Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 116570 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 583(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116570 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 583(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Slowly, I looked back up to her, but she did not give me a chance to speak.
“He did so to protect you. He did not want you to see it. And I cannot fault him for that. It is a prince’s nature to worry about his future wife. It is a future wife who is supposed to give him the confidence not to worry. If that was not already enough to start this morning, I was woken with the news of the prince entering your rooms last night. Do you not think it is embarrassing for me to walk in on my son as I have? The image of him like that is not one I ever want to have, and yet I am here. Why? Not because I wish to be an evil queen or mother-in-law to you. I did not come here to help Gale, but to help you.”
“Me?”
She nodded. “One day, you will be queen, Odette. Do you want the newspapers tomorrow to say that you seduced the prince and kept him locked away in bed with you on your first night in the palace? That you distracted him from his duties and also ignored centuries of customs and traditions?”
I stared at her, gaping. “I—”
“You did not seduce him. He seduced you? Odette, have you not read history? It is normal for the kings and princes to indulge in whatever they like. That is not scandalous. ‘Bad’ women, ‘bad’ queens, are. Who did what first does not matter; it will be your fault anyway. Everything will somehow connect to you. The Adelaar was late to a meeting? It was Odette who stopped him from coming. Sophia cried? It was Odette who caused it. No matter how famous you were before, it pales in compassion to being a queen consort. You will be written about and studied by others for generations. What you wear, what you say, what you do—that is now part of this country’s history. And you being of the skin tone you are, the country you are, will be written about, spoken about, and especially lied about, more than any other queen, I am sure. Do you want to give them more ammunition? Do you want them to write about this?”
I shook my head. Each time she said my name, it felt as though she were smacking me.
“Then follow the rules and protocol as if it were holy scripture. You do not have to be a virgin, but you are going to have to act like one,” she said blatantly. “Even after you two are married and have children, you will still have to act like one. However, until that time, do not let my son’s charms get to you and do not charm him yourself. You may show you love each other. Even kiss. But nothing more until you both are married. Understood?”
“I understand.” Even though we were married already—that secret got harder and harder to keep. But I also understood her point. And a smart part of me was grateful for her reality check.
“Good. Now, you will bathe and prepare for your day while a few of my maids clean this room. No one will know of today. I have already had a rumor spread that you were saddened that I told you to abandon your singing career, and as such, Gale came to talk to you last night and returned to his room afterward. It will not put you in a better light, but still, it will be better than the truth,” she said and walked to the door. “Do not disappoint me again, Odette.”
Is that possible when I do not know all of the rules yet? I thought as she left. Lifting the paper, I stared at the photo again.
Would people really believe this?
Chapter 13
“I haven’t seen you like this since your divorce.”
“This feels worse than the divorce,” I whispered, unable to look away from the screen. There was my daughter’s sweet, beautiful face plastered for everyone to judge and rip her apart. “Did I make a mistake, Charles? Did I not think it through well enough? Should I have introduced them?”
“No.”
I looked over at my only real friend, who also happened to be my lawyer and had a vested interest in cleaning up my personal issues. The good thing about Charles Greensboro was that he was loyal and smart and too honest.
Frowning, I looked away from him and back to the television, hugging my wine closer to me. “You are supposed to say, ‘There was no way you could have known his brother would die, Wilhelmina. You weren’t trying to make her go through all of this. You thought it was a relatively unknown prince, and there would be an uproar for a moment, but after that, she could live a glamourous yet relatively quiet life as a princess forever.’ Why can’t you say that?”