The Prince and I: A Romantic Mystery (The Royal Biography Cozy Mystery Series Book 1) (12 page)

“What’s that?” I ask.

“It’s not a subject I want to get into today. Today I want to enjoy my afternoon in the company of you, my nonjudgmental Lizzie. But, after some things have settled down in your life. After they incarcerate that murderer Pierre St. Clair and throw away the key, I would like to ask your help with something. You see the other night I hung up quickly because the conversation we were having about my brother brought back some awful memories.”

So that’s why he hung up so quickly. It wasn’t because he was grossed out that I was talking to him while completely nude in the bathtub.

“Maybe in about a month’s time, maybe after the ball, I would like to ask you to help me research something.”

“Something about your brother’s death?” I hazard.

The Prince’s face turns cold as stone.

“Yes, that’s it. But I don’t want to talk about it today. Today we are two friends, watching a cricket match and having a wonderful dinner. Alright?”

“Absolutely.” I sit back on the sofa while the Prince explains more about the game. It all seems terribly boring, but the Prince is very excited, so I make the appropriate, “ah hah, now I get it,” sounds as he lectures me about cricket rules. And I continue to munch on his horrible cake. It’s the least I can do since he accepted my tea cozy as a gift. All the while, the Queen Victoria’s crown sparkles away gloriously on my coffee table.

“After this inning, I’ll start making the soup. You like leek soup?” he asks.

“Love it,” I reply, and then I lean back against the sofa and try to enjoy the moment. I won’t be asking him any more questions about his life. Not tonight. I’m emotionally exhausted, but at least there is some relief in knowing that Sean’s murders are locked away from the world and one huge mystery is solved. For tonight, I’m not going to think about that whole mess anymore. Tonight Alex and I will sit here and cheer on team Britain. Tonight we will relax and enjoy each other’s company, just the Prince and I.

The End

Enjoy the first few chapters of Julie Sarff’s other series after the Recipe section.

At the end of the book is a link to my newsletter and a link to my other books.

The Prince’s Frittata was divine but required a lot of prep, Lizzie (Trudy) makes a simpler version at home.

Trudy’s Mother’s Vegetable Frittata

3 large eggs, plus 3 egg whites

4 oz smoked gouda cheese

3/4 cup reduced-fat cottage cheese

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

1 onion

1 16 oz frozen mixed veggies

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Parmesan (or vegetarian or vegan alternative)

Paprika

1. Grate the cheese, mince the rosemary, slice garlic, dice onion.

2. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.

Whisk eggs and egg whites in a large bowl and add cottage cheese, whisking until smooth.

3. Whisk in gouda and rosemary. The gouda will have a nice smoky flavor for those who are missing bacon in their vegetarian meals.

4. Cook garlic in olive oil in a large skillet until golden. Add the onion and salt to season. Add vegetables and cook until tender. Takes five to ten minutes.

5. With heat on medium add egg mixture to the skillet. Cook 3 minutes. Use a spatula to release the bottom crust from pan. Sprinkle with parmesan and paprika, transfer to the oven and bake for 5 - 10 minutes until cooked. Remove from oven and let sit for five minutes and serve.

Curry so Easy Even a Historian Can Make It

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves crushed garlic

2 1/2 tablespoons curry powder

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 cube vegetable bouillon

1 (10 ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables

1 can coconut milk

1/2 cups water

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

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In a large saucepan over medium-high, heat oil and saute onion, and garlic until golden. Stir in curry powder and tomato paste, cook 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes, vegetable bouillon cube, mixed vegetables, water, salt and pepper to taste. Cook approximately 30 minutes until vegetables are well done (not crunchy). Sprinkle with fresh cilantro prior to serving. Serve over rice.

Trudy (Lizzie) loves the slow cooker. She prepares her meals in the morning and then fills her day with research.

Slow Cooker Aloo Gobi (spice cauliflower and potatoes)

1 cauliflower, cut into small pieces

1 potato, peeled and diced

1 tomato, diced

1 onion

1 cup vegetable broth

1 piece ginger root, about an inch and half lone, peeled and then grated.

2 cloves garlic, peeled and grated

1 jalapeno pepper, seeds and all

1 tbsp cumin

1/4 Tbsp cayenne pepper

1 Tbsp  gram marsala

Kosher sholt

1 tsp turmeric

3 Tbsp canola oil

Cilantro

Directions - So easy, put everything except cilantro in slow cooker, stir well. Cook on low for five hours, stirring occasionally to mix seasonings. Add cilantro and serve with rice.

The Prince’s leek soup took every pot and pan in Trudy’s kitchen, and afterwards the cricket match ended and the Prince left with his cousin Rose, Trudy had a bunch of dishes to wash which is why she prefers the following leek soup recipe.

Trudy’s Leek Soup

Trudy sautés two chopped leeks (green and white part only) in vegan butter spread. Then she puts them in her slow cooker with two chopped russet potatoes and five cups of vegetable stock. Her whole kitchen smells wonderful, and she has only used a skillet and a crockpot.

Also available from Julie Sarff….

Chapter 1

It is a very strange story
how I, Lily Bilbury, came to be searching for the remnants of the French Blue. By remnants, I mean the 23.5 carats of the most famous diamond in the world, the diamond Louis XVI wore as a pendant. The French Blue, like Louis’ head, was lost during the French Revolution. It was subsequently cut down into the Hope Diamond. Francesca, my fellow housemaid at Villa Buschi, swears that the remnant diamonds are hidden somewhere on the estate. Of course Francesca isn’t exactly a reliable source, she also swears that Silvio Berlusconi, prime minister of Italy and chief troublemaker, is going to keel over at any moment.

Allow me to back up a bit and start at the beginning. My husband, soon to be my-ex-husband, Enrico Bettonina and I have had a serious falling out. Although I have tried wishing him away by clicking the heels of my glittering red shoes together three times, it has been three long years since the man cheated on me with Frederica Corino, and I still haven’t obtained a divorce.

Enrico is the reason I’m in terrible economic straits. I discovered that he was cheating on me on the day I gave birth to my twins. Living 5,000 miles from my closest relatives, I was forced to move in with Enrico’s Aunt Alice and his Uncle Tomasso. Enrico kept our house, a wonderful two-bedroom with a tuck under garage on the outskirts of Arona, Italy; a house Uncle Tomasso was allowing us to live in rent free, while Enrico finally became a full-fledged doctor with a paying job. During the three years I lived with Enrico’s aunt and uncle, I could barely afford baby food and diapers. It was then that I developed a short and simple theory. And my theory goes like this: financial independence = happiness.

To achieve economic independence, I took a job working for Enrico’s severe aunt as a housemaid. As soon as I was hired, the children and I moved into a small apartment on Via Aurelia. I have to admit I was excited to start working at the incredible Villa Buschi. I’d seen it a million times in picture postcards sold all over Lago Maggiore. It’s a stately two-storied, cream-colored affair. Situated right on the edge of the lake, it’s simply divine.

Or at least it used to look divine. Apparently much had changed. The first time I drove up to decrepit gate and peeked through it iron-bars, I was shocked. The place was overrun with flora. The initial drive up that ox-cart of a driveway was a nightmare. At one point my Panda hit something large and log-like lying in the middle of the drive.

“What on earth,” I slammed on the brakes and checked my review mirror. Behind me on the road was the thickest, darkest, most virulent vine I had ever seen in my life. And I swear as I stared at it, it began to undulate.

I’m not proud of the fact that I shouted “Anaconda!” and gunned it. I just did. Driving around to the front of the villa, I found that the view did not improve.

“Sweet heavens,” I said to nobody but myself, “the gardens look as if they have been shelled.” The land was all tattered and cluttered, in a state of disrepair --with all manner of weeds growing and not a dainty bloom to be found. Quickly I parked my car in a stand of trees, right next to a beautiful yellow Ferrari. The Ferrari confused me because (a) I wondered how anybody could have made their way up that ox-cart of driveway in such a fine machine and (b) it was parked outside in the rain as if the owner couldn’t care less. There was no time to worry about it though, because I was already late.

As I climbed the steps to the ring the doorbell, I tripped over a small planter that sat abandoned on the top row with one forlorn stalk in it. I stared at the dead stalk for a moment until my gaze flitted to the gargoyle knocker mounted on the front door.

Hmm, grounds in chaos, dead-stalk in the planter and a gargoyle knocker. Weird, very weird.  It was all very Tim-Butonesque. Right then and there the door swung open and standing with her hands on her hip, looking scarier than anything out of a horror movie, was my soon to be ex-Aunt-in-law Alice Bettonina.

I knew by the look in her eyes that trying to put my theory of financial independence = happiness into motion was going to be torturous at best. By the way she glowered at me and shouted that as a member of the staff I should never again use the front entrance, I could tell there wouldn’t be anything good about my new job. Now, after several months of working at the villa, I know something in my life has to change, I have to find the remnants of the French Blue. To this end, I’ve finally agreed to Francesca’s request to help search for the diamonds, because, as already noted, my economic future, as well as the fate of one-hundred plus cats and dogs hangs in the balance.

Five Months Earlier   October

(Mostly drizzle with a chance of sun)