Heir Untamed - By Danielle Bourdon Page 0,29
foundation and concealer over the area to little avail. Fresh from a hot shower, standing in her robe in the bathroom, she grunted in disgust and tossed the little make-up sponge down. What was she going to tell people when she had to show up for the photo shoot with the King and Queen?
I fell down the stairs just wouldn't cut it.
She'd decided against telling Allar or Urmas what happened. Now she needed a plausible excuse. Maybe she could say she'd bumped her head on an open cabinet drawer in here. One glance at the extensive sink area and the linen closet with its six doors assured her it could have happened. Whether anyone would believe it was another story.
A timid knock at her door drew Chey out of the bathroom. Opening it, she found Ingel and Elise, the younger, dark haired woman there with trays for breakfast in their hands. One had the makings for hot tea, the other toast and fruit.
Ingel gasped when she saw the markings on Chey's temple. “Darling, what happened?”
Elise peered around Ingel's head, frowning.
“I left the door to the linen closet open and cracked myself a good one last night,” Chey said, hating to lie. She stepped aside to let the women in. Their arrival at exactly eight every morning had already become routine.
Ingel made a tsk sound and swept inside. “Do you need anything for it? I can bring you cotton and antiseptic, or ointment--”
“No, no, thanks. It's just a bruise. It'll take a couple days to go away.” Chey left the door open and followed the women to the small table they took her breakfast to.
She watched as Ingel expertly prepared her a cup of tea. Steam roiled out of the expensive china. Setting the teapot down, Ingel faced Chey and got a closer look at the injury. Her eyes were filled with kind concern.
“You need anything, you call me, yes?” Ingel said.
“I will. Thanks for breakfast.” Chey still felt strange having anyone wait hand and foot on her.
Ingel smiled a motherly smile for the gratitude. “It is nothing. Good luck with your photos today. Come, Elise.”
Elise bid Chey good morning and followed Ingel to the door.
Once the women were gone, Chey sank down into a chair and nibbled on the toast. Her mind busy with the events of last evening, she sipped at the tea and ate several slices of fruit.
What a predicament to be in.
More than anything else, Chey wondered who had something to hide. Only a desperate person would sneak into someone's room and threaten them with blackmail—or worse. Desperate for what, or over what, however, Chey could not fathom. Her acquaintance with Mattias was a clear problem, one she would have to tread lightly around. Now that he had secured her agreement to photograph Viia, perhaps his attention would wane.
Wouldn't that be an ironic and tragic coincidence, she thought, if Viia had paid someone to threaten her while her own boyfriend had been the one to seek Chey out in the first place.
Chey, cynical straight from the womb, didn't believe in coincidences like that. If it had been Viia, there was something else driving her. Something more secretive than a matter of conversation between herself and Mattias and a few harmless pictures.
Finishing breakfast, Chey returned to the bathroom and dressed for the day. For the private shoot with the King and Queen, she broke out the best suit she owned. Dark navy, with a modest hem on the skirt, the outfit sported white piping on the lapels, cuffs and hem of the shortcoat. Sliding her feet into a pair of three inch, sensible heels, she gathered her camera and deposited the rest of the equipment outside in the hall to be brought down by the aid.
Today, for the first time, she locked her bedroom door when she left.
Urmas waited at the head of the stairs leading to the third floor. The one that was off limits to Chey unless she had a direct escort. He watched her come up and checked the time on his watch.
Chey knew she was ten minutes early. She liked being punctual and was relieved that Urmas shared her tendency.
“Oh, Miss Sinclair, I--” Urmas paused after glancing up from his watch. He frowned. “What happened?”
Chey breezed to the top of the landing, desperately curious about this floor of the castle, yet unwilling to stare and gawk in the presence of Urmas.
“Misjudged an open cabinet door,” she said. The lie didn't come any easier the