We walk in silence the short distance to my sitting room, where Prince Claudius hurries in front of me to open the door, much to my surprise. I pause before stepping through the door, offering him a slight nod and a quiet, "Thank you."
"My pleasure," he says with a sort of feigned politeness that I can see through, but that can't easily be called out.
We sit on opposite sides of the table, much like the day before where he told me about my step daughter's affair. I set my lips in a hard line. Is he going to tell me something else along those lines? I'm barely holding it together.
"I apologize for coming to you so early in the morning," he says as he leans forward, resting his forearms on his legs. He seems to be getting more comfortable with me, though he clearly still holds distaste fo
