“It was never going to be easy,” his mother says. “But you know I’m pushing for you.”
That’s a surprise to me, although maybe it shouldn’t be. I should have guessed that Nolan’s own mother would be on his side, though I assumed that if his relationship with his father wasn’t good, then it probably wasn’t great with his mother, either. Clearly I was wrong about that. Just from seeing them together for a bit, I can tell that they’re close.
Which makes me wonder how much sway the queen has over the king. If he picked the cousin as his heir, despite the queen’s obvious desire to have her son take the crown, it suggests that she isn’t as in control of the king as I thought at first. Still, she’s a powerful ally, and it’s good to know that Nolan has supporters.
We fall back into small talk, mostly chatting about how I find life in the castle. She does ask me about my work before we married, and I admit that I was a maid. She knows, of course, and asks me about my working conditions.
I’m a little surprised, but they both listen attentively. I’ve never met rich people that really care about the people that work for them, but I get the sense that Maggie and Nolan both care deeply. Although Nolan is new to the castle, I can tell that he wants to treat everyone with kindness and respect.
We talk for maybe a half hour before the queen finally nods. “Well, this was good,” she says. “I need to get back to work, though.”
“Thanks for seeing us, mother,” Nolan says.
“Any time.” She turns to me. “Seriously dear, any time you want to see me, just come.”
“Thank you. That means a lot.”
She nods and kisses my cheek again. “Be good to him,” she says softly.
We all stand and say goodbye. Nolan leads me from the room and as soon as we’re alone in the hall, he gives me an enormous grin.
“Good job in there,” he says.
“Yeah? You think she liked me?”
“She loved you,” he says. “I can tell, believe me.”
“How do you know?”
“You’re not the first woman who’s met my mother. But you’re the first one that she willingly said she would see again.”
I feel a little proud of that, though it’s only slightly marred by the fact that I’m not the first girl he’s brought home. I don’t know why I would ever think that, of course. He’s older than me, which means he’s had more girlfriends than I know about, I’m sure.
Either way, I got through the first parental meeting. I know that was supposed to be difficult, even with a family that isn’t royal, but it really wasn’t that bad. His mother was kind and welcoming, and I feel so much better after having met her.
I don’t know what the future holds. But at least I know his mother doesn’t hate me. And that means a lot right now, when I’m trying to figure out if I really belong in this foreign place.
13
Nolan
I grunt and finish the set, my muscles straining at the weight. Sweat drips down my skin and although I’m exhausted from the workout, I feel damn good.
Yesterday’s meeting with my mother went great. Afterward, I went to some nobles that I know and started testing the waters, seeing how loyal they are to Julian over me. So far, things seem like they’re going fairly well, though I know I have an uphill battle.
And then there’s Hazel. She nailed it with my mother. And although I didn’t see her much the rest of the day yesterday, since she was busy with her tutor, I couldn’t get her out of my head. I still keep thinking about that kiss, and how badly I want another one.
I grab my things and head out of the gym. I decide to shower back in the apartment. Maybe I’ll even run into Hazel on the way, which could be fun.
As I turn the corner, my mind a little distracted, I almost stumble directly into Julian and his two stewards.
He stops a few feet from me, his eyebrow raised. “Hello, cousin,” he says.
“Julian,” I grunt. “Fancy seeing you here. I figured you didn’t go within a mile of a gym.”
He gives me a dirty look. Julian is slightly rounder and always has been. “It’s not going to work, you know,” he says.
“What isn’t?” I ask, almost sighing.
“Your little game. This coup you have going.” He steps toward me, eyes narrowed. “I’ve worked a long time to get these nobles behind me.”
“Yes, well, too bad you didn’t choose a less pure agenda.”
That surprises him, I can tell, but he quickly gets himself under control. “I see that the court is talking.”
“They always talk. Especially about ideas they don’t agree with.”