2024-10-14 20:09:12
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
Chapter 787
The Grand Hotel's ballroom held four hundred people, and on the night of the Baroness Tiffany's eightieth birthday it held four hundred and twelve.Three gold chandeliers hung over a white marble floor. A string quartet played on a low stage, and at the head table, under the middle chandelier, the Baroness sat in black lace and pearls, small and straight, her white hair pinned so tightly it looked painful.Alexander arrived at the service door, because he wasn't allowed to use the front.Pauline was waiting for him there, tall, in dove grey, with something white folded over her arm."Put this on," she said coldly.He unfolded it. It was a short white waiter's jacket with brass buttons and the Grand Hotel's crest on the pocket."I'm a guest," he said, soft and puzzled."You're a married-in husband below the married-in husbands," Pauline said, smooth and cold as a menu. "There aren't enough chairs. There are, however, a great many trays." She handed it over with two fingers, as if it we
Chapter 786
"Thank you," Alexander said. "It's very clean."Preston stared at him. Then he laughed again, louder, and went away shaking his head.Felicia put the bags down. Her hands were trembling."We've both slept in worse," Alexander said. "Unpack. We're expected upstairs."The Baroness received him in the long drawing room, standing at the far end, by the fireplace.She was eighty, small and straight, with white hair pinned so tightly it looked painful and an ebony cane she clearly didn't need. She did not come forward or sit down. She let him walk the whole length of the carpet to her, past three sofas full of her family.Beside her, a tall woman in grey held a white card."My daughter Pauline," the Baroness said. "She'll explain how things are done.""Your Highness." Pauline didn't curtsy. She read from the card in a smooth, pleasant voice, the voice of someone reading a menu to a child."In this house, the women of the line sit at the head of the table. The married-in husbands sit below t
Chapter 785
The Treasury inquiry took one day.Two inspectors flew in from the capital on the morning plane, grim men with grey folders, and took statements all day in the harbour office."Name?""Ivo Brask. Fisherman.""Did the Comptroller order you not to touch the boats?" the inspector asked."He did. Loud. Twice.""And when the launch began to sink, did he rescind that order?""He shouted something," Ivo said. "Nobody had a pen."The van driver was next. "I read his order out over the loudspeaker," he said. "Twice round the harbour. Prison for anyone who touched a boat. I've got the paper here, sir. He signed it.""So the order was clear," the senior inspector said to Fennick. "Nobody was to touch a marked boat.""Very clear," Fennick said. "He said it to a thousand people. He said anyone. He said prison.""And the launch?""Forty years old, sir. The harbour master had condemned her twice.""I condemned her three times," the harbour master said. "It's in the log. Nobody in the capital ever re
Chapter 784
They came at dawn, with chains and paint.By the time the first boats should have been going out, the quay was closed. Police had run a chain from the fish market to the harbour office, and behind it Merriwether's clerks were working down the moorings with buckets of red paint and wide brushes, painting a crown on every hull.On the harbour office door, a clerk nailed up a notice in Treasury type."By order of the Comptroller," a young fisherman read aloud, at the chain. "All vessels in Harland harbour are declared gifts of the Tenth Prince, made while in office, and revert to the Crown pending inspection.""Gifts?" said the man next to him. "What gifts?""Your boat, apparently.""My boat? He never gave me a boat. My grandfather built that boat!" The young man pointed down the moorings, at an old green hull with a clerk already crouched beside it, brush in hand. "That's my grandfather's boat! She was built before the prince was born!"Merriwether stood on the harbour office steps, rea
Chapter 783
By morning the mark on Felicia's cheek had turned the colour of a plum.Alexander found her in the residence kitchen at six, standing at the sink with her back to the door, pretending to wash a cup that was already clean."Sit down," he said."I'm fine, Prince.""Sit down, Felicia."She sat. He took a cloth from the drawer, filled it with ice from the freezer, folded it once, and held it against her face. She flinched, then leaned into it."It doesn't hurt," she said."I know.""It really doesn't." She looked at the table. "What hurts is you *thanking* him. For his *diligence*. I lay awake all night with that word.""It's on the inventory," Alexander said."You said that last night too. I don't know what it means.""It means everything he took is written down. In his clerk's hand. With a date and a list number." He moved the ice a little higher. "Things that are written down can be found again."“Right now, his only goal is to drag me into a mess that will cost me everything. I have t
Chapter 782
It was a quarter to sunset.The bank back office was crowded: Merriwether, Fennick, four police, a clerk, and Richie by the vault stairs.Merriwether took a mug from Richie's desk and kept it on his bag."That's my mug," Richie said faintly."It's the Crown's mug now, Mr. Moss. Four hours, I said," Merriwether remarked. "You've wasted three of them, Mr. Moss.""I've been reading the statute," Richie said."Read faster."Alexander offered a slow, deliberate yawn. "Spare me the riddles and just explain it.""Why would I do that?" Merriwether said."Because I don't read very well," Alexander said. "I'm still learning. I'd like to hear it."The clerk stifled a laugh.Merriwether sighed, opened his folder, and found the page."By this instrument," he read, bored, "the island of Harland, and all waters within its boundary, pass to the governorship and autonomous administration of His Highness Prince Alexander of Leonhart, to be governed at his discretion, without interference from any minis
You may also like
Savvy Son-in-law
VKBoy237.1K viewsThe Useless Son In Law
Blue white94.8K viewsEthan Nightangle Rises To Power
Dragon Sly103.8K viewsRise Of The General's Forgotten Son
Dragon Sly111.7K viewsThe Useless Husband Is A Conglomerate Heir
Cal Vane165 viewsPower Runs in My Blood
B Johnson114 viewsWar God in Disguise
Victoria Efe144 viewsUseless Husband is now a Muti-Billionaire
Sam-crowned230 views
Reader Comments
He who laughs last laughs loud.
He who laughs last, laughs loud.