Convenient Bride for the King by Kelly Hunter

Author:Kelly Hunter [Hunter, Kelly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarlequinUKLtd
Published: 2018-01-31T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

LIESENDAACH WAS A treasure trove of loveliness, Moriana decided later that afternoon as she and Aury investigated the Queen’s wardrobe facilities more thoroughly. Theo had retreated to his office for the afternoon and exploration had beckoned in his absence. Theo’s mother’s clothes had been removed, but the three empty rooms devoted to clothes storage, hat and shoe space and a cupboard-sized jewellery safe spoke of a woman who’d loved to dress up and had spared no expense when it came to indulging that passion.

‘If I remember correctly, the late Queen of Liesendaach used to collect clothes,’ said Aury. ‘Period clothes. Centuries-old gowns once worn by the aristocracy. Venetian masks, Russian uniforms, everything. Want to go looking for them?’

One of the two security guards standing just within her line of sight coughed and Aury rolled her eyes before turning to look at him.

‘You wanted to say something?’ Aury asked the guard.

‘Yes, ma’am. There’s a costume collection on the third floor, right above us.’

‘I didn’t know this place had a third floor,’ said Moriana.

‘Storage only. There are no windows, Your Highness. But that’s where you’ll find the costume collection. There’s a staircase up to it from the door on your far left. The one that looks like a regular cupboard door.’

‘I love secret staircases. Makes me feel right at home,’ said Aury, with a flirtatious glance in the guard’s direction. ‘What’s your name, soldier?’

‘Aury,’ Moriana chided, with a glance that spoke of not seducing Theo’s security force within five minutes of their arrival.

‘But everything’s so pretty here,’ Aury said with another coquettish glance in the direction of the unwary. Come to think of it, the poor man appeared quite aware and looked to be holding up just fine. And yes. He was very pretty—in a rugged, manly kind of way. Fair-haired and light-eyed, like so many of Liesendaach’s people, he was also large of frame and lean when it came to bodyweight.

‘What’s your name, soldier?’ Moriana repeated Aury’s question.

‘Henry, milady.’

‘Good sturdy name,’ Aury said. ‘We should keep him. He knows where things are.’

‘Uh-huh.’ Moriana opened the door he’d spoken of. Sure enough, a spiral staircase beckoned, up, up and up towards darkness.

‘I’ll need to call it in and go on ahead if you want to take a look.’ This from Henry again, all security-wise and conscientious.

‘Let’s do it.’

Two minutes later Henry led the charge up the stairs. Aury let him get all of two steps ahead before she started ogling the man’s backside with a pleased little sigh. ‘After you,’ Moriana told her lady-in-waiting drily.

‘Thank you, milady.’

‘You’re incorrigible.’ But Aury’s obvious enjoyment of her surroundings fuelled her own. Nothing like a fairy tale castle to explore to pass the time.

They eventually reached the third floor. Henry switched on lights as he went and when they reached the top of the stairs he crossed to a bank of old-fashioned switches and flicked them on, one after another. The place lit up, one tennis-court-sized section at a time, to reveal row upon row of gowns and costumes stretching into forever.

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