Page 34 of Charmless

“Are you? I was under the impression when the prince proposed to me, you did not approve.”

“My approval is of no consequence. I am only the king's servant.” He folded his hands in front of him, but the humbleness of his pose was belied by something sharp and cunning in his eyes. From the moment I had first met this little man, I had the impression that there was far more to him than was apparent in his meek demeanor.

I should have excused myself to the majordomo and scurried off to find Withypole. But by doing so, I might be throwing away an opportunity to learn more about this enigmatic man who had known my father.

“Only the king’s servant?” I repeated. “Somehow, I suspect you are far more than that. More like the king’s confidant, the keeper of his secrets.”

The majordomo gave a light laugh. “What secrets do you imagine I might be keeping, Miss Upton?”

“The last time we met, you implied that you knew my father well.”

The little man nodded politely.

“Mr. Fugitate also appears to have been well acquainted with my father. In fact, the entire kingdom seems to have known Papa far better than I ever did.”

“Perhaps not theentirekingdom,” the majordomo said with a wry smile.

When I glared at him, he apologized. “I am sorry. I did not mean to make light of your feelings. I can tell you are greatly distressed. How can I help?”

“By telling me something about my father. Anything!”

“What would you like to know?”

“The last time I visited his shop, Mr. Fugitate let slip that my father was once an advocate in the royal courts. Is that true?”

“Indeed, it is. Julius Upton was the most brilliant orator I have ever met, fierce and passionate when it came to seeking justice.”

“My father? A brilliant orator? Papa was so quiet my stepmother was always astonished when he strung more than two sentences together.”

“Julius was very different in his youth, as so many of us were.” The majordomo sighed. “Your father was an affable and charming man. Despite their differing views of justice and the law, he and King August were friends.”

“Yet now the king blanches at the mere mention of Papa’s name. What caused them to fall out with one another? Was it because of some prisoner that my father sought to defend against the king’s laws?”

“No, my dear. It was over something that often causes discord between two ardent young men. A beautiful woman.”

“My mother,” I murmured. I didn’t need the majordomo’s nod to confirm this. I had already suspected as much. The night I had broken into the king’s treasury to steal the orb for Mal, I had discovered a miniature portrait of my mother, tucked in among the hoard of gold coins and glittering jewels.

“So, the king was in love with my mother,” I said. “But he could never have married her. She was only the forest warder’s daughter.”

“Ah, that did not matter to our young king. August would have happily forsworn any wealth he could have gained through an alliance with a princess from another kingdom, the acquisition of new lands or a huge dowry. But the fair Cecily never had eyes for anyone except your father. When she spurnedthe king’s offer of marriage to wed Julius Upton, Cecily crushed the king’s spirit forever. August never recovered.”

“I rather think that he did,” I replied tartly. “He was married three times, wasn’t he? All to women of great rank and wealth.”

“Obviously, he needed to father an heir.”

“Which he accomplished by wedding Princess Caroline of Northland. She gave the king five sons.”

The majordomo smiled. “You know your kingdom’s history, Miss Upton.”

“Indeed, I do. After Queen Caroline died, King August went through two more wives. So, he could not have been too distressed over the loss of my mother.”

“But none of the king’s marriages ever brought him the happiness and contentment that he craved.”

“No, but they certainly brought a great deal of wealth to the royal coffers, didn’t they?”

The majordomo’s brows rose slightly at my acid tone. I pressed my lips together, knowing I should mind my tongue. Even the slightest criticism of the king could result in heavy fines or imprisonment. But it was difficult to check my irritation at the way the majordomo appeared to blame my mother for the king becoming such a miserable wretch.

The majordomo regarded me gravely. “No doubt like many in our kingdom you think of our king as a tyrant, greedy, unreasonable and cruel. But August was not always thus. He was a kind generous man before your mother broke his heart.”