by Kit Morgan
“Oh my,” Maddie said. “I knew our visit would cause a stir, but I didn’t think you’d throw us a party.”
“We threw a huge party for Duncan and Cozette on their last visit,” Sadie said. “Of course we’d throw one for you. Especially if you’re going to be here for Christmas!”
“How old are your children?” Honoria asked.
Maddie took a piece of chicken off the platter her husband offered. “Our oldest, Asger, is thirteen. Raina, our daughter, turned eleven at the end of August. And Valentin - Vale, we call him – turned nine at the beginning of August.”
“Two princes and a princess,” Belle said with a smile.
The Bergs glanced at each other and nodded. “Another reason they’re not with us,” Maddie said. “For reasons of safety.”
“What do you mean?” Major asked with a raised eyebrow. Honoria could see he was truly curious as to why, but she suspected she understood.
“One heir has to be kept safe at all times,” Maddie said. “If something were to happen to us, Asger would ascend to the throne.”
Major leaned back in his chair and stared at them. “If someone had told me I’d be sitting here having supper with a king and queen in Clear Creek, I never would’ve believed them.”
“Prince consort,” four people corrected, then laughed.
“I am not a king,” Andel explained to Major. “I only married into the royal family, so ‘prince consort’ is my proper title. Among the crowned heads of Europe, they can be very particular about those titles.”
“My apologies,” Major replied. “And I can see why you bring with you your … escort.”
“Is that what ya call ‘em?” Eli asked. “’Cause I call them a pain in the –”
“Eli!” Pleasant warned, then sent the Bergs an apologetic look. “Sorry.”
“Yes, the guard,” Maddie said with a sigh. “And you’re right, Mr. Turner – at times they can be a nuisance.”
“Beggin’ your pardon, Mrs. Berg, but I don’t think I could stand it if’n a pack of men followed me and my wife around wherever we went,” Eli said sympathetically.
Maddie smiled in understanding. “I’m sure they’re enjoying Sadie’s fried chicken.”
“We could make room at the table for them,” Colin suggested.
“The guard do not eat with us – they’re here to protect us,” Mr. Berg explained. “Myself, I’d rather travel with just Maddie, but …” He sighed heavily. “… we have the kingdom to think of. They need to assure we’re safe and sound. So being accompanied by the Royal Guard goes with the job.”
“As a former captain of the Guard, you should know,” Maddie teased.
Mr. Berg shrugged in resignation and took a bite of chicken. The rest of the evening was spent bringing Andel and Maddie up to date on events in Clear Creek over the last few years.
Honoria watched as Major listened in fascination. He was learning all about them, about her, without her uttering a word. She tried not to giggle when Major arched an eyebrow at the retelling of some prank she’d pulled on her siblings or vice-versa. He seemed to especially like hearing about Savannah’s ingenuity when it came to practical jokes. “Your younger sister sounds like a force to be reckoned with,” he whispered to her at one point. “She’s going to be a firecracker when she gets older.”
“Firecracker?” Honoria said with a laugh. “More like an artillery barrage. Father’s already making jokes about the ‘poor bloke’ who marries her.”
He laughed, drawing everyone’s attention. “Sorry,” he said then dabbed at his mouth with a napkin. “Miss Cooke has quite the sense of humor.”
“‘Miss Cooke’ now, is it?” she mumbled out the corner of her mouth.
He looked at her and smiled. “Miss Cooke,” he said, louder than he needed to. “Would you do me the honor of allowing me to call you by your first name?”
Harrison practically choked on his potatoes. “First name?! Now see here, there’s no call for that.”
“I beg to differ, sir, “Major stated calmly. “After all Miss Cooke and I have been through, I believe it appropriate.”
Harrison dropped his fork on his plate with a clatter. “Been through?”
“Hello, what’s this?” Mr. Berg glanced between Harrison and Honoria.
Oh dear. She’d better think fast. “Er, ah … Mr. Comfort… came to my aid one day.”
“Do tell?” Mr. Berg said with a smile.
“Gladly,” Harrison said darkly. “My darling daughter challenged him to a horse race, lost and broke her ribs in the process!”
“Bruised, Papa,” Honoria corrected. Was he really going to embarrass her like this in front of everyone? “I bruised my ribs.”
“Bruised, broken, who cares? It never should’ve happened in the first place!”
Honoria wanted to slide under the table. “Papa, calm yourself.”
“That accident was entirely preventable, young lady!”
“Harrison,” Sadie interjected, “I don’t think this is the right time …”
“Right time?! She could have been killed!”
“And Mr. Comfort came to her aid?” Mr. Berg asked.
Harrison opened and closed his mouth a few times, clearly flustered. “Well, he could hardly do otherwise – he was there! But that’s beside the point!”
“The point, sir, is that your daughter is safe and sound now,” Major said diplomatically. “No harm done, as they say.”
“That’s still no excuse to call her by her first name,” Harrison grumbled.
Honoria knew she might regret this, but her dander was up. “I don’t mind,” she said, taking a biscuit.
Her father’s eyes popped. “Honoria!”
“And I’ll call you Major,” she told him, ignoring her father.
“I’d like that,” he whispered.
A thrill went up her spine as her father abruptly stood. “Sadie! Time for dessert!” He grabbed her mother by the arm, practically yanking her from her seat and dragging her from the room.
Colin snorted and also stood. “Perhaps we’d better go help them. What say you, Belle?”
She pressed her lips together to keep from laughing and winked at Honoria. “Oh, definitely yes.”
“What’s all the fuss about?” Eli asked.
“You’ve been too busy holding your wife’s hand underneath the table,” Mr. Berg said casually.
Eli and Pleasant’s shoulders jerked as they pulled their hands apart. Honoria’s snort of laughter rivaled Colin’s.
“I don’t see what the hubbub is about either,” Pleasant said. “We had a lovely meal and conversation, and now this!”
“I do like the part where Honoria’s about to get a lickin’ from Pa,” added Maxwell, who’d walked in from the kitchen where the children were eating.
“Thank you, Max,” Honoria said sarcastically.
“You’re welcome.”
“Harrison has always been overprotective,” Mr. Berg told Honoria. “Even when your mother was carrying you.”
“The whole town remembers,” Honoria groaned. “They never let me forget it.”
Maddie laughed. “He was horrible, wasn’t he? But …” Her voice dropped to a hiss. “… when I was carrying Asger, Andel was just as bad if not worse.”
“I was not,” he replied, calmly but firmly.
“You had a dozen guards follow me everywhere I went,” she stated flatly.
“Eight guards, not a dozen. And that was a demand of the privy council, which you acceded to…”
“After your impassioned plea to the council about the ‘current fragility of the royal line’ …”
Major laughed. “See, things could be worse. What if your father had guards at his disposal?”
Honoria paled and unconsciously leaned toward him. “Perish the thought.”
Mr. Berg made a show of clearing his throat. “What kind of pie did you bake, Honoria?”
“Pumpkin,” she said with a smile, her eyes never once l
eaving Major’s.
Mr. Berg took note and gave Major a pointed look. “Do you like pumpkin pie, Mr. Comfort?”
Major didn’t notice – his eyes were on Honoria. “It’s a favorite.”
“Fancy that,” Mr. Berg said. “You’ll get to try some of Honoria’s cooking. Though perhaps you already have,” he added archly.
Maddie slapped him on the arm. “Andel!”
“I made the potatoes,” she volunteered dreamily.
“They were excellent,” Major replied.
“Dear Lord,” Maxwell groaned, rolling his eyes.
Eli began to chuckle.
“What are you laughing at?” Pleasant asked. “My brother loves mashed potatoes.”
“Trust me, dear – taters are the last thing on his mind.”
Now Maddie rolled her eyes. “Mr. Comfort? Why don’t you take Honoria out onto the front porch? I’m sure after all the commotion of the evening you’d like some peace and quiet.”
Major slowly turned at her, still smiling vacantly. “Don’t mind if I do.” He stood. “Shall we?”
Honoria could only stare.
“And I think we should go help out in the kitchen,” Maddie told the other adults.
“Won’t that look suspicious?” Andel asked.
“Only if they’re up to something.” She leaned toward Major. “Are you?”
“Oh, I’m sure the thought never crossed my mind.” Major winked at Honoria and offered her his arm. “Shall we?”
A blush rising up her neck, Honoria stood and wrapped her arm through his.
Soon, Eli and Pleasant were all alone in the dining room. “Tarnation, I thought they’d never leave.” Eli leaned toward his wife for a kiss.
Pleasant pulled away. “Eli Turner! How can you sit here and want to spark with me when my brother and Honoria are out there on the front porch? Don’t you want to know what’s going on?”
Eli’s brow furrowed. “Why? I’m more concerned with what’s right in front of me.” He pulled her close and kissed her soundly.
“I declare!” she exclaimed when he finally broke it. “But aren’t you the least bit curious?”
“Nope – that’s Harrison’s job. He’s worse than any deputy, that’s for sure.” He leaned toward her again.
“Merciful heavens.” She pushed him away. “Wait until we get home. Besides, someone’s got to chaperone.” She stood.
Eli reluctantly nodded. “Yeah, given what I just saw. But what about him courtin’ that gal staying at the hotel with her daddy?”
“Oh fiddle-dee-dee! Major isn’t interested in her. He’s just trying to figure out who she can marry here instead of traveling all the way back to wherever she came from. He’s like that, you know – tries to take care of everybody. But with Honoria … well, I haven’t seen him look that interested in a gal in… actually, I’ve never seen him like this.”
“Well, I’ll be.” He got up. “We better hurry!”
She put a hand on her hip. “Oh, now you’re interested?”
“He deserves to be warned.”
“Warned? About what?”
“About Honoria. She’s got her own way of thinkin’ and doin’. We’d better make sure yer brother can handle her.”
“Eli Turner, you make her sound horrible.”
“She ain’t horrible, but she does speak her mind.”
“My brother faced off against Sherman’s Army of the Tennessee and survived – he is perfectly capable of handling Honoria Cooke!” Pleasant folded her arms in front of her. “And he can speak his mind too, rest assured.” She took her husband’s hand and headed for the parlor.
Once there, they sat on the settee facing the window. They did their best to look innocent as Harrison and Sadie came in carrying trays of dessert and coffee. “Has everyone left the dining room?” Harrison asked, glancing around.
“I thought everyone went to the kitchen with you,” Eli replied. “’Cept Honoria and Major.”
Harrison’s eyes bulged like a bullfrog’s. “What? Where are they?”
“Calm down, Harrison – they’re just out on the porch. And nothin’s happened that shouldn’t – Pleasant and me are sittin’ right here keepin’ an eye on ‘em. Major ain’t about try somethin’ untoward when his sister’s sittin’ on the other side of the winder.”
“And if his sister wasn’t sitting there?” Harrison huffed and set the tray of desserts down.
Sadie seemed to be losing patience. “But she is, Harrison.”
Undeterred, he headed straight for the window, ignoring Andel entering the parlor. Then he suddenly stopped, turned and went toward the front door instead.
Andel Berg reached out a long arm and grabbed Harrison by the shoulder, stopping him dead. “What kind of pie is this?”
“Let go of me! I need to get out there.”
“And do what – pour them coffee?” Andel managed to sound threatening as he asked it.
“I’ll take care of that,” Colin interjected, snatching two plates off the dessert tray. “Belle, could you bring the coffee?”
“Of course, dear!” Belle made no effort to hide her smirk as she grabbed two cups and saucers and sidled past as Mr. Berg pinned Harrison where he stood. Voices were heard on the porch as the front door opened and closed, then the muffled sounds of Colin and Belle serving Major and Honoria dessert. Within a minute the older couple had returned. “All sorted,” Colin declared, rubbing his hands together. “Now, what shall I have – apple or pumpkin?”
“You gave Mr. Comfort the pumpkin pie Honoria made?” Mr. Berg asked.
“Of course.” Colin took for himself a piece of apple pie and a cup of coffee and sat in a wing chair.”
“Perhaps the rest of us should go back into the dining room,” Sadie suggested. “As soon as the children are finished with their dessert they’ll want to hear stories, and Jefferson and Edith are already getting tired …”
“Sounds like a splendid idea.” Andel released Harrison, took two plates and headed for the dining room. Maddie grabbed a couple of cups of coffee and followed.
“We’ll stay in the parlor,” Eli volunteered, handing Pleasant a piece of pumpkin pie.
“Then for Heaven’s sake, man, open the window!” Harrison blurted.
“Too chilly for that,” Eli demurred.
Harrison pointed at the window. “I want to know what’s going on out there!”
Sadie put her foot down. “Harrison Cooke, do I have to hogtie you to get you to calm down? As much as I’d like to know what’s going on out there, Honoria deserves some privacy. Besides, Andel’s guards are outside, doing … whatever it is they do.”
“That’s right, old chap,” Colin said around a mouthful of pie. “You can’t get better chaperones than two squads of royal guardsmen.”
“They’re not courting!” Harrison stated sternly. “And there are four guards out there, not two squads!”
“Sure they’re not courting,” Sadie muttered.
“Mr. Cooke, you have nothing to worry about,” Pleasant insisted. “I know my brother, and he would never be more than a perfect gentleman around a lady.”
Harrison saw he was objecting alone. “Very well. But if anything happens, I’m going to shoot him.”
“Harrison, that’s enough!” Sadie grabbed his arm and started to drag him toward the dining room, where the Bergs were laughing at the scene.
“I find nothing funny about this, Andel!” Harrison raged. “Just wait until your daughter is old enough!”
Andel wiped a tear from his eye. “Raina is already promised to young Lord Stefan, heir to the throne of the Duchy of Vodina. Nice boy, likes to paint. I’ve no such worries as you.”
Harrison turned to Sadie. “I want a monarchy.”
She rubbed her temples. “Lord, give me patience.”
Harrison suddenly smiled. “Wait a moment … I thought Mr. Comfort was courting that Miss Lynch from town.”
“We’ve determined that he ain’t,” Eli called f
rom the parlor.
“Except perhaps in her own mind,” Pleasant added.
But Harrison was pacing now, his brow furrowed. “Andel, I need a favor.”
Sadie blanched as Colin and Belle entered the dining room and seated themselves at the table. “Oh no,” Sadie said. “This can’t be good.”
“Judging from the look on my brother’s face,” Colin said, “I can guarantee it isn’t.”
Harrison grinned like the devil. “Oh, trust me – this is going to be splendid.”
Chapter 13
“So what were they like?” Zachary Comfort asked. He and Major had just returned to the men’s camp after escorting Eli and Pleasant back to town from the Triple-C, and the six Comfort brothers were seated at the long dining table at one end of the camp’s main cabin. The only other furniture in the room were several chairs and a beat-up sofa at the other end near the fireplace, a small bookcase and a hutch near the cook stove.
“What were who like, exactly?” Major asked.
“Come now, Quince,” Darcy said. “The Bergs. I want to know why everyone in town is making such a fuss over them. That nonsense about royalty can’t possibly be true.”
“On the contrary, it’s quite true. Dalrovia is a small country, but it does exist. Mrs. Berg is their queen, and Mr. Berg her consort. It’s not that hard to believe once you know the story behind it.”
“But what are they doing here right now?” Matt, the youngest, asked. “Why leave a palace?”
“I know they mentioned visiting Washington City, so perhaps they had dealings with the government. Besides, some of those old European palaces are in sorry condition, or so I’ve heard. For all we know, theirs is no better off than our old mansion at Comfort Fields.”
His brothers displayed various reactions at the mention of the plantation home they no longer had, none of them positive. Finally Darcy waved it all off. “It would be interesting to talk with them.”
Michael sighed. “Enough about them. Major, tell us why you really went to the Triple-C.”
Major felt his chest tighten at the thought of Honoria. She’d looked beautiful, even though it was obvious she’d avoided dressing for the occasion. She was the type of woman that did what she wanted and the Devil take the hindmost. Sometimes he wanted to throttle her for her stubbornness, but it was also a huge part of her appeal. She was different than other women, and he liked the difference. She was as beautiful, wild and free as the rolling prairie surrounding Clear Creek.