Chapter 14
"Danielle, is that you? Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you?"
Danielle rolled her eyes skyward. For some strange reason, she had been hoping that Renee hadn't missed her.
"Is there a problem, Stepmother?" She hated calling her that, but half the time, Renee insisted that she do. Sometimes when she was in a good mood, she would let Danielle use her first name.
She didn't think that it would be that way tonight, though.
"I'm not sure," Renee began, and Danielle heard her coming down the stairs, "I was hoping that you might tell me. It's not like you to be out all night." She reached the bottom step and walked towards her.
"I also heard a nasty rumor that you were at that horrible club called the Winter Palace. What could have possibly inspired you to visit there?"
Danielle couldn't believe it. Who would say anything and why? She tried to remember who was in that crowd that had gathered around to stare at her the night before, but there was no one that she had recognized.
"And what is that on your finger, Danielle? It looks like a diamond."
Danielle looked up and caught Renee staring at her left hand. She had forgotten she still had it on. Renee reached out to pull it toward her, but Danielle backed away.
"It's a zircon, Stepmother, it's not real. Just something I had here, that's all." She looked at her watch. "It's late, can't we discuss this in the morning?"
Renee shook her head. "It is morning, Danielle. Is it possible you were in the company of a man? A good-looking one at that with black hair and green eyes? Some commoner who runs his own catering business? Someone named Henry Duval?"
Danielle looked at her. "I don't know what you're talking about. I only know Mr. Duval from speaking with him on the phone. "
Renee frowned as she stared at her. "Alright, I'll take your word for it, but in a few hours that ring goes back to where it came from or else I'll take it back for you. Not that it will matter anyway. It just so happens that Prince Rupert will be arriving tomorrow with his mother and father and I want everything to be perfect. You are marrying him in a week and there is nothing that you say or do that will change my mind. Do I make myself clear?"
"As crystal, Stepmother," Danielle answered. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm exhausted."
And Renee watched as Danielle ran up the steps toward her room.
~~~~~~~~
Henry put the phone down. There was no answer again. He didn't know what he was doing or why he was even calling the palace looking for her. Maybe she did lie about who she really was, but why would she? It didn't make any sense to him.
Well, he'd try one more time. This time someone answered.
"I'm looking for someone named Nicole," he said. "Someone told me that she's a maid there?"
"There is no one here by that name, sir."
Henry frowned. "That's impossible. She told me herself that she works there. How would I get in touch with her?"
"I repeat, there is no one here by that name, sir. Now if you will excuse me?"
The phone clicked off.
Henry just stared at the receiver in stunned silence. He held it just long enough for the dial tone to come on, then placed it back on the hook.
"Danielle, is that you? Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you?"
Danielle rolled her eyes skyward. For some strange reason, she had been hoping that Renee hadn't missed her.
"Is there a problem, Stepmother?" She hated calling her that, but half the time, Renee insisted that she do. Sometimes when she was in a good mood, she would let Danielle use her first name.
She didn't think that it would be that way tonight, though.
"I'm not sure," Renee began, and Danielle heard her coming down the stairs, "I was hoping that you might tell me. It's not like you to be out all night." She reached the bottom step and walked towards her.
"I also heard a nasty rumor that you were at that horrible club called the Winter Palace. What could have possibly inspired you to visit there?"
Danielle couldn't believe it. Who would say anything and why? She tried to remember who was in that crowd that had gathered around to stare at her the night before, but there was no one that she had recognized.
"And what is that on your finger, Danielle? It looks like a diamond."
Danielle looked up and caught Renee staring at her left hand. She had forgotten she still had it on. Renee reached out to pull it toward her, but Danielle backed away.
"It's a zircon, Stepmother, it's not real. Just something I had here, that's all." She looked at her watch. "It's late, can't we discuss this in the morning?"
Renee shook her head. "It is morning, Danielle. Is it possible you were in the company of a man? A good-looking one at that with black hair and green eyes? Some commoner who runs his own catering business? Someone named Henry Duval?"
Danielle looked at her. "I don't know what you're talking about. I only know Mr. Duval from speaking with him on the phone. "
Renee frowned as she stared at her. "Alright, I'll take your word for it, but in a few hours that ring goes back to where it came from or else I'll take it back for you. Not that it will matter anyway. It just so happens that Prince Rupert will be arriving tomorrow with his mother and father and I want everything to be perfect. You are marrying him in a week and there is nothing that you say or do that will change my mind. Do I make myself clear?"
"As crystal, Stepmother," Danielle answered. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm exhausted."
And Renee watched as Danielle ran up the steps toward her room.
~~~~~~~~
Henry put the phone down. There was no answer again. He didn't know what he was doing or why he was even calling the palace looking for her. Maybe she did lie about who she really was, but why would she? It didn't make any sense to him.
Well, he'd try one more time. This time someone answered.
"I'm looking for someone named Nicole," he said. "Someone told me that she's a maid there?"
"There is no one here by that name, sir."
Henry frowned. "That's impossible. She told me herself that she works there. How would I get in touch with her?"
"I repeat, there is no one here by that name, sir. Now if you will excuse me?"
The phone clicked off.
Henry just stared at the receiver in stunned silence. He held it just long enough for the dial tone to come on, then placed it back on the hook.