Since Eloise and Cody had married two years ago, he'd taken it upon himself to make her life easier with the press. Between Cody and Jill, who'd proven to be the PR jewel her father had promised, the royal family's relationship with the press had improved a thousand percent. So she let his little parting gift to the photographer pass without a fuss.
He leaned closer to her, slipping his arm around her waist unobtrusively. Although the photographer had left, there were several of the staff from the orphanage still present, and they had to present themselves with royal decorum.
Penny broke from the gaggle of children and ran to them. "Auntie Eloise, Mama said Saint Nick is coming tonight!"
"That's right," she said with a laugh. "But he will only bring gifts for little girls who've been good. I heard you threw a tantrum for your daddy yesterday."
The little girl's face drooped. "Aw..." Her face brightened. "But what if I ask daddy to write Saint Nick a note and tell him how good I been all the rest of the year?"
Eloise had to stifle a giggle.
Cody cleared his throat. "That'd probably work, kiddo."
Distracted by a shout from across the room, Penny ran off without a goodbye.
Eloise's smile lingered. Her niece was as effervescent as she remembered Mia being as a young child.
Cody leaned close, tilting his head down to her. "You know, we could have one of our own by next Christmas."
Eloise's breath caught. She tried for a pleasant expression, kept her eyes focused on the children. "Hmm."
"Hmm, I'll think about it, or hmm, quit bringing it up?"
She felt the tremble in her smile and worked to form her lips into a straight line. Not a frown, because he would know a frown meant she was upset.
She wasn't upset.
She shrugged, and thankfully, he dropped it, distracted by her cousin Pieter, who approached and asked about the Christmas day celebration they'd planned for the royal family. A private celebration, thank goodness.
Several times over the last few months, Cody had hinted at his desire to have children. He hadn’t come out and said it outright. As the ruling royal of their kingdom, she was expected to have at least one child, preferably several children, the oldest of whom would inherit the royal title.
She just wasn't ready.
She'd had a difficult relationship with her father, who'd always put the crown above his family. She was desperate not to make the same mistakes.
More than that, though, nearly every time she looked in the mirror, she saw the scars from the auto accident she'd survived—barely—nearly two decades ago. And she imagined what a child—her child—would think when they looked upon her face.
Adults had been disgusted by her scars before. Thank God Cody somehow saw past her looks to the person she was inside.
What if her child felt disgust when they looked at her? Thought her monstrous?
How could she start a family when there was a good chance her own children might think she was a beast?
2
McKenna Hastings hustled to set the silver tray on the long sideboard draped in white. It seemed as if the wood should be groaning with the amount of food piled on. She'd never seen so much bounty.
The Glorvaird castle was amazing. This room was amazing. Along with the sideboard, the informal family room had two small circular tables surrounded by chairs, along with a couple of expensive-looking couches in a cluster. A tree bigger than McKenna's apartment took up the entire corner of the room and was a little close to the stone fireplace for her comfort, but she figured someone was watching to make sure it didn't burn down, right?
The royal family was due to arrive any minute. They’d just been to visit to the orphanage. It had been two months since she'd seen Pieter, and she couldn't wait to see him. She'd packed a sprig of mistletoe in her suitcase with his name on it, not that it would be needed with the way the castle was decked out. Swags and wreaths of red-ribboned, pungent evergreen boughs decorated walls, staircases, banisters.
A sense of anticipation shivered through her. She had news to share with him about her law school admission. And Pieter had been hinting that he had a surprise for her. He'd said he wanted everything to be perfect this Christmas.
She wasn't sure he'd appreciate finding her in the staff uniform of a black knee-length dress and starched white collar. There'd been a mix-up when she'd arrived hours ago, and she'd gone with it, noticing how stressed the middle-aged housekeeper seemed.
But now she should really go and dress for dinner.
Uh-oh. Seemed it was too late as she heard rumblings from the direction of the front hall. They brought with them a plume of cold air and the smell of snow, and a cacophony of voices.
Silent and quick, the other staff had faded away, all disappearing except for the butler, who would stand by the kitchen door to see to any unmet needs.
Pieter noticed her immediately, his face losing the lines around his mouth and the tightness at the corners of his eyes as his lips spread in an open smile. He headed her way with the cool, panther stride she'd noticed when she’d first met him.
"McKenna, darling." He kissed her swiftly on the mouth and then held her back from him slightly, his hands on her forearms as he looked her up and down. "What are you wearing?"
She tried for a placating smile. "There was a little mix-up in the kitchens, and the head housekeeper thought—"
"Are you joking?" His eyes lit with a flash of temper.
The rest of the royal family had entered the dining room, and Pieter seemed conscious of their presence as he glanced over his shoulder and then lowered his voice. "Tell me she didn't mistake you for a common temp worker."
"I am a commoner," she said in her most cheerful voice, hoping to jog him from this mood. She should've escaped from the kitchens sooner to dress, but with the small number of staff on hand, it had been busy.
"It was my fault, really," she said when it seemed her teasing comment was going to do nothing to calm him. "I knew you were going to be at least another hour, and I thought I'd sneak down to the beach you always tell me about, except I got turned around and ended up in the kitchens. The housekeeper was down there with some kitchen staff who were freaking out because a temp worker hadn't shown up, and I got mistaken for her."
And she'd been shoved into a uniform and told to comb back her hair into a neat ponytail before she could blink. She should learn to be more assertive. Hopefully, law school would help her with that.
"Unbelievable." He really should be breathing fire, the way his temper was sparking. "Didn't she look at your hands to see my family crest ring?" He gripped her fingers and raised her hand between them, holding the gold ring so it glinted in the light. Maybe checking that she was still wearing it.
"It wasn't a big deal," she said. "I was happy to help out."
"Not a big deal." Her remark seemed to have made things worse, because he looked off to the side, where the fire had burned down some. His eyes narrowed. "She should be sacked for such impudence."
He seemed more upset than the situation warranted. It wasn't as if she'd missed some big shindig or turned into Cinderella or anything. She'd carried dishes from one place to another.
Now it was her turn to jog his hands, where they were still linked together. "It's Christmas. And, besides, she was stressed about getting the meal put together and served on time. I was happy to help."
Something was noodling through his mind. He still stared at the fireplace, at nothing. A muscle ticked in his jaw, and he carried a fine tension in his shoulders.
She thought of the sweet housekeeper, of her tenderness with the staff, of her care for the family. McKenna was suddenly worried about the woman’s job.
"Pieter," she said patiently. "Promise me you won't try to get her fired."
"What? Oh. Fine." He still seemed distracted as she sidled closer and wrapped her arms around his middle. His came naturally around her waist and lower back.
"I've missed you," she murmured, ang
ling for a kiss.
But a little girl's laugh, sounding like a wind chime, stalled her out.
The family had stayed away from her discussion with Pieter, but they'd made a dent in the food on the long table. Gideon and Alessandra already had full plates and were settled on the sofa furthest from the fireplace. Kylie and her husband Nick sat catty-corner to them, chatting with the other couple casually. Eloise and Cody hung back in the entryway, heads bent close in discussion as Mia and Ethan were helping themselves and bobbling an extra plate between them, which must have been for their daughter, the little girl making figure-eights around their feet and trying her best to trip them up.
For a little while, McKenna had forgotten the ball of nerves lodged tightly in her stomach. Pieter had been practically demanding her presence for a Glorvaird Christmas, but she felt unaccountably nervous and out-of-place in the presence of the princesses. And the queen. Don't forget the queen. Maybe being drafted into service for the kitchen staff had been a blessing in disguise, because it had taken her mind off of her nerves for awhile.
For now, she needed a distraction. She latched on to the first thing she could think of. "I've got something big to celebrate over the holiday," she said.
Pieter's gaze went carefully blank. "Do you?"
She nodded, biting her lip. "I got accepted to Purdue. I got the letter before I left home today."
There was the smallest hesitation before his face creased in a smile, though there was still something of reserve in his expression. "That's wonderful. Everyone, a toast!"
The group went silent and then offered a smattering of applause when Pieter found some champagne glasses and offered a toast for her law school acceptance. Her face flamed the whole time.
He ushered her to the table to make her plate, was conscientious and attentive, but she couldn't help feeling that something was the matter.
Was he missing his mother? She knew they'd always had a contentious relationship, but when the woman had died late last year, Pieter had seemed almost...relieved.
But the holidays could be hard when you were missing someone you loved. She knew that better than anyone.
She'd just have to work to make this a joyful holiday for him anyway.
3
"Pieter does not look happy," Gideon murmured to Alessandra.
His wife snuck an unobtrusive glance to the couch where the prince and his girlfriend sat side-by-side.
It was subtle, but Gideon had grown to recognize the other man's mannerisms and way of carrying himself during the weeks they'd worked together to locate Kylie and keep Pieter's mother from harming her.
Something was definitely bothering the guy.
"Could you overhear what was wrong when we first came in?" she asked.
"Something about the housekeeper thinking McKenna was staff. That would explain the uniform."
"Oh dear." Alessandra's mouth twitched. She stuffed a bite of creamy lobster pasta into her mouth to hide what might be a smile.
"What?"
She shook her head slightly, but he leveled a glance at her. She knew better than to try and keep secrets from him.
She finished chewing and leaned close, whispering in his ear. "Pieter is planning to propose for Christmas. He showed me the ring and everything."
Gideon didn't wince, but he felt for the man. Knowing Pieter, he’d have been counting on the event being perfect. Prince that he was, it was probably hard for him to accept that McKenna had been drafted into service at the palace, even if it was only for a couple of hours.
He spoke in a low voice. "Maybe we'd better defer our special announcement until later. We don't want to ruin his big moment."
The food on her plate was almost half-gone, so he wasn't surprised when she daintily set her fork across the edge of the fancy china dish. A staff member in a dress exactly like the one McKenna wore materialized to make the plate disappear and then was gone again.
Alessandra passed one hand unobtrusively over her still-flat stomach. She would be showing before long.
"I don't see how we can keep it a secret much longer," she murmured. "The kitchen staff must already suspect since they've been making me special breakfasts the last two weeks."
Gideon nodded. "You're probably right."
Of course she was right. But he'd enjoyed having the secret just between the two of them. Being a royal was the complete opposite of what his life as a Navy SEAL had been. As a SEAL, everything was covert, kept under wraps, classified. He hadn't even been able to tell his family where he was assigned.
Now, his every move was tracked by the castle staff—so they could support the royal family in any way necessary—and every movement outside the castle was fodder for the public. When the fact that they were expecting was made public, no doubt they'd have paparazzi hounding them constantly, vying to be the first to report news to the public. Just thinking about it made him want to sigh.
It had been wonderful sharing this secret with Alessandra, even if only for a few weeks.
Gideon had been a mixture of elated and terrified when she'd told him she suspected she was pregnant. They hadn't been actively trying, but they hadn't been particularly careful either, ready to accept the blessing of an addition to their family whenever it would come.
And here it was.
He would have to video chat with his brother, Matt, and sister, Carrie, back in the States. Or maybe he and Alessandra could invite them to Glorvaird early in the new year to tell them face-to-face. They'd talked of coming over at Christmas, but Gideon’s niece, Scarlett, had had a special Christmas production for her ballet class, and Carrie had wanted to be there for it.
"Are you still certain Eloise will be happy for us?" Lately, he'd seen things that made him think his sister-in-law was discontent. A certain expression she'd wear when she watched Penny playing on the floor. Almost a wistfulness.
If Eloise wanted a baby and he and Alessandra were pregnant first, could it cause a rift between the sisters?
"Of course she'll be happy. She was happy for Mia, wasn't she?"
Maybe he was wrong. Maybe he was just overprotective, looking for something to worry about, as there’d been no recent credible threats against the crown.
Just then, Pieter cleared his throat, bringing everyone's attention to him. "I'd like to…"
Before he got any further, a butler appeared in the doorway. "Princess Kylie, your special guests have just arrived."
"What special guests?" her husband Nick asked as she jumped up from her chair, almost spilling her plate from her lap in her exuberance.
"C'mon," she said, tugging on his hand to drag him out of his chair. "Let's go into the front hall to greet them."
"Greet who?" But he followed her with a doting smile.
Meanwhile, Pieter settled back in his seat, face a careful mask. "Never mind."
4
Kylie couldn't contain her excitement as she ran into the castle's expansive front hall. She saw her sister-in-law, Gentry, first, who stood a little in front of Nick's parents.
She'd wanted to surprise him for Christmas, and it appeared her plan had worked, because the Harrises had arrived without anyone other than Eloise and Kylie's personal assistant, Alyssa, finding out.
She hugged the now fifteen-year-old girl, who was looking around bug-eyed, much like Kylie had done when she'd first visited the castle.
Nick's parents appeared more hesitant than awed. Snow snuck in around their feet as a footman closed the huge entry door behind them.
When she and Gentry turned, their arms still wrapped around each others' waists, Nick froze in the hall.
Kylie could read the surprise on her husband's face. Less evident was the wary expression, one that matched his father's exactly.
"Big brother!" Gentry cried out. She let go of Kylie to rush her brother.
He caught her in a bear hug, a shocked beat of laughter squishing out of him. "What are you doing here, squirt?"
Gentry growled and wriggled in his
arms, apparently attempting to find a place to pinch him, but he kept her arms pinned effectively, both of them dissolving into laughter.
"Mr. Harris, Mrs. Harris." She greeted Nick's parents, holding out both hands.
Mrs. Harris accepted her hands, a smile on her face as she looked over Kylie's shoulder to watch her son and daughter roughhousing. "Thank you for inviting us, dear."
Nick's father didn't crack a smile. Mrs. Harris nudged him with her elbow. His eyes slid to Kylie, but he still didn't crack.
"Wasn't it kind of Kylie to pay our way over here so we could be with Nick for Christmas?"
The older man grunted.
"What was that?" Nick asked as he and Gentry joined them. He shot a look to Kylie that told her he'd heard what his mom had said.
"Just saying hello to your parents." Kylie affected her most innocent look.
"Nicky." His mom embraced him, but his dad stood back with arms crossed.
Oh, this was a disaster. She'd prayed so hard for a reconciliation between Nick and his dad. Their relationship had broken down years ago when Nick's ex-girlfriend had conned a bunch of folks—including Mr. Harris—into investing in a fictional mutual fund. Mr. Harris had lost a huge chunk of his and Mrs. Harris's retirement funds.
Nick hadn't known anything about the fraud, but because of his relationship with the woman who'd perpetrated the fraud, many people in town had blamed him. Especially after she'd left town and he'd stuck around.
And Nick's dad had never forgiven him. Kylie hadn't seen the man in two years—he'd been a reluctant attendee to their wedding—and had hoped that this Christmas, the gift she could give Nick would be reconciliation.
She'd finally found a measure of peace with the memory of her mom. Sure, they'd had their differences and disagreements, but there was only so much bitterness you could hold onto against someone who'd passed on.
Plus, Kylie's mom had been a part of finding her sisters, the family she hadn't known about for almost three decades but that had changed her life for the better. She'd found where she belonged, here in Glorvaird. She and all three sisters had grown close and shared their lives with each other.
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