Chapter 27
For the next couple of days, Meredith made sure the children dined with their grandmother for breakfast and dinner, but she remained absent—mostly because she didn’t trust her self-control and didn’t want to tell off the queen in front of the children.
But the evening that Spencer came home, after the children were in bed, she made her position clear to him.
“I am sorry to tell you that it’s time for me to give you my notice,” she told him.
“What? Why?” He looked stricken.
“It’s what the queen wishes.” She moved over to her bags, which were by the door.
“You’re leaving now?” he demanded. “What do you plan to use for transportation?”
She smiled stiffly. “I’m not leaving right now. I just need to go back to my room.”
“Your room?”
She nodded upward. “The queen had me moved up to the servants’ floor.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“I haven’t actually slept there yet. While you were away, I thought I should be near the children. But now that you’re back, I should go up there.”
“To the servants’ quarters?” His gray eyes sparked. “That is ludicrous.”
“It’s only temporary. I want to tell the children a proper goodbye, but I do think I should be on my way in a day or two. I am sorry to leave them.” A lump formed in her throat to imagine this was really it.
“You can’t leave us—I mean them—Meredith. They need you.”
“It’s for the best.” She looked down at her shoes.
“But—”
“Let’s not make this harder.” She firmed her voice.
“The children will be back in school soon. Your life will be changing. It’s time for me to go.
And, really, it’s been an amazing experience.
” She hoped her eyes didn’t look too misty.
“I’m grateful you gave me the chance…to be with your children.
It was really an honor…and a wonderful experience. ” She bent down to pick up a bag.
“No.” He put his hand over hers. “Please, don’t go. At least stay down here in your room for the night. I can’t stand the idea of you up there in the servants’ rooms.”
“The queen will have a fit.”
“Hang the queen.”
Meredith blinked. “I hope you don’t have security cams in here.”
“We don’t. But I don’t care. Hang the queen,” he said again. “I’ve looked forward to coming home for the past three days just hoping you and I could sit down and talk.”
“Really?”
Taking her hand, he led her to the living room area.
“I have a lot to tell you, Meredith. Please, sit.” He pointed to the sectional, and without speaking, she sat.
He sat next to her, his hands in his lap and a pensive expression upon his face.
“The queen has been trying to orchestrate my life ever since Anastasia died. I put up with it for all these years for the sake of the children. For the past couple of years, she has paraded potential wives in and out of the palace with no regard to my feelings or opinions. This was the last time. Astrid is a nice woman, yes, but she is not the woman for me. I had to play along with this last charade since her family is close friends with the queen, and there are financial matters at stake there. But I am not the queen’s pawn. And it’s high time she knew it.”
Meredith was too stunned to speak.
“I plan to let her know tomorrow.”
“I see.” She took in a deep breath to steady herself.
“I have been standing up to her lately too. I’m certain she wants to be rid of me.
That’s probably why she wanted me in that upstairs room.
We never even told her I moved back down here during your absence.
” Now she told him about the meal where they all left in protest.
“Really? You and the children walked out on her?” He looked impressed.
“We did. She broke Kat’s heart by not allowing Kalina to come to the birthday ball. And although Kat has dined with the queen, she has refused to speak to her. Not more than yes and no. They are having a stalemate over the ball. Kat really intends to boycott.”
“Good for Kat. It’s about time she rose to her title.”
“I’m so proud of her. She’s handling this in a mature way.” Meredith sighed. “She’s growing up fast.”
“I know. They both are. And it matters more to me than ever that I don’t miss out on it. I am seriously thinking of taking them both away from here. Back to England, with my parents.”
“That would crush the queen.” Meredith remembered that maternal moment when the queen kissed them goodnight. “I know she loves the children. Maybe she just doesn’t quite know how to show it.”
He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. “I’m sure you’re right. I feel caught between the old proverbial rock and the hard place.”
“Maybe it’s time to follow your daughter’s example and stand up to the queen. Honestly but kindly, let her know what you can put up with and what you can’t. Compromise?”
“You’re right. I’ve had that thought before. But she’s an intimidating woman. She rules with an iron fist in a velvet glove. And she is not terribly fond of me.”
“But she does love your children,” Meredith reminded him. “You have that working for you.”
“You’re right. You brought up compromise. Will you make one with me, Meredith?”
“I’m willing to listen.”
He smiled. “I like that about you. A strong-willed woman.”
“Why thank you.” She smirked at him. “Not all males appreciate that.”
“I do. And here is my compromise. Promise me you’ll stick around a while longer, and I promise I will stand up to the queen.”
She didn’t have to think about it before she agreed with him. She stuck out her hand. “You’re on.”
“It’s a deal.” He grasped her hand and stared into her eyes for a long moment—so long she was worried he wanted to kiss her, and she wasn’t ready for that.
Not until she knew for sure what his intentions were toward her.
Was he looking for a nanny for his children?
Or a wife and a mother? And if it was the latter, was she really up to the task?
“What’s your plan?” She slid her hand out of his. “Where do you start with the queen?”
“First, I must tell her there will be no arranged marriage for me. Although she may already know this since I politely made it clear to Lady Astrid and her family today.” He rubbed his chin.
“Next, I will insist that Kat invite her friend Kalina to her birthday ball. In fact, I will insist that Kalina come here and be our guest for a few days. How does that sound?”
“It sounds like you’re going to make your daughter happy.”
“And then I will insist that you return to living down here with the family,” he declared. “Unless she offers you a more comfortable suite on this same floor. No more servants’ quarters.”
“Thank you.” Meredith pursed her lips. “But what if she denies these requests?”
He sat up straight. “Then I will tell her that I’m taking the children, and you if you’ll come, to England with me for an extended visit with my family there.”
Meredith wished she could be privy to this conversation but knew that would probably not help his situation. “I’m impressed, Spencer. It sounds like a solid plan.”
“I will meet with her tomorrow. I suspect she already has me on her agenda…to let me know how displeased she is over my rejection of Lady Astrid.”
“I really thought arranged marriages went out in the eighteen hundreds.”
“Rotslavia is a bit behind the times.”
“I can’t wait to see Kat’s face when you tell her about her revised birthday plans.”
“Papa?” Kat burst into the room, almost as if she’d been hiding behind the door. She had on her striped pajamas and an interested expression. “Did I hear that Kalina can come for my birthday?”
“Eavesdropping again?” Spencer extended his arms. “Come give me a hug, and I’ll forgive you.”
She ran into his arms. “Really? Kalina gets to stay here a few days?”
He grinned. “Why not? It’s not every day a girl becomes a teenager.”
“And you’re really going to stand up to Grandmama?”
“I am.” He looked from her to Meredith. “With two strong females backing me, how can I lose?”
Kat exchanged glances with Meredith. They both knew that he could lose. Playing against the queen, the odds were against them.
“It’s late, Kat.” Meredith stood. “Since you’re not a teenager yet, will you let me tuck you into bed?”
Kat laughed. “Yes, we need a girl talk. I want to discuss my plans for when Kalina gets here. I have some ideas, but I’ll need your help.”
Meredith put an arm around her. “Okay, but promise not to keep me up too late. I need my beauty sleep.”
Spencer called out goodnight, chuckling to himself as they headed for Kat’s room.
Although Spencer never told Meredith the details of his conversation with the queen, it was clear that things were changing.
She no longer questioned Kat’s birthday guest or that Meredith had returned to her old room in the family’s quarters.
Meredith suspected that Spencer’s ultimatum about taking the kids away had done the trick.
Still, Meredith was unsure about the queen.
She was a smart woman and could possibly have a few royal tricks up her sleeve.
But Meredith was determined to show the woman respect and do her best not to cause problems.
In the meantime, she and Spencer and the children were acting and functioning almost like a normal family.
Not that Meredith knew exactly what that was, but they enjoyed their times together, and Spencer seemed more attentive to his children than ever before.
And the children seemed happier than ever before too.
Meredith hoped and prayed it wasn’t only temporary.