrow. “That’s what you want to do on our vacation? Visit the world’s largest bottle of catsup?”

  She shrugged. “Why not? It’s here.”

  “Okay then.” He texted someone, probably their security team. “It’ll be arranged for tomorrow. What about dinner tonight?”

  “What was recommended by the front desk clerk?”

  “Doc’s Smokehouse, I think. It’s a barbecue place right across the street.”

  “The barbecue we had at that place in Serenity Landing was good.” She hadn’t been too sure about American barbecue but was pleasantly surprised.

  Malachi stood. “Then let’s go.”

  A few minutes later, they were seated with food in front of them. They both decided on the signature sandwich, something the guy behind the counter said was smoked brisket, Provolone, and grilled onion on ciabatta.

  “Thisisgood.”

  Jessabelle tried to contain her smile. She doubted Malachi had ever talked with his mouth full in his life. “It is.”

  “You’ve never had it before?” They turned to see a young man grinning at them from the next table.

  “No,” Malachi answered. “We don’t have this kind of food at home.”

  “Where’s home?”

  “Nicky.” The woman with him-his mother?-admonished. “Leave the people alone.”

  Jessabelle stared at her food, not sure how to respond, but Malachi did.

  “It’s fine, ma’am. He’s right. This food is new to us, but it’s delicious.” He had an ease with anyone that Jessabelle prayed she’d be able to pull off someday.

  The other man held out a hand. “I’m Nick. This is my mom, Michelle.”

  Malachi shook it. “Kai. And this is my wife, Belle.”

  Jessabelle glanced at him, but he just gave a small shake of his head. Right. He didn’t want to give out their real names to people they didn’t know. “Nice to meet you,” she said, shaking the other woman’s hand.

  “You’re in town for a visit?” Michelle asked. There was some kind of undertone Jessabelle didn’t quite understand.

  “Just for a couple of days,” Malachi confirmed.

  Nick’s phone beeped, and he checked it. “And apparently, my day off isn’t.” He gave his mother an apologetic look. “Sorry, Mom.”

  She just smiled. “Go on.”

  He kissed her cheek and said good-bye to Jessabelle and Malachi.

  Michelle looked uncomfortable before setting her napkin on top of what was left of her food. “I’ve got to go, too.” She stood and gave them an uncomfortable half-smile. “Nice to meet you.” She hurried out the front door.

  Jessabelle watched as Malachi watched her leave, a thoughtful look on his face. “What is it?”

  He turned back to his food. “I’m not sure. Nothing I can put my finger on. I’m not even
sure if it’s that feeling of having met someone before or not quite trusting someone or what it is.” After a minute, he shrugged. “I can’t figure it out. Is there anything you want to do before we go back to Serenity Landing?” He smirked at her. “Besides go see the world’s largest catsup bottle?”

  “No, I don’t think so.”

  “Then we’ll head back in the morning?”

  “Sounds good.”

  “Alivia’s supposed to come tomorrow afternoon to teach you butterfly?”

  Jessabelle nodded her confirmation.

  Malachi flashed a smile her way, the one she was coming to love. “Then we’ll have to make sure we’re back in time for your lesson.”

  * * *

  Wearing his swim trunks and a t-shirt, Malachi went down to the pool about the time he thought Jessabelle would be done with Alivia. He hadn’t been swimming since they arrived, and he wanted to get a few laps in.

  “Good job!” Alivia’s voice drifted up to him as he neared the room with the pool.

  They didn’t see him, so he was able to observe Jessabelle’s progress. Though she’d said they were going to work on her butterfly stroke, but she was doing freestyle and, though it wasn’t very fast, her form looked pretty good.

  “Think I’ll beat Malachi anytime soon?” Jessabelle asked Alivia as she removed her goggles.

  “Well…” Alivia hedged. “If he swam competitively, you’ve probably got some work to do.”

  Jessabelle laughed, a sound he hadn’t heard often enough in their short marriage. He would have to figure out how to hear that sound more often. Walking further in, he let them know he was there. “You’ll beat me before you know it.”

  His wife turned a becoming shade of pink. “Do we even have anywhere to practice at home?”

  “Of course.” He faked indignation. “There’s an endless pool by the gym.”

  “Good to know.”

  They wouldn’t be able to race, but she could definitely work on her strokes. Alivia hopped out and wrapped a towel around herself. “Thanks for asking me to help, Jessabelle. I enjoyed it. How much longer are you here?”