“Makes me glad Mum had us in litters of seven. Too many kids for her to care one way or the other what we did.”
“Yeah, well, there’s only two of us, and I do care,” I said, slumping down on the bed.
“How are we going to bloody get Tess out of here if she doesn’t want to go?” Flea asked.
“Watch, wait and be there if he tries anything.”
“You have brought your guards to dine, milady? Is that quite necessary?” The prince asked as we entered the grand dining room. The table seemed like it was a mile long, full of furry officers sitting, ready to eat. Gabe, Natty and Flea had accompanied me down the many glossy wood stairs in cleaner clothes, though still probably not meeting the dress code.
“You’ll forgive me, sire,” I said, “I am in another dimension where many of your subjects eat people just like me. One cannot be too careful at the dining table; I don’t want to be mistaken for the appetiser.”
“Very droll,” he said, forcing a smile. “I had you seated between my captain and his lieutenant, but I believe they will be happy to make room for you.” They weren’t. I got many a dark glare as the furries rearranged themselves at the table, some, no doubt, junior officers being sent to eat in the mess. “And Master Natty, you are not returning to your employer’s side?”
“I have engaged Natty as a guide and paid Gump handsomely for his time. He will remain with me until the end of his contract. I hope that is acceptable to you,” I said.
“What need have you of a guide, Lady McKinnon,” Tess asked, “if you spent your youth here with His Highness?” She bestowed a tight smile upon me.
“It has been some time since I was here and I was quite young. I fear my memory is quite weak,” I said, fixing an equally bitchy smile on my face.
“Well, we’ll do our best to remind you of the pleasures of the citadel during your stay, milady. Now, Lady Pendragon, try the sole. Cookie has been labouring over it all afternoon.”
I’d always loved costume dramas at home. Tess and I would sit on the bed, popcorn in hand and watch the genteel battles play out around the dining table with glee. Bit I soon found out it wasn’t as fun participating in it as I’d anticipated. For instance, there was a lot less thinly veiled insults, everyone was on their best behaviour in front of the girls who could potentially restore their prince to his former furry glory and Tess wasn’t speaking to me unless she had to. The prince noted this with a slightly raised eyebrow, but from his carnivore’s smile, I assumed he thought it was just a bit of feminine jousting for his attention. Gag.
“So, what did you have planned for tomorrow?” my sister asked as we lingered over the dessert course. God, they ate well in exile. Too much more of this and I was going to need new clothes.
“Ah well, milady, I have not had a chance to reconnect with the Lady McKinnon yet, so I was proposing an outing for just the two of us in the morning, though I will be at your disposal in the afternoon.” Tess’s eyes met mine across the dinner table, narrowing slightly. I wasn’t the only one to notice, the prince grinned as I looked right back, the scrape and clink of cutlery on ceramic falling away as we stared each other down.
“Of course, Your Highness,” she said, eyes dropping artfully to her plate, “it’s just you spoke so eloquently about the lake on your property, I’m afraid I was overcome with my longing to see it.”
“My dear,” he replied, taking her hand in his, “I will take you boating, we will have a late luncheon. It will be worth the wait, I promise.”
“That sounds delightful,” I said, cocking an eyebrow at Tess, “perhaps we should all go, make a day of it.” I turned to the prince, “Could your cook pack us something for a picnic, do you think?”
“Uh, yes. . . .”
I took the prince’s other hand in mine, his eyes widening as I did so. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the officers closest to us each reach for the dinner knives as one. “Neither of us wishes to miss a moment of your illustrious company, sire and I believe this is the best compromise, don’t you agree?”
“Yes, but. . . .”
“I, for one, want to see if you still cut the same figure punting as you did in your youth,” I said with a purr.
“Of course, he doesn’t,” Tess snapped. “He has quite a different body now. I can’t believe you would be so insensitive!”
“Fur, no fur. . . .” I let my eyes linger over the prince’s broad chest. “I’m intrigued about the difference.”
The prince swallowed and then said, “I will be honoured to take both of you out onto the lake. Tomorrow promises to be a most pleasant day.”
“I’m sorry,” Tess said, resting her hand on her chest, “I realise now I’ve horned into a reunion with two old friends most atrociously. Your original plan was a good one, sire, pushing two women around in the one boat will be a bore for you. I’ll await your visit in the afternoon.”
“No, no, Lady Pendragon,” I said. “You have more than one boat, sire?” The prince nodded, eyes flicking back and forth between Tess and I. “We will share you between the boats, so each gets an equal share. You can relax and my men can pilot the crafts.”
“Oh, well, that sounds like a fair compromise,” the prince replied.
“But. . . .” The prince went very still, then slowly met Tess’s gaze. Throughout the dining room, everyone went quiet. Tess struggled to hold his gaze, to mumble something apologetic, but the words died in her throat. No matter what his form was now, no matter the political situation, this was a man born to rule.
“We’ll meet in the dining room at nine for breakfast and then move onto the lake from there. Now, ladies, if you’ll excuse us, the port is about to be served.”
Duly dismissed we both pushed our chairs away from the table and filed out of the room, the guys in tow. As the massive, ornate, white and gold doors were closed behind us, I expected Tess to turn and say something, even if it was just to throw scorn at me for my shitty flirting. She thought about it; her eyes wide and her breath coming in long shuddering intakes.