CHAPTER 5
O n a mission, Ava searched the sleek wooden shelves inside the castle’s wine cellar for the perfect champagne for the Christmas party. She had a lot to choose from. Their royal wine collection was known as one of the largest and most valuable in Europe.
The cellar itself was equally impressive. A mixture of old-world charm and modern elegance, it was decorated beautifully for Christmas. The stone walls were adorned with gold, glittering garland and festive wreaths that matched.
One of the things Ava loved the most about the cellar was that her brilliant ancestors had made it large enough to host intimate parties.
In the heart of the room was a grand, hand-carved walnut table that was more than a hundred years old.
A timeless treasure. You could almost imagine people sitting around the table a century ago, telling stories, whispering secrets, and making toasts with amazing wines.
If you looked closely at the table, you could see some telltale signs of its age.
Ava ran her fingers over some faint initials carved into the table that she had been told were done by her rebellious mother when she was a child.
Right now, the table had been transformed into a festive masterpiece.
A gold velvet runner that ran the length of the table was covered with fragrant evergreen branches, sprigs of holly, and perfect pine cones.
There were gold candelabras with white candles waiting to be lit for the next celebration.
Strung across the ceiling were dozens of strands of white Christmas lights, adding to the magical setting.
The Christmas spirit continued with a charming Christmas tree in the corner of the cellar, decorated with cork ornaments that were tied with crimson velvet ribbon, a perfect nod to the royal family’s love of fine wine.
Ava scoured the wine racks, thinking of her father’s pride in upholding their royal tradition of not just showcasing prestigious vintages but also introducing up-and-coming wineries.
This holiday tradition was one of many she was determined to get right.
That was why she’d called in reinforcements, Duke Henry of Emberland.
She turned to Henry and saw him texting on his phone. She was grateful to have him by her side for her first time planning the Christmas party.
They’d always been destined to be together.
It was a match their parents had made when they were young children.
She’d been raised to understand that marrying Henry was her duty and the best way for the royal family to continue to carry out its legacy.
They’d grown up in the same social circles and had a lifelong friendship that was always more of an understanding than a genuine connection.
When she was fifteen, she’d gone through a stage where she thought she had a crush on him.
As a teenager, Henry was tall, smart, and good-looking.
As he grew up, he became your quintessential modern day Prince Charming with a dazzling smile, thanks to several years in braces.
He always carried himself with dignity and a confidence that was admired by his peers.
But in reality, there had never been any real spark between them.
She had always hoped there would be, and still thought that maybe after they were married, they would grow to love each other in a romantic way.
But for now, she was happy that as the sole heir, she had a partner who was ready to help her rule.
Ava only wished her father was still with them to see her upcoming engagement and marriage. She knew it had been his greatest wish for her to marry Henry, because he had planned out every last detail meticulously, down to announcing their engagement at the Christmas Eve party.
But now, with her father gone, Ava knew it was up to her to carry out his plans.
One thing she hadn’t been prepared for was her mother’s sudden odd behavior about Henry.
She didn’t know what was going on, but every time she tried to talk about the engagement plans, her mother changed the topic.
Something was up, and she needed to get to the bottom of it fast. She knew the sooner the engagement was officially announced, the better, so they could all move on and do the jobs they were meant to do.
Ava walked up to Henry.
He was still texting.
“Henry, thank you again for helping me pick a champagne for our engagement toast at the party. My father always said you had impeccable taste.”
When Henry finally looked up from his phone, he nodded, all business. “It’s my pleasure.”
Ava held up a bottle of champagne. “What about this Bollinger La Grande Année Brut? It’s from 2014, and it was one of my father’s favorites.”
Henry took the bottle and studied it for a moment.
Ava knew everything Henry did was well-thought-out. He was never one to rush a decision. When he nodded, she was relieved.
“Excellent choice,” he said. “It’s full-bodied, elegant, and beautifully balanced. No one could fault us for this being our choice.”
“But do you like it?” Ava asked. “I want it to be something that we both enjoy, because as you know, the champagne we make our engagement announcement with will be the same champagne we will have to use every year going forward at our anniversary parties.”
“Yes, of course. I’m aware,” Henry said as he handed her back the bottle. “This will be fine.”
She would have liked a little more than fine , but she let it go knowing this meant there was one more thing she could check off her epic “to do” list of all the things she needed to get done before the Christmas party.
“Is that all?” Henry asked, checking his watch.
“I have one more thing I want to show you,” Ava replied, excited. “It’s one of my latest inventions that Father always wanted me to finish.” She rushed to get a shiny gold wine chiller off a display shelf. She carefully placed it on the table, put the champagne bottle into it, and pushed a button.
The wine chiller silently turned around, making a full turn in about ten seconds. While it rotated, a digital thermometer on the outside showed the champagne temperature dropping from 55 to 47 degrees.
“It worked!” Ava said as she triumphantly took the champagne bottle out of the chiller. “My father always wanted a way to chill a bottle instantly. You know how impatient he was. Well, I finally figured out how to do it by…” Ava’s voice trailed off when she saw Henry wasn’t paying attention.
Henry was texting on his phone again.
Ava put the champagne bottle down. “Henry, are you listening?”
“Yes, that’s great,” Henry muttered, still texting.
Disappointed, Ava crossed her arms in front of her chest. One of the things she hated most was being ignored.
“Really?” she said, her voice skeptical. “Because I also invented a wine glass that yells at you when you drink too much. I’m using it at the party.”
“Wonderful,” Henry said, still staring at his phone.
Silence.
Henry’s head jerked up. “Wait, what did you say?”
Ava shook her head, disappointed. “Really?”
“I’m sorry,” he said and pulled off looking sufficiently guilty. “I’m trying to finalize a property deal with my cousin before the end of the year.”
Ava picked up the wine chiller and tried to show him. “This is the new wine chiller I invented that can chill wine in seconds. Do you want me to show you again?”
“No, it’s okay. I believe you, but—”
“But? But what?” Ava asked, not liking the frown on his face.
Henry gave the wine chiller a cynical look. “I’m just surprised you’re still tinkering around trying to make things.”
When Ava put down the wine chiller with a loud thud, Henry winced.
“ Trying to make things,” Ava repeated. Her eyes flashed a challenge. “I’m not trying . I’ve actually invented a lot of things. This is what I went to school for—”
“Something I never understood,” Henry interrupted. “How is this hobby of yours going to help us in the future when we take over the monarchy?”
Ava’s eyes grew huge. She opened her mouth to set Henry straight but, like always, controlled herself. She knew it wouldn’t do her any good to argue with Henry. Instead, she grabbed the champagne bottle, expertly popped the cork, and poured the champagne into two fluted glasses.
Henry arched an eyebrow. “We’re drinking before lunch?”
Ava kept pouring. “I am.”
When her glass was full, she took a long sip, savoring the taste as bubbles tickled the end of her nose. She picked up the second glass and offered it to Henry, but he waved it away.
“Has your mother given her official permission yet, so I can propose at the party?” Henry asked.
Ava refilled her glass to the top again. “Not yet.”
Henry frowned. “I don’t understand what the holdup is. What could possibly be more important than our engagement?”
Ava drank more champagne and set her glass down. “A dog.”
Henry did a double take. “What?”
“My mother got a dog from the shelter,” Ava answered. “Some rescue dog.”
“To do what with?” Henry asked, looking thoroughly confused.
“To keep, apparently,” Ava said. She didn’t even try to keep the disapproval from her voice. “She just brought him home and announced that we now have a dog.”
“Good God, why?” Henry asked. “Is this some kind of publicity stunt for one of her charities?”
Ava shook her head as she continued drinking.
“Is she worried about being alone after we get married?” Henry asked.
Ava laughed. “I doubt it. We barely talk now.”
Henry frowned. “I thought you were going to work on getting closer to your mother. A united front is best for the monarchy.”
“I’m aware,” Ava said. “But it’s easier said than done. You know we’ve never seen eye to eye on anything. My father understood me, but my mother never has and never will…” Ava’s voice cracked with emotion. She stared into her champagne glass.
It was as empty as she felt.
She put her glass down, picked up Henry’s untouched champagne flute, and started drinking from it.
Henry, looking concerned, took the glass from her. “You’re the heir apparent. You need to step up and rein your mother in, just like your father always did. I’ll be right by your side helping you.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Ava caught a movement and saw her mother hovering at the cellar’s doorway, listening. Before Ava could say anything, her mother swiftly walked away.
Ava swore under her breath.
“What?” Henry asked.
“I just saw my mother coming in here. I don’t know what she overheard, but she left pretty fast.”
“Good, now you have a reason to talk to her about this,” Henry said.
Ava gave Henry a look like he was clueless. “That’s like going into battle when the other side knows you’re coming.”
Henry smiled a confident smile. “If you need help, I would be happy to talk to her with you—”
“No.” Ava interrupted. “This is something I need to do. I’ll be fine.”
“You need to talk to her right away,” Henry urged.
“Yes, I know,” Ava said, trying to keep her patience. “I’ll go talk to her right now.”
“You’re sure you don’t need my help?”
“Yes,” Ava said, trying look more confident than she felt. “Don’t worry, we’re getting engaged at the Christmas party just like my father always planned.”