Part 2
"Charlotte, I DID tell you that Sir Wilkes called the other night to say that ..."
"Yes, your Majesty," Charlotte interrupted the Queen gently. "You informed me right away about his ... ummm ... travelling companion. Mrs. Cowt is having the blue suite readied for her, as it connects with the gold one you requested for Sir Wilkes."
"Connects?" Clarisse looked a trifle startled. "Oh! Oh, my." She started to chuckle.
"Is something wrong, your Majesty?" Charlotte looked puzzled.
"You haven't met Sir Wilkes, have you, Charlotte?"
"No, your Majesty," Charlotte began to redden. "Did I do something wrong?" she asked again.
"Of course not," but Clarisse couldn't contain her chuckles.
Charlotte turned helplessly to look at Joseph who was standing by the door. A slight smile was on his face as well. HE had met the gentleman before, and the idea of Sir Wilkes with a travelling companion of the opposite sex in a connecting room rather tickled his fancy as well. Charlotte frowned. What could be wrong with this ... Sir Wilkes? Hadn't she been informed that he was a childhood friend of the Queen's?
"Oh, Charlotte, I'm sorry," Clarisse bit her lip to stop herself from laughing further. "It's just, well, Sir Wilkes is ... ummm ... I suppose shy is as good a word as any, wouldn't you say, Joseph?" Joseph inclined his head. "As far as I know, he has always been mortally afraid of women." Clarisse continued, the smile she was trying to suppress making her lips quiver. "I met him when we were children, so he has never been afraid of ME ..."
"Afraid of YOU, your Majesty? I can't imagine ANYONE being afraid ..." Charlotte swallowed her words and looked uncomfortable when the Queen raised her eyebrows. "Well, I mean ..."
"Nevertheless, Sir Wilkes has always been painfully shy. Very gallant and gentlemanly, of course, but exceedingly timid. Why, I expect him to blush when YOU look at him, Charlotte! It really makes me wonder about this ... woman ... he is bringing with him. He said she had been quite ill and needed to recuperate, but I did not want to inquire as to why he feels himself in charge of her, where he met her, or who has been looking after her until now. For all I know, she is his mother's age."
"Or his daughter's age?" Joseph suggested.
"You have not seen Sir Wilkes for a number of years, have you, your Majesty?" Charlotte asked, contemplatively. "Perhaps he has changed?"
"I suppose that is possible, but highly unlikely, I should think," Clarisse shrugged. "Well, no matter. We shall find out in a few hours."
"Should I perhaps ask Mrs. Cowt to prepare another room?" Charlotte asked.
"No. Chances are that Nanny would feel more comfortable with the only person she knows here close at hand." Clarisse turned her attention back to her papers, and missed the sudden start Joseph gave at the name she mentioned.
Charlotte, however, had not missed Joseph's surprise. "Nanny?" she asked, slowly. "Is that her name? Or her ...?"
"Her occupation?" Clarisse shook her head, still perusing the papers in her hand. She continued to speak while reading. "I'm sure I don't know. As I said, I didn't ask when he told me that he had been urged to bring Nanny with him to recuperate, and that she had reluctantly agreed to come with him, provided I was informed. Oh, Charlotte, did Sebastian happen to say what time he was going to come by to sign these papers?"
"Yes, your Majesty. He'll be here at four this afternoon, when you've finished in the throne room. That should give you time for a half hour appointment with him before your guests arrive."
"Thank you," Clarisse went back to her papers and Charlotte quietly exited the room. Then Clarisse looked up quickly, "Oh, Char ... never mind, Joseph," she said hurriedly, when Joseph made a move as if to call Charlotte back. "It wasn't important." Then her lips curled up in a smile again. "Do YOU think Wilkes actually has a girlfriend, Joseph?"
"Anything is possible, Clarisse."
"I wonder who she is? I DO wish I had asked. I rather doubt she is an actual NANNY, though. I simply cannot see Wilkes having anything to do with a child, can you?"
"To be honest, I never thought he'd have anything to do with a woman unless he was TRICKED into it. He blushes when YOU speak to him, Clarisse!" Joseph, although he didn't mention it to Clarisse, was intrigued with the woman's name. Once, long, long ago, he had known a Nan who had been called Nanny by her friends. This Nanny couldn't possibly be the same one, of course! The Sir Wilkes HE knew would never have gotten involved with someone like the teenaged Nanny he had met in a seedy part of London, England and briefly dated, sweet though she had been beneath her wild ways ...
"Well, he DOES like me, you know," Clarisse said, smiling softly. "I used to imagine what it would have been like if my parents had arranged for me to marry Wilkes instead of Rupert ..."
Joseph stared at her. "Arranged for you to marry ... Sir WILKES? ARRANGED for you to marry? Clarisse, what ...?"
Clarisse hurriedly gathered up her papers. "Oh, tush, Joseph! Never mind. I'm just blathering." She stood up, and checked to make sure she had everything. "There, I'm ready for the meeting with the ambassador, and these other papers can be left for Sebastian to sign!"
"Clarisse ..." Joseph stopped her with a gentle hand on her arm. "We need to talk about us."
Biting her lip, Clarisse kept her head bent, not trusting herself to look at him. "There can be no 'us', Joseph. Not while I am the Queen. You know that."
He pulled his hand back and clenched his fist at his side. "We may not even talk?"
"Not ... not about ..." she shook her head, then looked beseechingly at him. "You KNOW our ... friendship ... must remain in the shadows until Mia has been crowned Queen. I am too closely watched, and there must not even be a hint of a scandal, or ..."
"I never knew your marriage to King Rupert was arranged by your parents ..." he said softly, his eyes searching hers closely enough that he saw the flash of pain before she lowered her eyes once more.
Charlotte poked her head back in the door at that moment after a discreet knock. "The ambassador from Spain is here, your Majesty. I've shown him into the library."
"Thank you, Charlotte. Joseph, I'm sorry, I really cannot talk about ... that. Yes, Charlotte, I'm coming." Without a backward glance, Clarisse moved regally out of the room, her emotions firmly under control and her poise unfaltering.
Palace business went on as usual for the next few hours. At last the throne room presentations were over. Sebastian Motaz was waiting to sign the papers, and Clarisse discussed some of the upcoming concerns of Parliament with him. Then Charlotte was at the door again, informing her that her guests were arriving from the airport.
"I'll see you at the ball, your Majesty," Sebastian excused himself quickly.
"Thank you, Sebastian." Clarisse took off her crown and handed it to Olivia who had been summoned by Joseph at the close of the throne room session.
Running her fingers through her hair to rumple it a bit, Clarisse looked at Charlotte. "Do I look all right?"
"Of course, your Majesty!" Charlotte exclaimed. "You always do!"
"Beautiful as ever," Joseph added.
Clarisse laughed. "You both are very good for my ego. I just want to be 'Clarisse' when Wilkes comes in ... not 'the Queen'. He is a very close friend."
Charlotte nodded, and a speculative look crossed her face. Clarisse shook her head in mock severity. "Not like THAT, Charlotte! Just a FRIEND."
"Yes, your Majesty," Charlotte blushed at having her thoughts read so accurately. "Shall I go out to welcome them and show them in?"
"I will, Charlotte," Joseph spoke up. "You wait here with Queen Clarisse."
Accordingly, in a few minutes, Joseph was back with Sir Wilkes and Nanny.
"Wilkes!" Clarisse stepped toward Sir Wilkes and took his hands in hers, leaning in to kiss him on the cheek.
He returned the salute, his face reddening. Charlotte smiled inwardly. Joseph and her Majesty had been right about the man being very shy.
"Clarisse, I'd like you to meet Nanny ..."
Nanny's hand was held out, and after a moment of surprise, Clarisse took it graciously. "So nice to meet you," Nanny murmured, enunciating her words precisely. "I 'ave, er, HAVE heard a lot about you from Sir Wilkes."
Clarisse's eyebrows raised, and she smiled teasingly at Sir Wilkes. "Then that's more than he told us about YOU. I'm very happy to meet you, too. You've met Joseph?" At Nanny's hesitant nod, Clarisse indicated Charlotte. "This is Charlotte, my assistant."
"Nanny," Charlotte came forward. Nanny stretched out her hand to shake Charlotte's, and Charlotte, a little startled, took it then dropped it quickly.
Clarisse spoke again. "I don't mean to rush you away, Nanny, because I really would like to visit with you, but I must say, you are looked very pale. Would you prefer to be shown your room so you may rest for a while before we get together again?"
Nanny relaxed into a genuine smile. "I would like that very much. Thank you, Clarisse."
Again a flash of surprise ran through Clarisse. Nanny was polite enough, but she wasn't acting ... well, she was acting almost as if she didn't know that Clarisse was hardly ever addressed by her first name, especially unless she had specifically told the person to use it! But then, Clarisse HAD said she didn't want to be 'the Queen' when Wilkes came. She wondered suddenly if Wilkes had thought to inform Nanny just who she was.
"This way, Nanny," Charlotte was saying, as she stepped up to take the other woman's arm to give her a little more support. She was looking alarmingly pale now, and beginning to sway slightly.
"I knew you should have let me bring the wheelchair from the airport, Nanny!" Sir Wilkes was fussing.
"Aoww, really, I'll be fine," Nanny insisted. "I am just recovering from pneumonia, and am still rawther weak," she explained hurriedly. "It was a long flight. Your country is beautiful, by the way, and so close to the sea!"
"We'll take you to the beach tomorrow," Clarisse promised. "Go rest now," she urged.
"Thank you," Nanny said again, submitting to being led away by Charlotte.
Nanny heard Clarisse murmur something to Sir Wilkes, and his deep rumble in answer, but couldn't make out the words. Instead, she held on to Charlotte's arm and forced herself to move one foot in front of the other. She shouldn't have worn her new shoes, either, she decided grimly. Her feet had swollen in the air, and now she was hobbling. And she had wanted to look so elegant for her arrival in this fine castle. A CASTLE, for Lord's sake! It looked like a palace instead of a regular home!
"Tell me, Charlotte," Nanny said. "Joseph looks rawther familiar for some reason. What does he do? Where would I know him from?"
"I'm not sure, Miss ... Nanny," Charlotte said softly.
"Please, just Nanny," Nanny said, quickly. "Joseph looks as if he could be a king or something. Rawther regal. Military bearing, perhaps."
Charlotte chuckled. "Well, you're close. He's actually the Head of Security for the Genovian Monarchy."
"Aoww, I see," Nanny nodded sagely, although she didn't quite understand why he was here in Clarisse's home. Perhaps this castle was a hotel, of sorts, somewhat like the Plaza where she lived with Eloise and her mother? It was certainly big enough to be a hotel! And Joseph STILL looked familiar. She wished it was possible to think through the pounding headache that she had suddenly developed. "And Clarisse? She doesn't exactly look the housekeeper type. Too elegant, for sure, sure, sure," Nanny clutched Charlotte's arm more tightly. She was babbling to keep herself from fainting. "What does SHE do?"
Charlotte stopped walking and stared at her incredulously.
Nanny shifted uneasily. "Did I say something wrong?" she almost whispered.
"You just met Queen Clarisse of Genovia, and you ask what she DOES?" Charlotte asked. "She runs our country!"
O o O o O o
To Be Continued ...