‘I really don’t.’
‘What sort of security team have you got?’
‘A very good one. But I haven’t read the report they compiled on you.’
‘You weren’t interested?’
He couldn’t answer that.
Her gaze dropped. ‘Please don’t look at it.’
His muscles were so tense they ached. Whatever it was clearly mortified her and he carefully considered his words. ‘Did someone take advantage of you?’
He wanted to know if someone hurt her. Because if that were the case he’d grind their bones. His imagination was going overtime but he didn’t want to hurt her more.
She swallowed. ‘Not in the way you’re thinking.’
He breathed out. ‘I’m sorry that happened. I won’t look for it.’
She nodded but he had the feeling she didn’t quite believe him. Which meant people had made promises to her in the past only to break them. Having one’s trust violated hurt, deeply. He knew that too.
Guilt rose. She’d lost her job and he hadn’t known because he’d been too angry to bother finding out the truth. He should have looked for her. Instead he’d decided not to purely because he was bothered about how much she’d bothered him. Now he had to move because there was too little time. He wanted her to at least have some fun tonight. And not the horizontal sort.
A ‘trip to the zoo’. Her acerbic retort made him smile. He had a quixotic desire to see her enjoying the celebrations. He pulled out his phone.
‘Your Majesty?’
‘Send Callie to Amalia’s suite in ten minutes.’
‘Of course, sir.’
He carried the mandolin case and led Elsie through the back corridors, aware of the curiosity of the palace guards but none dared meet his eyes or ask questions.
Amalia’s face lit up the second she saw Elsie.
‘It’s my fault Elsie left.’ Felipe spoke smoothly before Elsie could. ‘My security team were invasive and Elsie’s employer got the wrong idea. They let her go. That’s why she couldn’t return to the palace. She had to leave Silvabon the next day.’
The colour was building in Elsie’s cheeks. Hadn’t she expected him to tell his stepsister the truth?
‘That’s terrible.’ Amalia’s eyes widened.
‘It is,’ he agreed. ‘I’ve apologised—profusely—and asked her to join us tonight.’
‘You’re coming to the boring banquet?’ Amalia spun towards Elsie. ‘I didn’t want to go but if you’re coming—’
‘Callie’s on her way,’ Felipe said to Amalia. ‘Can you help her find something for Elsie? You have good taste and you know the kind of thing required, right?’
Amalia stood a little taller. ‘I think so.’
‘Is that okay with you, Elsie?’ He finally faced her fully again.
There was a glint in her eyes but she didn’t argue.
‘Great.’
Felipe left them to it, unable to stand being in Elsie’s company any longer. But he was aware that Amalia had suddenly looked livelier than she had in months. She was lonely. He needed to do better for her and once this time-sucking ceremony was over he’d take her to investigate those schools properly.
He walked into his office and five people froze. They were already aware of his instructions and invitation regarding Elsie and it was as if he’d dropped a bomb on them. Maybe he had. Felipe had always done everything expected of him. Today an air of the unexpected infiltrated. He found he quite liked it.