he’s on all of my accounts. Same law. And really, I don’t have any funds of my own, only allowances that he puts in the accounts. He’ll know how much the deposit is and take it out.”
She didn’t want him to reach out and take her hands but he did. And once the warmth of his hands began to seep into hers, she was glad.
“We’ll figure something out. Maybe my father can help.”
Minnie shook her head. “It took nearly two years for him to get the laws fixed for your brother. This would take nearly as long.” She gave a half-smile. “I’m half-tempted to find some random guy at this event, with its Trilunium overtones, and talk him into eloping with me just long enough to get emancipated then divorce and live life on my own terms.”
Joss didn’t say anything but seemed to be thinking something over. Before she could decide to break the silence, a member of his staff came in with a meal.
“Thank you,” he said as plates were set in front of each of them.
“Thanks,” she said quietly. “It looks delicious.”
A moment later they were alone again.
“Thank you for making sure someone brought enough for me, too.”
Joss grimaced. “I wish I could take the credit, but someone else did.”
“Then thank them for me.”
The meal passed mostly in silence, though they did comment on the beautiful sunset in the distance.
As night fell, two beds were made up in the other section of the car.
They were only four hours out from the city, but some sleep would be good.
She snuggled under the blanket as Joss got situated in his own bunk. She’d slept on a train before and these bunks were much nicer.
Not surprising since it was the royal car and all.
After a while, she managed to doze until they reached their destination.
As he listened to Lady Waterford’s even breathing, Joss tried to ignore the plan that had been niggling at the back of his mind since they ate dinner.
It was crazy, but it might work.
It might work better if his father never found out, but Joss knew the odds against that.
Especially since the Earl of Waterford would definitely find out.
Her father would go apoplectic and would definitely go to the king to throw a hissy fit.
Joss wanted to wake Lady Waterford and talk to her about it, but at the same time knew she needed to sleep.
Instead, he’d wait and talk to her about it later.
He managed to doze off and on until half an hour before the train pulled into the station about one in the morning. The lady stayed asleep until time to go back to her seat.
This was the last stop until morning so everyone would have to leave the train. There was no point in anyone seeing them leave together, even if they did arrive at the hotel at nearly the same time.
Once inside, Joss was whisked straight to his suite, while Lady Waterford had to check in like everyone else.
In his suite, Joss managed to get some sleep. He didn’t have anything to do in this particular city except for the library opening.
His father had tried to add a few other things, but nothing had worked out with his timing.
After breakfast in his suite, Joss went to the library. Lady Waterford would arrive on her own.
By the time he made it through the greetings in the lobby, she’d already made it to the special guest section of the portion of the library where the ceremony would be held in a few minutes.
He greeted her the same as he did everyone else seated on the dais before taking his seat as the special guest.
The head librarian greeted the guests and talked about the completely renovated children’s library with the Trilunium theme throughout. When she finished, Joss went to the podium.
“Thank you all for accepting me instead of my future sister-in-law. With the wedding less than two weeks away, she was unable to break away from other obligations to be here, though I know she wishes she could. In fact, she told me earlier that this will be one of the first places she visits after she and Gid return from their wedding trip.”
That probably wasn’t an entirely accurate statement, but close enough. They’d be down in the area for TriluniCon not too long after their return, and she’d be by then if nothing else.
He continued with his prepared remarks then joined with the head children’s librarian and a couple of children to cut the