by Ellie Hall
Penny drew a deep breath. “I have something really important to tell you. Let’s hope the phones don’t cut out.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Not really.” Penny locked herself in the bathroom, turned on the fan, the blow dryer, and ran the water to muffle her voice and told Emma the entire story.
“Hang on, let me get this straight. You got the baking apprenticeship, were somehow mistaken for a royal, and are now going to marry the prince?”
“Um, yes.” Hearing her sister say it made it sound outrageous.
“You should sound fizzy. Do you remember how much you were in love with Oliver when we were younger?”
“I just don’t know how to tell the truth. I’m not a royal.” The line turned to static but Penny continued. “What’s going to happen when they find out who I really am?” Penny knew she had to confess but was also terrified of spending the rest of her life in jail, or worse. It was a misunderstanding but she’d gone along with it for far too long. It had gotten out of hand.
Her sister said something but it was garbled.
“Who’s the real Penelope? If she finds out I was pretending to be her…”
“I’ll find out and—” Emma’s voice came in chopped pulses of sound. “I’ll tell you everything as soon as—”
“Emma, I can’t hear you. The signal keeps cutting out.”
“I’m here. Whatever you do, don’t tell the truth.”
“What?” Penny asked, aghast.
The line went dead.
Penny swallowed hard at the command in Emma’s voice. Her sister was on a secluded island and all she wanted was the two of them to be in her old apartment in New York, the kitchen closet, gabbing, baking, watching reruns of shows that made them laugh time after time.
“Don’t tell the truth?” she asked, realizing she’d resorted to talking to herself again. She tried Emma’s number one more time, to ask what she’d meant, to rewind, press pause, to figure it out, but the call went straight to voicemail.
Her sister’s fiancé was a billionaire, surely, he could get a cell tower installed on his island so the two sisters could figure out what she was supposed to do.
Penny sighed as a knock sounded on the door.
Addie stood on the other side. “Are you almost ready?” She peered over Penny’s shoulder at the steam from the still running shower, the hairdryer, and the fan blowing.
“If you wanted a sauna, there’s one here in the palace.”
Penny shook her head. “I’m almost ready.” But she wasn’t, not for what lied ahead if she was to follow her sister’s orders. Why shouldn’t she tell the truth? She was already in too deep and the further she took it the worse off she’d be. She tried to call again with no luck. Maybe she had to trust her sister, at least until they were able to speak again.
The footmen loaded the trunks containing the clothes and accessories from the enormous closet. Penny wheeled her suitcase over, but first, she grabbed a handful of chocolates from the stash in her bag and stuffed them in her pocket.
“The queen insisted you take everything with you.” Addie gestured to the trunks.
“I can’t.” Penny shook her head.
“You can and you will. The queen does not like to be told no, Penny.”
“You’ve never called me that.” She’d asked Oliver to and he hadn’t either. There was more than one occasion when someone had addressed her as Penelope and she’d startled as though preparing for a reprimand at the use of her full name or simply didn’t respond because she wasn’t accustomed to people using it.
Addie leaned in. “I wasn’t sure at first then I put two and two together.” She eyed the suitcase. “But I won’t say a word. I figure you have your reasons and that it’s time for us commoners to break into their ranks.”
Addie knew her true identity? Penny wasn’t sure whether to admit or deny it, especially after her sister told her not to tell. “Is that why you wished me luck that first night?”
“I’ve had a hunch.”
Penny wrapped her arms around Addie, who turned out to be a true friend.
“Well, good luck to you too. I’m glad we got to know each other.”
“Actually, I’m coming with you. The queen didn’t want you to be without a companion. But I wanted to leave our little secret here as you step into your new role.”
Too many confusing emotions whirled through Penny’s mind. However, with a reassuring smile, Addie beckoned her forward and she stepped bravely into the hall and toward the dining room for brunch.
After a quick nibble from the buffet followed by a long and ceremonial goodbye, Penny held fast to her sister’s words of warning as she thanked the queen for her generosity.
Then Oliver and Penny boarded the train. Crowds had gathered to see the prince off and they waved until the train left the station. Her stomach dipped and fluttered with uncertainty and excitement as it started to rain.
The train was a luxury liner bedecked in blue and silver, which Penny learned were the official colors of Concordia. Toward the front of the train, a mural was painted on one wall depicting a scene of a snowy landscape over which flew a royal blue flag with two interwoven crowns in the center and surrounded by a border of silver stars.
Everyone bowed to Oliver as a porter led them to a car toward the back. They passed through several luxury carriages. One had a piano and thick carpeting for entertainment, another was a formal dining car with wooden tables set with fine china. There was a lounge, a mini spa, and a study. Several more cars contained cabins for guests and then they finally reached the grand suite, for the royals. The porter asked if they needed anything and then bowed before departing.
Penny swept her hand over the polished wood, the brass handrails, and gazed at the scenery, awash in rain, as they chugged by.
Oliver lowered heavily into a leather chair. Clearly, leaving London was a big deal for him. He’d spent his whole life at the palace and was now stepping into a new role.
The truth was on Penny’s tongue and she was afraid if she opened her mouth it would spill out. She owed it to Oliver. She cleared her throat, but he didn’t turn his head. He seemed pensive, thoughtful, maybe already a little homesick. She knew the feeling. She left him in his contemplative silence and pulled out her phone.
She texted her sister but there was no immediate reply so she opened a browser window to research the country she’d hardly heard of. Concordia. It immediately came up, complete with the flag she’d seen painted in the train car.
It was one of the world’s wealthiest countries per capita. Its principal exports were a rare element required for oil refinement, followed by the natural resource itself in some of its principalities.
She reached the part about the late king and queen. Oliver had mentioned he understood how difficult it must’ve been for Penelope to return to the palace with the reminders of loss. Perhaps he was experiencing something similar. She scrolled down and read that the prince could not ascend the throne until he was married along with several other complicated rules.
Then she read that Oliver was the seventh most wealthy man in the world, estimating his worth in the billions. She sputtered.
Oliver’s gaze drifted to her. He was epically handsome: still youthful looking yet dignified, a strong jawline and lips that she’d never tire of hearing speak in his rich accent. “Everything okay?”
“I see now why Genevieve was so desperate to marry you.”
“Are you doing online research about our destination?” Amusement arched his eyebrow.
She nodded bashfully.
“I saw the reflection of your phone in the window. Did you get to the part about my family’s wealth?”
“You didn't mention you're a billionaire.”
He shrugged. “It didn't come up.”
“That means your sister is too.”
He shook his head. “She gets an allowance, but mostly she just inherits the title and duties. Remember what I told you about th
at old-fashioned law favoring the firstborn or male heir, whichever comes first.”
“Uncle Garfield?”
“I’d like to leave a different legacy for my daughters.”
She swallowed a lump in her throat.
“Theoretical heirs, I mean.”
Uncertainty about their feelings and future floated between them. Again, Penny had the opportunity to tell him who she really was but held back.
As the cityscape turned into countryside, Oliver told her about the natural resources discovered in their northern country and how, because of their remote location, they’d mostly remained cut off from the rest of the world.
“That’s not to say we’re backward or primitive. In fact, we have some of the most leading technology in the world. There are research facilities, development centers, and we’re at the forefront of creating healing modalities for both people and the planet.” Oliver sighed. “Everyone knows none of it will bring the king and queen back, but nearly twenty-nine years of mourning will make the people try.” Oliver’s expression went slack and then he gazed at his hands.
“They will be overjoyed to have you back and have you take your father’s place.”
“They’ll have you too, but I’m not sure I can fill my father’s shoes.”
She nudged his foot with hers. It was the smallest gesture but she felt so connected to him then and to their future.
“I have a feeling you’ll do great.”
He sighed and once more, they fell into silence. Penny enjoyed watching the English countryside with its broad fields and little cottages. When the scenery changed, Oliver announced they were in Scotland.
Penny had hardly seen England and now she was in another country, bound for a third.
The clouds collecting overhead were thicker, darker, and the pattering rain turned to sleet. But the train was warm and cozy, finely appointed, and comfortable.
She glanced at Oliver, but he’d dozed off. Penny read everything she could about Concordia as the hours clicked by and the train sped north.
When her eyes started to sting from staring at a screen so long, she turned it off. Out the window, an enormous body of water spread in every direction up ahead. It appeared as if the train barreled directly toward it.
Worried, she tapped Oliver. He shook off sleep. “Sorry. Everything okay?”
“I’m not sure. I’m pretty sure that’s the ocean.”
Since the luxury suite was toward the back of the train, the locomotive was visible as it steamed forward and toward the body of water.
He craned his head to see and seemed nonplussed. “Yes, the North Sea. Frigid water. Glad we no longer have to sail.”
“How will we get to Concordia then?”
“Nowadays, we take the train direct as a nod to the old tradition of riding north in horse and carriage before getting on a ship. We could fly but this is custom. When we arrive, there will be a procession, crowds, and a parade. Buckle up, it’s going to be a wild ride…I mean when we get there. No seatbelts in the train. This’ll be a smooth ride. Prepare yourself though because Concordians are enthusiastic. They cannot wait to meet you and have their royals back.” He sighed heavily and lowered back into his chair but didn’t seem overly concerned about their progress toward the water. However, worry lines crept across his forehead as if he was trying to puzzle something out.
Penny sat down opposite him and dipped her hand in her pocket and held out a chocolate wrapped in shiny foil. “A Kiss a day keeps the doctor away.”
He met her eyes. His forehead smoothed and he bit his lip. The fizziness inside of her returned with that one look and she feared she’d float out of her seat.
“Is that so?” he asked, taking it from her.
Their hands brushed, sending a zing to her belly. Then he popped the candy in his mouth.
She melted inside.
“In that case, I’ll have to make sure I get a kiss every day,” he said.
Chapter 16
Oliver
Before long, the train started to descend and they entered the tunnel that ran from Scotland under the sea to Concordia.
Penelope stiffened by his side as though nervous. He reached for her hand and brushed his thumb over her knuckles. Like when their fingers brushed as he took the chocolate, his heart thumped an irregular beat in his chest at the feel of her soft skin. Did she feel it too?
“We’re in the tunnel.” He explained the geography.
“Does that mean we’re under the ocean?” Her tone was higher pitched than usual and she seemed jumpy.
“Only for a short time.”
“Short time like five minutes or—? Can you be more specific?”
“More like an hour or so, but it’ll pass quickly.”
For a moment the carriage went dark.
She yelped.
“It’s okay. I probably should’ve explained our travel arrangements better.”
Dim lights flickered on. It softened her smooth features and bathed her in a golden glow. A light went on inside him. She was an inspiration. He felt like anything was possible with her.
“Some people are afraid of heights. Others, depths, some the dark but it’s in those places we find our strength and inner riches.”
She shifted closer to him.
“There is nothing to worry about. We’re safe. Our engineering teams modeled the Grand Concordia Underwater Concourse after the Chunnel, but it’s much longer, stronger, and—” He pointed out the window. “Prettier.”
Mosaics of shining stones and tiles illustrating an underwater scene were visible in the wide tunnel.
“Because Concordia is largely set apart from the rest of the world, we like to mark everything with beauty, or if it’s already naturally beautiful, we do all we can to preserve it. No small feat when constructing this tunnel. Our engineers had to build this without disturbing marine life but the architects didn’t want the scenery as we pass to be boring stone. In fact, students take field trips on the train just to see this view.”
At the palace, he was largely taken care of and looked after, his agenda set for each day. In Concordia, although he had responsibilities, they were ultimately his decisions and this had an empowering effect as though he was reclaiming his life as his own and not as a subject to a roster of royal duties. The further they traveled north the more confident he started to feel, like by stepping into the unknown, he started to know himself better.
He felt like he was turning the page to a new chapter in his life. Leaving everything in London behind and stepping into the relative unknown had weighed on him, but the chocolate helped. So, did having Penelope by his side. They’d figure out everything together. They would be a team. She understood loss and feeling like an outsider, as did he.
Although he visited Concordia regularly, he hadn’t lived there since he was a baby, he still had so many questions. Would they accept him? Would they treat him like a child or like the man he’d become? Whatever happened, he’d face it with his shoulders squared, his chin lifted, his heart humble, and most importantly, with Penelope. That was the kind of king he’d be: strong and fierce, confident and true, but also humble and kind.
Penelope and Oliver returned to their seats and he told her a few stories about Concordia as though they were around a campfire. She asked questions and they laughed. It was a pleasant way to pass the time.
He’d brace her for what was sure to be a lively, if not, overwhelming welcome after she saw the beauty of his native land. Even though it was cold there, he wanted her to warm to the idea of Concordia. He certainly didn’t want her to faint again. The people finally had their royals back and the soon-to-be king and queen. It was a homecoming of sorts and as the light shone through the end of the tunnel ahead, he started to feel excitement and anticipation building inside.
At last, when the train car emerged onto the broad plain of Concordia’s borders, the bright white canvas of snow was nearly blinding after the dark tunnel. Penelope blinked a few times. Ol
iver smiled as she took in the scenery. He wanted to see it through her eyes as if for the first time. In some ways, it was the first time with him stepping into his new role.
Bluffs stood like sentries over the beaches, which were white from snow and ice, but also had white sand after the thaw. To the east were the Magnus Mountains, awash in snow. The peaks formed a semi-circle along with a natural barrier to the countries on the other side. The western part of the country was mostly shoreline, and the north was an endless tundra. But in the central valley was the capital, and satellite towns and villages moved outward like a burst of sunshine.
Her lips parted in awe. “It’s magnificent. I feel like we’re in a snow globe.”
Snow fell steadily as the train continued to move forward.
A porter appeared and asked if they needed anything. “No, thank you,” Penelope replied.
“Do you have our estimated time of arrival?” Oliver asked.
“At this pace, should it hold, arrival ought to be about an hour and a half from our present location, Sir.”
“Yes, that sounds accurate. We won’t let a little weather slow us down.”
“No, Sir. The court and crowds at the castle eagerly await your arrival.” He excused himself, leaving Penelope and Oliver alone again.
The train climbed toward the mountain and had to pass one of the smaller summits to reach the capital. They traveled deeper into the interior and the train carriage cooled a few degrees. Penelope shivered.
“Can I get you a blanket?” he asked. “Or a warm drink?”
“I don’t want to bother the porter.”
“It’s his job, but I see your point. We have a small kitchenette. How about some tea?”
“Sure, that would be lovely.”
“And delicious, I make a great cup.”
“Tea is tea. I can make it.”
“Not the way I make it.”
“And how is that?” she asked with the beginnings of a flirtatious grin on her lips.
