Page 21 of Her Royal Houseguest

‘Definitely not. But then Prinny isn’t living in my house.’

‘You said we were honoured guests.’

‘And you are. But there are limits.’ She looked him in the eye. ‘How would you treat a foreign prince who takes over your attic, chants all day and then refuses to eat the food that he requested?’

He would be furious. Which is why he wanted to make amends. ‘Lady Anna,’ he began, before he abruptly realised what she had said. ‘I did not request any food.’

‘Of course, you…’ She stopped, biting her lip as she thought back. ‘Oh. That was your brother.’

‘My brother does not eat after zenith.’

‘After noon. Yes. So I was informed before he told me that you ate a great deal. Lots of English food, he said. And to not throw away what remained.’

‘Ah,’ he said, realizing now what had happened. ‘I see you do not understand alms.’

She tossed her hands in the air. ‘Another thing I don’t understand. Pray, Prince, enlighten me.’

‘You are angry. I merely try to—’

‘Educate me. Yes, I’m aware.’ She sighed. ‘It’s been a long day. I’m tired—’

‘Please, Lady Anna, let me explain.’

He waited for her response, which was a barely restrained sigh. He wondered—for a moment—why he tolerated such disrespect from her. Obviously, English women were allowed more latitude than what was accepted in Siam. Five months ago, he would have left the room while seething inside. But travel had opened his eyes to a wide range of attitudes. And the loss of his servants had taught him more humility than a year in the monastery ever had.

So he tolerated her annoyance. Indeed, he understood it given how much he had already disrupted her life.

‘What do you understand of the practice of alms?’

‘Coins given to a monk.’

‘Food given to a monk,’ he corrected. He moved aside a stack of books to sit in a chair. ‘My brother loves food of all kinds. Different foods from every country. If it is a new experience, he will try it.’ He shot her an amused look. ‘The things I have seen him eat would shock you.’

She tilted her head as she considered it. ‘That sounds… intriguing. So alms is eating?’

‘Not exactly. After morning chants—’

‘More chanting?’ she groaned.

‘Yes. Apologies. It would sound better with more voices.’ And better voices.

She nodded. ‘All right. After the chanting, what happens?’

‘The monks will come down with their bowls. I, as well as any other male who wishes to do so, will place leftover food in their bowls. It is our act of devotion to feed them.’

She shook her head. ‘We can send some up. They don’t need to plead for it.’

‘You cannot make it fresh for them. That…’ He could not find the right word in English. ‘That fights their humility.’

‘Oh.’ She frowned. ‘They have to beg for breakfast?’

‘Yes.’

‘But your brother likes new food, so he asked me to serve you a great amount—’

‘Knowing that I would not eat it.’

‘So the leftover food would be given to him.’