Well, here's the next installment. Hope you're still enjoying the story. Thanks to ProperlyPrim 18 and Susan for their kind words. Now, onwards...
CHAPTER 2
It was nearly midnight when Joseph arrived back at the palace. Exhaustion pulled at every muscle as he made his way inside and up the stairs to Mia's suite. He wanted to set the young woman's mind at ease about her grandmother before he met with the security team. With a deep sigh he mounted the stairs, forcing himself to put one foot in front of the other.
There he goes, the great legend of palace security. He watched disdainfully as the older man started wearily up the wide staircase. And how little it took to shake him to the core of his being. Before I'm done he'll know what happens when you walk over someone else to get what you want. He'll suffer and he'll know.
"Joe!"
Mia hugged him as soon as she opened the door. Pulling him inside, she all but shoved him into an armchair. Almost gratefully he let her.
"How's Grandma?"
"Your grandmother is going to be fine. In all probability she will be home in a day or two."
"Thank goodness." The queen breathed. She looked up as her husband brought a snifter of brandy and pressed it into the older man's hands.
"Drink this, Joe." Nicholas knelt beside Mia.
As Joe sipped at the liquor, Mia took a good look at the man that had come to mean so much to her as protector, confidant and family.
"Joe, you look beat." She touched his hand. "Are you okay?"
He smiled, taking her hand in his.
"As long as you and Clarisse are safe, then I am fine." He handed the glass back to Nicholas and rose. "But right now I have a meeting with the security team." He paused. "If it is all right with you Mia, your grandmother has reappointed me as temporary head of palace security."
"Of course." She said quickly, rising too. "I know I feel safer with you in charge."He smiled at her. "Why don't the two of you get some sleep? I'll be going to the hospital first thing in the morning to see your grandmother."
Mia followed him to the door and caught his arm as he was leaving.
"Joe?"
"Yes, your majesty?"She smiled, shaking her head fondly. "You get some rest too. You look like you've been up for days."
Leaning forward, Joe kissed her forehead. "I will. I rather feel like I've been up for days." He winked. "And unless I am greatly mistaken, your grandmother will not be the easiest of patients when she does return to us. We will all need our rest."The next morning, Joseph entered the hospital room quietly, in case she was asleep.
"I'm awake, Joseph."
He moved to the bed and took her hand. "How are you feeling?"
"Better." Clarisse squeezed his hand. "Tell me what's been happening."
"The only person at the ceremony who was not invited was Viscount Mabrey and he's been cleared."
Clarisse nodded. "Any progress at all?"
Joe hesitated. "This morning I received a note delivered by messenger - anonymously. It arrived just before I left to come here."
"Did you bring it with you?" She asked, knowing he had.
Joseph pulled it from his pocket and handed it to her.
HER REIGN IS OVER – IT'S TIME FOR HER TO DIE
"So then Mia was the target." She said, thoughtfully, rereading the note. It send a chill through her.
"Yes, I believe so. We're sending men out to gather information about who might not be happy with Genovia's new queen."
Clarisse sighed heavily, then brightened. "The doctor says I can come home tomorrow."
"Yes, I spoke with him." Clarisse could tell from his voice that he wasn't happy about it. "Are you sure you feel well enough?"
"I'm sure." She said firmly.
"All right. I will be here to bring you home. But you are to rest and take it easy... doctor's orders."
She rolled her eyes.
"Clarisse." A warning.
"Yes, yes, I know."
He trailed a finger down her cheek. "I love you."
She smiled then and accepted his light kiss. "I love you too."
When he'd gone, Clarisse lay puzzling over the threatening letter Joseph had received. And it had been meant for him... addressed to him. Did the assassin not know he was no longer head of security? Or did it mean something else entirely?"
Two days after the shooting, Mia waited with her husband and Charlotte on the entry stairs as Joseph's car wound its way up the long drive. She was nearly vibrating in place as the big black car rolled to a stop and Joe got out and rounded the car to help his wife. Joseph, while sympathetic, hadn't allowed her to visit her grandmother in the hospital, saying the risk was too high. Mia had had to be content with telephone conversations and since Clarisse tired quickly, they had been short. So now she waited impatiently to see for herself that the older woman was going to be all right.
Tenderly Joe eased Clarisse to her feet and toward the stairs, one arm around her waist.
"I'm fine, Joseph. Don't baby me." Clarisse frowned slightly, not wanting to appear weak in front of her family and staff.
"You're lucky I'm not carrying you." He murmured, stifling a smile. "The queen has already ordered rest and pampering for you while you recover and I plan to enforce her wishes."
Clarisse made an exasperated sound but couldn't deny the warm feeling his words gave her. And while she would never admit it, the trip from the hospital had left her tired and her ribs aching.
She looked up to see Mia and Nicholas waiting at the foot of the stairs, concerned eyes following her progress, along with Charlotte and Olivia, her lady's maid. She sighed inwardly. She would just have to get back to speed quickly, out of self defense.
"Grandma!" Mia stepped forward, gently hugging the her. "Are you okay?"
"Yes of course, Mia." She smiled, wanting to ease the worry she saw in the big brown eyes. "I'm sorry you've been so worried. I'm fine."
Behind her, Joseph rolled his eyes but said nothing as they continued inside.
From across the lawn under cover of a tall hedge, he watched the scene. Watched and felt the disgust build in his belly. How dare she take the traditions and values of his country and turn it upside down with all her radical ideas. An American ruling Genovia, he thought viciously. There was no justice, no values anymore. She'd married a commoner for God's sake! Well, the time was coming when they would all know what they'd done and just what it was going to cost.
Clarisse looked up at the knock on her door.
"Come in."
Mia stuck her head around the corner.
"Hi Grandma. How you feeling?"
Clarisse put aside her book and smiled, motioning for her granddaughter to come into the room.
"Much better, thank you." She patted the bed. "Come sit with me."
"I just wanted to see if you needed anything or... anything." Mia shrugged, studying the older woman's face.
Surrounded by mounds of pillows in the center of her king sized bed, her grandmother looked delicate and fragile... something Mia had never before associated with the former queen. It disturbed her.
"Do you need anything, Grandma?" She repeated, lowering herself to the edge of the bed.
Clarisse patted her hand. "No my dear, between Olivia and Joseph, I barely have a minute's peace. I think they're trying to smother me."
Mia giggled. "They're just worried about you, grandma. We all were."
"I know." Clarisse smiled at her. "I'm sorry that I worried you. And that we didn't feel it wise for you to visit. . But I felt it was for the best""Yeah," Light sarcasm laced Mia's voice. "Next time someone tries to shoot me, try and stay out of the way."
"Mia!"
"Sorry." She shrugged.
"Have they discovered anything?" Clarisse asked. "I'm afraid Joseph isn't very forthcoming on details."
"I'm sure he just doesn't want to worry you, Grandma." Mia said. "But the truth is that they don't have any leads. Nicholas went to see his uncle, but he really believes the viscount is telling the truth about not shooting at me."
The older woman lay back against her pillows, heart heavy.
"I'm sorry Mia. In all my years as queen nothing like this has happened before." She stroked a hand down her granddaughter's cheek. "I'm so sorry."
"They adored you, Grandma." Mia said, "I'm new and maybe somebody's not so sure about me yet. But," She said with as much cheer as she could muster, "Joe's on top of things and I know he'll figure out who did this and everything will be back to normal."
"Did I hear my name being taken in vain?"
They looked up to see Joseph standing in the doorway.
"No indeed, my darling." Clarisse held out a hand to him. "In fact, Mia was just telling me how wonderfully efficient you're being and how you'll get to the bottom of this in no time."
"Such faith." He smiled at the younger woman and crossed to the bed, kissing her cheek. "And how are you this morning, your majesty?"
Mia frowned. "You know, I was going to ask if I could maybe, you know, call you grandpa, but it's going to be really hard to do that if you keep calling me your majesty."
Clarisse fought back a laugh at the look of total surprise on her husband's face. Mia had discussed this with her earlier, but she knew that Joseph would be both startled and touched by her granddaughter's request.
"You... grandpa?" He managed. "Me?"
She studied his face, eyes narrowing.
"If it's okay." She turned to Clarisse. "I mean, grandma doesn't mind and... well, I mean never mind, Joe is good. Joe's great."
"No," He reached out to take her hand. "I'm sorry, I was just so surprised.... " He glanced at his wife, then back to Mia. "I... I would be very pleased if you would... call me grandpa." He licked dry lips. "I would very much like that as I have thought of you as my granddaughter for some time."
A grin split Mia's features. She surged up to hug Joseph."Great!"
"I swear Joe."
They looked to see Nicholas lounging in the doorway, grinning.
"I see I'm going to have to watch my step if I hope to keep my wife to myself. She's obviously succumbed to your charms as well."
"Oh you have no need to worry on that account, Nicholas." Clarisse said, a possessive hand on her husband's arm.
They all laughed and Mia rose to give her husband a quick kiss.
"I was just checking to see how Grandma was." She sighed. "Time to get to the business of the day, though." She tugged Nicholas toward the door. "Let's go find Charlotte and see what she's got lined up for me."
When they'd gone, Joe turned to his wife.
"And how are you feeling this afternoon?" He studied her face for signs of discomfort. "Do you need a pain pill?"
"Joseph stop looking at me as if I were one of your suspects." She frowned at him. "And no, I do not need a pain pill. I'm fine. Nearly ready to get up and see to things again."
"That," He said firmly, arms crossed over his chest, "I seriously doubt."
"I am bored out of my mind, Joseph." Clarisse protested. "I don't even see you because---"She stopped, realizing how petty that was going to sound. "I'm sorry. I know you're spending your time trying to track down---"
"Shhh." He interrupted, a finger to her lips. "I have been neglecting you and I'm sorry."
"The least you can do is move back into our bedroom." She fixed him with a displeased look.
Joseph heaved a sigh. "I didn't want to cause you pain Clarisse. Believe me, the sofa is not my first choice." He gave her a rueful smile. "I thought an empty bed would be more comfortable than someone moving around next to you."
"Well you thought wrong, Joseph." She told him. "I've had an empty bed for far too long and I'd really appreciate ...." She stopped, shaking her head, eyes squeezed closed. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to argue."
Alarmed now, he turned on the bed so that he could look into her face.
"Clarisse, what is it?"
She shook her head, arms wrapped around herself.
"Tell me, please." He urged, fingers under her chin, tipping her head up to him. "Are you hurting?"
Blue eyes opened and it pained him to see they held unshed tears.
"Clarisse...."
"I'm sorry. I'm just so worried.. about Mia and Nicholas... about you...." She gulped in a breath. "And I can't do anything about it! I'm stuck in here and I can't stand not knowing what's happening!"
"I am watching out for Mia and Nick...." He told her softly, fingertips caressing her cheek, calming. "And you don't have to worry about me."
"Don't' I?" She asked. "You're driving yourself to exhaustion. I never see you. The only things you've said to me in the past three days are take your pills and get some sleep, Clarisse. Do you have any idea how really irritating that is? Now that I can actually be with you without so much discursion, I would like to do so!"
Despite her serious expression, he laughed, the tension and worry of the past week bubbling to the surface for escape.
"Oh you think it's funny do you?" His wife demanded.
"No, honestly I do not, my darling Clarisse." But Joe continued to laugh until he lay on his back on the bed, laughter rumbling through him.
Clarisse shook her head in mock dismay. "Honestly, men."
Laughter finally under control, Joseph contemplated her for a moment, then sat up and began to take off his shoes.
She frowned. "What are you doing?"
"Undressing." He told her, without looking up, "As I recall, you just invited me back into our bed." He tossed the shiny black shoes aside.
"Joseph, I never uninvited you."
"Yes darling I know, but I think perhaps we could both use a nap and I would like nothing better than to take one with you."
Clarisse opened her mouth then shut it.
Joe slipped off his trousers and unbuttoned his shirt.
"Slide over, Clarisse. You've had the bed to yourself long enough."
"About time." She muttered and made room.
Careful not to jar the bed, Joseph lay down and urged Clarisse down beside him. Smiling, she snuggled up against his side, her head on his chest.
"How do your ribs feel?" He asked, fingers stroking through her hair.
"Fine." She said drowsily, already sinking into his warmth. "Thank you, Joseph."
"For what?" He kissed her forehead and closed his eyes.
"For being here. For loving me. For not giving up."
He smiled, sleep already pulling at his exhausted body. "My pleasure, your majesty."
With a ladylike snort, the former queen of Genovia and her former head of security drifted into a deep and dreamless sleep.
When Mia looked in on her grandmother several hours later she stopped in the doorway, taking in the scene. Clarisse lay curled around Joseph, whose arms protectively encircled her. They were both sound asleep.
"Awwww." She murmured and quietly backed out of the room, closing the door behind her. "I'm going to tell Olivia and Charlotte not to bother them." Mia wrinkled her nose and grinned. "They look so cute!"