Agent kingdom of maidenh.., p.25
Agent: Kingdom of Maidenhead Book Two, page 25
Knowing there is no one else in the shop besides Miss Millie’s girls, I smoothly move over to Anne. I take her face in my hands, and then I slowly and deliberately bend down and give her a slow, lingering kiss. I hope she has no illusions about what I intend to do to her tonight.
When our kiss finally ends, I reluctantly pull away. I see no regret or concern on her face. I only see a desire for more. The urge to give in and provide her what she wants is almost overpowering. It is, of course, fully my choice when I give her what she wants. At least, that is what I tell myself. I finally turn to our proprietress.
“Miss Millie, all of us have spent most of the last two days bent over a dust work table,” I say. “We’ve been pouring over maps as well. I believe all of us women have earned a good long session in your spa chairs.”
“Of course, dear,” Miss Millie says. “You can all come on back with me right now.”
“I just need to take everyone over to make a quick visit with Drea,” I say, looking at Charlie. “I doubt the boys want to join us in the spa. Maybe you could measure them up after we get back. Then, they can go enjoy a few pints after they’re done. Cider for Teddie, of course.”
He gives me a smile and a nod.
“That will be lovely, dear.” Miss Millie says as her eyes start devouring Arem in his suit.
It seems to me that it fits quite well for it not being bespoke to his measurements. I’m sure Miss Millie wants to get her hands on it to make minute alterations that will make it fit perfectly. Seeing her focus shift, I gather up my flock, including the four female guards in the Queen’s protection detail. We walk across the street and down the block to invade Drea’s shop. As soon as Drea sees who has entered her shop, she drops into a low curtsy.
“Your Majesty, you honor my shop,” Drea says.
“Rise,” Anne says. “You must be Drea. Bethany has told me absolutely nothing about you.”
Drea glares at me with narrowed eyes.
“This is a locksmith shop, ma’am,” Drea says. “I also do some…erm…jewelry consulting on the side.”
“So, if I ask, you can come to the palace and unlock some doors to which we’ve lost the keys?” Anne asks.
“I’m still learning the trade from Bethany, ma’am. She is amazingly knowledgeable about locks.”
“I’ve no doubt. Should we expect a local crime wave when you are fully trained?”
“Oh no, Your Majesty!”
“The closest Drea comes to illegal acts is dealing with the results of my actions,” I say. “Actions that I took, as you know, with the intent of combating espionage.”
That is mostly true. Baron Gimden was involved in espionage. Though I didn’t know it at the time. Still, the way he treated the girls in the brothels should have a similar punishment to espionage, if not worse, should we find one.
“Perhaps I should see the results of your anti-espionage efforts.”
“Of course, Your Majesty,” I say with a smirk.
Anne rolls her eyes at me. Drea opens the door to the basement stairs. Once down there, she takes us through the hidden door I had installed. We go from her legitimate workshop into her jeweler’s workshop. The display of wealth in her is verging on obscene. With what our party has seen in my basement and cellar, they should be somewhat jaded, but there is something about jewelry that is just different. Everyone who hasn’t seen it stops for several moments.
“All of this was stolen?” Anne asks.
“That depends on your point of view,” I say. “All of this was taken from individuals who were, and technically still are, deeply in debt to me. Some of it may have been in my possession prior to those debts being called.”
“You’ll do quite well in politics, my dear. This is easily the most impressive collection of jewelry I’ve ever seen.”
She starts a bit at Drea’s amused snort. Anne looks at her, looks askance at me, then looks back at Drea. The Queen knows she is missing something but can’t figure out what it is.
“Perhaps we should show her the cellar,” Drea says.
“Let’s,” I respond.
This will truly bring home to Anne what she’s been up against. Drea opens the hidden door into the stairs. When we reach the bottom and turn into the main room, Anne can see the shelves all but overflowing with bags of jewelry.
When Drea turns the lights on, she sees that there are over a dozen of the shelving units, all full of jewels and jewelry. She staggers back and slumps into me. I wrap my arms around her and quickly claim her breasts with my hands. The last knuckle of my forefingers are each bent over one of her nipples.
“This is just a fraction of the wealth that was arrayed against you,” I quietly say, with my chin hanging over her shoulder.
I feel Anne starts when I say that. I start massaging her breasts and nipples while I nibble on her ear lobe. Anne softly moans as I kiss her neck just below her jaw. As I continue to erotically kiss and nibble her neck and ear, I hear her start to moan even more. All too soon, she spins in my arms to face me, ripping her generous, more than handfuls, out of my grasp. Her hands thread into my hair as her lips hungrily seek out mine.
After a few minutes, Drea asks, “Do you two want to be alone? I can go upstairs.”
Anne turns beet red, but at least I was able to drag her through the shock of what’s after her, or at least after her throne.
“We’ll all go up,” I say as I lean in for a last quick kiss on Anne’s lips.
The three of us go up the stairs and arrive back in the basement.
“Drea, what jewelry have you already completed?” I ask.
“I’m done with everything on those two shelves over by the door,” Drea replies.
I guide Anne over to the shelves and ask her, “See anything you like?”
After a quick glance at me, she starts to study all of the gorgeous jewelry on the shelves.
After she looks for several minutes, she points and says, “That one.”
Anne points at a bracelet. I look and see the bracelet that only a royal could wear. It is a broad filigree of platinum wires generously studded with half-carat diamonds. The bright glittering of its diamonds are only interrupted by the elegantly placed splashes of color from rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. I take the elegant bracelet off the shelf and then wrap it around Anne’s wrist, and fasten the clasp. She lifts her arm up, and I see the reflection of the glitter in her eyes.
“You’re welcome, Anne,” I say with a smile.
“What? No, I…” she protests.
I’ve been waiting for her to protest so I can silence it with a tongue speared through the gap in her lips. I hold her close in the kiss until I feel her overcome her reaction to pull away. She pulls me close, and I loosen my hold on her but don’t let go. I let her end our kiss when she feels she has thanked me enough for her gift. I admit to being somewhat breathless when she finishes. I’m still catching my breath when she dives in for more thanks.
When Anne finally moves to let the others admire her present, I look at what is on the shelves.
“I made that for you,” Drea quietly says to me.
“Look at it,” I tell her. “As beautiful as it is, it would be gaudy on any other wrist.”
“It would look perfect on your wrist,” she protests.
“Maybe it would to you, but it would seem gaudy to me and make me self-conscious.”
Now, I have to find some way to make it up to her.
“I’m going to give out several gifts,” I quietly tell her. “I want you to work out what you would have made from their sale.”
Yenjy gets a necklace and Danys a bracelet. Both of which match their new owners. Anjie receives a gold necklace with an emerald pendant. Moira’s colors, while beautiful, are very pale. She gets a sturdy little necklace with a tiny ruby in it for a splash of color. Teddie gets a strong silver chain bracelet, one with a sturdy clasp that can have links added to it as he grows.
I look and find a massively sized torque made of braided gold. Charlie is admiring Moira’s and Teddie’s gifts when I pick the torque up. I look at Drea, then at Charlie, then again at Drea. She nods and smiles. At least I can get this gift right. I sneak up behind Charlie, spread the torque wide enough to go around his tree trunk of a neck, slip it into place, then squeeze it closed. I hold my hand on it, lean forward, and kiss him behind the ear.
“You’re welcome, my love,” I whisper to him, then finally let him go.
He quickly finds a mirror to look in. His eyes flare wide, and he turns to me. He takes an extra-long step toward me and captures me in his massive arms. My arms are trapped and folded up between us. He bends down and inflicts a lip-crushing, heart-pounding, soul-searing, toe-crushing kiss on me. It’d be toe-curling, but I’m still wearing Miss Millie-created boots.
When we come up for air, I’m more than a little light-headed. I can feel my eyes dancing as I look up to him with what must be a goofy grin.
Thank you, Bethany,” he says.
I have barely enough play with my hands to get them into his hair and hold him in place as I lay a gentle kiss against his lips.
“You’re still welcome,” I say. “You need to thank Drea, too. She made it for you.”
Drea delights in the hug she gets from the absurdly attractive man. Amy, Brenda, and Heather are delighted to get matching platinum and ruby necklaces thet will match their livery. There is a fourth for Teena, and Dellen will get a bracelet that matches the maids’ necklaces.
I see a group of matching silver cuff bracelets, and I have an idea. I take four of them and wrap them around the Queen’s protection details’ female members’ wrists. I do the same to Sergeant Dellerio’s wrist with a similar, but heavier, silver cuff bracelet.
“I like them,” I say.
“I don’t know if they fit with our uniforms,” Sal says.
“I think they should be a uniform item for all members of the Queen’s guard. The gemstones themselves can be an indication of rank achieved within the guard. Something the guardsmen and guardswomen can take with them if they move on to a different service or if they leave service.
“To ensure they aren’t counterfeit, the Queen’s jeweler can hide her trademark within the design,” I add with a nod toward Drea. “The inside of the bracelet should be engraved with the guard’s name and initial acceptance to service date, or some such.”
“I think that is an exceptional idea,” Anne says, so that is that.
Shortly thereafter, we head back to Miss Millie’s, and the boys and girls split up. We spend a wonderful afternoon in the spa. We don’t meet up with the boys until we get back to the apartment a little before dinner.
Miss Millie comes with us, so she goes to supervise our three youngsters changing into their formal service livery. I have the admit, when they exit the staff quarters and start setting the table, they look very smart. We all get dressed up some. Anjie abandons her two pages and takes Anne to her suite to find a dinner dress for her.
I don’t know why I’ve stocked dresses in there that outclass mine, but Anne proves I have. Anjie looks quite smug. Millie looks all but triumphant, not because of the dress but because of what Anjie accomplished with her charge. Maybe I should have Anjie work in Miss Millie’s shop one day per week if the seamstress will have her.
Dinner goes very well. Our servers do quite well. There are a couple of times that plates were served from the wrong side, but that is the biggest faux pas. Miss Millie looks quite pleased with their service, and Anne seems impressed that younglings who don’t do it often have done so well.
The next morning, after breakfast, all our guests head home. It has been an exhilarating few days. I wish I had time to rest, but I dress as Elizabeth and give the Queen a ride back to the palace. Charlie and Anjie come with me. Anjie has just completed her schooling, so I have to consider giving her a raise, as she is now my full-time page. I may have to make her my squire before too much longer.
I’m glad our carriage has curtains for the window. If Anjie weren’t here, I wonder if Anne would have been on her knees underneath my skirts. I certainly would have spent some time under hers. Seeing the look on Charlie’s face would have been priceless. The look on Anjie’s face, seeing how our Queen and I kiss, is worth the trip. I enter the palace with Anne and my two friends. Sure enough, there is a pompous-looking windbag of a man who must be her master of ceremonies.
“Ma’am, I’m so relieved you have returned,” his weaselly voice whines out. “We simply must talk about your decision on the trim for the tablecloths and runners.”
I look along his backtrack to see if there is slime or oil on the floor. I interpose myself between him and the Queen.
“I’m Duchess Imperial Elizabeth Sun,” I say. “You must be Anne’s master of ceremonies.”
I watch his face fall as Anne strolls past without a sideways glance in his direction. He turns to try to get around me to follow her, and I gracefully step right in his path so he has to lean his portly body sideways to watch the Queen go through a door that shuts with firm finality to it. His round, nearly non-existent shoulders slump, and he turns to walk away.
“As the Queen’s MC I would think you would understand the protocols involved when the second highest noble in the land introduces herself to you,” I say with just a little bite to it.
He spins back to me with a look of utter embarrassment on his face. The MC, if no one else, should have full knowledge of how to deal with high nobility.
“I am terribly sorry, your imperial grace,” he apologizes. “I’m very distracted. This is such an important decision that the Queen simply must make right away. I am Baronet Roger Thine, Her Majesty’s Master of Ceremonies.”
“Hmm. Well, baronet, I expect you should escort me to your office where you can make the vain attempt to explain to me why the Empress of nearly a billion people around the world should need to make a decision on which lace to edge the tablecloths with for a celebration that is months in the future. A decision, I might add that should be fully within the purview of the MC’s office. It’s likely one of the MC’s staff should have made the decision months ago.”
“I…I…I…I…”
“Oh, stop stammering and start walking!” I order.
Miracle of all miracles, he does start walking. When he does, I can’t help looking at Charlie with a smirk. The corners of his mouth twitch up. Anjie looks slightly bewildered. We didn’t tell her the purpose of today’s excursion. I also didn’t tell her that her palace page training will likely start today.
Sal has left a corporal and four royal guards with us. As we walk behind him, two pages walk rapidly up to us and start walking beside Anjie. They must have been sent by the Queen.
Chapter twenty-three
Challenge’s Lost
Ifollow his rotundness through several hallways until we reach a massive door. A door that is richly carved with figures and designs. I have no idea why something like this is in the palace where all other doors are stately. This one almost seems grotesque. I wonder how much of his budget went to this instead of his duties.
When we enter the office, it looks like the door theme carries on throughout most of the office. As soon as we enter, we are looking at a wide desk with a wall behind it. Two highly attractive young women are sitting behind the desk. The wall has no less than three paintings that I expect Master Douglas would be quite interested in. Both women look up with put-on smiles and greet the waddling baronet.
There is a broad opening around each side of the wall. When we pass around one side there is a large room with eight doors set in the three walls. All of the doors make the hallway door look drab. The rest of the walls are highly decorated. At the far end of one of the right sidewall, there is one doorway with no door.
There are a large number of desks made out of what I now know are rare hardwoods scattered around the main room. In front of the open doorway are two plain desks, with two more normal-looking people working at them. What is odd, they are the only people who appear to be working in the entire room. Maybe it’s not so odd after all.
In a continuation of a theme, all of the young men and women sitting at those fancy desks are highly attractive. I don’t see them doing anything but gossiping. There are only two empty desks. I turn to the leader of the guardsmen and say.
“Corporal, detail two of your men to have the folks in those offices stand out in front of their doors,” I order. “Then have the people seated before us stand with whomever they are assigned to.”
“Yes, your grace,” Corporal Norhal acknowledges.
“Your grace…” Baronet Thine starts.
I hold up my hand to silence him, though the look I level his way would likely have sufficed for that.
“Not a word, Baronet,” I say in a cold voice. “Go stand in front of your personal office door.”
For a wonder, he does just what I order without comment. I hope he understands what is about to happen to him. I notice the guardsmen are opening the doors without knocking. Two of the people exited their offices, red faced, along with one of their staff, adjusting their clothes. The corporal has quickly picked up on my intent. She is someone I will have to watch in the future.
“Corporal, what is your given name?” I ask.
“Sarah, your grace,” the muscular young woman answers.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Sarah. You will find that I am quite informal in most situations. Today just doesn’t happen to be one of those situations.”
“I expect not, your grace. I will say on part of the palace staff, this day has been long coming.”
All I can do is smile at her. Then I put my ‘unhappy with you’ expression back on my face. I go to the first person on the left side of the room.
“Who are you, and what do you do?” I ask that person.
“I am Miss Thine’s secretary,” the exceptionally beautiful young woman answers. “I take care of her clerical work, your grace.”
