Page 57 of Her Royal Houseguest

‘I know you steal from the house,’ he interrupted. ‘I know you steal from these people here. I do not know if that is usual.’ It would be in many Siamese houses. ‘I shall ask the prince Regent.’

He did not, in fact, know if she’d stolen anything. Vaji paid more attention to the servants than he did but he knew a greedy shrew when he saw one. And that one corrupt soul could destroy an entire household. If he’d misjudged her, then he would deal with that mistake. But from the various expressions ranging from fear to satisfied smirks, he knew she was not a well-loved or deserving woman. And by saying those things aloud, he had just thrown a tiger into the kitchen. It would disrupt everything. And that was the fastest way to learn who allied with whom and to what end.

He had done it dozens of times in Siam when he was handed a disaster to fix. It was messy. It required patience and a keen eye but it was effective.

It also required complete authority, which he did not have. Still, it was a risk he was willing to take if it meant he could see to Lady Anna’s care.

He decided to step outside. Easiest to appreciate the English morning here while still listening to the chaos that would erupt behind him.

England was colder than Siam but he found he liked it that way. He also enjoyed the trees and the birds, so different from those he knew. Indeed, he was feeling quite good with the world when Lady Anna abruptly appeared in front of him. Her hair was messily restrained and her face bore creases from her pillow. The lady had been roused from her bed.

Disgraceful, lazy servants to rouse the mistress when they are the ones at fault. But here she was doing her best to appease the staff. As if she were the one who was below them.

‘What did you do?’ she gasped.

‘I ordered a bath for you,’ he said. His gaze softened as he took in her body. She appeared as lush as ever but he also knew that some pains were easily hidden. ‘How are you feeling? Is there pain?’

‘What? No.’ She looked over his shoulder at all the servants that passed along this path to get water. ‘Never say you went to gather water yourself. Not again. Everyone will talk!’

‘Excellent.’

‘Not excellent!’ she huffed. She looked like she wanted to shake him. ‘Servants gossip! Everyone will say that I cannot manage my father’s house!’

‘You cannot,’ he said flatly.

‘What? How dare you!’

‘I have very good eyes, Lady Anna. I see that you have to bribe the servants to do their work. My brother has heard them talking about you. How you are pitied as a simpleton, ignored as a master and yet still blamed for every mistake.’

Her eyes narrowed. ‘You have had your water every day. The kitchen is in an uproar every morning to be sure that there is extra food fit for the monks. We have searched every market for vegetables the abbot can eat. And you dare suggest—’

‘That your parents demand you manage the household without giving you the ability to punish those who are inadequate.’

She stared at him. ‘You are a guest in my home. How dare you—’

‘I am trying to help you,’ he returned gently. ‘Will the gossip reach your father’s ears?’

‘By noon. My mother will hear as soon as she wakes.’

‘Good. Then they will be embarrassed enough to make a change.’

She threw up her hands. ‘Which will be to send me to the country!’

He pursed his lips. ‘I do not think so.’

‘It’s a miracle they haven’t sent me already!’

‘Then your mother would have to manage the servants herself. Does she do a good job?’

‘Yes!’ she snapped back. ‘But she gave the task to me so that I could learn to manage when I marry.’

‘Then she knows you must have the ability to punish those who disobey.’ He leaned forwards. ‘Since she does not know that, perhaps she wasn’t very good at it either.’

Lady Anna looked at him, her expression shifting from fury into thought, then back to anger. ‘You don’t know what kind of disaster you’ve unleashed!’

‘Perhaps not. But you should bathe. Relax. I will deal with the disaster, since it is of my making.’

She sighed and shook her head. ‘You are the guest. It is my place—’