‘‘Care to share the joke?’’ she asked as she walked over to the counter by the stove and poured herself a cup of coffee.
Betty grinned at her. ‘‘That man is the most stubborn person on the planet. He’s all in a temper about you, which is really due to the fact that he’s suddenly not the center of the universe. He’s complaining that you’re bossy and always expecting to get your way.’’ Betty winked. ‘‘Of course, what he refuses to see is that the person he’s describing is himself.’’
Years of training allowed Alex to maintain a neutral expression, but inside she felt shock. Betty’s easy chatter and good humor meant that the housekeeper didn’t think she was saying anything extraordinary, so she wasn’t trying to be insulting.
‘‘Bossy?’’ Alex asked, forcing herself to smile slightly.
Betty rose from the table and crossed to stand next to Alex. ‘‘Actually I said imperious. I think that fits better.’’
Alex wasn’t sure if they were talking about Mitch or herself and she didn’t dare ask. ‘‘I’m sorry I’m annoying him.’’
Betty waved off her apology. ‘‘Don’t give it a thought. All this activity is good for him. Mitch has spent too much time on his own these past couple of years. He’s needed something or someone to shake him out of his rut. If it takes a fancy-pants princess to do it, then I say, well done.’’
A fancy-pants princess, Alex thought incredulously. Is that how Betty perceived her? It was all she could do not to walk back to her bedroom and start packing. Had she expected too much of her host and his housekeeper? She knew there had been some unusual requests, but she’d tried to keep them to a minimum. The problem was she had no point of reference. She’d never lived a regular life, so she didn’t know what was normal and what wasn’t.
‘‘Have I been too demanding?’’ Alex asked. ‘‘If the cooking is too much trouble or—’’
Betty cut her off with a quick shake of her head. ‘‘Don’t go thinking that,’’ she said firmly. ‘‘I’ve had a wonderful time talking with you every day, and I’ve enjoyed stretching my cooking skills. I get to try different recipes and ingredients. Mitch isn’t one to eat fancy food so I get bored fixing the same few things.’’ She grinned. ‘‘Of course, he’s going to squeal like a stuck pig when he gets the food bill, but that will be fun, too.’’
Alex leaned against the counter as the next wave of shock raced through her. She thought about all the wonderful dishes Betty had prepared. The housekeeper always discussed the menus with Alex and offered suggestions. Because it was so close to how things were done in the castle, Alex hadn’t given it another thought. But this was Arizona, not Wynborough, and an isolated ranch wasn’t going to have easy access to continental cuisine.
‘‘Of course I’ll reimburse Mr. Colton for the additional expense,’’ she said stiffly as she thought of messengers who made their trips out here several times a day, of the fax and the computer set up in the second guest room, of the phone calls and the additional phone lines she’d had installed.
‘‘Don’t worry about that,’’ Betty told her. ‘‘Mitch can afford it. Besides, he’s eating the same food you are, and I haven’t heard a single complaint out of him. He’s just bellyaching. It doesn’t mean anything.’’
‘‘Thanks for telling me that,’’ Alex said. She made a show of checking her watch. ‘‘I’m expecting a fax, so I’ll just take my coffee back to the office.’’ She turned to leave.
‘‘Don’t you want breakfast?’’ Betty asked.
‘‘Not this morning. Thank you.’’
Alex knew she would choke if she tried to force anything down her throat. She could feel the flush of embarrassment on her face as humiliation filled her. Perhaps it would have meant her parents finding out what was going on, but she should have gone to a hotel. Staying here at the Colton ranch had been a horrible mistake. She saw that now. Why hadn’t she realized what an imposition she would be?
She made it back to her desk before the trembling began. Now what? she asked herself. Should she leave? Rowan would be furious at her and he would hate having to find another secure location, but she didn’t see any other choice. She couldn’t stay here and continue to be a bother to Mitch. No wonder he’d been avoiding her.
She reached for a pad of paper to start a list, but the phone rang. As she picked up the receiver, she wondered how she could have been so incredibly insensitive.
‘‘I thought I’d save you the trouble of having to phone in yourself later,’’ a familiar voice said.
‘‘Mother,’’ she breathed in relief. ‘‘How are you?’’
‘‘Fine, as usual. In the midst of chaos, also as usual.’’ Her mother’s light laughter trilled across the thousands of miles. ‘‘It’s still raining, so the renovations are slowing and that’s making everyone irritable. Especially your father. You know how he gets.’’
Alex did know. She listened as her mother talked about what was going on at home, then took notes on a few governmental issues that concerned her. Finally, when they were about to say goodbye, Alex hesitated. ‘‘I have a question,’’ she said.
‘‘What is it, dear?’’
‘‘Am I…’’ Her voice trailed off as she thought back to what Betty had said. ‘‘Am I bossy and imperious?’’
Her mother laughed again. ‘‘Of course you are, but we love you anyway.’’
Alex was glad she was sitting down. She felt her mouth drop open. ‘‘You’re being serious? I’ve always thought of myself as responsible. Was I wrong?’’
‘‘No, Alexandra. You’re very responsible. You’re a warm and caring person. Your father and I are very proud of you. You take your duties seriously, and we can always depend on you to do the right thing. Occasionally your methods are a little high-handed, but you’re the oldest daughter of a king. Isn’t that to be expected?’’
Her mother spoke for a few more minutes, then said her goodbyes. Alex replaced the receiver, then leaned back in her chair. Did everyone think the same about her? That she was dutiful and responsible, but in a high-handed way? Did everyone hate her? Had she been deceiving herself about her personality?
The unexpected information caused her to think about dozens of incidents from her past. She replayed them in light of the new information and still wasn’t sure what to think. Finally, close to noon, she went for a walk.
