“Ready.”
The dinner flew by. The Swiss ambassador and Alaric spent most of their time in quiet conversation at the head of the table. Briony chatted with the ambassador’s wife and daughter. Cass spoke with two members of parliament at length about the trade agreements with Tulay. From what little he could hear of Daxon’s conversations with the minister of the treasury, he was trying to make a case for money being allotted for a new resort in the mountains. Every now and then, he caught Briony’s narrowed eyes as she glanced at her father.
How could the man be so blind? He had a son who would be a good leader for the people, a fact Cass had learned working so closely with Alaric the last three weeks. And he had a daughter who had not just overcome the most heart-wrenching disappointments but thrived as she continued to put others first.
The courses flew by: braised endive salad, scallops with caviar cream, and roasted venison with confit potatoes.
As their servers brought out plates of ginger cake topped with creamy icing and served with cinnamon apples on the side, Daxon’s words carried across the table during a lull in the conversation.
“We could capture some of the tourists that go to Amsterdam or Rotterdam. We just need to make that initial investment.”
“I think that’s a great idea,” Briony broke in.
Daxon smiled at her across the table, a smile that reminded Cass of a shark eyeing its prey.
“Thank you, my dear.”
“Especially if the resort were to be located in Dhara or Candon,” she continued. “I spoke with parents from those towns and their primary sources of income have all but dried up. A resort—”
“I would prefer to keep the resort close to Eira,” Daxon interrupted, his smile turning patronizing. “It’s a quaint notion, but Dhara and Candon have none of the luxury Eira can offer.”
“I disagree. I haven’t been to Dhara or Candon personally, and I would want to ensure the people would welcome a resort, but both areas offer mountains, lakes and towns that could thrive with an influx of tourist dollars.”
Daxon’s expression tightened, his skin stretching even further over his skull as he attempted to keep a smile on his face.
“Daughter, you’ve made quite an impression on the public, and some headway on your little project with the schools. That’s good. But you don’t have the experience to evaluate such a big investment.”
“And I disagree with that.”
Heads swung around to watch Cass as he speared Daxon with an icy gaze. His fingers tightened around the stem of his wineglass, the fragile material a reminder to keep a hold on his temper.
“Your daughter has proven to have an exceptional knack for evaluating Linnaea’s weaknesses and proposing reasonable solutions that don’t tax the treasury.”
The barb hit its mark, Daxon’s eyes narrowing to slits.
“While Eira has a lot to offer tourists, diversifying would be in our best interests to fully develop the entire country. And as Her Highness has said, getting the opinion of the people is paramount to success. It’s why her work on the education system has been so widely welcomed. She has not only intelligence but a genuine interest in helping others.”
“Not to mention time training in education with an American university,” Alaric broke in.
“All excellent points.” Everyone swung their gazes down to the Swiss ambassador, who nodded approvingly at Briony. “The Federal Council has admired the initial work being done to restore Linnaea’s schools. It’s still early, but if progress like that continues, I foresee a prosperous future for our two nations.”
Daxon was many things, but he wasn’t stupid. He inclined his head to Briony.
“My apologies, my dear. I certainly didn’t mean to imply that you had not accomplished a great deal during your time here. And I welcome any suggestions you have on how to better benefit our rural regions.”
Conversations slowly returned to normal around the table. Cass kept his eyes trained on Daxon, waiting in case the bastard chose to say something else foolish or hurtful. But the king simply resumed finishing his dessert.
Cass started as a hand wrapped around his under the table and squeezed. He glanced over to see Briony smiling at him with such warmth and affection in her emerald depths it made his chest ache.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
You’re in too deep.
He knew he was. He knew he had foolishly gone down the same path his aunt had, was succumbing too quickly to the emotions Briony created in him.
But when she made him feel like a knight in shining armor who could conquer the stars with just two simple words, how was he supposed to resist?
“You can call me Father at events like this, you know,” Daxon said quietly with a smile that he probably meant to be paternal but instead looked forced. They had all gathered in the library after dinner and were enjoying cocktails as the evening wound down.