Joseph's day started with a dream. He was at the castle and everything was just as it should be. Clarisse looked lovely as ever as she walked her dog. He greeted her, but she didn't hear him. Joseph walked toward her and he hit a glass wall. In a series of exhausting attempts he found out that the wall was everywhere and that it was sound-proof, at least to him: butlers and maids didn't get near Her Majesty either, but at least the Queen talked to them. Just when Joseph had the brilliant idea to put a note on Maurice's collar, his alarm clock woke him.

OoOoOoO

It was the day before the wedding anniversary and nerves started to get people in their grip. Joseph and Malou remained calm. The former prevented his relatives from quarrelling and the latter made the women in the family feel good about their party dresses.

From time to time they ran into each other. Malou heard Joseph provide council to Nadine on some or other thing and it made her oddly happy that her friend's brother-in-law was a valued member of the family.

Joseph approved of Malou's pleasant manners. She seemed to be the kind of woman to feel at ease everywhere.

OoOoOoO

In the afternoon Joseph took Penelope, Felipe and Adella for a walk. Malou, seeing them leave, persuaded Elena that they should join them. Once they'd caught up with the four others, Malou was content to listen to Elena talking about her practice. After a few minutes Malou, not wanting Joseph to wonder why she hadn't spoken yet, asked Elena whether she had taken a course to help people overcome their fear for dentists. Elena replied that she hadn't. ´Are you afraid of dentists Malou?´

´No no, I just wondered. Children are often frightened of dentists aren't they? And you're good with children, so I thought, you know...´

Malou hated herself for babbling but Joseph didn't seem to notice it. He watched the children and he gave Penelope, who was doing a head-over-heels, the thumbs up.

Adella had convinced her brother that it was his destiny to become her knight. Felipe, looking forward to an adventurous life, asked his uncle how to protect Adella. Joseph gave his nephew some advice and from then on Felipe grimly glanced at the trees they passed by, while Adella grandly waved at her green subjects.

Elena and Malou shared a fond smile but to Joseph the children's play seemed like mockery. He talked about an ordinary day in his Queen's life to prove that she did far more than waving but it seemed to him as if he were describing a film. Birds were singing. Penelope was humming a tune and Malou removed a tiny stone from her shoe. Ambassadors and ladies-in-waiting seemed like characters from a film in which he took a part too, though not the one he longed to have.

When Adella came running toward him asking how she should knight her brother, Joseph stopped talking about courts. Excusing himself toward the women he went to find a branch. After cutting away the side-branches with his Swiss knife, he showed Adella how to safely sway her new sword. Malou and Elena watched and smiled.

While the three children played along, Joseph inquired after Elena's flamenco lessons and when that subject was discussed he asked Malou whether she would want to find a new room-mate to replace Raquel.

He is just making conversation! Malou told herself. Nonetheless she heard herself ask him whether he was looking for accommodations in Madrid. Joseph grinned at her reply and she said: ´Raquel and I have been friends since high school. We became room-mates to share the costs of living and not to be alone in the big city I guess. Right now I don't need help paying the bills and the extra rooms will be welcome. The older you get, the more stuff you gain.´

Her remark made Joseph think. He could put his belongings in two trunks if need be. He was a bit like a monk. He glanced at his watch. She would be having tea now. Would she miss him?

Elena told Malou the story of how her parents had met. Joseph paid enough attention to make contributions when required, but his mind wandered off.

When his younger brother had introduced Pilar to the Romeros, he had believed that it wouldn't take long before he too would bring a bride to the mansion. He'd not fallen in love though until he was in his late fifties. And here he was, well in his sixties and still a bachelor for he'd fallen for the wr-.

He broke off his trail of thought.

She was the right woman! The perfect woman! He'd known from the start that falling in love with a Queen might never work out but that had not stopped him from adoring Clarisse all the same. And she loved him. He'd learned that in San Francisco. She loved him. But would she ever admit it outside her suite? Would she ever give in to her needs to begin with?