As it always did when my younger sister-in-law arrived, the room brightened, and everything felt a little lighter and more joyous. There was just something about Daisy that made even the dullest occasion feel like a party.
“You’re early.” I leaned back in my chair, pushing away from my desk. “Are you sick? Is the world ending? Is there a looming apocalypse?”
“Very funny.” She stuck out her tongue at me. “This is me being grown-up and responsible, and all I get for my trouble is mocking. You invited me for lunch, and here I am. Let’s just enjoy the fact that I’ve arrived fifteen minutes ahead of schedule, because we both know it’s not likely to happen again any time soon.”
“I’m very happy to see you.” I rose and came around my desk, kissing her on both cheeks. “I’ve ordered in food for us, so I hope you’re in the mood for Thai.”
“Always and ever.” Daisy dropped her handbag into a chair and wandered toward my windows, gazing out on the city. “Oh, I met your new security officer on the way in here. He’s not hard to look at, is he?”
I smiled sweetly. “I wouldn’t know. I only have eyes for your brother.”
“Gag.” Daisy pretended to wretch. “But I’d want to scratch your eyes out if you said anything else, so I guess it’s all right.”
“I’d offer to introduce you, but he’s got a girlfriend.” I shrugged. “Sorry, Dais.”
“Not that it would be allowed, anyway.” Her lips tightened for a moment, and her eyes went bleak for the merest blip of time. And then the shadow passed, and she was all sunshine again. “Well, tell me what’s been going on. What did I miss while I was in Scandinavia?”
Daisy had been representing her grandmother at a series of visits to nations in northern Europe for the past two weeks. It was the most ambitious tour she’d done to date, and I knew the family was enormously proud of how well she’d conducted herself and the positive press coverage both in the UK and abroad.
“Not much.” I sat down on the small loveseat and kicked off my shoes, tucking my feet under me. “I’ve been either working here or for the family or at the gardens.” I nibbled on the corner of my lip. “I missed you. Between you and Nicky being gone, it’s been very lonely.”
“Poor Ky. I’m sorry.” She dropped to the loveseat with me and wrapped me in a quick, tight hug. “Why haven’t you gone with Nicky? It’s stupid for you to be left at home on your own.”
“I couldn’t agree more, but Nicky says these trips were set up long ago, and there isn’t any easy way to add me to them.”
“Bullshit.” Daisy was eloquent but blunt. “It happens all the time. There’s not one reason you shouldn’t be with him.”
My heart sank. What Daisy was telling me wasn’t exactly breaking news—I’d had a hunch this was the case—but hearing her say it forced me to recognize the truth. It wasn’t that I couldn’t go with Nicky—it was that he didn’t want me.
“Daisy,” I whispered, not trusting my voice to stay steady. “Why doesn’t he want me to go with him? You can tell me the truth. Am I an embarrassment to the family? Is that why I’m left at home?”
“Now that is even more bullshit.” Daisy gave my shoulder a little shake. “You know better than that, Ky, or I hope you do. Nicky loves you beyond reason, and he’d never stand for cutting you out of your royal duties. None of the family is embarrassed by you. How could we be? You get out there and do your job, just as we all do. You smile at the cameras and you keep on going, no matter what. You’re kind, you’re amusing, and best of all to the English mind, you’re humble about it. My parents think you’re grand. And the Queen adores you, which means that what anyone else might think doesn’t matter at all.”
“Fine.” I sniffed. “Then explain to me why my husband doesn’t even invite me on his trips away from home. Explain why he’s been so distant lately. Even when he’s home, even when he’s acting as though everything is wonderful, I can tell that there’s something on his mind. Something pulling him away from me. If it’s not that he regrets marrying me, then what is it?”
“I honestly don’t know.” Daisy lifted one shoulder and looked apologetic. “But I can tell you this. It’s important to remember that as much as we are a family, we are also a political entity—not in the terms of taking sides or voicing our opinions in debates in the government, but in that the Queen is the head of the government, and we represent the United Kingdom on the world stage. That means that sometimes, there are pressures or constraints that we might not always understand in the present.” She wrinkled her nose. “At least, that’s the speech my father gave me when I didn’t get all the answers I wanted growing up.”
“So you’re saying ...” I frowned, considering Daisy’s words. “You mean there might be something going on that Nicky isn’t free to tell me?”
“I don’t know, Ky.” She laid her hand over mine. “I mean, Ireallydon’t know. No one’s told me anything that I’m holding back from you.” She gave a short, humorless laugh. “Not that they would. They all still see me as a child who can’t keep a secret.”
I slumped back into the corner of the small sofa, my mind whirring. “Daisy, do you think—is it possible that what happened in Scotland last month—you know, with the protesters—could that have rattled Nicky so much that he’s worried about my safety?”
She brightened. “That sounds like a Nicky thing to do. If he was shaken up, he might be worried that you’re at risk, too.”
“And of course, he wouldn’t think of telling me this, because he’s trying to protect me from the worry, too.” I rolled my eyes. “Your brother is slightly nuts sometimes.”
“As if that’s a surprise to me.” Daisy laughed. “But I will admit that when it comes to you, he’s slightlymorenuts, so I can see this happening. In his quest to keep you from fretting over his safety, he’s causing you to worry about something else altogether.” She bared her teeth. “Men.”
“Now the question is—” I began just as there was a knock at my office door, and a man’s head poked inside, scanning the room until he found me. I recognized him as a newer employee of Honey Bee, one whom I’d only met a few times. “Oh, hello, what can I do for you?”
“Ah,” the man stammered. “Yes. I’m Rick Lester, from the production team. Sorry, Ms—um, that is, Kyra. Uh, ma’am. Didn’t know you had company. That you were busy, I mean.” His eyes darted to Daisy and then back to me again. I’d asked everyone at Honey Bee to continue calling me by my first name, as it felt ridiculous to ask them to use the Your Royal Highness or ma’am all the time. But it still threw some people, I’d discovered.
“It’s all right, we’re just waiting for our lunch to arrive.” I beckoned him to come in. “What’s up?”
“I wanted to give you the information about the new supplier I mentioned at the last meeting.” He stepped closer to me and thrust out a slim manila folder. “I know we’re always looking for new farmers, new venues for finding our fruits and vegetables. I wondered if you and the team might consider this one.”
My forehead wrinkling, I scanned the cover letter. “Has this farm been vetted by the practices team?”
