Page 48 of The Prince Falls First
“I don’t know about that. I watched her at the picnic today, you know. She’s not like the other ones you’ve dated. She was polite and respectful, but she wasn’t trying to curry favour with any of us, not even you. But she likes you. She would blush whenever I asked questions about the two of you at lunch.”
“You didn’t.”
“Of course I did. I wanted to make sure she wasn’t another…well, anyway. It’s important to suss these things out early. It’s not worth getting your heart broken later. She seemed like the kind of woman…”
“You should finish that sentence quickly and hope I don’t punch you at the end of it.”
Gaston laughed. “I was only going to say that I think she’s the type of woman who hasn’t been loved properly before. Maybe she’s been ignored, and maybe you did ignore her wishes too.”
“That’s very insightful.”
“When you only have your own thoughts for company, insight is the inevitable result. But what do I know? I was told I wasn’t enough recently myself.”
“Gaston—”
“I’m fine, I’m fine. Deployment will fix me soon enough. I’ll be too busy, then too bored, to think of her at all. You’re a good brother to care so much.”
“I’m an excellent brother because I care so much.”
Gaston laughed again, then wandered over to Agnes on the sofa. Before every deployment, Gaston would spend some time—even a few moments—with each of his siblings. Though chances were low he might be injured, it was a possibility. They’d all been through it, and they’d all done the same, so Gabriel couldn’t fault him for it.
Realizing he’d reached nearly the end of his glass, he decided to pace himself instead of refilling; it wouldn’t do to be drunk at a family dinner, especially with non-family at the table.
“Refill my glass, would you?”
He glanced up to see his Mother had approached him, and he gave her a smile. “Of course, Mother. White wine?”
“Thank you, dear.” She waited a few moments, then, “Where is Miss Ruffin?”
He handed her the glass. “She had another engagement at the Kaur’s this evening. Since we seemed to have a full house, I thought it best not to press her.”
“Your father might believe that, but I certainly won’t.”
“I’m sorry, Mother. I didn’t want to disappoint you.”
“Because she’s not here?”
“Yes, and because she’s not coming back.”
“Oh.” His mother glanced over at his father, then tucked her hand into his arm. “Let’s sit down, just over there.”
Going to a set of chairs further away from the others, they sat and he waited for the lecture he assumed was coming.
“What reason did she give?”
“Does it matter?”
“Yes. If there was some…incompatibility between people, that’s one thing. But if she merely didn’t want a royal life, that’s another thing entirely.”
Would he be forced to say it over and over again all evening? “She didn’t want me, Mother. I’m the one who fucked up.”
“Language.”
“It was an accurate statement and I stand by it.”
She chuckled and took a sip of wine. “You’re so like your father, you know, except when you say things like that. Then I know you’re my son.”
“Was that ever in doubt?”
