Page 34 of Royally Wed
If only he could.
Asher held up his hand like he was swearing an oath. “I won’t ventureoff on my own again. If I leave the room, you’ll be the first to know. You have my word.”
Asher could do one thing right while he was in England. He’d probably botch his solo on the wedding day, thereby ruining his career, and he was definitely having inappropriate thoughts about the bride. But he could at least manage to not get James fired.
“Thank you.” James exhaled, and the color returnedto his pale face. “That’s a great relief.”
James smiled, and the absence of a “sir” at the end of his sentence came as a relief to Asher. He could use a friend in this country. Hell, he could use a friend, period. Preferably, one who didn’t call him “sir.”
“Her Royal Highness has already left for her morning engagement, in case you were wondering,” James said.
Asher bit back a frown. “I wasn’t.”Liar.
“She won’t be here this evening, either. She’s going to the opera tonight with Duke Holden.”
Asher put down his fork. He suddenly didn’t feel hungry. The corgis heaved a collective sigh and wandered away. “Should you be sharing this information with me?”
James lifted his shoulder in a nearly imperceptible shrug. “Official engagements for all members of the royal family are printed dailyin the Court Circular. It’s public record. Anyone can access it. The opera appearance isn’t technically an official event, but it should be in all the papers. It’s hardly astate secret.”
Great. More things Asher could Google later in private. He was becoming some sort of cyber stalker.
It had to stop.
“James, do you know anything about a leopard?” What was he doing?
“Any leopard in particular?”James asked.
He was going to make Asher say it.
Fine. “The leopard that belongs to the princess. Is it here in the palace?”
“No, I’m afraid not. The palace isn’t exactly the place for a leopard. I’m quite sure Her Royal Highness is aware that it was never here in the building.”
Was she, now?
So the leopard hunt hadn’t really been about the leopard at all. Was it possible that she’d just wantedto spend time with him?
“I could look into the leopard’s whereabouts if you like,” James suggested.
Asher shook his head. “Never mind.”
The princess wasn’t any of his business. Neither was her leopard.
“I appreciate your help, James. But just so we’re clear, I’m here to play my cello. That’s all.” No more mind games with the queen’s dogs. No more Princess Naughty. He had a performance to worryabout. And the way things were going, there was much cause for concern.
“Absolutely. You’ve made yourself perfectly clear,” James said, but there was a hint of mirth in his tone.
He shot a knowing glance toward the desk in the corner of the room.
Asher was almost afraid to follow his gaze. Sure enough, when he did, Princess Amelia’s image smiled at him from the screen of his laptop.
Busted.
THE LAST TIME AMELIAhad been to the Royal Opera House was for a Duran Duran reunion tour. She and Eleanor—accompanied by security officers, of course—had worn neon crop tops, high-waisted jeans, and heaps upon heaps of rubber bracelets. They’d teased their hair until it was so big it nearly reached the rafters. Amelia danced and sang all night. She’d even gotten her bodyguard to bust a moveor two. The next day, she’d been so hoarse she’d barely been able to squeak out a sound during her speech at a teen advocacy program in Islington.
It had been fabulous.
Now here she was, alongside Eleanor’s dad, watchingMadame Butterfly. Quite the switch.
