Grace

Chapter 62

"Ben didn't tell you about this either?" Caroline asked as soon as she saw me about half an hour later.

Mary and Philip had been the only ones in the lounge with Maria and I'd had the urge to smack them both round the face so I'd opted to help make dinner instead. She'd come in for a drink and must have bumped into Christian and Ben as they left to inspect the polishing room.

She was in a mid-calf length summer skirt with a bold floral print in purple and green. Her hair was in a simple bun and she had a little make up on but had foregone jewellery.

"The sun's done you wonders though," she smiled. "Anyone would think you've been to the Bahamas."

"It's really nice not being pale," I sighed happily. "Hopefully the sun will come back soon."

"Oh it'll last half way through winter," she dismissed and gave me a quick hug. "How are you?"

"Fine," I lied. "You?"

"Plodding on nicely. I can't wait for the summer holidays. We're taking George on a three week safari. I tell you, after these last few months we all need it."

She filled the kettle and then sat on the stool opposite where I was standing cutting carrots perhaps a little too forcefully. Better than someone's neck. I mean, if they were going to have that conversation they should have had it at their house where they knew there was no possibility of me overhearing it, not as they stepped into the home I was staying in. Better still, they should have had the guts to say it to my face. Before all that though they should have made the effort to get to know me rather than judging me.

It wasn't hard. They were supposed to do that kind of thing on a daily basis when they visited people.

And what was with only marrying royal people? There weren't many of them left over here. And they were all related! Getting some new blood into the mix would be a good thing. A very good thing. And it wasn't like I couldn't do the job. Ben had already told me that I could.

It's not like I needed their approval. I didn't even need Christian's. But, damnit, I wanted the whole family to approve of me. I'd already lived in a family where I'd thought I wasn't good enough. I didn't want to go through that again. I began to think it was sort of a shame that Christian couldn't order them to like me, but that would be taking the easy rout out. If they were going to like me, it would be for who I was and no other reason.

"You and Ben have an argument?" Caroline asked.

She was now sipping tea.

"No. It doesn't matter it'll only bring the mood down. Johnny more relaxed now Christian's back?"

"He spent three days doing nothing but sleeping and dozing," she said with a fond smile. "It's the only rest he's had since the first attack in Canada."

I whistled a low note. "I thought we had it bad at Eton. At least we get Sundays off. In theory."

"It'll settle down after exams."

"I've got it worse next year. I'll have a written art one too."

"Tarq was funny on the show this week."

I gave her a flat look. He'd yelled at me forfive minutes for sneezing as he was revising through dinner. Caroline justlaughed.