Page 47 of Once Upon a Royal Summer
“Yes.” Henry gave Rose a solemn nod. “Lacey is definitely her secret princess name.”
“Only my favorite little girls get to call me that,” Lacey said, playing along.
Henry smiled until his eyes crinkled in the corners, and it felt like they were back at Once Upon A Time, where royal titles were just pretend and a simple change of clothes could turn a person into anything they wanted to be—Goldilocks, one of the Three Little Pigs, the Big Bad Wolf. Even a princess who showed up on a castle doorstep and turned a lonely prince’s life completely upside-down.
So very much trouble, indeed.
After introductions were made and Lacey noticed definite chemistry between Ava and Ian—whom she realized did indeed look like a Hemsworth brother, now that Ava had mentioned it—Henry showed Lacey and Ava to their rooms and introduced them to Miss Marie, the ladies’ maid who’d be attending to their needs.
“Oh, that’s okay. I’m sure I can look after myself.” Lacey glanced around her temporary royal digs.
The palatial bedroom was decorated in various shades of creamy whites and ivories with heavy gold accents—as in, thick gold crown molding along the ceiling and framing the doorway, and a white velvet Queen Ann sofa and tufted wingback chairs propped up by carved gold legs.
An enormous bed sat off to the left of the sitting area, covered in a plush silk damask duvet—white, of course—and it stood just high enough off the ground that Lacey was sort of tempted to check and see if it’d been piled high with an extra mattress or two, Princess and the Pea style.
“It’s no trouble,” Miss Marie said, pulling back the tasseled curtains and securing each side behind a decorative gold curtain knob. A grove of lemon trees stood just outside the big bay window. “The castle is quite large. You’ll need help finding your way around, and I’m here to assist with whatever you need.”
Marie wore a short-sleeved, crisp white shirt with a simple dark skirt and matching vest. The vest had pockets lined with a red satin stripe, and her light brown hair was swept into a simple low ponytail. She looked like she might be in her mid to late thirties.
“Miss Marie is Rose’s ladies’ maid as well.” Henry rested his hand on his daughter’s small shoulder. “They’re great friends, so Rose liked the idea of you two getting to know each other.”
“In that case, how can I refuse?” Lacey smiled at Miss Marie. Still, she’d never had any sort of domestic help before. She wouldn’t even know what to ask for assistance with.
“Would you like me to unpack your bags?” Miss Marie glanced toward the hanging bag containing Lacey’s ballgown.
Lacey jumped in her path, blocking her way. “Thanks so much, but no. I’d rather do it myself.”
Henry was right there. Lacey knew it might seem silly, but she didn’t want him to see her pretty lilac gown until the night of the ball. Shouldn’t it be a surprise?
You can take the girl out of the fairy tale, but you can’t take the fairy tale out of the girl.
“As you wish.” Miss Marie nodded.
Lacey placed the hanging bag inside an ornate, cream-colored wardrobe, tucking it away for safekeeping. Then their little group headed next door to get Ava situated in her suite.
Lacey had assumed they’d be sharing a room, which seemed silly now that she’d seen first-hand how spacious the palace was behind closed doors. She supposed it only made sense to make use of as many guest rooms as possible when you had a few dozen of them. The entirety of their small Fort Lauderdale apartment could’ve easily fit inside Lacey’s bedroom at the palace, though. It was going to be strange staying in such an enormous space all by herself.
“Maybe you can pop over for a slumber party later,” she whispered to Rose. “We can make a blanket fort.”
“After my riding lesson?” Rose shot her a hopeful glance.
Lacey nodded. “Definitely.”
“Ava, your room is right next door, but I’m afraid it’s still a bit of a walk,” Henry said, pulling Ava’s wheelie suitcase behind them as they headed down the widest hallway Lacey had ever seen.
She wondered if Henry always gave palace guests such personal attention. Somehow, she doubted it.
“Thanks so much for this,” she said, sidling up next to him. She could barely wrap her head around sharing a ladies’ maid. Having a butler show them to their rooms would’ve been surreal.
Right, because having a prince do it is so much more relatable.
Why did she keep thinking of him as just plain Henry, the doting father who loved amusement park rides and food on a stick when reminders of his royal status were everywhere she turned?
For example—the proper-looking woman who was striding toward him from the opposite end of the hall. She was dressed in a sleek, dove-gray business suit and a tasteful string of pearls, and her gaze was trained on Henry in a way that said she meant business. Elite royal business, no doubt. Maybe Henry was late for christening a ship or getting fitted for a suit of armor…
And perhaps Lacey needed to expand her knowledge of princely duties beyond the realm of storybooks and theme parks.
“Henry, I’ve been looking all over for you.” The woman in the pearls looked at the suitcase Henry pulled behind him as if she’d never seen such a contraption in her life. “Whatever are you doing?”
