CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 9

“Does it ever seem to you like our lives are spent on the outside looking in?” Katrin asked.

“Pardon?” Ingrid asked back.

“Well, there’s a party going on in that ballroom, and we’re in our offices, which are by the palace kitchen because we’ve been relegated to the second and third in line.”

“First and second now,” Ingrid corrected. “Well, once The Princess Royal takes the throne anyway.”

“Explain that to me… How is it that Markus has seniority over you, so he gets to stay with the sovereign, but you have seniority over me but end up with Mari, who is less interested in having a crown on her head than I am? And I have never dreamt of being a Princess,” Katrin added.

Ingrid hadn’t technically started her new job as Mari’s private secretary, but she’d been spending time in what would be her new office soon, which, as Katrin had just pointed out, was off the main palace kitchen that happened to be off the main ballroom where the royal family was having a party for their extended family to celebrate Mari’s return and send Christian off back to the Royal Air Force. They could hear the frivolity from their shared office space. Ingrid had gotten used to having her own office just off of Elin’s suite of rooms. Now, she would be sharing an office about the same size with Katrin. Their old wooden desks sat facing one another, and Ingrid had just enough room to maneuver her chair behind it to get in and out of the space somewhat comfortably. She remembered this very desk from her early years in the palace, and she couldn’t believe she’d be back here soon enough. She’d worked so hard for Elin and the royal family. How had she gone backward?

“I’m going for a coffee. Would you like one?” Ingrid asked.

“No, it’s late. I’m finishing this up and going home,” Katrin replied.

Katrin, along with some of the other palace staff, lived on the grounds or just off in a building meant for those employed by the palace. Ingrid had an apartment there, too. Well, it was reserved for the person in her position, but she gave so much of her life to the palace and royal family that she hadn’t wanted to move in, choosing to maintain her own apartment. Now, had she been living in that apartment, she’d have to move to the one designated to Mari’s private secretary, which, she guessed, would be way smaller than the one for someone on Elin’s staff. That would be especially true now that Elin would ascend the throne. The apartment for the secretary serving the sovereign was three times as big as the others. It was meant for a family, with four bedrooms, a large kitchen, an office, and a formal dining room. She’d been there many times when Steven would invite the staff over for dinners. As junior, Markus had only a slightly smaller residence. Markus’s wife had passed years ago, though. He’d never remarried, and they’d had no children. Steven’s apartment had been filled with the sounds of his children growing up, and now, his grandchildren when they came to visit. While Ingrid hadn’t planned any children for herself, considering her career to be more important, she did wish she had someone to come home to that wasn’t her younger sister.

“I’ve got some more work to do on the gala, so I’ll be back,” Ingrid said, standing and leaving the office.

The palace kitchen had five people currently plating hors d’oeuvres for the guests, pouring champagne and wine into glasses, and then carting everything out to the party, which didn’t appear to be winding down anytime soon. Ingrid made her way over to the fancy coffee machine, which she rarely used for her own drinks, and noticed someone not dressed in the kitchen uniforms. Prepared to lecture them on either why they weren’t dressed appropriately or why they were in the kitchen if they weren’t staff, she was surprised to see Elin there pouring herself a cup of tea.

“Ma’am,” she greeted.

“Oh, Jesus,” Elin uttered, turning to see Ingrid there and promptly pouring scalding hot water from the kettle onto her hand holding the cup.

She yelped a little in pain, and Ingrid moved quickly, taking the kettle from her and placing it on the counter before taking Elin’s hand in her own and looking down at the darkening red spot.

“Call for the doctor,” she said to someone who stood there watching without offering to help.

“I don’t need a doctor,” Elin replied. “Really, I’m fine. It’s just a little burn.”

“Ma’am, it won’t be. Let’s get it under some water.”

Ingrid moved them until they were by one of the sinks, running room temperature water, which she’d heard was better than cold over the affected area.

“How bad?” she asked Elin.

“It’s my own fault,” Elin replied.

“Ma’am?”

“Pretty bad,” Elin admitted.

“What were you even doing in here, pouring your own tea?” Ingrid asked.

“I wanted tea, and I just needed a minute away from everything out there, so I came in here.”

“We should get you out of here. Can you leave the party? I think you need to keep water on this for about fifteen or twenty minutes,” Ingrid said, still holding on to Elin’s hand with her own under the running water.

“You think?”

“We all have to take basic first-aid training every three years to work closely with members of the royal family in the event that we need to take care of you,” Ingrid explained. “I know we’re not supposed to use ice or any kind of ointment.”

Elin made a face of disgust and said, “I hate that word.”

“What word? Ointment?”

“Oh, Ingrid, stop,” Elin said, laughing. “It’s a terrible word.”

Ingrid laughed and said, “Let’s get you to your room. I’ll fill a bowl with water, and you can keep your hand in it for a few more minutes. I’ll get some ibuprofen for you for the pain.”

“I can’t just leave the party. They’re in there talking about how I’m about to be Queen. I think they’re having a debate about whether or not I’m ready, trained enough, or the right person for the job.”

“That’s why you came in here,” Ingrid stated, pulling Elin’s hand out of the running water.

Elin nodded.

“I can ask Katrin to go in and excuse you; tell them you’re not feeling well.”

“I don’t think a Queen gets that luxury,” Elin sighed.

“Good thing you’re not Queen yet, then, Ma’am,” Ingrid replied.

Elin gave her a soft smile and said, “I’ll be okay.”

“Can we have a moment, please?” Ingrid asked the two staff members who were in the kitchen. “Just a moment.”

They nodded at Elin and left the room.

“Are you sure?” Ingrid asked.

“I’ll take some medicine when I go upstairs if I need it later. I’ll be okay.”

“Ma’am, even Queens have to take care of themselves,” Ingrid suggested, looking down at Elin’s hand and noticing the red spot was turning darker still. “This looks painful.” She wished in that moment that she could take away all of Elin’s pain; not just in her hand, but all of it. “You should at least put something to cover it. You’re supposed to use a burn bandage. I’m sure there are some in here.” She pointed to the first-aid kit. “Put it back under the water until I find one, okay?”

“Okay,” Elin agreed, sounding almost defeated.

Ingrid went to the first-aid kit mounted to the kitchen wall and quickly located the large burn patches made specifically for her purpose. She returned to find Elin staring down at her hand under the water. Ingrid lifted Elin’s hand, dried it gently with a clean cloth, and then opened the packet of the burn bandage. She carefully applied it and looked up at Elin.

“Better?”

“A little,” Elin said.

“You should keep that on tonight and change it tomorrow. I’m going to ask the doctor to stop by your room tomorrow morning just to check on you, okay?”

“It’s only a–”

“Please,” Ingrid said. “Ma’am,” she added.

Elin nodded.

“Thank you,” Ingrid replied.

“No, thank you.”

“I’m pretty sure I’m the reason this happened,” Ingrid said, handing Elin an extra bandage in case she needed it. “I think I surprised you.”

“I thought you’d gone home already,” Elin said, sliding the bandage into the small front pocket of her designer jeans.

“I decided to work out of my new office for a bit on the gala.”

“New office?” Elin asked, seemingly confused.

“Yes, Ma’am. I will share an office down here now. I suppose, Katrin will be moving into my old one soon.”

“Why?”

“Because that’s how it works. Katrin will stay with Lillian, who’s next in line after you, so she’ll take my old office since Markus and Steven will be keeping their own.”

“I didn’t know that,” Elin said.

“It’s never really happened like this before,” Ingrid replied. “Normally, the monarch dies, and everything stays the same. The one with seniority still has it until they retire from service. With your father’s retirement and Christian’s abdication, that means things are changing pretty quickly.”

“I don’t think we ever consider that,” Elin said.

“Ma’am?” Ingrid asked, pouring Elin’s tea for her.

“That a change like this would change things for the staff as well. I didn’t realize you’d lose your office, Ingrid,” Elin replied.

“It’s just an office, Ma’am,” she lied.

“It’s not, though, is it?” Elin asked.

Ingrid sighed and said, “No, Ma’am.”

“Ingrid, I’m sorry. I–”

“Your Royal Highness, apologies for the interruption. His Majesty is asking after you,” one of the kitchen’s staffers said when he entered the kitchen after bowing slightly to Elin.

“Thank you,” Elin told him before turning back to Ingrid. “I have to go.”

“Of course, Ma’am,” Ingrid said, nodding.

Ingrid watched as Elin turned almost reluctantly and headed back out to the party. Ingrid followed her a bit until she reached the door, which had a small window allowing people to see others walking in and out to prevent accidents. When Elin had left the kitchen, her head had been hanging as if in heavy burden. The moment she emerged through it, though, her head lifted as if she wasn’t about to walk into a wolves’ lair where her family, who should be supporting her, had expressed their doubts that she could do the job that had been unfairly thrust upon her.

Ingrid watched as she smiled and then seemed to explain her burn to someone through a demonstration of how she’d poured the kettle and then missed her cup. She was laughing it off with them, but Ingrid knew how much it must have hurt and still did. She turned and picked up the phone from the wall and requested the royal physician check on Elin first thing tomorrow morning. Then, she made her coffee and stared at the now-lukewarm cup of tea Elin had left on the counter.

“Please bring a new cup of tea to The Princess Royal along with this,” she requested from one of the staffers carrying a tray.

Ingrid placed two pills on the tray.

“Yes, Ma’am,” he said.

Ingrid waited as she sipped her hot coffee until the tea had been brewed and then delivered to the Princess. She watched as Elin looked surprised by the tea, the small glass of water, and the two pills accompanying it on the tray. Elin turned back to the kitchen, but Ingrid quickly moved away from the window and out of view. Then, she wondered to herself why she’d hidden at all.