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Beck laughed. “Who can say? Whatever the truth of the situation, it remains mostly in Scotland. And as I said, no one cares about the truth.”
“On the contrary, in this case, I know someone who might care very much.”
Lila needed to know the truth before she went much further, but how on earth would she discover it? She had schemed her way into making this match between two people who were clearly in love, and now she had to make it work, or she would never be hired again. And if no one ever hired her again, where would that leave the impossible Princess Amelia? Lila was very confident the services of a matchmaker would be required for that one.
The second complication was that today, the day of the picnic, Lila had received word that Valentin would be arriving. Her excitement about seeing her husband again was dividing her thoughts between her charge and all she needed to do to prepare for Valentin. So she was a bit distracted when the third complication occurred—Her Royal Highness came bouncing out of Prescott Hall with her dog, Dodi.
The princess greeted both men warmly then asked Prince Michel if he liked dogs.
“I do, yes.” He ran his hand over the dog’s head.
“This is my companion, Dodi. She rather likes men. You don’t mind, do you?” she asked as she handed the dog to the prince.
“Not at all.” And he didn’t seem to mind, readily taking the dog and scratching her under her chin.
Lila watched as the three of them strolled along the path, Prince Michel with a mound of white fluff under his arm. She followed behind them at a distance into the garden maze, at which point the prince grew tired of carrying the dog and set her down. Dodi caught scent of something under a hedge and began to sniff around it. As the trio moved on, Lila noticed the dog trying to burrow into the hedgerow, clearly after something. She thought perhaps she ought to bring it to the princess’s attention, but she and her companions had moved ahead, toward the lake. They were two men trying to capture the attention of one woman, and one woman eager to receive them both. All that attention required their concentration.
Lila thought to turn back to the house herself—they didn’t need her to watch over them—but the day was warm, and the three of them started back up the path.
Lila walked ahead of them to make sure the picnic was ready. Just at the end of the gardens was an old yew tree, and underneath the boughs, she’d seen to it that a luxurious picnic had been set up for the princess and her guests. A quilt covered the ground and Turkish pillows had been placed around the perimeter for their comfort. Lawn umbrellas had been placed over two corners and champagne would be served with cold chicken, brambleberries and summer fruits.
The three of them made their way there, the two gentlemen jockeyed to help the princess down before they settled in. Lila had begun to walk away when she heard the princess gasp. When she turned back, the princess had gained her feet and was looking all around them. “Where is Dodi?” she asked.“Dodi!”she called.
Lila glanced over her shoulder, half expecting to see the dog trotting up the path.
The two gentlemen gained their feet. Lord Douglas looked at Prince Michel. Prince Michel said, “I think I know where she might have gone. Allow me to fetch her, Your Royal Highness.”
“I’ll go with you—”
“Please, stay in the shade. I’ll fetch her. I’ll be but a few minutes.”
“Thank you,” the princess said. And then she and Lord Douglas...and, well, Lila herself, watched Prince Michel lope down the path to fetch her dog.
And then Lila watched as the princess looked at Douglas, and he looked at her. Lila could almost feel the bolt of lightning between them. They obviously could, too, because they did not look away from each other. It was as if everything else but the two of them had ceased to exist.
She stood at a short distance, trying to be inconspicuous, her thoughts racing, trying to think her way through this. The princess and the marquess took their seats. They sat with their heads together, whispering and laughing, forgetting even the passage of time.
Where Prince Michel had to go to fetch the dog, who could say, but when at last he returned, the bottom of his trousers were wet, the knees muddied and a trail of sweat ran down one temple. But he had the dog tucked securely under his arm. Dodi’s white coat was matted on one side and muddied and tangled underneath. Princess Justine didn’t notice the prince and the dog at all until he was upon them.
When Princess Justine did see him, she scrambled to her feet as if she’d been caught at something. “Dodi, you naughty little girl. Where did you go?”
“I believe she was attempting to play a game with a rabbit,” Prince Michel said. “Under the hedgerow.”
“Dodi!” She tried to sound stern, but ended up laughing. “Thank you so much, sir—I hope it wasn’t terribly inconvenient.”
“No,” he said, although it was clear that it was.
The princess asked a footman to take the muddied dog and dispatch her to a bath. Prince Michel brushed the dirt from the knees of his trousers, and then joined the conversation as the three of them dined on. Lila lingered, feeling slightly voyeuristic, standing apart as she was, pretending to admire some roses.
The princess made certain to ask the prince questions and listened to his answers. Which was more than Lila could say for Douglas, who never seemed to take his eyes from the princess.
Douglas mentioned the princess’s prowess in fencing. Prince Michel said he was really very poor at it, and thought his talents extended more to archery. He asked how it was that the princess had come to be so proficient at the sport.
“I took it up at an early age,” she said. “I learned the history of one of my ancestors, a warrior queen, and I very much wanted to be like her. She seemed so...confident. Fencing was the closest I could come to leading battles. And as I learned it, I realized when I held a foil, it was one of the only times I felt in complete control of my surroundings.” She gave a nonchalant shrug. “I find I like that feeling very much.” She laughed, as if that was a silly thing, but Lila felt a bit sorry for her.
“You may no’ be aware, Your Highness,” Douglas said, “that the princess claims to be as accomplished at archery as she is at fencing. I’ve no’ seen it myself, but there you are, a future queen who can take up a sword or a bow.”
“You sound as if you don’t believe me, Lord Douglas. Perhaps we should have a go of it,” the princess chirped. “I asked that some field archery be set up today as a diversion. I could teach you to shoot, if you like.”
