Page 99 of Her Royal Houseguest

But the more she’d sat and listened to all those questions, many spoken without pause for her to answer, the more she realised she didn’t care to answer. Her thoughts were on Prince Deva and his intention. Her thoughts were on Siam and her future.

Indeed, she was so distracted that she’d walked out in the middle of the salon. Whatever her future, she never would attend this salon again. She’d have her own establishment, either on her dower property or elsewhere. She might very well be out on her ear tonight.

So there was no point in sitting there being battered by impertinent questions. Especially since she had letters to write.

The first went to Phoebe, explaining the situation and asking if her friend truly did want to travel with her. Did she have her dowry money? Would that be sufficient to support Anna as well if her father disowned her?

The second went to her father’s solicitor. Her father would be appalled by the impertinence but she knew the man was of a kindly sort and might answer her questions.

Then she meant to speak with Prince Deva, except that he’d left soon after their return from the palace. Off to the East India House and negotiations. Likely, there would be quite a disruption with the presence of the archbishop and so he was needed there.

She guessed correctly since bare minutes after she sent off her messages, all the gentlemen came home. The princes and the abbot had self-satisfied smirks but her father was spitting mad. Clearly he had not liked the intrusion of Christian morality into the negotiation.

She’d tried to speak with Deva then but her father had demanded her presence. No choice but to go immediately and suffer his diatribe. Odd how his words had even less impact than Mama’s gossipy friends’. Which, naturally, aggravated her father even more.

‘I shall send you away!’ he shouted. ‘First thing!’

She smiled at her father. ‘Then I shall go pack. I’m sure Mama will have no difficulty managing your party next week. There’s been a few problems with the invitations but I’m sure she’ll sort it out.’

‘Problems? What problems?’

‘Will you be sending me to the dower property or to our country house? I’ll need access to funds, just to pay the servants. I’ve taken the liberty of writing to your solicitor to begin the process. We only need know where I’m to go.’

‘You what! And that’s another example of your idiocy!’

‘Not there, then? Very well. I’ll go stay with Phoebe.’

‘You will not visit that loose cit! I forbid it! You have the most abominable choice in friends!’

‘Hmmm,’ she said with an evil smile. ‘Shall I tell that to the queen? She asked me to tea Tuesday next. Wants to know how I’m going on.’ That was a lie. The queen had indeed asked Anna to visit again but no exact date had been set.

Her father stared at her. She stared back. And then he shook his head.

‘How did you become such a hateful child?’

Now that hurt. She’d done everything she could to be a dutiful daughter. Performed as he’d wanted, managed his household and taken the blame when things had gone wrong. Things she now realised that were not her fault but had been built into a system with bad servants and parents who disregarded her at every turn.

Well, no more.

‘Today, Father. It happened today when I realised I am a woman grown. That I have friends and resources beyond you. I can tell the queen that you have disowned me for visiting her without you.’

‘That’s not why!’

‘It’s what you said,’ she countered. ‘And it’s what I’ll tell her should you send me away without a penny.’

His face purpled with rage. His fists clenched and she worried that he would strike her. She’d never seen him this angry before. Fortunately, he was not a violent man. And though rage gripped him, he did not strike her.

She did not flee. She was proud of herself for that. No matter what happened next, she stood tall now.

Finally, he ground out two words.

‘Get. Out.’

She didn’t know if he meant out of the library or out of his life. She took it to mean the library because she wasn’t ready to leave his life. He was her father, after all. Deep down, he did love her. At least she thought he did.

She heard him depart for his club soon afterwards and, as her mother had retreated to her bedroom with a headache, Anna was free. For the moment. She gave herself enough time to calm down before heading to find Prince Deva. Except when she was ready, he was not.

He had left the house with his brother not fifteen minutes earlier.