Chapter 13
Rose didn’t even bother coming up with an excuse for agreeing to eat with him the next day, or the days after that.
The series of interviews continued all week, covering a wide range of both indoor and outdoor staff.
The various accounts painted a consistent picture, and after the first two days, Rose half-expected Leo to cancel the remaining interviews.
But the prince didn’t relent, driving himself hard as he assembled a comprehensive report that would satisfy even the most exacting monarch.
And as the days drew on, Rose realized he was doing more than compiling a case against the current steward.
Leo’s skillful questioning drew out one name consistently above the others, and she wasn’t surprised when the man in question was called in on the final day of interviews, the second to last of all.
Leo asked him a very different set of questions from the ones he had asked the others, and as he reached the final question, he smiled. “If asked, would you be willing to step up and assume the role of palace steward?”
The man’s eyes widened. Clearly he hadn’t realized where Leo was leading. For a moment, he sat silent. Then he cleared his throat, his voice gruff as he responded.
“I would be honored to serve the royal family and the palace in any way requested.”
“Good.” Leo smiled with satisfaction. “I will be in contact with you again soon.”
The man left the room looking dazed, and Leo grinned. “That will make things easier,” he said to no one in particular, and Rose nodded.
Everyone had agreed that there was nothing to fault in the current steward’s organization, and relieving him of his post without a replacement would only have replaced one type of chaos for another.
But everyone’s smiles fell away as the final interview began.
The current steward swept into the room, seeming unaware of what awaited him.
He bowed in Leo’s direction, his execution perfect for their comparative rank, but something in his manner lacked the true warmth of respect.
Or did it just look that way after all the stories they had heard about the man?
But whatever his feelings toward Leo, Rose certainly wasn’t imagining his supercilious smile as his eyes skipped over the guard, the clerks, and Rose herself.
Clearly he considered them below his notice, his confidence unshaken despite the prince’s strange behavior in interviewing palace staff all week.
However, it was equally clear that Leo had been expecting the steward’s attitude.
The prince’s expression didn’t falter as the steward failed to satisfactorily answer any of the complaints or take any responsibility for the culture he had fostered.
And when he had finished answering Leo’s final question, the prince sent a silent message to the guard by the door.
The man opened the door promptly to allow two more guards inside—guards who had clearly been waiting ready.
Leo delivered the steward’s dismissal, and the man was still sputtering and protesting as the guards escorted him from the room, the door guard trailing behind the trio watchfully.
A sigh of released tension filled the room. The clerks packed up their final records with alacrity, presenting the folders to Leo and leaving. The prince just sat there, rubbing a hand over his eyes.
“That’s settled, then,” he said. “I hope Father approves.”
“He will,” Rose said firmly, although she had little personal experience with King Frederic. “You were firm and decisive but more than fair. You couldn’t leave the situation to worsen until your parents’ return.”
Leo nodded slowly. “That’s true.” He gave a single chuckle. “They wanted me to try my hand at ruling in their absence, but I don’t think they expected me to do anything as dramatic as dismissing the palace steward and hiring a replacement.”
“They’ll approve,” Rose repeated. “And your servants will be grateful to you. Thankfully you have a large staff. The senior servants like Hannah will make sure that anyone who was victimized is separated from their persecutors while we wait to see who causes trouble in future.”
“That was an excellent suggestion on your part,” Leo said approvingly.
“But I never thought of using the interviews to find a replacement steward. I didn’t even realize what you were doing for an embarrassingly long time.”
Leo grinned at her. “We make a good team.”
He stood, stretching after all the hours spent sitting bolt upright. Strolling around the table, he leaned casually against it, smiling down at her.
“I think you surprised some of your people this week,” Rose said, remembering some of the looks that had been sent Leo’s way. “In a good way, I mean.”
He smiled ruefully. “I hope so. I suspect some people were concerned when my parents announced I would be taking their place during their absence. I think I’ve always been fairly well liked—if I do say so myself.
” He chuckled. “But most people know me for my past mischief-making with Luca. They think of me as a good-natured troublemaker and little better than a child. But I’m not a child any longer, and I want to be taken seriously. ”
Rose looked up at his broad shoulders. No one with eyes could think of him as a child. But she managed to catch the words before they escaped, saying instead, “Well, you’ve just dismissed the palace steward and chosen his replacement. I don’t think anyone will fail to take you seriously in future.”
“I didn’t do it for that reason,” he said quickly.
She placed a hand on his arm. “I know that. And so does everyone else. You just did what needed to be done. I’m glad your own people now know they can respect you.” She sighed. “But I hope you don’t find every week as demanding as this one. It’s exhausting!”
Leo laughed. “I certainly hope not. Especially since I haven’t truly changed—not underneath. The same mischievous lad is still there, I just have proper responsibilities now as well. I have to believe it’s possible to be a good crown prince—and one day king—while still finding enjoyment in life.”
“Not just possible but essential,” Rose said with conviction. “Without some lightness, the heaviness of the crown would crush you. Monarchs should still be able to laugh.”
“Exactly! I want to use my position to help my people, but it’s only reasonable I should get to have fun sometimes as well.” He grinned down at her, and she laughed.
“What sort of fun do you have in mind that’s acceptable for Crown Prince Leo?”
“Actually,” he said, his voice dropping and taking on a husky note, “lately I’ve only been able to think of one thing I want to do.”
His eyes darkened, dropping to her lips, and Rose’s breath stuttered.
In one swift movement, Leo drew her to her feet. His face bent over hers, and he hovered there for a moment, his eyes on her lips. When she made no move to step away from him, he pressed his lips down on hers, gathering her the rest of the way into his arms.
She sank against him, the world spinning as she was thoroughly kissed for the first time in her life. Her arms rose of their own volition, tangling in his hair and pressing his face more firmly against hers.
He responded with a sound deep in his throat, his arms tightening, and Rose’s thoughts sputtered back into life.
What was she doing? She had come to Lanover with a single intention—to not fall in love with Prince Leo.
She wrenched herself away from him, breathing heavily. His eyes still look dazed, taking a moment to come back into focus. When they did, he seized her hands, speaking before her confused brain could think of anything to say.
“Posey, what are your parents’ names?”
“Wh…What?” Rose stared at him, her scrambled brain struggling to keep up. Everyone in the Four Kingdoms knew the names of her parents.
Then she remembered. She was Natalie.
She withdrew her hands, placing them against her head as she tried to make sense of the tangle she had let her life become. She had just kissed Leo—the one person she had sworn not to love—and he didn’t even know her true identity.
“They’re…it’s…Dane and Patti,” she stammered, dredging the names of Natalie’s parents from her memory.
“And your grandparents?” he asked eagerly.
“I…I…”
A cloud of confusion dimmed his expression as he watched her clear distress. But Natalie had never told Rose the names of her grandparents. Why would she?
And even if she’d known the names, Rose didn’t want to give them. She and Leo had just kissed, and she didn’t want any more falseness between them. She didn’t know what she wanted between them, but it wasn’t that.
Mumbling an apology, she fled from the room, ignoring the cries of “Posey!” that followed her out.