Page 77 of The Secret of Flirting
As soon as she and Lady Ursula entered, he closed the door and turned to her, his eyes as icy as the frozen reaches of the far north. “When the hell were you going to tell me that you’re third in line for the throne of Chanay?”
Eighteen
Gregory watched Monique to see her reaction, unsure what to expect. He was taken by surprise when she gaped at him.
“What are you talking about? I’m not... I can’t be...”
He pressed his advantage. “According to the fellow left in charge of your grandmother,sheis second in line for the throne. Which makes you third.”
At least the part about the grandmother had proved to be true. Hart had found out from friends of Monique’s that Princess Solange had grown increasingly ill over the past year. That Monique had been desperate to find help for her.
But the other part...
He went on in a harder tone. “First in line is your grandmother’s older sister, who is doddering on the edge of the grave, as is, apparently, your grandmother. Once they both pass on,youare the successor. After Princess Aurore, of course.”
There was no mistaking Monique’s shock. “That’s impossible.”
Lady Ursula gave a heavy sigh. “She didn’t know. Trust me, she had no idea.”
Gregory crossed his arms over his chest. “And why the devil should I trustyouwhen you’ve been keeping secrets all along?”
“Because I have nothing to gain by telling you this,” the young woman said stoutly. “The count told me we were not to tell her how far up she was in the succession. He was”—she cast an apologetic glance at Monique—“afraid she might take advantage of the knowledge.”
“I can well imagine.” Gregory focused his attention on Lady Ursula. “If Monique had known she was essentially next in line—assuming that Princess Aurore didn’t survive the poisoning—she might not have been so eager to follow the rules that you and the count set for her.”
“Me!” Lady Ursula exclaimed. “I just do as I’m told.”
“Except when it comes to Princess Aurore.”
The woman’s face fell. “Yes. I would do anything for Aurore.”
Now he felt as if he were beating up a puppy. God, both women were driving him mad.
Monique still hadn’t seemed to grasp the truth of the situation. “I—I don’t understand.” She glanced from him to Lady Ursula. “How can I be third in line? Grand-maman had three siblings. Surely they all had children.”
Lady Ursula shook her head. “Actually, no. The count and his princess wife were unable to produce a child. Aurore’s grandfather had one son, the previous Prince of Chanay, who only sired Aurore. And your grandmother’s other sister has been a spinster all her life. So with your parents dead and your having no siblings,youare the only descendant of the new generation, aside from Aurore.”
“You’re sure,” Monique said.
“Of course I’m sure!” Lady Ursula drew in a calming breath. “If Aurore dies, your grandmother will be heir apparent until her seventy-two-year-old sister dies. And given that your grandmother is ailing...”
“Whenshedies, Monique will become Princess de Chanay,” Gregory finished.
Clearly, no one had explained it all to Monique. There was no mistaking her reaction at hearing that she was essentially next in line for the throne of Chanay. Not even the best actress in the world could fake the astonishment on her face.
“That’swhy the count has been keeping track of my family’s whereabouts all this time,” Monique breathed. “Mon Dieu.”
She looked as if she might faint. Hurrying to her side, Gregory offered her a chair, which she took, clearly in a state of shock.
“If you would leave us, Lady Ursula,” he said, “I need to speak to Monique alone.”
The lady-in-waiting crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m not going anywhere without her.”
“It’s a bit late to be trying to protect her, don’t you think?” he ground out. “Until now, you’ve abandoned her every time you thought it would suit the count’s purposes.”
The young woman bristled. “Now see here—”
“Besides,” he cut in, “I just received a message that the prince is scarcely an hour away, give or take thirty minutes. And you did want to speak to him alone before everyone else returns from town, didn’t you?”
