Royal Pain in the Ass (8 page)

I nodded trying to understand.
 
I really didn
’
t know what it would mean to be a Duke
’
s daughter.
  “
What would be the first step?
”

“
I will call my advisor in the morning and have her send someone over for you.
”

I raised an eyebrow.
   “Meaning?”

“
Do you enjoy shopping?
”

I shrugged.
  “I
’
m not very partial to parting with my money.
”

“
On my pound?
”

“I can
’
t accept that.
”

“
I insist.
 
Consider this twenty-one years worth of birthday presents.
” 
James smiled.
  “
I won
’
t take no for an answer.
  Now hurry, go change.  I
’
ll send one of the servants to take you to the dining room.
  It
’
s nearly time for supper.
  Hurry up.” 
James hurried off leaving me alone to take in what he had just said.

I sighed and went into my room and locked the door.

Chapter VI

I decided I
’
d give Millie and Angelica more time to
‘
adjust
’
to the idea that I was her stepdaughter and half-sister.
 
Laurel came and knocked on my door about fifteen minutes after James left me there and I invited her in.

“
Laurel, it
’
s okay if I call you that right?
”

“
Of course, Miss
Juliet,
”

“
Hey, you don
’
t have to call me miss every time we talk.
 
You can just call me Juliet if you want.
 
Most of my friends call me Jules back home.
”
I offered.
  “
It sounds weird and too official.
”

Laurel let out a small laugh.
  “
You are a strange one, that
’
s for sure.
”

“
Good strange, like how peanut butter and Oreos can be so amazing together, or bad strange like Lady Gaga fashion sense?
”

Laurel started laughing again.
  “I
’
m not quite sure to be honest.
 
You are going to change this place though.
 
That is for sure.
”

“
I don’
t really want to go down to dinner.
”
I admitted, feeling sheepish.
 
Since when was I nervous around people?
 
This was weird of me.

“
Why not?
”

“I
’
m not comfortable around Millie and Angelica to be honest.
”

Laurel nodded.
  “
They are a bit much at times.
”

My stomach growled.

Laurel gave me a knowing look.
  “
I could bring you something from the kitchens, or you can brave them.
”

I nodded.
 
She was right.
 
I was a guest, I shouldn
’
t have to hide.
  “
Let me change really quick and I
’
ll head down there.
 
I pulled my suitcase into the bathroom and took the fastest shower of my life and was pulling on clothes that I was comfortable in.
 
I had a pair of cropped shorts that had started life as jeans and a crimson fitted top.
 
I was as ready as I was going to be to head downstairs.
 
Laurel looked me over and there was something in her eyes I couldn
’
t quite place, because as quickly as I saw it, it was gone.
 
She governed her face back to the polite mask she always seemed to wear.

“
You will definitely change things around here.
” 

I smiled.
  “
Can you show me to the dining room?
 
I may forget to eat, but my stomach sure doesn
’
t.”
I laughed.
 

Laurel showed me to the dining room and disappeared around the corner, leaving me alone.
 
I took a deep breath and pushed the doors open.
 
Millie, Angelica, and James were sitting at the table with a woman I
’
d never met before.

“
Ah, how good of you to join us,
”
Millie snorted sardonically.

“
Juliet, this is one of my advisors, Carolynn.
” 
He indicated the plump woman sitting next to him.
 
She had a cheery smile and was the only woman in the room not sneering at me.

“It
’
s a pleasure,
”
I smiled.

“
Carolynn has helped Angelica and Millie with images and appearances.
  I
’
d like you to go shopping with her tomorrow.
 
And she can help -
” 
James started.

“
I have a question.
”
I interjected.

“
Yes, love?
”

“
Are you planning on trying to change everything about me?
”

James looked taken aback, Angelica covered a laugh up with a cough and Millie was staring at her dinner with an uninterested gaze.
  “
What do you mean love?
”

“
Just what I said.
 
I have my own clothes.
 
I have my own style.
 
I am who I am.
 
I don’
t plan on changing who I am.
 
If that
’
s what you want me to do, I
’
m sorry, but I won
’
t.”

James stared at me for a long moment, then his face softened into a smile.
 
He let out a sigh.
  “
There is no denying you are her daughter.
 
Very well, Carolynn will go with you, and you may pick out what you like, but some things are just not appropriate in our society as they would be in America.
”

“
Yeah, like what?
”

“
Like certain mannerisms and
 
. . . terms that Americans use so freely.
”

“
Like what?
”

“
Cursing, my dear,
”
Millie interjected.
  “
Your foul mouth is embarrassing.
  A
proper lady doesn
’
t behave in such a way.
 
That mouth of yours could make a sailor blush.
”

I stared straight at her.
  “
Oh, you haven
’
t heard anything yet, should I call you Mum?
”

Millie tensed.
  “I
’
ve already told you what to call -
”

“
That
’
s a marvelous idea,
”
James beamed.
  “I
’
m glad you two are getting acquainted.
 
Now I have a meeting to attend.
 
You ladies should continue chatting.
 
Good evening.
” 
James stood and hurried out.
                                                                               

“
So, what
’
s for dinner?”
I asked, choosing a seat.
  “
It looks delicious.
”
I smiled.

I started fixing myself a plate and dug in while everyone else stared at me.
 
I think I might just enjoy being here for a while.

I listened to Carolynn
’
s suggestions, most of which I shot down, and watched as Millie and Angelica tried to ignore me and pretend I wasn
’
t there.
 
In these instances, I would feel the need to make my presence know.

“
Mum, darling, would you pass the salt?
”
I smiled, just as sweet as pie.
 
It would be rude for her to ignore me in front of Carolynn.
 
Millie just didn
’
t seem the type to let the world see her snakelike side.

Millie gave me a flat look and harshly handed it to me.

“You
’
re the best, Mum.
”
I smiled, I knew the grin was cheeky, but I couldn
’
t help myself.
 
I personally had a lovely dinner.
 
Millie and Angelica didn
’
t seem very hungry.
 
I talked with Carolynn for a while after they left, and she seemed like a nice lady.
 
I really felt bad that she thought she could change me.
 
Unfortunately, she had no idea what she was up against.
 
I told Carolynn goodnight and managed to find my way back to my room, all by myself.

“
You deserve a cookie,
”
came a familiar voice I couldn
’
t place.
 
I turned to see Gwen.
 

“Hey!”
I smiled.
 
She actually had a cookie for me.
  “
Chocolate chip!
 
I love chocolate chip cookies.
 
Oh my god, and it
’
s still warm.
  Have I told you you
’
re amazing?
”
I asked around a mouthful of cookie.

“
No, but you
’
re welcome to.
 
I figured I
’
d make sure you got here okay, and cookies just make everything better.
”
Gwen shrugged.
  “
So I talked to Ben today.
”

“He seemed pretty cool,”

“
Yeah, he can be,
”
Gwen smiled, a far off look in her eye.
 
I cocked my head to the side.
  “
Are you two?
”

Gwen
’
s smiled widened as she nodded.
  “Yeah,”

“He
’
s your boyfriend?
”

Gwen shot me a look of disgust.
  “Ew, no, he
’
s my brother.
”

“Oh, I
’
m sorry.”

“
No problem,
”
Gwen laughed.
  “
I have to get started on my chores.
  Good luck tomorrow. 
Word on the grounds is that we have some very important guests coming.
  It
’
s going to be an early morning.
 
Get some sleep if you can.
” 
Gwen sauntered off and I went into my room.
 
I changed into my bedclothes and managed to fall asleep almost instantly.

The next thing I knew, Laurel was gently shaking me awake.
 

“Dude?” 
I looked around.
  “
What time is it?
”

“
Time to wake up.
”
Laurel smiled.
  “
We have some very important guests coming.
”

“
Who the hell is so important?
”

“
The R
oyal
F
amily”
Laurel replied flatly.

“
No, really,
”

“
Really.
”

I sat up.
  “
Why is the royal family coming here?
”

“
Because the queen is visiting her baby brother.
”

“
James is the queen
’
s baby brother?
”

“
Master Eastgate is, yes.
”

“
Hmm, so my aunt is the queen?
”

“
My, you are a fast study,
”
Laurel laughed.

“
Well, what does one wear to meet a queen?
”

“
Do you have nice clothes?
”

I shrugged.
 

Laurel covered her face with her hand.
  “
It might not mean much to you, but it does to us.
 
The queen is kind of like your favorite grandmother.
 
You may not agree with everything she says, but you do your best to be polite and appease her.
 
Appeasing her is of the upmost importance.
 
Your best bet is probably not to talk, to be honest.
”
Laurel covered her mouth.
  “
I didn
’
t mean that the way it sounded.
”

“It
’
s cool,
”
I shrugged.
  “
I have a big mouth.
 
I say stupid things.
” 
I pulled my butt out of bed and started rummaging through my suitcase.
 
I did bring a dress with me.
 
It was white with a black belt around the chest.
 
It went to about mid-thigh and I even remembered to bring shoes for it, a pair of black heels.
 
I pulled it out and showed it to Laurel.
  “
What do you think?
”

“
It works a lot better than ripped jeans.
”
Laurel smiled.

“
Is it queen worthy?
”

Laurel shook her head.
  “
No, but for you, that
’s marvelous.
”

I narrowed my eyes.
  “
What does that mean?
”

“I
’
m sorry, I just, it
’s just -
”

I burst out laughing.
  “I
’
m only joking.
  I
’
m a mess and I know it.
”

Laurel sighed.
  “
Well, I
’
m actually supposed to basically brief you on proper procedures and etiquette and such.
”

An hour later I had my hair styled, my make up done and felt nothing like myself.
 
I wasn
’
t comfortable in what I was wearing or why but I put on a smile and decided to try to fake it as best I could.
 
We were all gathered in the sitting room and Eleanor brought me tea.
  “I
’
m happy Aunt Cassandra is coming, are her children coming?
”
Angelica cooed.

“I
’
m not sure,
”
James sighed, sipping his tea.

“Oh,”
Angelica sipped hers and her eyes shifted to me.
  “
This will be interesting.
”

Not long after a beautiful woman strolled in.
 
There was an air of power around her, but she didn
’
t have to flaunt it.
 
There was something about her that if she whispered an order, everyone would jump to action.
 
Everyone stood.

“
Cassie,
”
James smiled and pulled her into a hug.

“James,”
Her smile was soft and genuine.
 
There was something about her.
 
She was simply . . . radiant.
 
I saw a lot of James in her.
  “
I got your message.
 
What surprise do you have for me?
”

“A niece.” 
James beamed.
  “I
’
ve just recently found out I have another daughter.
”

Cassandra frowned at him.
  “James,”
she started cautiously.
  “
explain yourself.
”

James sighed and smiled.
  “
Do you remember, about twenty years ago, Rose?
”

Cassandra
’
s eyes went wide.
  “Yes . . .”

James gave a sheepish smile.

“
Is Rose here now?
”
Cassandra asked looking around.

James
’
s face fell and he shook his head.
   “
No, she
’
s  . . .”