The icy formality strained her nerves as she prepared for her third curtsey. “Princess Phillipa, I present Miss Coco Jordan.”
Princess Phillipa took Coco’s hand with both of hers. “My pleasure to meet you. Thank you for coming such a long distance to meet us. Shall we sit and drink tea?”
Coco breathed a slight sigh of relief. At least Princess Phillipa seemed friendly.
A server appeared and poured the tea, asking each person. “Sugar or cream?”
“Just sugar, please,” Coco said. “Thank you very much.”
She watched the princesses do the vertical stirring motion she’d read on the internet and followed their example. A long silence followed.
The princesses exchanged expressions with each other. Bridget set down her teacup. “I understand you live in Texas. As you probably know, our family has associations with several Texans. My sister Princess Valentina lives in Texas with her husband and daughter, and my husband is originally from Texas. Do you like it there?”
“I don’t really know anything else,” Coco said. “I’ve lived there my entire life and haven’t traveled all that much. My experience is that there are a lot of good people in Texas. Because of that, I consider myself pretty lucky.”
Bridget nodded and glanced at Fredericka. “Texas has such charm. I’m not sure I could endure your summers. How do you do it?”
“Air-conditioning and iced tea and lemonade,” she said.
Phillipa laughed. “That sounds like something Eve would say. Eve is our brother Prince Stefan’s wife. She’s also from Texas. I’m not sure how much Mr. Bernard has shared with you or what you may have gleaned from the internet about the family.”
“Mr. Bernard gave me a tour this morning and gave me a brief history lesson on Chantaine and the Devereau family, but it was so much information, I may not be able to pass the quiz if I have to take it this afternoon,” she confessed.
Bridget’s lips lifted in a half smile that she quickly hid with her teacup. “Tell us about yourself.”
Coco immediately felt at a loss. “Well, as you know, I’m from Texas. I’m studying for a degree in early childhood education. Well, I was studying, but my mother became ill.” She noticed that she was cupping her teacup and remembered that was a no-no, so she put one of her hands in her lap.
“We’re sorry for your loss,” Phillipa said. “My husband has recently been through a similar experience with his mother.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. My sympathies to both of you,” Coco said.
“Did I understand correctly that you are working as a nanny?” Bridget asked.
“Yes,” Coco said. “For Benjamin Garner’s daughter, Emma. She’s adorable.”
“How old is she?” Bridget asked.
“Only five months old, but quite verbal.”
Bridget’s eyes rounded in surprise. “She’s already talking?”
“In her special language,” Coco said. “She’s quite the magpie.”
Phillipa laughed. “When you’re not taking care of Emma, what do you like to do?”
“I have to be honest, most of my time has been spent helping Emma adjust to living with her father. Emma’s mother died suddenly less than two months ago. But when I get the chance, I like to fish.”
All three of the princesses stared at her silently, and Coco wondered if she’d overshared.
“Fish?” Fredericka echoed.
Coco nodded. “With a pole and a worm or crawdads.”
“Eve would love this,” Bridget muttered under her breath. “She already thinks we’re a bunch of sissies, so—”
The door to the room opened and Mr. Bernard announced, “His Royal Highness, Prince Stefan.”
Coco’s mind went blank, but she noticed the princesses rose, so she did the same. Clumsily. She knocked over her teacup, spilling the brown liquid onto the exquisite tablecloth.
“Oh, no! I’m so sorry. I—” She reached for her napkin and began to mop up the liquid. “How will you ever get this tea out of this beautiful material? I—”
“Miss Coco Jordan,” another male voice said.
Coco glanced up to meet Prince Stefan’s gaze. He didn’t look friendly. She gave a quick curtsey, on the wrong foot, and dipped her head.
Prince Stefan extended his hand and she rose. “It is our pleasure to meet you. I trust Mr. Bernard has taken good care of you,” he said.
“Yes, thank you.”
“I must leave due to a meeting this afternoon. Please don’t hesitate to call Mr. Bernard for anything you may need during your stay. Have a good day to all of you,” he said, glancing at his sisters and he left the room.
Coco vaguely remembered that she was supposed to curtsey again, so she did, using the correct foot this time. As soon as the prince left, the servers changed the tablecloth in record time. Self-conscious, Coco glanced toward the princesses. Their expressions suddenly seemed cool and remote. Coco would almost swear someone had turned the temperature in the room down to freezing.
Sinking carefully into her chair, Coco pressed her lips together and made herself smile. None of the princesses returned her forced grimace. A server asked her if she would like more tea and she shook her head. She didn’t want to ruin any more antique linens.
Silence permeated the room like the most stifling heat and humidity in July. Coco was at a loss as to what to say, and it appeared the princesses felt no need to chat. She wondered if they were truly that upset about her spilling tea.
A clock sounded three times. Fredericka glanced at her watch and stood. Her sisters followed. Coco quickly rose to her feet.
“We’ve kept you long enough,” Fredericka said. “It was a pleasure to meet you and we hope you’ll enjoy your visit to our lovely country.”
Blinking from the abrupt ending to the visit, Coco dipped a few times. The princesses exited the room and Mr. Bernard appeared. “I shall escort you to your villa now,” he said.
Her mind whirled during the few moments it took to ride to the villa. Was that it? she wondered. She’d flown halfway around the world to have tea with her so-called half sisters and a few seconds with her so-called half brother.
She’d told herself to expect nothing. Her stomach began to turn and her heart hurt. Locking her fists together, she lectured herself. Do not get upset. Do not get upset.
Mr. Bernard ushered her out of the car. She felt him watching her as she walked toward the front door.
“I’m not disappointed,” she whispered to herself. “I’m not disappointed. I’m not—”
The front door opened before she’d barely touched it and Benjamin—strong, wonderful Benjamin—studied her face. “How’d it go?” he asked.
Coco burst into tears.
* * *
“Not great,” Benjamin muttered and gently pulled Coco into the small den. He helped her onto the love seat as she continued to cry.
“I—shouldn’t—have—” She broke off and sobbed again.
The sound made his gut twist. Plus, he was starting to get real concerned that she would hyperventilate. “Hey,” he said, taking her shoulders. “Take a breath.”
She opened her mouth as if she were trying to comply, but another sob escaped. “I’m sorry,” she managed. “I haven’t—”