Page 19 of Falling for the Widowed Prince

The young queen leaned in closer as well, her nose wrinkling. "Mummy made her own hot cocoa sometimes, but it wasn't very good." She giggled. "Chef makes it better."

Before Madeleine could reply, a noise made them all look up. Prince Anthony emerged from the hallway, a smile on his face.

And were those hints of tears in his eyes?

He held a hand toward an arched doorway. "It's time for dinner. Nessa will be along in a moment."

A chorus of "Yes, Papa" came from all of the children.

Madeleine started to follow, but Prince Anthony's hand on her arm stopped her. She looked up to see that his eyes definitely held tears.

"I haven't heard her laugh in weeks," he said softly. "I don't know what you said or did, but thank you."

"I just asked her to tell me a favorite story about her mum. Then she told me her mum's hot cocoa wasn't as good as Chef's."

The prince chuckled. "My wife excelled at many things, but making hot cocoa wasn't one of them."

He released her forearm and started to follow his children into the dining area. When they reached the table, he held a chair for her, but clearly not the one their mum would have been in.

The new queen gave her father an odd look. "Papa, that's my..."

He tilted his head toward the other end of the table. "Why don't you sit there this evening?"

The girl's eyes went wide. "But that's Mummy's place."

"I know." The prince crouched a bit until he was on her level. "I think Mummy would be okay with you sitting there now."

He straightened then held the chair for his daughter.

What an ingenious way to introduce the idea that the chair at the head of the table belonged to her now.

When the prince looked at Madeleine, he gave her a slight wink, like they were working together. Madeleine tried to hide her smile, but knew she failed. At least maybe it wasn't the big grin it could have been. That didn't seem appropriate.

He went around the table and held chairs for his other daughters, including Princess Nessa who joined them with her tear-stained cheeks and tremulous smile. "I'm sorry for ripping your picture, Issy, and for being rude, Ms. Madeleine."

The youngest princess glared at her sister, but Madeleine gave a single nod. "It's forgotten. Please, call me Maddie."

"Ms. Maddie," the prince told her.

"Ms. Maddie," Princess Nessa corrected.

The prince reached a hand out to each side. When she saw the others join hands, Madeleine took the hand of the youngest princess on one side and the prince consort on the other. The prayer was short and to the point, likely necessary with young children.

A staff member entered the room with two plates. She seemed to startle slightly at the seating arrangement, but set the first meal down in front of the queen. The next went to Prince Anthony. Someone handed her two more plates. Madeleine saw her look to the prince consort for direction and then saw his gaze flicker her direction ever so slightly.

It surprised Madeleine when the next plate went to her, then to the other children in descending order by age. Once everyone was served, they began to eat.

As expected, the meal was excellent. Madeleine hadn't eaten at the palace often, not outside of the meals she had while working. She'd always heard the food at balls and banquets was something to be envied. If this meal was any indication, the reputation was quite well-deserved.

There wasn't much conversation around the table. Madeleine had the impression it wasn't normal, not the way the childrentried to talk to each other, but none of their hearts were really in it.

Someday, it would be better, but that day hadn't arrived yet. Once dinner ended, Prince Anthony asked her to have a seat in the living area and excused himself and the children. She suspected they were going to get ready for bed.

She wanted to wander around, to get a better feel for the room that looked much more like her living room at her parents' home than she would have expected. The art station in the corner. The children's books, many of which she'd read as a child, on the end and side tables. The childish drawings framed and hung on the walls.

Family photos never released to the public were also featured. She couldn't stop herself from standing and walking closer to look at them. They were arranged in order, starting with the courtship of the late queen and her prince. The most recent ones had to have been from the summer before. The queen and prince shared a kiss while the children had varying looks of surprise and faux disgust on their faces. The next one had to have been taken immediately before or after. They were in the same places but all of them were laughing.

"That was a good day."

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