and their heads swung around. Ariella gasped when she saw Simon standing in the doorway.
Six
“Ariella.” Simon had a hat clutched in his hand and a curiously intense expression on his face.
Eleanor gasped and brought her wet tissue to her face as if she wanted to hide behind it.
“What are you doing here?” Ariella’s voice came out sounding stern.
“I…” He hesitated. A sheepish expression crossed his handsome features. “I confess that I saw you on the street and followed you.”
“What?” Anger surged inside her, warring with the sharp sting of attraction. “What made you think you could follow me into a private meeting?”
He shrugged. “I’m embarrassed to say that I didn’t examine my motives too closely.” He looked at Eleanor, as if expecting an introduction.
“You need to leave.” Ariella rose to her feet. She could feel Eleanor, desperate to preserve her privacy, shrinking back into the shell that she’d started to emerge from. “You may be a prince but that doesn’t mean you can march in anywhere you feel like.”
“You’re absolutely right, of course. My sincerest apologies.” He nodded and bowed to Eleanor, and started to back out the door.
“Wait!” She couldn’t just let him go. Damn it. Angry as she was, she wanted to see him too badly. She turned to Eleanor. “This is my…boyfriend.” She dared Simon to argue with her word choice. “Is it okay if I introduce you?”
Eleanor gulped, but nodded shyly.
“Simon Worth, this is Eleanor Daly. My mother.” Her throat swelled with emotion as she said the word mother.
Eleanor stared. “Prince Simon Worth?”
Simon bowed. “At your service. It’s an honor to meet you, Mrs. Daly.” He swept forward, took her hand and shook it warmly, while she gazed at him in shock. “I know Ariella’s been looking forward to this for a long time.”
“Goodness.” She stared from one of them to the other, as if she wasn’t sure what was going to happen next.
A feeling shared by her daughter. “Simon encouraged me to meet you. I wasn’t sure you’d want to.”
“I’m so glad the two of you are finally getting together.” Simon glowed with confidence and good cheer, as usual. “It seems a wonderful thing to come out of the wiretapping scandal.”
Eleanor still looked shell-shocked. “I saw a headline about the two of you at the newsagent and I just assumed it was more made-up rubbish.”
“Sometimes there’s a grain of truth in the wild stories the press invent.” Simon smiled. “I’m happy to confirm that this is one of them.”
“So you two are actually…dating?” Eleanor stared from Simon to Ariella.
“We’re not quite sure what we’re doing.” Ariella jumped in, not wanting Simon to be put on the spot. She couldn’t even imagine how the royal family might be reacting to news of their romance. Simon hadn’t mentioned the topic, which wasn’t too encouraging. “We enjoy each other’s company.”
“Oh.” Eleanor’s brow furrowed with concern. Ariella got the sense that she’d love to issue some stern warnings, but was too polite. She probably wasn’t happy that her newfound daughter was embarking on a relationship that wasn’t likely to end in a glorious happy-ever-after.
Because really, did she expect Simon to marry her?
The whole idea was ridiculously premature. They hadn’t even done more than kiss yet. She glanced at Simon, whose eyes met hers and sent a zap of heat straight to her core. It would have been so much easier if she could have avoided him. This week was hectic enough already.
“I’ll leave the two of you in peace.” Simon must have read her thoughts. He nodded nobly to Eleanor, and squeezed Ariella’s hand, then turned and disappeared out the door. Ariella couldn’t manage to think of anything polite to say, so they both stared after him in silence until the door closed behind him.
“Goodness.” Eleanor looked dazed.
“Life has been pretty intense this year.” They both sat back down on the sofa. “Sometimes I wonder what else could possibly happen.”
“Don’t tempt fate.” Her mother patted her hand. “But I do hope you get to meet your father soon. I’m so proud of him for being elected president, and I know he’s going to do a wonderful job running the country. He’s off to a great start already. Almost makes me think I should move back.”
Adrenaline surged through Ariella. “You should. It would be so wonderful to have you near. Come live in D.C.! Georgetown, where I live, is quite peaceful really. Lots of trees and lovely old buildings.”
“You make it sound very inviting. Perhaps I have been living in