down this path. As if loving him wasn’t enough for me.
When in reality, that’s all I want.
“I’m fine,” I say, putting a hand on his arm.
“That’s not the same,” Xander replies, shaking his head. “You come into this family, and what have you received? My mother leaking stories to humiliate you? My grandmother treating you as if you are dirt? It makes me sick. You would be adored and embraced by any other normal family in England. I swear to God, I’m not worth the sacrifices you are making.”
“Hey,” I say firmly, “I don’t want to hear you say that ever again. You are worth it. Worth all of this a thousand times over.”
My chest draws tight when his expression remains grim. Why can’t he see how special he is? That all of the drama and chilly treatment and press invasions and lack of privacy are prices I’m willing to pay?
I’m about to tell him so when King Arthur speaks first, addressing all of us.
“All, I have been informed that dinner is ready,” he says. “Let’s make our way to the dining room.”
I table the conversation with Xander for now. But I am going to address it as soon as we are alone together. I need to get to the root of why he doesn’t think he’s worth a sacrifice. As I walk with him towards the dining room, I find it hard to believe that this strong, confident, intelligent man would have doubts like this in his head. And I need to address them and reassure him that I chose this path willingly.
And I would only walk it for him.
But all my thoughts cease the second I’m in the doorway of the Chinese Dining Room. I can’t help it. An audible gasp escapes my lips as I take it in. It’s breathtaking. My eyes drink the room in. It is full of lavish antiques and wall paintings. There’s a fireplace with a huge marble dragon carved into the shelf and there are large porcelain vases dotted about. There’s so much to see; it’s like entering a museum.
King Arthur sits at one end of the table, and Queen Antonia takes her seat at the other end. The dowager queen takes a seat by Queen Antonia, as does Arabella. I notice Henry waits until Liz and Roman take their seats, and he sits next to Roman.
We move to the table, and Xander pulls out a chair for me in the place next to King Arthur. Christian and Clementine sit down across from me. Helene takes the spot next to Xander, who pulls out the chair for her, and then he takes the seat between us.
As soon as everyone is seated, servers quickly appear with champagne flutes. Hmm. I wonder if Xander’s family always has champagne with family dinners? It’s so extravagant.
But I’m having dinner with the royal family. In Buckingham Palace. It’s not like we’re going to have pizza and beer now, is it?
“So what do you think of this room, Poppy?” King Arthur asks me.
“I feel like I’m getting a real treat to see it. It’s like having dinner in a magnificent museum,” I say, smiling at him.
“It is. Very few things have changed in it since Queen Victoria’s time,” he says.
Whoa. The importance of keeping the legacy of this room, of revering its contents, in a historical context is so important. Yet while I sit here, I don’t feel like I’m in someone’s home.
I glance at Xander, who is joking with Helene, and I suddenly understand his desire to have his home elsewhere. These rooms are designed for guests. For entertaining. For historical preservation. But not for Xander. This isn’t him, and he needs something that he can make his own.
“How is the baking going for the reception?” King Arthur asks. He winces and then rubs his hand on his chest.
“Sir, are you all right?” I ask quietly, as I don’t want to draw attention to it.
“Brief twitch,” he reassures me. King Arthur reaches for his glass of water and takes a sip. “Please, go ahead. I want to learn more about your work.”
I smile. “Thank you for asking.”
A crease forms on his brow. “Why wouldn’t I ask? You have a very interesting career. But more than that, you are someone who my son cares deeply about. I want to know more about the woman who has captured his very elusive attention.”
Warmth fills me from his kind words. As does the look of genuine affection he has as he