By Royal Decree

Chapter 13

The next morning Jamie and Daphne were invited to breakfast with the king. To her surprise Victor was there looking rather happy with himself. It was what he told Jamie that gave away his secret to Daphne.

"She talks in her sleep, she is one of the members of the Half Moon Battery planning committee. She has the power to let Lilly and Alice near the king. She also mentioned she is not as enamored with the king as the rest of her country. I believe her to be the Scottish contact we have been looking for."
Jamie nodded, and they made a plan to keep her under surveillance. Victor would be at a closer range than Jamie. They all sat down when the king arrived. He seemed to be in a pleasant mood she wondered if he was in a good mood for the same reason Victor was. They were all sitting at the table when the King turned to Daphne.

"I would like a privet dinner with you tonight Lady Halverson we have much to discuss."

"Yes, your majesty. I would be honored to have dinner with you tonight."

Charlotte gave the king a wary look what could he be up to now. Had they not agreed to have the children wait until after the threat of death had passed. She shook her head and smiled. He had been upset he had to tell them to wait could he have changed his mind? Instead of telling Charlotte what he had planned he just gave her a wink and smiled. He seemed to be the young George' once again.

After breakfast Daphne had to go and find Mr. McDermet today was the final two days of practice they would be performing at the ball on Friday night. When she found him, he was alone no one else had shown up yet she was early. He stood quickly when he saw her.

"Your highness."

She gave him a silly grin.

"Now Mr. McDermet you have never called me that before why are you now? I believe when we started this journey we all agreed we would use first names and if I remember correctly my name is Daphne and not your highness."

He smiled at her stab at humor.

"You did not tell me you were a princess when we first started our lessons."

"I did not know it mattered I was, after all I am just Lady Halverson or Daphne my father is not a prince he is a marquis. My mother is of the royal line, but she never told us before last year, so it is not a title I use. I am sorry if you feel I misinformed you."

When all the girls arrived, they started their day of dancing, when refreshments arrived Daphne was embarrassed to see the guard take bites and sips of hers. Jamie had told her if the guard did not get sick she may drink or eat the food but if he did she was to stay away from it. He did not die or look remotely ill, so she went ahead and enjoyed the refreshments that had been brought. The other girls were over taking their refreshments on the other side of the room they had never warmed up to Daphne, so she was not surprised. She decided to talk with her guard.

"Will you be the one to escort me tonight to have dinner with the king?"

He smiled at her she was hard to ignore which is what he was supposed to do. He shook his head to clear his amusement away. It would not be any help if he got caught being amused by the princess.

"No, your highness I will not be the one escorting you to dinner with the king that would be Nigel. I have the evening off."

"Well you should take the time to enjoy Scotland I know I have enjoyed being on their shores and taking in all the sights she has to offer."

"I will your highness. Thank you for suggesting it to me."

Emily overheard Daphne was having dinner with the king and came over to inquire about it.

"How come the rest of us were not invited to dine with the king?"

Daphne laughed.

"I will be sure to ask him when we are alone."

"Perhaps he will talk to you about your monopolizing the Duke. Perhaps he wants to scold your behavior."

Daphne really had to laugh at this statement after all if the king had not wanted her to be with Jamie he would not have given them permission to marry. She did not say any of that she just smiled.

"Perhaps."

That night she was escorted to the king's privet dining room by Nigel. When she entered the room, she was surprised the king stood to greet her. He walked across the room and took her hands.

"Thank you for joining me tonight. I believe we have much to discuss and Jamie and your mother would only get in the way of our discussion."

He led her over to where she would be sitting and then took the seat across from her. She smiled and waited to see what he was up too she felt very awkward sitting alone with the king and his next words were not making this any more comfortable for her.

"I guess I should tell you I never corrupted your mother. She was the only thing I had in my youth that was good and pure. I did, I still do love her for that. After we were told we could not marry I went wild and lost what innocence we had together. That is why I want Jamie to have what I could not."

Daphne was not sure where this conversation was leading but she was not becoming more comfortable but quite the opposite. The thing is she was pretty sure he was trying to put her at ease. The king continued.

"I was not what one would call a good father. I certainly was not what one would call a good husband. I had a handful of children with many women and the only legitimate child died five years ago. I only claimed one of my bastards officially and that was Georgina she made something of her life and married well. She married the Duke of Argyll Jamie's father. I could not give my children anything I was confined with what I could do except for Jamie. He had a title and I could dote on him without much of a fuss. Most people do not realize he is my grandson except when we are together, and he calls me grandfather."

"I am not sure why you are telling me all this your majesty."

"I want you to know I only want the best for you and Jamie, I messed up with your mother and I messed up with all my children. I want to have one good thing happen for the people I love and care about. I want you and Jamie to be happy together and make me a great grandfather, so I can spoil them madly. I have given my blessing for the two of you to be married but what I ask is that you give me one little thing and it is to be able to celebrate one of the good things I did in my life. I would like the two of you to be married in Westminster Abbey on September 22 that is when the banns will have been posted enough times without any gossip. I know it is a silly old man's wish. As I said I did a lot of things wrong in my youth, but I would like to honor my father on the anniversary of his coronation after all the trouble I gave him over his life time. Would that be something you could do for me?"

Daphne sat there not sure how this conversation had even happened let alone how it got to where it did. The one thing Daphne understood was the king was willing to let Jamie and her marry in a royal fashion and claim him as a grandson to the king. She was pretty sure Jamie did not need the affirmation. It was something the king wanted to do for him, so she did not see a reason to deny the king after all she just wanted to me married to Jamie it did not matter where or when. She could see the relief on his face when she spoke.

"I am sure September twenty second will be a lovely day for a wedding your majesty."

"Thank you my dear you have made me a very happy man."

She gave him one of her mischievous smiles.

"The pleasure is all mine your majesty."

After dinner and before dessert Charlotte and Jamie were brought in to join them, it would be just his family. He shook himself he was getting soft in his old age. It was probably because he saw Charlotte and remembered all the good and innocent things he had forgotten he had done in his life.