The Royal Governess by Barbara Lohr

Author:Barbara Lohr [Lohr, Barbara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-06-02T16:00:00+00:00

12

Was I supposed to curtsy to Marco’s mother? I wasn’t sure about that. Well, here goes. Holding my towel around my waist, I slid my left foot back. My flip flop caught on the tile but I managed to keep my balance.

“Do you have a costume for the party?” Ama smiled. How strange. The only time I saw her smile was when she was talking to Gregorio. I stood upright.

“No. Not yet. I was planning on going into the village to see what the shops had. Lexi will need something too.”

“Come. I may have something.” With a mischievous smile, she trotted off. Now, this was a totally new side of Ama and it was a welcome change.

What else could I do but follow her? Clutching my tote and hoping my towel stayed tightly around my waist, I followed Ama into the family quarters. While my flip flops sounded absurdly loud, her skirts swished softly against the marble floor. The corridor felt somehow sacred, all dimly lit and hung with priceless paintings.

Which one of these doors led to Marco’s apartments? My cheeks heated with the reckless rogue thought. Count to ten and pretend you are back in the corridors of Providence High School, Christina Bernadette. Taking a key from a hidden pocket, Ama approached a door. Were there keys to every door in the palace? Who had the key to my door?

By this time, I was having second thoughts and lagging behind. Ama and I hadn’t had much interaction since my arrival. Had I imagined her disapproval? During our meals together, she hardly initiated any discussion. In fact, she spoke only to Marco and Gregorio. Today, she was smiling, as if we were high school friends picking out dresses for the prom. Okay, if she offered me tea or even a bite of baklava, I’d draw the line. Ama probably knew lots about poisoning. She had that look about her.

But today she was smiling. “Come, come.” She waved me into her inner sanctum.

My breath caught in my throat. “Oh, my. How beautiful.”

This was no ordinary bedroom. In fact, there was no bed. Ama must have a suite. Perhaps all of the family members did and that shouldn’t surprise me. A decorator had definitely been at work here. In contrast to the rest of the castle, here the color scheme was a tasteful gray with purple and magenta accents. The side tables were exquisite with delicate spindly legs.

On every wall, paintings soared to the ceiling. No doubt she had her own collection of bucolic scenes and family members. But pride of place was given to the portrait of a gorgeous woman with dark hair standing behind a throne. Her hand rested on the shoulder of a handsome man whose uniform gleamed with ribbons and medals. A young boy stood beside them. At the sight of that smile, warmth cascaded through my body. Marco.

Ama followed my eyes. “My husband. And Marco, of course.” Her smile warmed as she took in the painting.

Was it all right to ask questions? “How old was Marco in this painting?”

“Ten.

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