The Englor Affair (29 page)

“Answer my question.” She stepped onto the top step and faced Payton. She was actually shorter than him. Up close he could see the stiff set to her jaw and the faint tick in her cheek. Fury was pouring off her in waves.

Payton didn’t know quite what he felt. Anger? Humor? Both? No one had ever spoken to him like this. It wasn’t that he thought he was better than anyone else, but he’d done nothing to warrant this treatment. He wasn’t even sure how best to deal with this situation. His Cony would just fire the woman on the spot.

Payton smiled, hoping it would calm the woman down, and spoke softer than usual.

“Mrs. Cobbs, it’s nice to finally meet you. I’m afraid that Baxter and I had a difference of opinion and I feel Dunston will be a much better fit for His Majesty and me. I tried to speak to you about the run of the household this morning, but—”

“Don’t you take that tone with me.” She jabbed a finger in Payton’s face, making him back up a step. “I want Baxter back immediately.”

My tone? What tone?
Blinking back his surprise, Payton shook his head. “Baxter will not be back, I’m sorry. I’m sure that Dunston can manage anything that Baxter did.” He was quite proud of himself for that response. He’d comported himself reasonably without snapping or yelling. Cony would have definitely fired her already, but Payton was willing to give her time. It was an adjustment for everyone and—

“Now hear this. I don’t care who you are. I’ve worked here for going on forty years and I run this household. His Majesty will eventually come to his senses, kick you out and marry a nice lady and fill the palace with heirs, but until then—”

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“You’re fired! Collect your things and leave the property immediately.” So much for reason.

She gasped and sputtered. “You can’t fire me!”

“I just did. You can leave the easy way, or I’ll have the guards escort you.”

“We’ll see about this. I will be talking to His Majesty.” She turned and stomped down the stairs without another word.

Dust.
Now what was he going to do for a housekeeper?
Nothing can be easy, can it?

This just wasn’t his day. Payton sighed and leaned against the wall. He was trying, really he was. He wasn’t entirely happy about his new life, but he was determined to make it better. This househusband thing wasn’t his cup of tea, but he could do it. He knew he could. Simon needed him.

“Payton?” Dunston’s smooth voice asked hesitantly, no doubt having heard every word and recorded it on audio and video alike.

“Yes, Dunston?” Payton shoved away from the wall and headed toward the master suites.

“The Duke and Duchess of Kentwood are here to see you. I’ve had Her Grace seated in the parlor and allowed His Grace to go to the nursery and play. I hope that is all right.”

The duchess was here? Payton stopped so abruptly his shoes slid on the polished marble floor. What did she want? Was she here to lambast him for stealing her fiancé?

Did she even know Simon and Payton were married?

“Payton, should I send her away? She was on the guards’ approved list of visitors from the colonel.”

There was a list? Well that made sense, he supposed, since they were under heightened security. “No, no, Dunston, I’m on my way now. Will you make sure Mrs.

Cobbs leaves without incident?”

“I will have her escorted off palace grounds if need be.”

“Thank you.” Turning, Payton headed back downstairs to the parlor. His stomach was queasy. It wasn’t every day, thank goodness, that a man learned he had to produce an www.samhainpublishing.com 201

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heir, decorate a palace and deal with a difficult staff. And now he had to face a jilted fiancée. What next?

By the time he got downstairs his hands were sweating and his pulse racing.
Get it
together, Pay.
The parlor door opened for him, revealing Dru sipping tea on the love seat by the cream-colored marble fireplace. She looked lovely and elegant and fit right in this pastel, feminine room. Guilt tried to seep in, but Payton pushed it away.

When she glanced up and spotted him, her face lit up. Setting her cup down, she got to her feet and held her hands out to him. “Your Highness. How are you?” She seemed genuinely pleased to see him.

How odd.
It wasn’t what Payton was expecting, although when he thought about it she’d been very pleasant the last time they met. Perhaps the rumors about her and Si were just that, rumors. He hadn’t actually asked Si if he’d proposed to Dru or even if she was his mistress.

Catching her hands in his, Payton offered her a tentative smile. “Hello, Your Grace.”

“I came to offer you my help. Si dropped by my place this morning and told me everything.” She tugged on his hands and pulled him down onto the love seat with her. “I know you were raised to do this kind of thing, just as I was.” She chuckled and shook her head. “A prince no less. But I thought you might like some company.” She looked around and gave a mock shudder. “I’ve always thought this place was so unfriendly. And since you don’t know very many people…” She let go of his hands and shrugged. “I thought I’d see if you needed help with anything.”

Whoa.
The smile froze on Payton’s face. Was she offering because Si had told her to? Or was she truly trying to make friends?
Does it matter?
It wasn’t like he could be rude and send her away. She was Si’s friend, whatever else she was or wasn’t. And at this point it would be really nice to have someone around who wasn’t a computer or scowling at him. “Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome. You do realize that by tomorrow rumors of your marriage will likely be all over Englor, don’t you?” She patted his hand.

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“Yes.” Payton swallowed the lump in his throat. He wasn’t sure he was ready for that. Somehow he’d managed going the whole day without thinking about it until now.

He’d been too busy trying to get the palace in order.

“Are you going to host a ball in celebration of your marriage?”

“A ball?” Oh galaxy, he hadn’t even considered that. Technically they were in mourning, but under the circumstances it seemed like something he should do. Would Si even want that? He didn’t seem like the ball sort. Payton certainly wasn’t, but then his circumstances had changed. He’d become the consort of a very important man who would need to use balls and dinners to gain support from Parliament if he wanted things to run smoothly.

Oh, Payton, you are a genius.
A ball could be just the thing to help Simon gain support in Parliament over the Englor Marines. Security was an issue, but if they kept the guest list small and only to influential Parliament members… “Dru? Do you know about the proposal for the IN to absorb the Marines?”

She made a face and tsked. “They’re idiots. If Englor gives up the Marines it will leave us vulnerable to attack.”

Payton nodded. Good. She was a smart lady and not some arm ornament like most young ladies—or young lords on Regelence—of the ton. “Yes they are. Do you think you can help me arrange a ball and invite the important members of Parliament? The ones Si really needs to win over?”

“Oh, Payton, that’s a great idea. It will kill two birds with one stone. Let me host it at Blake House. In honor of yours and Si’s marriage.”

Payton barely got out a nod before Dru practically bounced on the love seat and immediately set to work.

His head spun watching Dru. Getting up from the love seat, she paced back and forth in front of the fireplace, too much energy to contain. It took Payton a few minutes to register her thought process because she jumped from one thing to another. It was exhausting and fascinating.

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Dru had Dunston take note of this and take note of that. They went over everything.

Colors, flowers and guest list. She even managed to teach Payton about some of the ton.

Which ones were going to be hard to convince about the Marines. Who would not accept his marriage to Si, which were pretty much the same people who would go against Si on the Marine issue. She also told him which ones she thought could be won over eventually.

By the end of the hour, she had Payton biting his bottom lip and pacing in the opposite direction as her in between bouts of laughter. He’d forgotten all about the leery feeling he’d had when he came into the parlor. Having planned the ball with Dru, Payton felt much better. Dru did not act like a woman scorned. In fact, he found her company very pleasant. It snuck up on him. He’d gone from being wary of her, wondering if she was planning on stabbing him in the back, to glad she was here to help.

“What about food, Payton? Anything in particular or shall we leave that up to the housekeeper and the cook to organize?” Dru stopped her pacing back and forth and turned, her lavender dress swirling around her legs then unwrapping.

Oh dust. He’d forgotten about Mrs. Cobbs.

“Uh-oh. That doesn’t look promising.” Dru propped her hand on her hip, studying Payton.

“What?”

“You’re droopy.”

Droopy?
Payton realized he was standing in Dru’s path, his shoulders and head slumped. He smiled and stood up straight. “I fired the housekeeper.”

“Oh.” Dru pursed her lips and tapped them with her finger. “Okay, so get the housekeeper from Hollister House to come here and hire someone else for the townhouse.”

“Good idea. Dunston, did you get that?”

“Yes, Payton, I’ll contact Mrs. Gilliam directly,” Dunston replied without missing a beat.

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“Mama, Mama.” A dark-headed little boy flew into the parlor, hitting Dru’s legs and getting lost in the voluminous lavender material. Payton spotted the colonel clutched in one small hand and smiled.

She laughed and patted his back. “Oliver, I want you to meet Si’s consort.”

The little boy stepped back and turned around. His bright blue eyes were nearly the shade of Si’s. Was he Si’s? The boy looked like Dru, but those eyes. It was startling.

Payton realized he was staring. He held out his hand and smiled.

Oliver let go of Dru’s skirt and offered his own hand. “Hello. I’m Oliver, what’s your name?”

Payton clasped the tiny hand and shook it. “I’m Payton. It’s nice to meet you, Your Grace.”

“Pft.” Scrunching up his nose, Oliver pulled his hand back and waved it in dismissal.

“You can just call me Oliver.”

Payton laughed, charmed despite the niggling worry in the back of his head.

Dru pushed the little boy’s shoulder. “The proper term of address for Payton is Your Highness,” she corrected.

Oliver’s blues eyes widened and his lips rounded into an O. “You’re a prince?”

“I am, yes.”

“He’s Si’s…husband,” Dru offered, blushing.

Taking pity on her, Payton explained his title or what he thought it was. “On Regelence my title would be King-Consort.” He looked back at Oliver. “But I
am
a prince as well.”

Oliver frowned. “You aren’t a girl.”

“Oliver,” Dru gasped.

Payton laughed and dropped down to Oliver’s level. “No, I’m not. Is that okay?”

“Yes. I’m glad you aren’t a girl. Girls are stinky.” He glanced up at Dru. “’cept for you, Mama.” Turning back to Payton, he grinned. “Si is my friend. Does this mean you’re my friend too, since you’re married to Si?”

“Oh absolutely,” Payton agreed.

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~ * ~

The rest of the afternoon went by quickly, but Payton couldn’t help but wonder once again about Oliver’s parentage as Oliver waved to him from the front steps. Payton picked up the doll Oliver had left on the sofa and headed upstairs to his and Si’s suite.

What if the boy was truly Si’s child? Did it matter? He knew it didn’t. Men had children out of wedlock all the time in historical England. Except that was a new concept for him.

On Regelence men did not have children until they were wed. He knew it shouldn’t bother him. Dru seemed perfectly fine with things and Si hadn’t said anything about a son, well not counting telling Payton he needed to make an appointment for one this morning.

Just ask him, Pay. Just come right out and ask him if he and Dru are lovers. What
are you afraid of?

After closing the bedroom door behind him, Payton flopped onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. He didn’t want to know. What if Si said yes? What if Oliver were Si’s true heir?

Payton could almost picture a child of his own and it terrified him. A child, or heir as Si put it, was a lot of responsibility. But did Si really want a son or did he only want to continue his line? Would any other parent have worked or did Si want the child to be both of theirs? Payton wished he knew. It would help him decide. No way would he bring a kid into this galaxy that wasn’t wanted. He might give on a lot of things, his own happiness even, but his future kids deserved two parents who loved him—like Payton’s parents did Payton and his brothers—not a father who wanted to make sure his bloodline was carried on. Whether it was a noble cause or not.

After pulling the pillow from the top of the bed, Payton stuffed it under his head. He swung his feet idly off the side of the mattress. He loved Si and would do what he could to protect Si and make him happy. Even help Si with being a good leader for Englor, but he wasn’t having a kid with a man who didn’t love him. He’d thought he could do this without being loved in return, but he was wrong. Maybe in a few years, Si could come to 206

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care for him… Payton blinked back tears. Si wouldn’t have even married him if it weren’t for him being a prince. Maybe Si could make Oliver his heir.

“Payton!” Dunston’s voice echoed through the empty room, making Payton jump.

“What is it, Dunston?” Payton dashed his hand across his cheek, wiping away the tears, and sat up.

“I found something in Baxter’s memory that you will want to see.”