more when we reached the embassy. I stopped and smiled for a few pictures before ducking inside out of the cold. If Chadwick hadn’t given me puppy eyes, I wouldn’t have stopped for a picture at all.
Chadwick turned out to be invaluable. He knew everyone by name and could tell me all about the things they were currently working on. The ambassador was a nice lady with blond hair, serious eyes, and quick smile. She introduced me to her aides and offered help getting my things moved over arranging transportation for my father. I was there for an hour total. It was like a whirlwind history class. There were dates, stories, and pictures. I could only pray I wouldn’t be tested on any of it. Then again, Chadwick would make an excellent cheat sheet. We made an appearance at an elementary school for American workers and expats sent their children to. I enjoyed that visit much more than I did the one to the embassy. The children had all kinds of crazy questions. I took a picture with one of the classes and a tiny girl with dark brown hair in braids crawled into my lap. The palace photographer had met us at the school and while thorough, he seemed to understand too many pictures would drive everyone crazy.
After the school, we went shopping. Becca seemed to enjoy watching me suffer through it all. And suffer I did.
Chadwick was a slave driver, constantly handing things over the door. It was as much fun as I thought it would be, but I left with several dresses from a Lilarian designer, dressy slacks, and new sweaters. I was fairly certain I had offended Chadwick with my sense of style. He would shake his head and put something on the counter I had originally declined.
“Trust me. If I wasn’t the assistant extraordinaire, I would have gone into fashion.” He mock-glared at me and I pretended to roll my eyes. “This will look great on you, ma’am.”
“Why did I even have to come if you were going to pick everything out?” I looked at him in disgust.
“You did find that gorgeous sweater, so you’re not completely hopeless. Think of me as a fashion guru and you’re my reluctant protégé.”
I laughed at him, glad we were getting along so well. It was a bit like having Jess with me. She had texted me to let me know I had been on the news. Apparently my landing had been streamed on live TV in the States. I had been horrified, but she seemed to have loved it. Said it felt like she had been there. My father had another chemo treatment today and I was feeling incredibly guilty for shopping while he went through that torture. Patricia had texted me to let me know he was fine and that they had watched me on the news.
I needed to call Dad soon and made a mental note to try later tonight. I wanted to hear his voice. I had been busy from the moment I set foot here, but I was still more than a little homesick.
Chapter Eighteen
Romantic Dinner or Friendly Get-Together?
—Lisa Talks
Once the sky began to darken, Chadwick started to hurry me along.
I rolled my eyes at him. “Do you want me to get new nightgowns or what? There’s a billion to choose from.”
“Yes. I got down on my knees this morning and prayed you would get rid of those hideous nightshirts, but we’re running out of time, ma’am.” He tapped his watch. “Prince Alex and Princess Catherine will be waiting for you, so just pick something.”
“All right, all right.” I grabbed several different colors of the one I was looking at and headed toward the clerk. “And stop calling me ma’am. You’re older than I am. Just call me Sam.”
“Sam?” He wrinkled his nose at me. “I don’t know.”
“Why not?”
“It’s just that Sam doesn’t really seem like the name of a duchess.” He looked at my face and backpedaled. “Not that there is anything wrong with Sam. What about Samantha?”
“Fine.” I shrugged. “Anything is better than ma’am.”
“Well, only in private of course. It would be highly inappropriate if I called you that in public.”
I ground my teeth. “Okay.”
“It’s not so bad.” He patted my arm.
The staff hadn’t batted an eye when I’d come through the door, but it made me feel awkward to buy anything like a nightie. What if it ended up on the news? The cameras and news vans had lowered in numbers