Page 4 of Falling for the Widowed Prince

They should have looked into it a long time ago.

But they had that always-invincible sense so many young people did.

Not that they qualified as young anymore, but still had a few years before reaching the dreaded middle age.

When the queen took ill, that should have been enough for them to…

But it had all happened so fast.

“Sir?” Without looking, he knew it was the Prime Minister.

Anthony closed his eyes then turned, opening them and tugging the hem of his black suit jacket down to straighten it. “Yes?”

“Some decisions need to be made, sir. As the consort, they fall to you until a regent is officially appointed in sixty days.”

He did some quick calculations in his head. “Christmas Eve?”

The other man gave a sympathetic nod. “Unfortunately. It’s possible we can have it done sooner, but it must be done by then.”

“What do I need to do to be the regent permanently? I think there’s precedence for the Queen Mother to act as regent for her son, but the new kings were much older than Catherine is. We’vehad precious few ruling queens, and none predeceased their husband.”

“The Royal Historian is searching the archives for guidance - a legal precedent or statute that would be relevant. She said there was something in the back of her mind, but couldn’t quite remember what it was.”

Anthony nodded. The Royal Historian was excellent at her job, with a near encyclopedic memory for details of the history of Eastern Novigradia.

If she thought something existed, it did. If she couldn’t quite recall the information, it must be quite obscure indeed.

He straightened his coat again, even though it didn’t need it. “What do we need to decide?”

For two hours, they went over document after document. Anthony signed each one with the notation of AR for “acting regent.”

It was understandable that the recently-motherless preteen wasn’t expected to take part. Anthony doubted much would sink in after such a loss.

“You will need to make a statement before long, and the entire family will need to be seen in public by this evening.” The Prime Minister put the papers back in the folder, placed it in the attache case, and locked it.

Another nod was all Anthony could manage. “I will. My children are another matter. I won’t force them outside.” He closed his eyes and tried to breath. “Please see that Maxwell gets the details. I need to go find my children. They haven’t been told.”

They would suspect something from the hushed conversations and strained interactions with the assorted caretakers around them.

The Prime Minister stood and bowed slightly at the waist. “You have my deepest condolences, sir, as do your children.Please don’t hesitate to reach out if there’s anything I can do to help.”

“I appreciate that.”

As the Prime Minister walked out the door, Maxwell entered.

“How are you holding up, sir?”

Anthony’s senior aide knew him well. “I’m in denial. I’m holding it together until everyone who depends on me is more stable.”

“You need to find someone to talk to, sir,” his aide told him gently. “I know there’s not many options, but you need someone in your life who isn’t leaning on you. Someone you can lean on.”

Anthony nodded his acknowledgment, but didn’t know who that person might be. He had acquaintances, friends even, but did he have even one he could count on to be discreet with something like this? He didn’t think so.

“I do have a few things I need you to look at.” Maxwell moved to the table and opened the folder he set on it. “A few decisions need to be made quickly. Much of the events of the next ten days have already been planned in great detail by custom, statute, and the queen’s wishes.”

“Of course.” They’d discussed it a few times, but not in depth. He knew that, years earlier, she’d had one of her senior aides walk her through everything that would need to be arranged.

After another half an hour, Anthony stood and told Maxwell anything else would have to wait until another time.

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