Page 3 of Falling for the Queen Mother

"Miss, if you and your child would like to come with me, we can get you settled into a room." Expertly, the young lady and her child were extracted from the suite, leaving Alaina alone with Nathaniel.

More or less. Security remained right outside.

"I didn't mean to cause an imposition," Nathaniel started as he walked toward the kitchenette counter to set some of his things down. "I met them on the plane. She didn't seem to have much of a plan for what would happen after they landed, except staying at a hotel that I seem to remember had seen better days. I told her I had enough points to get her a room here for a few nights to help her get on her feet."

Alaina didn't believe that for a minute and told him so.

"You're right," he admitted. "But she reminds me of my niece, and to a lesser extent, my own daughter. If they had fallen on hard times and didn't have anyone around to help them, I'd like to think someone would, without ulterior motives. I think that's the key and what Emilia is likely most concerned about."

He had a point.

"And I have no ulterior motives," he rushed to assure her. "I'm glad I was there and able to help some. I think it would be wonderful to become a sort of adopted grandfather to a child closer to home than mine currently are, but I don't expect it. Do you have grandchildren?"

Alaina suspected it was only a way to change the subject. Information on her family was incredibly easy to find even with the most cursory of Internet searches. "I don't. Not yet. Someday soon, I'd imagine, but not at this point."

She wondered if her eldest son, the king, and his wife would have an announcement to make before too long, but she hadn't been told anything - either officially or unofficially.

Taking a breath, she turned to the small table in the eating area and took a seat. "Can you please brief me on the purpose of your visit? I was only told you would tell me about it when you arrived."

He sat across from her. "The Royal Historian in Dellisole disappeared a short time ago. In the weeks since, it's been discovered that he left behind a forgery of an ancient portrait. It's presumed he took the original with him as it wasn't discovered in the archives."

That confused her. "Is it worth a significant amount of money? Can he demand a ransom for it? What would be the purpose?"

Nathaniel sighed. "It's priceless, but it's not that simple. It is a much more complicated and involved story than anyone would think it would be. In fact..." He glanced at his watch. "It's getting a bit late tonight. Could we meet in the morning and I'll tell you everything? Perhaps in the archives, though I'd understand if you and your historians weren't ready to allow me in there just yet."

Did he really mean that or was it just his way of trying to disarm her? To gain her trust by pretending he understood there could be a reason not to trust him?

All of the intrigue was too much for her. She'd never enjoyed this side of royal life. Always wondering if you could trust the person across from you. Wondering if they were telling the truth or what they thought you'd want to hear.

Her late husband had loathed that part of life as well. Meeting the people, making a difference in their lives, trying to ensure the best decisions were made for the people as a whole... those were all things he liked. The political side of things were something they both detested.

Only part of it involved the actual politics with politicians and Parliament and the Council and assorted mayors or other political figures. The rest was that unofficial politics. The "office politics" side of things even though calling it "the office" wasn't remotely accurate. They still found some of that within their own staff members, but whenever they became aware of it, they'd taken care to discourage it by whatever means necessary.

Alaina stood. "Please arrive at the palace no later than nine in the morning. I will make certain you are added to the guest list for tomorrow. You can tell me everything at that time."

She gave him a slight nod then turned to walk toward the door.

A hand on her arm stopped her in more ways than one.

In her tracks, of course, but she was certain her heart stopped for just a second before tripping along at twice its normal speed.

Turning back, Alaina found Nathaniel standing closer to her than she would have suspected.

She looked up, into his brown eyes, the dark gray of his hair falling forward.

And felt something she hadn't felt in a very long time.

The desire to kiss a man.

Before he could say anything else or she could give in to that desire, Alaina turned again.

And fled.

2

Though far from the first palace Nathaniel had ever worked in, he found himself far more nervous when approaching the one in Southern Santiero than he ever had any of the others.

He wasn't sure why that was, except he'd been friends with Madeleine Woodward Middleton for years before she became stepmother to the queen. She'd been in charge of the examination of new artifacts that had come to light just after the death of Queen Caroline over fifteen years earlier. He, along with one of their professors and several others, had helped to authenticate them and confirm the new information that allowed Prince Anthony, the father of the new queen, to be her regent.