Secrets of a Prince (The Princes of New Sargasso #3) - Carol Moncado
1
With a quick glance around to make sure her father hadn’t shown up without her realizing it, Lady Minerva Waterford opened her secret tablet and connected it to the staff data network.
Despite being in her twenties, her father kept close tabs on what she did online, but he never suspected that she would lower herself to using the less efficient staff network.
Showed how well he really knew her.
When it came to keeping him out of her life as much as possible, she’d stoop even lower.
Opening the TriluniChat app, she scanned the list of those currently online, looking for one name in particular.
Several of her friends were around and greeted her, but RealJ1955 was nowhere to be found.
Not yet. She was a few minutes early, and he didn’t log on every Tuesday night, but she suspected he would this time.
Given the news earlier in the day, almost everyone would log in at least for a few minutes.
Most of them wouldn’t be able to afford the tickets to the release party for book six in the Trilunium series - they cost a pretty penny - but most would enter the drawing.
She watched the chatter quickly move up the screen.
The book announcement had been made several months earlier, but today the cover had appeared online along with information about the release party.
Are you going to the release party?
RealJ1955 had popped into her instant messages without joining the larger chat room.
I haven’t decided yet. It’s not cheap.
Better not to let him know she was part of the aristocracy. That was something she’d decided when she’d joined the chat room as a teenager. This was a place she could be herself and not Lady Minerva Waterford, given the name to solidify her family’s somewhat distant relationship to M. Karson, and hopefully, someday, use it to claim her father’s rightful spot as the heir to the Trilunium estate.
Or so she’d always been told.
It turned out they weren’t related at all. Instead, Karsen Robertson, Prince Gideon’s girlfriend, was the sole heir to the Karson estate.
Minnie winced when she remembered how catty she’d been toward the other woman as their relationship began. Maybe someday she’d be able to apologize and explain why she’d acted the way she did.
Maybe Karsen would accept it.
Do you want to go????
Even though he couldn’t see her, Minnie rolled her eyes.
Who doesn’t?! Of course I want to go! I think I can talk my father into it for an early Christmas present.
It wouldn’t be hard. She worked with The Literacy Council, so she could get a discounted rate. Plus her father would want her to rub elbows with the New Ancoran elite who would be in attendance as well.
He’d really like her to find time alone with Prince Caleb or Prince Joshua. Prince Ezekiel was setting her sights too high, most likely.
Besides, though he would likely be in attendance, the heir to the throne was not known to be a fan of Trilunium. Not like his younger brothers were.
Maybe I’ll see you there, she added.
I’ll probably be there, but I tend to be behind the scenes. I doubt I’ll be able to mingle.
And with that, Minnie was reminded of their unspoken but long-standing agreement.
Never meet in person.
Likely for the best.
If he realized she was the cold, calculating, catty Lady Waterford, the almost-daily instant messages would become a thing of the past.
No one liked the public version of Lady Minerva Waterford.
And no one knew the real Minnie.
Perhaps we’ll bump into each other and someday, years from now, we’ll laugh about how you tripped over my Queen Charlotte gown.
She didn’t own a Queen Charlotte gown, but he didn’t know that.
Queen Anne was usually her choice of costume. Fortunately, she still held on to her best one.
I’ll be careful around any gowns. I’d hate to trip over one.
She smiled.
And I’ll be sure not to trip over any rapiers. Who will you come as?
Though it could give a hint to his actual identity, it wouldn’t give it away. There would be multiples of all four Odzooken princes.
I’m not sure yet. I have multiple costumes to choose from.
Interesting.
I wonder what Prince Patrick will be like in this book...
She’d been imagining stories for Prince Patrick and Queen Maria since long before she was old enough to understand what “fanfiction” was.
He’s exactly what we’d expect him to be like.
Minnie blinked. What? She reread his message. It sounded like he already knew. That wasn’t possible, was it?
Have you read the book?
She typed the question and hit enter before she could stop herself.