A Royal Kiss and Tell

Leo stood up and held out his hand to her to help her to her feet. He kissed her once more, this time with particular tenderness. “It would be the end of you and possibly the death of me if anyone of your household was to find us like this,” he whispered. He dropped his hands and stepped away and walked to the door. He glanced back at her, his gaze full of longing. “Tonight? Eight o’clock?”

Caroline nodded. And then she pressed her hands against her belly and watched him walk out the door.

When he’d gone, she stared up at the ceiling and the papier-mâché scrolls there, blinking back tears. She didn’t hear Garrett come in until he spoke.

“Madam?”

Caroline was a master at recovery, she discovered. “Ah, Garrett, there you are. A cloak please. I’m going round to call on Hollis, and I won’t be home for supper.”

She knew herself well enough to know that she was in desperate trouble. Her heart was headed for collision with reality, and it was going to shatter into pieces very soon, because Hollis was right—she loved Leopold. And now he was going to ruin everything by being a good man.

Her heart would be irreparably broken, she was certain of it. But until the moment of its death, there was nothing to be done for it—she had to help him.

A DAILY MAID let Caroline into Hollis’s home. She found her friend in the drawing room, not in her office. Hollis was perched on a chair before the hearth, reading a broadsheet, a serious look of concentration on her face. Caroline took the chair beside hers and looked around the neat room. It was quite a contrast from the clutter of her office. Even the two cats seemed to be in their places, curled up together on the end of the settee. “Where is Donovan?” Caroline asked.

“I don’t know,” Hollis muttered.

Caroline bent forward to catch Hollis’s eye. “Good evening, Hollis! How are you? What are you doing?”

“Reading the Daily News.” Hollis sighed and lowered the broadsheet. “It’s edited by Charles Dickens. Do you know him?”

“I’ve not met him.”

“He’s printing things that are...worthy, Caro. Items of news that ought to be spread around. Not on-dits. Did you know that Parliament means to establish an entire new system of county courts?”

Caroline laughed. “I certainly did not, and I refuse to know it now. Darling, put that away. I need you just now.”

Hollis blinked. She put the broadsheet away. “Why? What’s happened?”

“I must have Leopold invited to the Pennybacker ball.”

Hollis stared at her. And then she laughed. She laughed so hard she fell back against the settee. “Caro, you are the one who made certain of it he was not invited.”

“Yes, I am well aware, thank you, Hollis. But now I realize it was a terrible mistake.”

Hollis wasn’t through laughing, however. “The seeds you sow, dearest. Shall I venture a guess? You do love him.”

Caroline didn’t have the patience to be coy today. Time was of the essence. “Yes! I am in love with Prince Leopold. There, are you happy now? Will you help me?”

Hollis was still giggling. She reached for Caroline’s hand. “I am happy now. You’re a perfect match. You, too bold by half and terribly impetuous at times, and him, too fond of his ale. All right. But it will require a little cunning.” She stood up and began to pace, one hand on her waist, one finger tapping against her lip. “Ah. Here we are, then. Lady Farrington’s husband has come into quite a lot of money, as I am sure you know.”

Caroline snorted a laugh. “Everyone knows. Priscilla makes certain of it.”

“Nancy Pennybacker can’t abide it when Priscilla has something she doesn’t have. If Nancy knows that Priscilla is having the prince to dine—because you tell her—she will have the prince to her ball. No matter what she thinks of Prince Leopold, she will not allow Priscilla to have royalty into her house before she does.”

A slow smile spread across Caroline’s lips. “That is positively diabolical, Hollis.”

“I study the on-dits, darling. But you must convince Priscilla she ought to have him.”

Caroline stood up. “That’s the easiest thing I might do this week. But Hollis, there is more.”

“No,” Hollis said, and fell very ungracefully into her chair, and propped one foot against the fire screen. “I can’t help you with Lady Norfolk.”

“No, something else—I need a rather large favor. I need you to take in two young women and a boy. But only temporarily,” she hastily added.

Hollis dropped her foot and sat up. “Caroline? What have you done?” she asked gravely.

“Nothing. At least not yet.”

Hollis leaned forward. “Tell me.”

Caroline told her everything. Hollis said not a word as she talked—she gaped at her, her eyes round with shock. When Caroline finished, Hollis leaned back in her seat and stared at the ceiling for a very long moment, taking it all in. “I wouldn’t have thought Prince Leopold of all people would be the one to save them from that.”

“No,” Caroline said with a sheepish laugh.