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Clarisse was pacing her office, nervously twisting her fingers- this was ridiculous, Rupert hadn´t even been there for two hours and already she was nervous about talking to Josef.
A knock at the door made her stop her pacing and her voice was trembling when she said "Come in."
Josef closed the door behind himself and just remained standing there, rooted to the spot as he looked into Clarisse´s eyes.
"Say something, please" she whispered, she didn´t have the slightest idea what to do, she felt completely helpless and frustrated.
"What am I to say, Clarisse, you know as well how difficult our situation has become- it´s not only your husband who is down at that office at the moment, it´s also our king."
"Do you think I´ve failed to notice that?"
She saw the expression on his face and instantly felt guilty.
"I´m sorry, I didn´t mean to snap- it´s just- oh Josef."
She folded into his arms and felt him pull her as close to him as possible, his lips tracing her temple.
"Calm down, Darling, we knew this would happen, we will manage."
"How?"
"Like we said- taking it one day at a time- and now you will go and wash up a little and then you will change for tea."
"Will you be there?"
"Of course, Clarisse."
She sighed, gently disentangling herself from him again.
"I´ll try to get rid of Rupert after dinner-" her words hung in the air and Josef´s frown told her that he had understood exactly that she didn´t think it likely that she would manage to keep her husband out of her room that evening.
"I love you" he reassured her softly,
"Sometimes I wish you wouldn´t- you would be so much happier for it."
He shook his head.
"Never, Clarisse- I believe tea is served in the garden shortly, shall I accompany you downstairs?"
"Yes, please- I suppose we should get used to being confronted with Rupert as quickly as possible."
---
"Grandma, where have you been?"
Mia´s enthusiastic voice greeted Clarisse at the tea table and she briefly kissed her husband´s cheek before sitting down next to her granddaughter.
"I´m sorry, Darling, I had some important papers on my desk."
"Working all the time, just like always" the king teased her gently, then he turned to his granddaughter.
"Your Grandmother never takes a break, Amelia, sometimes she´s driving me insane, I can´t do less than her after all."
Mia giggled and Clarisse chanced a brief glance at Josef who was standing near the hedge, his dark shades in place and his face expressionless.
The queen sighed quietly before summoning her best public smile back onto her face.
"Well, if I wouldn´t force you to do your paperwork you might never finish it, my Dear."
"See what I have to endure all the time" Rupert stated, winking at Mia who was still laughing.
"And there was me wondering if you two would get along" Clarisse commentated, then added "how was your talk with Sebastian?"
"It went well- Sheila and he will be joining us for dinner tonight."
Clarisse nodded absentmindedly- if they were dining with the prime minister and his wife Rupert would most likely be too exhausted to bother her anymore tonight- at least she hoped so.
Not that it made things much better but for now she would hang on to the illusion that it would all look a bit brighter again tomorrow.
"Splendid, I´ll have dinner served in the small dining room then- Amelia, would you like to stay for it as well?"
"Uh- no, thanks Grandma, I have tons of homework to do tonight."
"I see- Rupert, we are going to have lunch with the mayor tomorrow, have you already seen your schedule?"
"I have and I don´t like it very much, I was hoping I´d find some time to relax."
Mia looked sympathetically at her grandfather.
"Can´t you ever do what you want to do?"
The king turned to the girl and smiled reassuringly as the queen added more milk to her tea.
"I can sometimes, don´t worry, it´s just that when we go abroad everyone wants to meet us all at once, so it´s more busy than at home."
Clarisse didn´t listen to the conversation between granddaughter and grandfather any more, she was too busy worrying about the impossible situation she had gotten herself into- here she was, having tea with her granddaughter and her husband while her lover was standing a few feet away trying not to betray his calm exterior.
She had to admit that he was doing a magnificent job but she didn´t feel that sure of herself, one look could give her away, her husband knew her well enough to know when something wasn´t right.
"Well, if you don´t want to stay for dinner, Amelia, I´ll have Josef drive you home after tea."
To her surprise her husband looked interested.
"I would like to meet Helen sometime while I´m here- do you think that could be arranged?"
Clarisse exchanged a look with Mia, then said "I´m sure it can, Dear- Amelia, would you ask your mother if she´s free for dinner tomorrow night?"
Mia nodded, looking rather happy at the prospect of a family reconciliation.
"Sure- uhm, I mean of course I will, Grandma."
---
"You are looking amazing" Josef complemented the queen before taking her hand a pressing a kiss on her knuckles.
Clarisse smiled tenderly back at him, she had ordered the peach dress the day before, thinking that Josef would love the color and obviously she had thought right.
Their moment was interrupted by the king who had followed his wife down the stairs and was now offering her his arm while looking her upside down.
"Beautiful, Darling- since when have you been wearing colors again?"
Clarisse blushed lightly and hoped her husband would think his comment had caused her reaction.
"I simply thought I had been wearing black long enough now, life has to go on and we have to think positive and support Amelia."
"Well said indeed- shall we?"
They made their way over into the dining room where the Prime Minister and his wife were already waiting for them.
"Good evening, Sheila- Sebastian."
Rupert kissed Sheila Motaz´s hand, then shook Sebastian´s who proceeded to greet the queen while Sheila curtsied.
"Where is Marissa?"
Clarisse inquired while allowing her husband to help her into her chair.
"Her nanny took her out to watch the new Disney movie, she´s very excited, it won´t be shown at Genovia for another three months."
Sheila smiled at the thought of her daughter and the queen nodded.
"I can imagine that- I hope you are planning to take her to Disneyland while you are here."
"Of course, she hasn´t been talking about anything else."
The first course arrived and they began to eat, Clarisse trying to concentrate on her food and following the conversation than glancing over at Josef who was standing next to the door with a stoic expression on his face.
"Clarisse, don´t you agree?"
She looked up, trying to recall the last minute of conversation but she had absolutely no idea what it was that her husband had asked her opinion of.
"I´m sorry, I´m afraid you have lost me for a moment."
Rupert smiled, obviously charmed by her open admittance.
"We were talking about our favorite member of the Genovian society once again."
"Well, there are several people I could think of now- since van Troken is the only one present, I suppose you mean him."
"I do indeed- I expressed my desire to simply not invite him to the ball and asked if you agree on that."
"Of course but I´m afraid we won´t find a way to do it, anyway- that reminds me, how is dear Arthur Mabrey these days? Not seeing him for a whole months is one of the most enjoyable parts of this visit."
Sebastian Motaz nodded sympathetically.
"I understand you fully, Your Majesty- he is the same as always, just unbearable."
"I am sorry to hear that- can´t we simply send him into exile, he´s much worse that poor old Sigfried."
They all laughed and Clarisse took advantage of the distraction to chance a quick glance at Josef who briefly smiled at her before resuming his blank expression.
The tiny gesture made Clarisse feel a bit better and she turned her attention back to her guests, thereby noticing that Sheila was looking at her slightly suspiciously, she obviously had seen the exchange between her bodyguard and herself and Clarisse could only hope that the other woman wouldn´t make the right connection, the Prime Minister´s wife had always been a bit too perceptive for the queen´s taste.
Dessert arrived and to Clarisse´s relieve it wasn´t pears but chocolate mousse, she looked up and saw Rupert wink at her and knew that her husband had ordered a non- traditional dessert, knowing how much she disliked having to eat pears each and every day.
"Thank you" she mouthed before picking up her spoon, determined to enjoy the small treat before starting to think about her complicated life again.
The Motaz´s excused themselves after coffee, Sheila claiming that she wanted to say goodnight to Marissa before her daughter would be asleep and the king followed suit, saying that he was beginning to feel the exhaustion from the flight and jet lag.
He kissed his wife goodnight and started to ascend the stairs, leaving Clarisse alone in the hall with Josef.
"Moonlight stroll?"
Josef asked, smiling and she nodded, taking the arm he offered her and allowing him to lead her over to the terrace doors.