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“We worked on the plane. Besides, she wanted to see the springs.”
Lillian smirked at her for some reason and said, “And did she?”
“Yes, Elizabeth arranged it for us. It was a private pool and everything. We bought the wine from the shop there. Well, I got us a case of it because we did a tasting and she said she really liked it. She insisted she only take a bottle of it, which I told her was ridiculous, but I kept the other bottles for now. I’m going to give them to her for her birthday and Christmas and a bunch of other holidays until they’re all gone.” Elin smiled at the thought.
“I bet you will,” Lillian remarked.
Elin flashed on the memory of Ingrid leaning against the opposite side of the pool; Ingrid’s arms stretched at the sides with her head back, her eyes closed, and mud covering her face. Her light-brown hair was pulled back and darker since it was wet. She looked so relaxed and so at peace that Elin hadn’t wanted to risk moving to ruin the moment. When they’d had to step out of the pool due to the heat finally getting to them, they’d changed with their backs turned to one another.
Then, they’d sat on the blanket. Elin had pulled out a book, and Ingrid had lain back and stared up at the sky for a while before she’d closed her eyes. Elin had discovered that it was difficult reading with Ingrid lying next to her like that, as if they were friends on vacation and not a Princess and her private secretary. Eventually, Elin settled into the idea, though, and finished the chapter before she lay back next to the woman and stared at the cloudless sky.
“Hello? Earth to Elin,” Lillian said.
“What?”
“Where did you go just now?”
“Nowhere,” Elin lied.
“Right,” Lillian replied, laughing lightly at her.
“Oh, that reminds me… I have to talk to you about Katrin.”
“What about her?”
“Well, Christian’s leaving, and me moving up, so to speak, means we have to change some things.”
“Whatthings?”
“Dad is keeping Steven as his secretary until Steven retires, too, but Markus will have to move on to me, it seems. He’s senior.”
“What about Ingrid?” Lillian asked.
“She’ll go to you. Katrin will go to Mari.”
“What? I love Katrin,” Lillian stated. “She understands that I can be fickle.”
“I know, but it’s seniority.”
“You’ll be Queen; you can choose your own secretary, Elin.”
“There are enough changes going on in this family and for this country right now. I hardly think now is the time to squabble over our secretaries.”
“Well, I don’t care what you do, but I’m keeping Katrin.”
“Lil, don’t be–”
“Seriously, Elin… There are already enough changes. I’m not exactlythrilledwith being next up on the game of thrones right now. And knowing that it’ll likely bemyfuture kids – if I decide to have them – that will have to take over after you isn’t somethingI’dplanned on, either. Can’t you just give me this?”
“I’d have Dad to contend with. What about Markus?”
“Markus is ancient.”
“Ingrid would–”
“Ingrid can go to Mari; she needs someone anyway. Ingrid’s great. She’ll like working with our sister, the low-maintenance Princess. I’m the high-maintenance Princess; everyone knows it. And I’m pretty sure they call me that anyway.”
Elin thought about it. She didn’t want Ingrid to lose her job. She didn’t want to fight her sister, either, and she knew if she forced this upon Lillian, she’d only make Ingrid’s life hell. She thought briefly about telling her father that she didn’t want Markus, but maybe it was for the best that Ingrid work with Mari – Elin couldn’t have her around all the time with how she felt. She’d already nearly scalded the poor stewardess because she’d been so nervous. Ingrid just… did things to her. She was gorgeous, accomplished, and so smart.
