Free Seducing the Princess by Mary Hart Perry Page B

will never take my dear Alice’s place. Never be allowed anywhere near Alice’s children.”
    Beatrice clenched her hands until they ached. She must make her mother understand that she simply couldn’t dominate and control everything and everyone in her life. “But, Mama, if it is already a fait accompli ? If the duke is determined to proceed and announces their engagement this very day—”
    “No!” Victoria roared, her face a mask of rage. “It is unthinkable. I said to leave it, Baby.” She turned back to face the dressing table’s mirror. “Prepare for family breakfast. I will hear nothing more of this matter. Ever .”

10
    Henry paced the corridor outside the breakfast room. This was to be a much more intimate meal than the wedding banquet—fewer than twenty-five at a cluster of round tables. Had Bertie not come begging him to intercede on behalf of the grand duke, he would have been looking forward to this meal as the perfect opportunity to spend time with Beatrice. Instead, all night long he’d worried about her.
    Was he asking too much of the princess? He should have insisted on accompanying her to speak with the queen. How could he have thought to send the poor young woman in to that dragon, alone? Although he’d expressed great confidence in Bea’s ability to help Victoria face the Duke’s announcement with equanimity, he’d begun to have second thoughts the moment he left her room. Didn’t foreign ministers tremble before the woman? Didn’t courtiers blanch at the prospect of delivering bad news?
    He turned and paced back the way he’d come and saw the Grand Duke of Hesse-Darmstadt approaching. Henry’s heart very nearly stopped. The man’s lovely mistress walked at his side, smiling, her hand resting on his arm. Apparently, they intended to make their announcement together. Oh God! This was far, far worse than he ever could have imagined.
    Not waiting for the couple to reach him, Henry darted inside the breakfast room and straight to Bertie. The Duke of Wales was seated beside his wife Alix, at one of four tables meant to cozily accommodate the royal clan.
    “He’s here,” Henry whispered, his voice hoarse. “And with the lady in question.”
    Bertie dropped his head into his hands. “Bollocks.”
    “What do we do?” Henry asked. “I see no sign yet of the queen or Beatrice. We don’t even know if she’s told her yet.”
    Bertie looked up at him. “My poor, poor little sister. She’s eaten Bea alive.”
    Henry studied the prince for any signs of humor but saw none. “I should have offered to go with her. Maybe—” Dare he hope? “—maybe the Queen will be so angry she simply will not come down to breakfast.”
    The prince’s eyes brightened. “That’s possible. Yes. It’s the best we can hope for. When my mother’s upset she cloisters herself and refuses to speak to anyone. She might choose to simply ignore the duke’s personal life, pretend he and it doesn’t exist.” Bertie took up his wife’s hand between his two and kissed her fingertips lightly when she smiled questioningly at him. “It wouldn’t be the first time she simply pretended whatever she found unpleasant didn’t exist.”
    But it was not to be. Just then, the duke and his mistress entered through the same door Henry had rushed through moments earlier. At the same time, through another door at the opposite end of the room, Victoria arrived with her small retinue.
    “Lord, help us,” Bertie breathed, coming to his feet and holding out a hand to help his wife rise to greet the queen.
    Henry gripped the back of the prince’s chair and tried to appear poised and assertive. He looked around for Beatrice. To his surprise, she followed far behind her mother, head meekly lowered, lips set in a firm line, sad eyes trailing the floor. When no acceptable gentleman was at hand to escort the queen, Victoria nearly always rested a hand for support on her youngest daughter’s arm as they walked companionably