by Jenny Frame
“There’s no doubt that Anglesey is involved?” Bo asked Felix.
“No doubt.”
Bo growled in frustration. “Just when I thought I had given the people their fairy tale. The world’s media have descended on London to see the poor girl plucked from obscurity to be made a Queen, and this has to come along and threaten it.”
Felix smiled and said sarcastically, “You’re such a romantic, Bo.”
“Hardly.”
“I suppose every fairy tale needs a wicked villain. The story will be even more exciting as long as the Queen and her village girl win through. What’s their next public engagement as a couple?”
“I believe they’re attending Prince Theo’s graduation from Goldsmiths Art College. The Queen Mother, the Dowager Queen, Her Majesty, and Miss Elliot will be there,” Felix told her.
“All three generations in the same hall? I don’t like it, Felix.”
“Neither do Sir Walter or his MI5 agents, but apparently the Queen Mother and Queen Adrianna insist. You can’t really say no to them. Well, I wouldn’t like to try. All the other guests at the ceremony have been rigorously checked, and the royal family will be surrounded by MI5 agents and their own protection officers.”
Bo sat back in her leather chair and said, “I suppose I don’t have much choice then. Just make sure you tell Sir Walter, that if anything happens to the Queen or her fiancée, I’ll chop off his bollocks and make them into a handbag.”
Felix gulped audibly. “Yes, Bo.” He looked up to the screen. “Look, it’s starting.”
*
Bea smoothed down her petrol-green jersey dress nervously. “Do I look all right?” she whispered to George.
They were waiting to start their first official interview as a couple. This one interview was to be carried by all the media and TV channels live, and waiting for it to start was nerve-racking for Bea.
“Of course, you look beautiful, my darling,” George told her. “I especially love your hair.”
Bea had asked her friend Holly to do her hair and make-up for the interview, and she’d styled her locks in a soft wave, giving a slight bounce every time she moved.
“Thank you. I’m glad you like it.”
“I do, very much so.”
Bea ran her hand over the lapel of George’s blue three-piece suit. “And you look as dashing as always.”
George laughed softly. “I try. Now don’t be so nervous, you’ll be wonderful. If you get tongue-tied or don’t want to answer a certain question, just give my hand a squeeze and I’ll take over. Okay?”
Bea nodded, but it was hard to be anything but nervous, standing in the ornate white drawing room of Buckingham Palace. The gold cornicing, gold-embroidered furniture, and the large paintings of queens and kings of the past made her realize what an enormous task she was undertaking. Up at Balmoral, everything seemed so simple. They were just two people who loved each other, in the privacy of that large estate.
As soon as they left that sanctuary, they were thrust into a storm of public attention and press interest from every corner of the globe. It had been quite frightening at first, knowing that she could never just pop out on a whim or down to the corner shop again, but George helped her every step of the way, and kept her as protected as possible.
Bea knew, no matter how hard it got, George’s love was worth any discomfort or intrusion on her private life.
The interviewer, Carl Mason, walked over to them and bowed to George. “Your Majesty, we are ready for you both now.”
Abby, I know you’re watching over me. Help me not make a fool of myself.
*
Julian’s hand shook as he watched his cousin’s engagement interview. He’d lost control of everything. Princess Eleanor had given up and headed home, and the British public had sickeningly bought into all this fairy tale stuff about the couple. Even his parents and siblings loved Beatrice.
“Only I can see what a sick pervert you are, George.”
It had been bad enough bowing at his cousin’s feet all his life, but come the wedding, he would have to bow down to Beatrice Elliot, from Bethnal Green.
Never. He didn’t realize he was holding his glass of wine so tightly until it broke in his hand. Julian looked at the dripping blood with fascination.
“I think it’s high time you felt some pain of your own, George.”
Julian called a number on his secure line. “The warning wasn’t enough. I want this brought to an end. You will be greatly rewarded.”
*
Today was to be a graduation like no other at Goldsmiths College. The college had been honoured when the young Prince Theodore had chosen them to study fine art, but today would be even more exciting, as the Queen would attend with her new fiancée.
Security was extremely tight. Each student was permitted only two guests, and everyone had full security checks done on them. MI5 agents were posted around the hall and the college, with Cammy, Inspector Lang, and the other protection officers surrounding the Queen and her fiancée.
The couple had arrived early but were being held in a secure office until the rest of the audience were scanned, searched, and seated.
George had only been informed that a specific threat had been made against her person. The delay wasn’t helping Bea’s nerves any, and she paced up and down the office, watched by George and Cammy. The Queen Mother and Dowager Queen were being held in a separate location for security reasons.
George sat in a relaxed posture at the principal’s desk. “Darling, please sit down. You’re making me dizzy.”
“I can’t. I’m too nervous.” Bea fiddled with her engagement ring.
“You’ve been lots of places with me before.”
Bea sighed and continued pacing. “Not like this, not going in with you as your fiancée. Everyone’s going to be looking at me as well as you this time. They used to just look at you.”
George signalled for Cammy to step outside for a moment, then took her into her arms. “Listen, you’ll be absolutely splendid. You handled the Ghillies Ball well. You attended as my fiancée then.”
Bea rested her head on George’s chest. “Those were the Balmoral staff and the villagers. They were very supportive. This is Theo’s special day, your family’s special day. I don’t want to do something stupid and ruin it.”
George lightly grasped her chin. “Now listen here, my little smout. You always behave with faultless decorum in whatever you do in life, and today will be no different. You could never let me down. I will be the proudest person in the world, walking in with you on my arm. I love you. Understand?”
George always had a way of making her feel better. She was like a solid rock of reassurance that Bea could always lean on. “I understand,” she said with a smile and leaned up to kiss her love on the chin.
*
George and Bea sat in the front row alongside Queen Sofia, Queen Adrianna, and Cammy. MI5 agents and police protection officers were dotted around the room. Although the other students’ families might not be aware of all of them, George was acutely aware of the beefed-up security, and she was sorry it had to be this way on Theo’s special day.
She looked up to him on the stage, in his cap and gown, and her heart burst with pride. Theo had come so far since their father’s death, and she knew with certainty the King was looking down on the day, equally as proud.
The speeches finished up and it was now time for the students to receive their scrolls. She could tell from here, Theo was a little nervous, but not as nervous as the young man who sat next to him. He’d caught her attention because he looked the odd one out in the company of the other students. His hands trembled, and unlike the other students who were listening to the speeches and smiling, he looked straight ahead thoughout the whole ceremony.
The young man’s name was called, and at first he didn’t react, until someone behind nudged him. He walked across the stage and shook hands with the professor with no visible emotion, collecting his scroll as he wen
t.
Then it was Theo’s turn. “BA Fine Arts. Prince Theodore, Duke of York.” The crowd clapped and cheered, none more so than the Queen and Beatrice. He looked towards her and she gave him a wink in return.
Just as Theo reached the professor, the student who had gone before him, who hadn’t reached the other end of the stage, turned and ran back towards Theo. He pulled out a shining silver hunting knife and stabbed Theo in the side. Everything then seemed to happen in slow motion, as Theo fell. “No, Theo!” George jumped up shouting.
The concealed agents moved towards the stage, and the student pulled out a weapon and aimed for George. In seconds she felt her shoulder being hit so hard it nearly knocked her down, and then a burning pain radiated out from the impact.
She heard Bea scream her name, but the room became a blur as officers tackled her to the floor, covering her from further attack.
From her position on the floor she saw Cammy pull out her weapon and shoot the student in the head, as agents piled onto the stage.
She could hear deafening shouts and screams from the audience, and Inspector Lang order the room cleared.
Bea, Theo. I have to get to them. “Get off me,” George shouted from underneath the pile of agents.”
“Georgie? Georgie? Are you all right?” Bea cried.
Standing up, George pulled off her suit jacket to reveal a bloody gunshot wound in her shoulder.
“Oh my God!” Bea clasped her hands to her mouth in shock.
“It’s fine. Are you hurt?” George pulled Bea to her, checking her for injuries.
“No, no. I’m okay. Theo?”
“Cammy? Secure the Queen Mother and the Dowager Queen. Don’t let anyone you haven’t seen before near them.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
The Queen made her way to the stage, where Inspector Lang stood guard. “Ma’am, please stay back where you can be secured.”
“I want to see my brother. Go, take care of my fiancée, Lang.”
He bowed and let her climb up on stage. She sank to her knees when she saw her brother’s state. The whole right-hand side of his shirt was bloody, and an MI5 agent was pushing a compress down on the wound trying to stem the flow of blood.
“Theo?” George took his hand when he raised it.
“Georgie…is that you?” Theo asked, his breathing very laboured.
She tried to soothe him by stroking his brow. “Shh, don’t talk. The paramedics will be here soon.”
“I don’t know if I can hold on, Georgie. Need to close…my eyes. I don’t want to die, Georgie.”
George looked him right in the eye and said, “Don’t you dare, Theodore. Do you hear me? I’m commanding you to keep those eyes open. If you die, I’ll kick your bloody arse up and down Horse Guards Parade. Do you understand me, Theo?”
She saw a slight smile come to her brother’s face. “I’ll try.”
“Don’t try, Theo. Just do as you’re told. Keep squeezing my hand and talking to me. Stay awake, little brother.”
“Were you…?”
Theo’s voice receded to a whisper. “Was I what, Theo? Talk to me.”
“Were you proud of me? Wanted to make you proud.”
George leaned over and kissed his forehead. “I am always proud of you, Theo. I love you, little brother.”
“Love you too, Georgie.”
Bea came up to the stage and stood very close to George. “Theo? Stay with us. Your sister needs you.”
“She needs you…Bea. Look after her.”
The paramedics appeared at their side and immediately set to work. Bea pulled George into her arms, until a second crew came and started to tend to the Queen. “Leave me. Just help my brother,” George shouted at them.
“He has all the help he needs at the moment, Ma’am. We have a chopper waiting to take him to the hospital immediately.”
“Georgie? Let them look at you,” Bea told her.
She nodded and watched her brother wheeled away to the waiting helicopter. It was at that moment the adrenaline that had kept her going suddenly left her and all the energy was sucked out of her body. The last thing she heard as she fell was Bea’s scream.
Chapter Thirty-three
The whole of London was put on lockdown, as the counterterrorism measures came into effect. Airspace closed over the whole of Great Britain, and all public transportation in and around the major cities was suspended.
The Queen Mother and Queen Adrianna were not allowed to follow Bea to the hospital, and for security were taken to a secret location.
Bea sat with Cammy in the deserted accident and emergency waiting room. When it became clear the casualties en route were the Queen and the first-in-line to the throne, all those who were waiting to be seen and who could be safely moved were transported to the hospital in the next town, so as to clear the department and ensure all necessary security measures could be taken.
“Ma’am? I got you a cup of tea. I can’t attest to its quality, it’s just from a machine.”
Bea looked at Cammy through her tears. “Thank you, and I’m not ma’am, Cammy. I might never be.”
Cammy sat down beside her. “Don’t you say that, lassie. George will be walking you down the aisle. Mark my words.”
“Why did she have to stand up and make herself a target, Cammy? The agents were about to take him down.”
“It’s who she is. Even though she’s the Queen, George doesn’t think herself more important than anyone else.”
Bea nodded sadly. “I’m so glad you shot that man, Cammy. It could have gotten so much worse. You’re a hero.”
Cammy shook her head. “Not me—just doing what I’m trained to do. I’m only sorry I couldn’t take the bullet for her, and then she’d be sitting here with you.”
“Don’t say that. You killed him before he could do any more damage. That’s enough. Who would want to hurt Theo? He’s such a harmless boy.”
“He’s also heir to the throne, until the Queen has any offspring. He may be a harmless boy, but he’s a very important player.”
Bea looked at her quizzically. “What do you mean? You think…?”
“I don’t know what I mean, really. It just strikes me as something different than a terrorist attack.”
As Bea was contemplating that, a doctor came out of the A&E double doors. “Miss Elliot, I’m Jeremy Frobisher, senior consultant here at Central Hospital.”
Bea shook his hand. “How are the Queen and Prince Theo?”
“The Queen is going to be fine. The bullet didn’t shatter any bone, and the entry wound was fairly clean. We were able to remove the bullet and wash out the wound here in A&E, without going to surgery.”
Bea let out a long breath, and her tears started anew. “And Theo?”
“The prince is on his way to surgery as we speak. I won’t mince words, Miss Elliot, his condition is very serious. He’s lost a lot of blood, but we’re doing all we can. The royal physician is on his way, so he’s going to have the best possible care.”
Bea couldn’t speak. The emotions just overwhelmed her.
Cammy put her arm around Bea and tried to calm her. “Has someone informed the rest of the family, Doctor?” Cammy asked.
“Yes, I contacted the prime minister to keep her informed about the Queen and Prince Theo’s conditions, and she is going to keep both Their Majesties up to date.”
“Can I see her, Doctor?” Bea managed to say.
“Of course, Miss Elliot. She’s asking for you. Follow me.”
*
The prime minister sat at the head of a large table in a secret meeting room in Whitehall. As soon as the news of the attack hit, the Prime Minster immediately called for a Cobra meeting. The meeting brought together government ministers, the police, secret services, and emergency services in times of national crisis.
“Ladies and gentlemen, today an attack was launched at the heart of the British constitution. Luckily, Her Majesty looks to be on the mend, but Prince Theodore is in very seri
ous condition. I want to know what we know, and how and why it happened. Sir Walter? Why don’t you start us off?”
The head of MI5 gulped and looked decidedly nervous. “We believe the individual is simply a hired gun—it’s who hired him that is the more worrying piece of news. My agents that have been monitoring Viscount Anglesey have reported that he left his flat in town just after it was announced that the Queen had survived. They let him leave in order to see if he would attempt to contact anyone. They stopped him at Heathrow, trying to flee the country.”
Bo sat back in shock. “Good God. I knew that weasel was involved somehow. The Buckingham family is starting to look like a Greek tragedy. Right, well let’s wait and see what he can tell us. Let’s reconvene in three hours. I have to make an address to the nation. Let’s make sure we work hard on this. If that man had taken out the Queen and her heir…Well, it doesn’t bear thinking about. Get to work.”
*
The Queen had been placed in a private room, in the most secure area of the hospital. There were agents and police officers at every entrance and exit of the hospital, and only a select group of doctors and nurses were being permitted to care for her and her brother.
Bea sat at the side of the bed and watched the royal physician, Mark Battlefield, check over her wound.
“It’s been well taken care of, Your Majesty. The wound will heal very well, I believe.”
George nodded her head and said, “And Prince Theo?”
“I’m just on my way to check on him now, Ma’am. He’s being brought from theatre. I’ll come back and check on you soon, Your Majesty.”
George felt her barely contained anger bubbling towards the surface. “Don’t bother about me, Battlefield. Just concentrate on my brother,” George snapped.
Bea smiled and said, “Thank you, Doctor. If you would pop back later on, I’m sure Her Majesty would appreciate that.”
