The Heir And The Spare

#1

But Claudia's words feel nastier today. Maybe it's the scenario or maybe it's the way she doesn't once blink as she says them, but if I wasn't sitting, I would have stumbled back as if I had been slapped. Because if Claudia is anything, she is not a liar about this.

Something inside of me snaps. I stand, the diary falling from my lap and onto the floor but at this point, I don't even care.

"Are you hearing yourself?" I start as Claudia's lip curls, satisfied that I have risen to her bait.

"I am hearing myself perfectly, Your Highness. Maybe it's you that needs to step down off that throne of yours and get your hearing tested—"

"What in the devil's name is going on here?"

Claudia stops mid-insult, her shoulders forward as if she's about to pounce, and all her energy drains out of her eyes. Her father, the Duke of Cornwall, stares stunned at the two of us. Because yes, I may be a princess, but Claudia isn't some random civilian off the street. She's a lady in her own right with an inheritance that would put most millionaires to shame.

Duke Winthorpe isn't alone either. Twenty first century or not, I still have lady's maids and mine are all craning behind the duke, eagerly watching to see what is going on. All three of them.

"Father," Claudia's face might as well be purple. She's blushing so fiercely that when she opens her mouth to say something else, her father stops her by raising his hand in the air as if he's a traffic warden and his daughter is a moving vehicle. If I didn't despise her as much as I do, I'd catch her when she undoubtedly is about to keel over from whatever repercussion her father is undoubtedly about to hand out. I'm not thoughtless, I know her father is a misogynistic man who believes strongly that women should be seen and not heard.

"Your Highness," the duke looks my way and tilts his head down in a bow. "I was coming to escort you to the luncheon," he tells me, justifying the reason he's here in the private quarters of the palace. I try to not let the panic show on my face and glance over my shoulder towards the large standing clock in the corner.

Shit.

The duke clears his throat and my head snaps back to the balding man in the doorway. "But I seem to need to have a word with my daughter on how she conducts herself in front of the Princess. I apologise profusely for her behaviour. It will not happen again."

"It isn't a problem is it, Princess?" Charlotte speaks up with a small cough, coming to my rescue for the millionth time. I almost forgot she was at the opposite side of the room. "In fact, I will escort her myself." Charlotte gives me a follow my lead kind of look and I mumble a quick thanks to the duke as I duck behind Charlotte out of the doorway.

"If you weren't my cousin, I'd kiss you right now," I tell her, looping my arm through hers as we set off down the corridor.

Charlotte laughs, her strawberry blonde hair is tied in a neat ponytail and bobs as she walks with haste. She's tiny, barely over five feet but I think that's just a polite way of saying small people move quickly because Charlotte does nothing without it looking like she's floating. "Didn't stop our ancestors."

I make a face, "gross."

"I take it you didn't look at today's agenda then," Charlotte snickers as we pass a member of staff. He shoots her an interesting look and briefly bows before disappearing.

I wince. I have never been good at staying on top of the palace's functions. Usually, someone politely reminds me if my whereabouts are needed, but when you are spare to the heir, you can slip into the background quite easily.

"That obvious, huh?"

"Just remember to keep your head down, smile when you have to and don't sit anywhere near Lady Helen. You know she will beeline for you."