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I nod in acknowledgment at surprised besuited men and women as I make my way through the tapestry-adorned walls, past the towering columns, across the polished marble floor, toward the Parliament Chamber.
“Your Royal Highness!” an insistent voice calls from behind me as I reach the doors to the Chamber.
I swing around to see a grave looking, stout man in a dark suit, his jowls so soft and droopy they could rival a Basset Hound’s.
“Yes?”
He pauses to give a quick bow before he says, “May I escort you to the Distinguished Visitor’s Gallery? We prepared it for you when we received notice of your attendance today.”
“Actually, I'm looking for Princess Madeline.”
“The Princess is in the antechamber, where she’s preparing for her speech. You will be more comfortable in the Gallery, sir. I assure you.” He gestures down the hall.
I pull my lips into my most charming of smiles. “I'll be happy to do as you suggest once I've had a quick word with the princess. She's expecting me, you see.”
It’s a total lie, but he doesn’t need to know that.
I know he’s going to comply with my wish. It’s one of the benefits of being a prince.
“Of course,” he concedes after a beat. “If you'll follow me?” He leads us down the hallway to the antechamber, where Vladimir, Madeline’s security guard, greets me with a stiff nod.
“Sir, I'll wait here to escort you to the Distinguished Visitor’s Gallery once you’ve had your conversation with the princess,” Mr. Bassett Hound says.
“That would be just great,” I reply. “Now, the Princess?”
“Certainly, sir,” Vladimir replies.
I instruct Paulo to wait for me in the hallway, and Vladimir leads me to an adjoining room where Maddie is seated, her head bent over as she concentrates on reading, her lips moving with each word.
She’s in a slim-fitting, demure Malveauxian blue dress that shows off her figure, with a peacock brooch pinned near her shoulder. A nude pair of pumps elongate her slim legs. With her hair curled around her shoulders she looks every inch the princess she is.
“Good morning, Texas,” I say, and she looks up at me in surprise before her lips pull into a smile that seems to reach inside of me and tug at my heart.
How’s my not getting emotionally involved going?
“Alex? What are you doing here?”
“I came to see you, of course.” I nod my head at the now closed door. “I don't get the feeling your Vladimir likes me all that much,” I say as I sit down on a chair opposite Maddie.
“Who can blame him? You don't exactly have the best reputation with the ladies, you know.”
“On the contrary, I have a very good reputation with the ladies, if their enthusiasm is anything to go by.”
She snorts with laughter, although I can tell she’s nervous about her upcoming speech.
I lean my elbows on my knees. “Are you feeling prepared?”
Her smile drops and she bites down on her lip. “Speaking in public isn't exactly my strength, and even though it’s only short, it’s in a foreign language. How do you think I'm doing?”
“You'll be fine. I know you will. Look at how you handled the hospital visit. Like a pro.”
“That was only because I literally had you hauling me out of the car.”
I smile at the memory. Knowing I was able to help her in some small way made me feel pretty dang great. “I could do that for you again today, but I’m not sure how that would look.”
She sighs. “I know.”
“You can do it. You’ve had lunch with the Prime Minister and her Cabinet, you’ve done your first public outing, and you even managed to win this cynic over with your beauty and charm.”
