Page 36 of Falling for the King

‘That could wake the whole country.’

Laughing he put his jacket back on, picked up his mug and sat opposite her, facing backwards.

‘We’re approaching a station, a small one. We’ll slow down but not stop though there’ll more than likely be people on the platform waiting for it to go past.’

Katerina glanced through the open curtains until she saw the small crowd gathered along the platform and smiled and waved as did Xavier.

‘You must miss them, your grandparents.’ She looked out the window at the passing scenery all too aware of Xavier who remained across from her.

‘I do, but I was lucky to have as much time with them as I did. They were the greatest influence in my life, every child should have role models like them.’

‘They should.’ She couldn’t disagree with that.

‘What about you, who provided that for you growing up?’

She didn’t have to think before answering. ‘Mrs Baker-Crake, a teacher from boarding school.’

‘I remember her from your wedding.’

‘You do?’ She turned back to him, there had been only a handful of people she actually knew on her side of the cathedral, her father had invited countless guests and over a thousand had attended all up.

‘Sure. She was formidable and fired off a round of questions making me feel like I was back at school.’

Katerina laughed.

‘I can’t imagine anyone intimidating you but that definitely sounds like her. Although underneath that tough exterior is an absolute heart of gold.’

‘That’s a relief. Why was she so important to you?’

‘I grew up with no grandparents,’ she said which Xavier already knew. Her father, an orphan, loved to share his rags to riches story in which he went into great detail during his wedding speech and her mother’s family was a mystery. ‘And when I landed at boarding school I found it really hard to settle down and Mrs BC was very good at dealing with homesick girls.’ She twisted her watch, realised her nervous gesture and stopped. ‘But the real connection was that I was a teenage girl really missing having a mum, even though at the time I could’ve never articulated that.’ She drew in a breath and finished her story in a rush. ‘She understood, you see, she’d never known her mother either and it built a bond between us that still exists today.’

‘I’m glad she came into your life, that you met someone like her.’

‘Thank you, so am I.’ Mrs BC had been her greatest support but even she didn’t know the truth about her relationship with Max. She hadn’t approved of his party ways, of him at all but Katerina had been determined to marry him. She’d been sure he’d change for her, that he loved her. She’d been proven wrong on both counts.

He frowned. ‘I don’t remember seeing her since the wedding, has she been to visit again?’

‘No, her husband isn’t well. I’ve seen her whenever I’ve been able to get over to England and hope to schedule in a quick trip in the next couple of months. We keep in touch via letters though not emails, nor phone calls or texts, she doesn’t like them.’ She smiled at a memory of Mrs BC’s horror at the thought of conversing via text.

‘You need to take time out especially for something like that.’

‘I know, there never seems to be enough time.’ She shrugged. ‘Well you must know that better than anyone since I can’t recall you ever having a holiday.’

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. ‘That’s a fair point. I haven’t set a good example but I don’t expect that from you, and I don’t want you to miss out on seeing someone who’s so important to you.’

‘I’ll schedule a break to see her sooner rather than later, take some time off, as long as you do the same.’

He ran a hand through his hair again. ‘I’ll consider it.’

‘That’s hardly fair.’

‘I’m the king,’ he said matter of factly without heat or pomp.

‘But it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a holiday, have some time off. You do like holidays, don’t you?’

He huffed out a laugh.

‘I hadn’t really thought about it.’