Page 120 of Christmas at the Castle
“Yes.” Queen Louise clucked her tongue. “Too bad about your bridesmaid dress.”
“About that…”
A steely resolve born out of love for Sophie and Gill gave Kat strength. A mother was important, and Kat never wanted Sophie and Gill to experience the questioning or wondering or hurt as Kat had. She removed a cell phone from her pocket and brought up the video. “Please watch this.”
“Watch this, ma’am,” Queen Louise corrected.
“Yes, ma’am.” Kat hit play.
“It’s the bridal bouquet toss. Sophie looks so stunning. Such a beautiful bride.”
Kat didn’t say anything. She heard the shouts and the clapping during the toss.
“You got lucky,” the queen said.
“Yes, I did.” Kat hesitated a moment. “Ma’am.”
The moment with Rowena and the wineglass appeared on the screen.
Queen Louise sucked in a breath. “Where did you get this?”
“It was given to me.”
The video clip made what the queen had done clear.
Anger burned in the queen’s eyes. “What do you want?”
“Peace.”
“Excuse me?”
“I want a peaceful Christmas. For you, for Sophie and Bertrand, for Gill and me.”
“Nothing else?”
“That’s all.
The queen’s eyes narrowed with accusation. “You’re in love with Guillaume.”
All Kat could do was tell the truth. She squared her shoulders. “Yes.”
“He’ll never marry you.”
Her heart squeezed tight. “I know.”
Queen Louise drew back. “Then why are you doing this?”
“BecauseI love him.” Kat took a breath and tried to control her heart rate, which was beating out of control. “Gill loves you and his country, and I would never want to come between you and him. I know what it’s like not to have your parents be part of your life. I won’t let that happen to him.”
Queen Louise scoffed. “You think my son would choose you over me?”
“No, but it’s a decision he shouldn’t have to make.”
“So what do you get from two days of peace?”
“Gill loves Christmas. He’ll have an enjoyable one. I get two days with him before I leave on the twenty-sixth.”
Queen Louise tapped her finger against her chin. “No matter what happens, you’ll leave on the twenty-sixth?”
