focus away from her fabulous jewels. “I prefer to only allow myself a day, total. No matter what time of day something goes badly for me, or upsets me, it ends that night. When I wake up the next morning, it is a new day and a fresh start. We don’t have an unlimited number of those. They mustn’t be wasted.”
Ah. Mathilde was referring to her long-dead sister, Queen Serena. It was a dramatic correlation.
It was also perfect. Just the kick in the butt that Mallory needed.
“I like your style. I’m going to adopt it from now on.” She squeezed Mathilde’s hands with both of hers. Because the Villanis were simply not as into hugging as the Wishners. “Thank you for that perspective.”
A soft knock preceded a maid with a beautifully laid out tray of scones, figs, kumquats, three kinds of spreads, and a china teapot patterned with gold peacocks.
Ouch.
Once they’d each made a plate, the duchess doubled down. “I hear you have no trouble talking to the staff.”
“It’s easy. They’re all so nice.”
“So it is just your peers who are difficult?”
“You mean the nobility? They aren’t my…oh. I see what you did there.” She wrinkled her nose up at the duchess, which made the older woman cackle with laughter.
“I’m not trying to trick you, dear. I simply want you to look ahead. Look at the bigger picture. Look at the possibilities. Six months ago, could you have envisioned yourself becoming a baroness and living in a palace?”
“No. Not only could I not have imagined it, but I wouldn’t have wanted it when it was offered.” Although had she known about this heavenly pumpkin butter and scone combo, she might not have hesitated to hop on the plane. It tasted like autumn.
“Yes, I’ve heard the story about how both you and Kelsey had to be dragged out of New York City. See? Your stubbornness fits right in with the Villanis.” Mathilde patted her knee. “Six months from now? What do you imagine? Where do you see yourself?”
Funny how she’d just been thinking on this same topic. “I…I’m not sure. And that’s not me ducking your question. Lots of things are still up in the air.”
“Whatever you do imagine, it could be wholly different. No dream is too big. The road to happiness may seem circuitous, but the destination is worth it.”
Mallory wanted to make a joke about how Mathilde sounded like the paper surprise inside a fortune cookie. It wasn’t safe to assume that a meal of mu shu pork closed out with fortune cookies in Moncriano, though. A hazy memory from trivia made her think that tradition started in the U.S.
She tried very hard to downplay her American-ness here in the palace. It seemed rude to remind her…family-in-law? Surrogate family? Stepfamily once removed?
Sheesh, there wasn’t any word that summed up the complicated but entirely unofficial ties between her and the House of Villani. Regardless, they’d been welcoming. And they were the literal representation of their country in the flesh. So Mallory held back from referencing uniquely American things like…oh, red Solo cups, garbage disposals, and TV pharmaceutical ads.
The duchess’s words were motivating. Uplifting. And completely out of Mallory’s frame of reference. “You’re advocating that I be flexible. Roll with the flow. That’s…not really me. I’m a planner. A long-term goal setter. Right now? I’m not doing so great on even my short-term goals.”
“Oh, dear. What’s wrong?”
Her first inclination was to say in a singsong voice, nobody likes me, everybody hates me, guess I’ll eat some worms. “I’m working on the orphan fundraiser. I have lists of potential sponsors, but nobody will return my calls.”
“Your calls? Who do you say is calling?”
“I don’t give my name. Just that I’m calling on behalf of the orphan charity.”
“I thought you used to do this for a living?”
The offhandedly snide question made Mallory bristle. “I did. I’ve run countless successful fundraising events. But my knowledge base isn’t translating.”
“Because you aren’t using your most powerful tool. Your name, Baroness. That alone should do it, but we can go up a level. This is Kelsey’s patronage, yes? Use her title when you call.”
She’d read the protocol binders four times. She’d sat through lecture after lecture by Sir Evan on what was kosher or not when it came to…associating oneself with the royal family. Her biggest takeaway? The House of Villani was a commodity not to be used or even referenced unless you shared their oh-so-blue blood.
“You want me to say I’m calling on behalf of