“I did. That’s not to say that my mother and brother don’t feel the same way, they just handle it in a different way. I handled it by finding my calling outside of the palace.”
“Were you very unhappy?”
“Again, not until I reached a certain age. I was likely shielded from the pressure when I was really young. But around the time I started to question my privilege, I found I could hardly stand having my photograph taken every time I went out. I’m still not comfortable with everyone looking at me.”
Eva took a sip of water, then asked, “How do you feel about your children growing up the way you did?”
“Again, I’m conflicted. I want them to have every advantage in life, to never have to want for anything. But after what I went through, I’m not sure how comfortable I’d feel about them being in the royal spotlight, as you call it.”
“So what are we going to do?” Eva looked at Pieter, realizing that this would take teamwork and she needed to put her headstrong tendencies aside for this decision.
Pieter was quiet for a moment, and then he said, “I think the only answer is to live in Alaska.”
“But you’ll be homesick for Laagestein.”
Pieter nodded once. “I’m sure I will. But we can come back to visit.”
“What will your parents say?”
“I guess we’d better tell them,” Pieter said, taking a deep breath. He made a call and told the person at the other end of the line to ask his parents to meet him in the orangery, as a matter of urgency.
Eva bit the side of her lip. “What a way to meet them — being introduced as the woman who’s stealing their son away to the other side of the world.”
“I won’t lie to you, it’s going to come as something of a shock to them. I haven’t told them anything about you.”
“Oh, great. This is going to be fun.”
“But I did tell my brother, Jan. He told me I should hurry back to Alaska to tell you how I really feel about you. He said this might be the only shot at love I have, and I’d better not squander it.”
“Have you really never been in love before, Pieter?”
He reached out and took Eva’s hands in his. “Never.”
“Me neither,” she said, her eyes brimming with tears. They kissed, tenderly, sealing their love.
They broke apart a few minutes later when they heard the sound of voices. “Pieter, darling, are you in here? What’s so urgent that we had to come running over?”
Eva looked over her shoulder to see a tall, willowy woman with silver-blond hair walking slightly ahead of an even taller man with dark brown hair. They looked like movie stars with their good looks and elegant style.
“Mother, Father, I would like you to meet Sergeant Eva Bailey. We worked together in Alaska. Eva, these are my parents, the queen and king consort of Laagestein.”
Eva stood up as gracefully as she could and shook their hands as she said, “I’m very pleased to meet you both.”
“And you’ve come all the way from America to talk to Pieter? Is something wrong?” the queen asked.
“Please, won’t you both join us?” Pieter said, gesturing toward the chairs on the other side of the table. “I’ll pour you some tea.”
Pieter’s father’s eyes bored into Eva, making her feel distinctly uncomfortable. “You’d better tell us what this is all about, Pieter,” he said in an unfriendly voice.
“I will, Father. Eva surprised me with a visit because she has some important news. You see, we fell in love when I was stationed at her base in Alaska.”
“You fell in love?” Pieter’s mother asked incredulously. “And this is the first I’m hearing of it?”
“I’m sorry, Mother. But Eva and I decided it would be too difficult to carry on a long-distance relationship.” As he spoke, Pieter looked at Eva quickly.
“So, you’ve come to tell Pieter you want to make a go of it after all, is that it?” the queen asked Eva, not unkindly.
“Mother, we have some news. I’m moving to Alaska to be with Eva. I know I’ve only just come back home, but we’ve decided our future is there.”
