Luke cleared his throat and ushered us to the dining room. He held a chair for Anastasia then sat beside her. He folded his hands on top of the table and looked into her eyes. He was begging for something. She was making him do something? Something he didn’t want to do. I twisted my handkerchief in my hands.
Anastasia gave one swift nod. She pulled her hand out from under Luke's. “Go on, tell her.”
Luke took a deep breath and then exhaled in a whoosh. “Well, Mother, Anna and I have been seeing each other for a bit of time now.”
Somehow I'd known that’s where we were headed. “Oh? How long?” Act casual.
“Oh, almost four months.”
“Four months? Four months. You’re serious?” I sat on my hands to keep them from shaking, or at least to keep Anna from noticing they trembled. I fought the anger rising from my belly. Why hadn't he told me? I hadn't raised my son to be a liar.
“Mother, don't overreact. We wanted to keep things private for a while.”
Wanted to keep things private for a while? How convenient for them. So much for my privacy. “I don't know what you want me to say. I'm stunned.”
“I told you Luke. You should have told her sooner. Now she'll need some time to adjust before…”
Before what? What was she talking about? Why did I feel like this news would be even worse then the rest?
Anastasia grasped Luke’s hand possessively. She had confidence. This was not a new relationship. “Well, I will tell you what Luke is afraid to tell you. Though I don't understand why. Yet, it does give me pause about the place I'll have in his life if he's too afraid to tell you we’re getting married.”
***
Judging by the cluttering and clamoring of pots and pans, I expected Gretta to be hard at work stirring her brew. Whatever it was. Hopefully she had started some dinner in the process. I turned the corner to enter the kitchen.
I stopped short. Coffee sloshed over the edge of my cup and dripped between my fingers to the floor.
Anastasia.
In my kitchen.
Wearing my apron.
Or was it her kitchen now? Did she think she was Lady of the Manor now that she had married my son? She would have to be put in her place. Little did she know, she would never be boss here. I would have to die first, and that wasn't going to happen.
“Oh? What are you doing?” I added just enough lilt to my voice to be civil, but not enough to be heard with a smile.
Anastasia pasted a grin on her face. “I felt it was high time I started some meal planning and cooking for the household. At least until I have time to hire a chef.” Anastasia turned her back. Surely she knew what my expression would be.
“There will be no chef. And I do the meal planning for my household. Me or Gretta.” I run my own household, thank you very much. I dare you to defy me. I crossed my arms on my chest. Then again, what was I going to do? She'd been my son's wife for six months already. She wasn't going anywhere.
“I've been meaning to talk to you about Gretta. Why do you keep that old woman around? She's useless. She's too old to be of any value to the running of this castle.” Anastasia turned around and leveled her gaze with mine. “I think it's time this castle was run properly. A chef, a maid…and a nanny.”
A nanny? I stumbled backwards and sat on a kitchen stool. “A nanny? Does that mean? Are you…?” Act thrilled. If I responded poorly to this news, I would lose them all. But there was something about her—about Anastasia—I just didn't trust her.
“So the doctor says.” Anastasia crossed the room and placed a hand on each of my shoulders. “I'm really sorry your son didn't tell you. In case you haven't realized, he's kind of afraid of you. He's always so worried about what you will say and do. He tries to keep secrets from you, because he doesn't want to upset you.”
“I'm going to be a grandmother? I can't believe it.” I sat stunned. What if all that were true? What if Luke were afraid of me? What if my presence around them was stifling? I never wanted to ruin their lives. Maybe it was time to give up, at least for a while. When the time came I could take my rightful place back.
I stood to my feet and squared my shoulders. “Okay. You're going to be a mother. It's true, you need to run your own household. I will step back.” It’s what I would have wanted with my Henry.
Anastasia's eyes lit up then narrowed just as fast. “What have you got up your sleeve? What do you really mean?”
Only a deceitful person would assume deceit. “I'm not like you, Anastasia. I mean what I say. I will step back and spend most of my time in the tower or the gardens. I will let you and your family be. Hire whomever you wish. Run this household however you wish.”