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Mother hesitated. “No—nothing else.” She was still eying me like I was up to something. “And there had better not be any more surprises. Not one more. This meeting is over. You may go.”
Exiting the sitting room with Veronica and Grace, we strolled toward our respective rooms. As we approached the front entrance, Henri stepped inside with an older man, then took a few steps in our direction.
“Miss Grace, you have a visitor,” Henri said. “Sebastian Agosto.”
His announcement stopped me in my tracks.
Despite Mother’s aversion to more surprises, this revelation was monumental, and possibly would be the biggest shock of her life.
Sebastian Agosto.
A humble woodworker.
And my mother’s first love.
I recalled the story of Sebastian, the one who got away, vividly told by my drunk Uncle Chester, Mother’s brother, during a late-night pool game years ago. Chester spoke of Mother’s passionate love for Sebastian, a man her parents wholeheartedly disapproved of. That led to an arranged marriage she was forced to accept with Father. The heartbreaking farewell to Sebastian had devastated Mother, even though she went on to love Father unequivocally.
Sebastian remained an enigma, wrapped in mystery. Why was he in the palace now? And how would Mother react when she saw him?
Grace greeted Sebastian warmly, inviting him outside to have a look at the wedding altar, an action that left me utterly perplexed. The genuine shock, however, occurred when Mother’s clicking heels abruptly stopped beside me. Her mouth fell open as she laid eyes on the infamous man from her past.
“Sebastian,” she breathed, placing her hand on her chest. And then, as if succumbing to the unexpected surge of emotions, she passed out.
Chapter Eighteen
GRACE
I gasped as Queen Annabelle wobbled and began to fall over. Luckily, Oliver acted swiftly and could reach out and catch her in his arms before she hit the floor. Relief washed over me, even though I wondered if she wasn’t feeling well or if it was because I had brought another unwanted guest into the palace.
Oliver’s voice trembled with concern. “Help me get her to the chair.”
Henri rushed to his aid, and together they gently guided Queen Annabelle to a nearby chair. She blinked a few times, looking like she was trying to shake off the dizziness.
An employee scurried over with a glass of water, handing it to Oliver, who then gave it to the queen. “Drink some water, Mother.”
Queen Annabelle took a small sip, then handed the glass back to him as the color slowly returned to her face. “Let’s not make a big fuss over this.” She started squirming in the chair. “I just got a little light-headed. It happens when you don’t eat breakfast. I’m perfectly fine.” She bought her hands to her hair, checking to make sure everything was in place.
“Why haven’t you eaten anything?” Oliver asked.
“As I said—let’s not make a fuss—I’m fine,” she huffed, then stood right back up on her feet. Impressively, she did not wobble even a smidgeon as she adjusted her dress.
“I’m sorry to have startled you, Your Majesty,” Sebastian said.
Queen Annabelle glanced his way. “It wasn’t you. I barely recognized you. It’s been a while, you know.”
“Forty years, to be exact,” Sebastian said. “Except when I have seen you on television, of course. And you haven’t changed one bit.”
Queen Annabelle blushed and actually cracked the tiniest of smiles. “Why are you here?”
Her tone was quite pleasant, which surprised me.
Sebastian hesitantly took a step in her direction. “I was hired by Grace to repair the weathered altar for the wedding. For some reason, I thought you would have known this.”
“I did not.” The queen glanced at me, and for the first time, it was not with a fiery glare that could burn holes in my eyes.
Had she hit her head?
I stepped forward, deciding to add my two cents. “Your Majesty, since the altar holds great historical significance, I thought it deserved expert attention, especially when I noticed it had been damaged from condensation. Sebastian’s company is renowned for his craftsmanship. His online reviews speak for themselves.”
