Few people had been allowed in under the Tantaberras. It was a pity. The grand rooms with the arched ceilings were begging for a royal event with all the elite of Alma in attendance.
From the expression on his face, Gabriel wasn’t as impressed. Since the heated discussion in the car, he’d been quiet. She thought that when Señor Montoro skipped the tour and asked to be shown to his rooms so he could nap Gabriel would perk up, but he didn’t. Now he silently took it all in as they followed his personal steward, Ernesto, on a tour through the palace.
“These are the king’s private chambers,” Ernesto said as he opened the double doors to reveal the expansive room.
There was a king-size bed in the center of the room with a massive four-poster frame. It was draped in red fabric with a dozen red and gold pillows scattered across the bed. Large tapestries hung on the walls, and a Moroccan rug covered the stone floors.
“Your bath and closet are through those doors,” Ernesto continued.
She watched as Gabriel looked around, a slightly pained expression on his face. “It’s awfully dark in here,” he complained. “It’s like a cave or an underground cellar. Are there only those two windows?”
Ernesto looked at the two arched windows crafted of stained glass and nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
She watched Gabriel tense at the use of the formal title. “I’m not king yet, Ernesto. You can just call me Gabriel.”
The man’s eyes grew wide. “I would rather not, Your Grace. You’re still the crown prince.”
“I suppose.” Gabriel sighed and fixed his gaze on a set of double doors on the other side of the room. “Where do those doors go to?”
Ernesto, lean and dark-complexioned, moved quickly to the doors and opened them. “Through here are the queen’s rooms. And beyond it are chambers for her ladies-in-waiting, although the rooms may be better suited in these times as an office or a nursery. The rooms haven’t really been used since your great-grandmother, Queen Anna Maria, fled Alma.”
Gabriel frowned. “The queen doesn’t share a room with the king?”
“She may. Traditionally, having her own space allowed her to pursue more feminine activities with her ladies such as sewing or reading without interfering with the running of the state.”
“It’s like I’ve gone back in time,” Gabriel grumbled, and ran his fingers through his hair in exasperation.
“The staff is still working on restoring and modernizing the palace. Perhaps Your Majesty would prefer to spend some time prior to the coronation at Playa del Onda. It’s a more modern estate, built for the royal family to vacation at the beach in the summers. It’s lovely, with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the sea and bright, open rooms.”
For the first time since they’d arrived, Serafia noticed Gabriel perk up. “How far is it from here?”
“It’s about an hour’s drive along the coastal highway, but you won’t mind a minute of it. The views are exquisite. I can call ahead to the staff there and let them know you’ll be coming if you’d like.”
Gabriel considered his options for a moment and finally turned to look at Serafia. “I know we’ll be coming back to Del Sol for a lot of activities this week, but I think I’d like to stay out there while I can. Care to continue our work at the beach?” he asked.
She nodded. The location wasn’t important to her, but she could tell it mattered to him. He seemed to have a tense, almost claustrophobic reaction to his own quarters, despite the room being massive in scale with tall, arched ceilings. If he could relax, he would absorb more information. She could accommodate the extended drive times in their schedule.
“Then let’s do that. My father will be staying here, but Señorita Espina and I will be going to Playa del Onda. We’ll be staying there for the next week. I’ll return as we start preparing for the coronation.”
“Very good. I’ll arrange for your transportation.”
“Ernesto?”
The steward paused. “Yes, Your Majesty?”
“See if you can arrange for a convertible with a GPS. I’d like to drive myself to the compound and enjoy the sun and sea air on the way.”
“Drive yourself?” Ernesto seemed stumped for a moment, but then immediately shook off his concerns. It wasn’t his place to question the king’s requests. “Yes, Your Grace.” He turned and disappeared down the hallway.
“They’re not going to know what to do with a king like you,” Serafia said.
“Me, neither,” Gabriel noted dryly. “But maybe if we spend a couple days at the beach, we can all be better prepared for my official return to the palace.”