A/N: Some bits of Spanish in the latter portion of this. I think they're pretty straight-forward for the most part - that is, most people could guess what's being said without a background in Spanish - but just in case, they're translated at the end, before the lyrics of the inspiration song.
Joseph opened the car door and handed Queen Clarisse out. "Did you have a nice trip, your majesty?"
"I did, and that young man Scott did an excellent job guarding me so you needn't have worried."
They started toward her suite, him escorting but continuing the conversation. "I'd accept that, and also be concerned, if there was anything at all to protect you from, but he called me on his way back and has already apprised me of every non-event that took place while you were in town. So other than his ability to report in, it's still not quite enough for me to promote him to my second in command."
"Oh, you'd rather something did happen to me?"
"Certainly not! But I may have to create a series of tests to ensure he'll respond appropriately."
"Honestly, Joseph! I don't remember David putting you through this kind of torment."
"Then it's a good thing I'm as trustworthy as I am, or who knows what may have happened!
She laughed. "Oh, Joseph." Shifting her tone, she added, "What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were spending this afternoon with your mother."
"Well, she took her time getting in. Apparently the sights along the way were too irresistible. She's just settling into her room now and then Charlotte will bring her to meet us for tea."
The stricken look on Clarisse's face made Joseph laugh, though he may have been more concerned than he let on. "Don't tell me you've forgotten?"
"No! No, Joseph, I certainly didn't forget promising tea with your mother, I simply didn't realize the time." She sighed as she entered her suite, leaving the door open for him to follow. "Well, if Charlotte is escorting your mother to tea, then I'm sure she's already rearranged the schedule to get in the things I wasn't back in time for."
"See? Shades didn't protect you from stress by retaining a proper schedule."
"So," she continued emphatically, "if you'll just allow me to freshen up, we can head right down after."
"Would you like me to step out?"
"No, it's alright, just stay here in my sitting room and I'll close the door between."
In the other room, bustling to change her clothes, refresh her makeup, and resituate her still-impeccable hair she called through the door to him, "Oh, Joseph, I saw the most adorable little old lady in town today! Tottering about, peeking in all the windows, perfect little old-fashioned bonnet perched on her head."
"Oh?" she heard Joseph's voice from the outer room say, and she couldn't decide if he sounded bored or slightly strangled, like he was fighting down certain emotions. She enjoyed the idea that he may be affected by the knowledge she was speaking to him while changing, but chose to respond with the assumption that he was bored, as that was decidedly the safer of the two options.
"I don't know why I'm telling you this, honestly, except that I just can't quite get her out of my mind. Something about her just struck me, you know. I think she reminded me of my mother in some ways."
"Did she? How?"
"Oh, I don't know. Possibly nostalgia more than anything. I imagine if my mother had lived longer she would be very much like that little old lady, tottering around, clearly delighted with everything she saw, not eliciting an ounce of sympathy or pity, but just endearing everyone to her by being herself."
She emerged from her room in a smart and fresh suit dress (still black, of course, as the official mourning period for the queen remembering her late husband was the full year after his death, and this was a mere eight months) and continued the conversation smoothly with, "Of course, my own mother was a bit taller than this woman, and French, you know, whereas this lady appeared to be of Spanish descent."
"Did she? Well, that is a point in her favor, isn't it?" Joseph teased with a wink, then gestured for the queen to precede him. "After you, your majesty."
Clarisse nodded her thanks as she moved ahead to her rightful place and he escorted her to the tea room.
"The lady I saw, you know, she had the most charming manner. I'm not sure exactly how to describe it. It was as though she was just delightful and charming everyone, yet somehow came across as a little bit sweet and shy at the same time. Does that make sense?"
"Perfect sense, actually. I believe I know someone like that. Here we are, your majesty." He opened the door for her to enter, but she held back.
"Joseph, this isn't the queen having tea with a guest and you providing security. This is you introducing your mother to your friend. You're allowed to enter with me."
"That may be, but my mother would have a heart attack to see me enter without holding the door for a lady."
She smiled and nodded her head in acknowledgment of this, before moving ahead of him to enter through the door he held. She felt his eyes on her and knew already exactly what he was watching for, but in this one instance, she was absolutely determined to disappoint him. As he closed the door behind them and drew up by her side, she nodded her acknowledgement to the little old lady rising from the table and bowing to her - the same adorable little old lady whom she had just been describing to Joseph.
"Su majestad, es un honor conocerte," the woman said, not quite concealing her nervous excitement as the words tumbled out as though spilled out as she bent into her curtsey.
"El honor es todo mío, Señora Romero," Clarisse responded humbly, granting as wide and gracious a smile as she had ever bestowed on a subject.
"You knew," Joseph whispered accusingly, now realizing that she'd already expected the woman she'd described was his mother.
"So did you," she whispered back, her own gentle accusation of his attempt to trip her up, as he'd surely realized from her descriptions that the woman she'd seen in town was, indeed, his mother.
Laughing gently at themselves while trying to keep it from the poor unsuspecting woman at the small round table with them, they sat down to enjoy their tea.
Clarisse's Spanish was fairly good, but Señora Romero was determined to try to speak English as well, and the conversation quickly devolved into some new variant constructed of English, Spanish, and somehow bits of French and Italian as well. Rounding this newly cobbled language out with plenty of laughter, it worked well for the trio. All told, it was quite the pleasant time, and more than an hour together passed quickly before Charlotte entered to remind Clarisse of upcoming items on her agenda. Joseph had the rest of the day off still to spend with his mother, but Clarisse was obligated to take her leave, and expressed as much sorrowfully to the dear woman, as well as to the woman's son who was already so dear to Clarisse.
Señora Romero glanced around carefully, ensuring that the doors were closed and the assistant, guards, and footmen all safely on the other side of them, before asking in heavily accented and somewhat halting English, "You do love mi son?" Almost immediately, perhaps in response to the startled expressions with which they both reacted, she seemed to regret her question, and tried to wave it away with, "Nevermind, nevermind, lo sé. Adios, mi reina."
Clarisse relaxed a little, glancing at Joseph just before reaching out to embrace the dear woman she'd already come to think of as a second mother. "Adios, Señora Romero," she said, then, when she had the woman firmly in her embrace, she whispered in her ear, "I do."
When she pulled back, she saw a very pleased look on her face, but not a surprised one. Instead, Señora Romero nodded in acknowledgement of this confirmation, and said again, "Lo se. Is good." She glanced between her son and queen once more before saying, "Gracias, su majestad. Es muy bien. Muy bien."
Clarisse glanced at Joseph once more, a small nod her only goodbye to him, and swept out of the room, pretending she hadn't noticed the almost cocky and very goofy grin on his face that confirmed that he, too, knew and thought it was muy bien.
A/N: Spanish translations, assuming the combination of my Spanish lessons and Google translate functioned properly, say, in order:
Señora Romero: "Your majesty, it is an honor to meet you."
Clarisse: "The honor is all mine, Mrs. Romero."
Señora Romero (after saying "nevermind" in English): "I know. Goodbye, my queen."
Clarisse: "Goodbye, Mrs. Romero."
Señora Romero: "I know. [It is good.] Thank you, your majesty. It is good. Very good."
And finally, Joseph knew and thought it was very good.
Little Old Lady
Little old lady passing by,
Catching everyone's eye,
You have such a charming manner,
Sweet and shy.
Little old bonnet set in place,
And a smile on your face,
You're a perfect picture in your
Lavender and lace.
Little bit of business here,
Little bit of business there,
Bet that you've been window shopping
All around the square.
Little old lady, time for tea
Here's a kiss, two or three,
You're just like that little old lady,
I hold dear to me.