Chapter 14 – Rowan
ROWAN
Ifinished a meeting with Sebastian and the prime minister, where we discussed renovations and improvements to the palace.
Parliament will put it to a vote, but it’s reasonable to think it’ll all go through.
The pool and grounds alterations I’m going to take care of, and I’m excited for that to happen.
The plan is to start in the early fall, so it doesn’t disrupt the children’s summer.
Sebastian stayed, having other issues to discuss, but when I left, I ran into Bellamy, who was on a hunt for the children.
“I want to take the children to the festival tomorrow.”
I throw her a side-eye as we head toward the playroom.
“I’m down. I’ll go with you.”
She nudges me. “I think we need someone else with us. Even with the two of us, we’re outnumbered, and I can’t chase as well as I used to.”
“I think Althea has to stay here. I know they have a bunch of meetings lined up.”
She twists her lips to the side as she thinks about this. “I really, seriously don’t want another nanny, Rowan.”
I toss my arm over her shoulder. “I know, but I think you also know that you need one.”
“Fuck my life,” she mutters in English, making me laugh. “Fine. Maybe. But that won’t solve our problem for tomorrow.”
“We’ll talk to Sebastian about it. Maybe he can move some meetings around.”
She sighs and we continue on, but the moment we reach the door of the playroom, both of us freeze. Me in dismay, she in delight.
I get another nudge to my flank as Bellamy juts her chin toward the scene in front of us. Marcella is sitting on the floor with the girls on either side of her as she teaches them chess. They’re laughing at something, but shit, how did Marcella end up alone with the girls?
“What if we ask Marcella to come? The girls obviously like her.”
I frown. The girls do obviously like her, and listening to them now, Marcella is being sweet and patient. It’s her break time, and she’s spending it with the children instead of on one of her walks. And yes, I know her schedule. I know her routine.
She’s easy to follow on the cameras, and I won’t lie and say I don’t spend way too much time doing it.
I should discourage Bellamy’s idea for no other reason than it’s not smart for me to spend more time with Marcella. But the reality is, I have no reason not to trust her.
My fixation is my own. My wariness too.
That said, I want the children to be able to go to the festival and enjoy themselves. I have no intention of letting my guard down with her, but I can’t deny that it would be easier to have her there with us tomorrow. Plus, we’ll have royal attendants watching our every move. They’ll be safe.
“I suppose we could ask her.”
Bellamy smirks knowingly at me. “You like her.”
I roll my eyes. “I don’t trust her.”
“Yeah, but you also like her. I’m not blind, Rowan. You look at her the same way Sebastian used to look at me when he thought I was a hot pain in the ass.”
I grunt. “Different. Very different, and I don’t look at her that way.”
She snorts. “Okay, sure. Since women don’t know these things about men or anything.”
“You’re a brat.”
She wiggles her hips, doing a little dance. “I’m also right. Even now, you can’t take your eyes off her. You think she’s pretty. You want to kiss her,” she sings.
I flip her off. “You sound like a dying cat.”
“Rude!” she exclaims in English, but she’s also laughing at my expense, which draws their attention over to us.
“Mommy!” the girls cry in delight.
“Look, we’re playing chess,” Sabrina continues.
We walk into the room and sit on the sofas. Bellamy is all smiles. “I see. Looks like fun! Oncle Rowan and I were talking about the summer festival.”
The girls light up like Christmas trees. “Are we going? Did Papa agree?” Phaedra climbs up onto her knees, hope gleaming in her eyes.
"That’s something we need to speak to Marcella about,” Bellamy tells them. “Do you girls want to go find Tante Althea and Zayer? I think Zayer went straight from his snack to lunch.”
Both girls rise. “Thank you for teaching us,” Phaedra, ever the queen-to-be, says to Marcella.
“It was fun. We’ll have to do it again.”
The girls take off, and Marcella stands, adjusts her black pants, no longer wearing her ugly gray uniform, and starts to put away the chess set. I scooch to the edge of the sofa and help her, which surprises her. Probably because it’s not something a prince would typically do.
“Thank you, Your Highness. That’s very kind and unnecessary of you.”
Our fingers brush as I pass her the rook, and tingles shoot through my hand that has me drawing back. What the fuck is that?
She must feel it too because her eyes round and she murmurs out an apology.
“Well, I’m glad we found you,” Bellamy starts.
“Tomorrow, as you know, is the summer festival in Torin. Unfortunately, Sebastian and Althea have meetings with the prime minister and members of parliament thrown on their schedules. Rowan had the idea of you joining us to help with the children since that’s what Emily would have done if she were here. ”
I throw Bellamy a look, but she simply beams a smile at me. Such a meddling little thing. No wonder Sebastian is so fond of spanking her. The woman is playing with fire, and she doesn’t even know it. Or perhaps she does, and that’s her intent.
“Unless, of course you don’t want to come with us,” I challenge when she stiffens and a look of unease crosses her face.
She licks her lips and finishes cleaning up the set, putting the lid back on the box. “It’s not that, sir.”
“Tomorrow is Saturday,” I continue. “Half the staff have the day off. The other half has Sunday off. Not a whole lot gets done here on weekends as I’m sure you know.”
She shifts her weight. “Right.”
“It’ll be nice for all of us to get out of the palace,” Bellamy states.
“I know the children are looking forward to it. The girls will drag Rowan on all the rides I can’t go on, so it’ll be us and Zayer, except he’s fast and I’m slow these days.
” She pats her large belly. “I could really use the extra set of hands. What do you say?”
The fact that she’s even asking instead of demanding shows just how new she is to all of this and how different her upbringing was. Americans don’t have royalty. They don’t have centuries-old ingrained stations of wealth and aristocracy.
Sebastian would have demanded, and I likely would have too.
Regardless, Marcella can’t say no, and she knows it. She curtsies because that’s what she does. “Your Majesty. I’m honored you thought of me for this.”
“It was Rowan.”
I sigh. Seriously, I’m going to have my brother punish her later.
“Regardless of whose idea it was,” I cut in, “now that we know how long Emily is to be out, I think it’s good for us all to get to know you better.”
“I appreciate that. Truly. But I’m not sure how much more there is to know other than what you already do.”
“Oh, I doubt that. I’m sure there’s plenty about you we don’t know.”
Our eyes lock in a silent duel, and a dangerous electricity hums between us. I’m being an asshole. I know I am. That doesn’t mean I know how to stop either. I no longer trust myself or trust my instincts the way I used to. Or maybe I never thought about it before Ella played me.
My anger at the hand my family has been dealt, the fear at not knowing what’s coming next, and the frustration at not being able to fix it are making me resentful.
Marcella Russo is an unknown entity, and when you don’t know who your enemies are or the full extent of their reach, being cautious is the only option.
But I’d be lying if I said part of the allure is how she reacts and fights back.
“Unless,” I continue softly, “you’re uncomfortable with the idea of spending time with us beyond your professional duties.”
Yep, Marcella really doesn’t like me.
She gives me a smile that doesn’t touch her eyes. “Not at all, Your Highness. I’m simply surprised by the invitation.”
“Is that a yes?” Bellamy asks with hope in her voice, her hands folding up in supplication.
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
“Excellent!” Bellamy exclaims. “But please, you have to call me Bellamy, especially when we’re out tomorrow.
I understand you feel more comfortable being formal here, especially given your new duties, but tomorrow will be more casual and relaxed.
We’ll have royal attendants dressed in civilian clothes close by at all times, so you should dress casually too. ”
“Understood, Madam. I’m looking forward to it.”
“Great! Same here. We’ll leave sometime after breakfast.”
Marcella curtsies and excuses herself, leaving the playroom.
Tomorrow’s going to be hell.