by Anna Bloom
“Quick through here.” He led me into the main entrance of the palace and then held my hand as he darted us off to a hallway down the right. Through some more doors, and about fifteen thousand steps in, he halted at a door with a security pass. He smiled but kept his gaze averted from me as he keyed in a number. When the door hissed open, he pulled me in behind him.
“Is this your BDSM playroom?”
He howled with laughter but then steered me around so I could see.
Oh. Fuck.
The walls were lined with slender drawers, row upon row of them, in perfect formation. Tilted at an angle, it was easy to see what the drawers contained. Jewellery. More of it than Tiffany’s.
“Oliver, please don’t. I don’t want to give the press any more reason to criticise me.”
“It’s not for them; it’s for you.”
I shook my head, drawing my lower lip in between my teeth. “No, I don’t think so. Let’s just go and get this over and done with.”
I turned back for the door, but he held me back by our joined fingers. “Here.” He stepped for a row of drawers and scanned them until he found what he wanted. “It would do me an enormous honour.” Pulling out one velvet drawer he lifted a row of pearls out.
“Oliver, please.”
Ignoring me, he turned me around and then gently hung them across my collarbone. His lips followed, brushing across the surface of my skin. “These were Queen Anne’s. They are incredibly rare; rather like you.” He turned me back for the mirror. The pearls captured the tone of rose-gold from the dress and they shone against my pale skin, peachy and rich. “And they aren’t diamonds or anything flashy so people will complain, and anyway, we’re just borrowing them for the night, then we’ll return them here. My father gave permission for me to use them.”
“I think they are going to complain anyway.” I tried not to let my trembling show.
“But I’m not, Leia.” His voice rumbled low, reaching deep inside me and connecting with my soul. “I’ll never be prouder than I will tonight stepping out with you and Daisy at my side.”
“Ollie,” my voice caught, “if they destroy her in the press, I don’t know what I will do.”
He clutched me tight, his hands sinking into the skin of my arms. “I won’t let them. It’s the only promise I can make to you, but I give it with all of my heart. I won’t let them touch that girl again.”
I nodded, almost numbly. “I trust you.”
He flashed me a killer smile and made my tummy flip. “Good.”
“Okay, let’s go and do this.”
I turned for the door, ready to go to battle, but he held me back, his lips landing on mine insistent and sure. His left hand fiddled with my right and he pushed something into my palm. When he broke the kiss, his eyes shone. “Humour me.”
Glancing down in my palm, I found a slender platinum band lined with square cut diamonds and emeralds. The diamonds weren’t the brilliant cut so popular now. In fact, they barely shone at all. “What’s this?”
“An old family trinket.” He picked it up and slid it down the ring finger on my right hand.
“A trinket?”
“Yep.”
“And…?”
“And nothing. Come, let’s go and get Daisy.”
“Oliver.”
He grinned but didn’t say anything else.
Outside on the front steps, the rest of the family waited. The Queen held Daisy’s hand. I flushed as I went to my daughter’s side. “Apologies for keeping you waiting.”
John made a harrumphing noise, but the Queen shot him down with a killer look. Isabella, who looked utterly stunning in a black evening dress happened to glance at my hand. She sniggered, which in my humble opinion completely undermined how magnificent she looked in her dress. “I see someone’s been at Granny Alice’s goodies.”
I went to ask her what she meant, but Oliver steered me around to the other side of one of the waiting limousines. Vanessa waited there with a black umbrella held up against some light drizzle. She handed me the all-important handbag. “Ma’am, everything you need is in here. Remember, swapping your bag into your left-hand midst conversation means you want someone to come and move you on.” I nodded. There was no chance in hell, I’d remember that.
Oliver chuckled low in my ear and planted a kiss on the sensitive skin there. Molly and Emilia came out and gave me a wave. The whole situation stilted with utter awkwardness.
I almost fell into the car as the rest of the royal family moved to their own limos. Daisy clutched my hand and I made myself focus on her face. If I could just concentrate on her I’d be able to ignore everything else going on… sort of… maybe…
“You do look very beautiful, Mummy.”
“As do you, sweetie.” She glowed with pride and I glanced at Oliver. “We are really doing it?”
His hand sought mine and squeezed tight. “Relax, you’re going to be a natural.”
I gasped when I saw just how many press and reporters there were outside the venue. A red carpet stretched from where the limo parked right up the front steps of the theatre to the glass doorway.
I couldn’t go out there.
How would my legs work?
“Are there normally this many?” I whispered. I clutched Daisy’s hand tighter, but my palm slicked with sweat and her little fingers almost shot free of my grasp.
“Uh. No.” Oliver frowned, which did nothing to settle the raging sea of nerves swishing about inside my tummy. When he turned, he switched on his most brilliant of smiles. “There is only one thing for it.”
I searched his green eyes for any shadow of nerves but couldn’t find any. “What’s that?”
“We are going to have to go out there.”
Our driver got out and the shouts of Oliver’s name blasted in through the open door.
“It’s easy, get out and give a wave and then we walk inside.”
I pulled a face but then ducked my head when I realised people outside might be able to see. “You make it sound so easy.”
“It helps not to have two left feet I guess.”
“Bloody funny, Oliver.”
“Mummy, don’t swear!”
I grumbled under my breath for a moment and then heard a wild cheer from the crowd gathered. Lifting my head, I watched the Queen and John get out of the car. He held his arm for her, and she smiled graciously at the crowd, giving a small wave as she waited for Isabella who partnered with her father. They made it look so easy, but then the whole world wasn’t waiting for a first view of them.
“This is too quick. We’ve rushed this.” I all but welded myself to the seat.
“Mummy, the press aren’t going to go away.”
I narrowed my gaze at Daisy. “Who have you been talking to?”
“Henry. He was telling me about it in the stables the other day.”
Oh was he indeed. That’s interesting considering he still hadn’t managed more than a nod in my direction.
“Don’t read too much into it.” Oliver’s tone held a placating note, like he was honestly expecting me to bolt at any moment. Where exactly did he think I was going to go?
“Screw it. Come on.”
Daisy knew not to question my language choice.
The driver opened the door at Oliver’s nod of his head. His fingers caught mine and he turned. For a moment he looked like he’d kiss me, but then I remembered the no public displays of affection rule. We watched one another for a moment until he stood out of the car, unfolding himself to his full height. Then he reached for me and automatically I fit my hand into his. My legs shook, actually all of me shook, but I’d be damned if I’d let it show.
Once I was out of the car and my skirt had been pulled free, I reached down for Daisy. Her little hand tremored in mine, but I leant down and gave her a kiss. They could bite my arse if they thought I wouldn’t show affection to my daughter in public.
What we were doing was unheard of.
No future king in the his
tory of kings had ever taken on another man’s child as his own; not in this way. But it didn’t matter, none of that mattered. All that I gave a shit about in that very moment was Daisy’s eyes lifting to Oliver’s and the broad smile he gave her for the world to see.
That was it.
Everything I needed wrapped itself into that one fleeting moment.
I smiled at the crowd and gave an embarrassed wave, while at the same time throwing a wild prayer upwards to the sky that my make-up was good enough to contain my random hot flushes.
If ever there was a day to wear three inches of foundation this was it.
I squeezed Daisy’s hand and caught her gaze, shooting her a smile that I didn’t feel on the inside. Then something happened. Unexpected and unfounded. A group of girls around Daisy’s age called her name. We both turned; me almost expecting for them to be holding hate placards telling us to get back in our place. But they weren’t. They were just girls, waving and calling.
Daisy and I moved together and stepped up to the barrier holding the press and crowd back. “Hi.” My knees folded automatically as they would if I were just talking to Daisy. “Thanks for coming. Who are you hoping to see?”
One of the little girls, with beautiful brown curls looked at me with utter seriousness. “We wanted to see Daisy.”
“You did?” I smiled, the crowd behind us fading into insignificance.
“We wanted to meet a princess.”
“Well she’s not technically a princess you know.” I laughed and pulled Daisy into my side so she could say hi better.
“What’s it like to live in a castle?” The girl asked her wide-eyed.
Daisy thought about this. “It’s the same as living at my old house but just tidier.”
Oliver who stood behind us laughed loudly and ruffled her hair. “Of course it’s tidier, I’m in charge of the housework.”
Straightening my legs, I grinned and shook my head. “Your cleaner is in charge of the housework and you know it.”
“You’ve got me.”
He kissed me then, right on the lips, for the world to see. His fingers against my jaw, his other hand clutching onto Daisy’s hand. When he broke the kiss, he stared me straight in the eyes and I could read his intention on his face.
Some rules were meant to be broken, and we were the ones to do it.
Laughing, I pecked him on the cheek; the cameras clicked and the journalists all gave an “Oooh.”
Oliver laughed, looking for once just a little dazed. He bent down to pick up Daisy, hooking her onto his hip while his free hand slid around my back. “Come on, they will be waiting inside.”
I nodded and we walked together, the three of us tight together, into the foyer. We were greeted by the theatre manager who told us the rest of the royal party were waiting for us in their seats. We were holding up the show, in not so many words.
“Are there spare seats?” I asked.
The man, who was starched and groomed to within an inch of his life looked confused for a moment. “I’m sorry, Ma’am, what do you mean?”
Oliver’s gaze settled on me and his lips twitched at the edges.
“Do you have any spare seats for tonight’s show?” I repeated, my tone tightening. It was like he didn’t expect me to talk.
I talked. A lot.
“Yes, I believe we have seven of the seats reserved for wheelchair users still available.” Sweat broke out along the man’s smooth forehead. Botox, it had to be.
“Excellent. You don’t mind if I fill them, do you?”
“Uh.”
I didn’t give him time to say anything else. Turning and sweeping the skirt of my dress behind me I made my way back out to where the small group of friends stood. I could feel the presence of a man in a suit behind me and guessed Oliver had sent someone with me. The shadow stopped a respectful distance while I leant down to the group of girls. “Would you like to come and watch the show?”
A woman in her thirties stared at me for a moment. “Really?”
“Sure. We might as well fill the seats.” I motioned for a suited and booted bodyguard to come and help me with the barrier. Once it had moved enough I gestured them all through. “We’d better hurry though, the King and Queen are waiting.”
The girls giggled and ran ahead while the woman fell into step at my side. “Thank you. I was working out a way to get them to leave.”
“You’re welcome, enjoy the show.” I motioned her towards the manager who looked like he was about to have a breakdown.
I found Oliver and Daisy still waiting for me inside. Oliver’s smile was wry, but his eyes shone as bright as the stars. He leant in and kissed me causing a murmur to whisper around the foyer. “Anyone would think you were enjoying yourself.”
“Maybe I am.”
His wide smile said it all.
Twelve
“Mummy this hat is stuuupid.” Daisy pinged at the elastic around her neck. I couldn’t even disagree; I just didn’t have it in me.
Oliver swallowed his toast. “Do I need to dig out the pictures of me wearing it?”
“Yes please.” Daisy and I both said at once.
Getting off his stool, Oliver crouched down in front of Daisy and helped straighten up her new grey and red uniform. “It’s only to walk in the gates. Once you are inside everyone takes them off and puts them on pegs.”
I eyed him. “Twenty-five years ago.”
He waved his hand at me. “I’m sure nothing changes that much.”
I understood the need for security, I truly did. I mean I didn’t want to take any chances with Daisy’s safety, but sending her to St George’s, the same school the royal children went to seemed a step too far, to me anyway.
“If it makes you feel better, I’ll ask Mama if she still has mine and when I pick you up later I’ll wear it.”
Daisy and I both laughed.
“Are you going to pick me up at the end of the day too?” Daisy gave him her big blue-eyed stare, knowing full well he’d fall for it hook, line, and sinker.
“Of course? Where else would I be?”
“So, no Nana?”
Daisy missed Nana. In fact, I missed her too.
“Mummy and I want to come today, shall I ask Nana to collect you tomorrow?” Oliver slipped out his phone. I didn’t know how it happened, but Nana and Oliver seemed to have their mobile phones hot-wired to one another. “Anyway, I’m showing Nana that secret today, don’t forget.”
I raised an eyebrow. Nana was going to hate the secret. I knew that for sure.
Daisy pursed her lips. “Okay.”
“So, are we ready?” Oliver picked up his car keys. We were going to drive Daisy to her first day at St George's ourselves. Bill no doubt was probably having palpitations somewhere. I had other concerns; but I kept them buttoned up tight.
“Come, Mama and Pops want to see you before we leave.”
I held in a groan. Things were so much easier on the school run in Finsbury Park. It was a case of wake up late, rush out of the door, and then get to school the quickest route possible.
That little niggle of doubt speared my chest again.
“Pops said I could go ride again after school.”
I crimped my lips together but said nothing. I wouldn’t have known what to say or where to start anyway.
The headmaster waited for us at the gates while Oliver parked the Range Rover. The press were out, but remained a respectful distance away from the school gates.
“This is a school run unlike any other,” I grumbled under my breath. Oliver shot me a glance but then turned a smile in Daisy’s direction.
“You ready, princess?”
“Yep.” She nodded and adjusted her straw boater.
“And remember by the end of the day you’ll have so many new friends it’s going to be amazing.”
Oliver kept saying the words I should be saying. All those cute parenting stock phrases I’d been using the last few years.
I glared out of the w
indow while playground fear wound a tight and painful grip around my chest.
“Leia?” Oliver’s voice whispered softly. “What’s wrong, my love?”
I hesitated. I mean this was the deep root of all my issues. “I guess I’m just not excited to be judged again.”
“Who’s judging you, Leia?” His face creased with concern.
“Everyone. And it’s not the press, they’ve already printed everything they can about me. It’s the other mothers. This is another place for me not to fit in.”
“Leia, it’s Daisy going to school, not you.”
“Yeah, well you don’t know what it was like before with them all ignoring me, turning their back on me because they saw me as a teenage mother and judged me before they knew me.”
I didn’t hide my words from Daisy. She knew everything now, thanks to the British press, but also thanks to my own mistakes in not being honest in the first place.
“Leia. You are not that fifteen-year-old girl anymore. I’m at your side now.”
I knew he intended his sentiment well, but honestly it couldn’t help.
“Look at all the things everyone had to say about you in the papers on Saturday, about how you showed a softer side to the royal family that had never been seen before.”
“Because I invited a couple of kids into a theatre to watch lame comedians tell crappy jokes?”
“No because you are doing things differently. You are different and it’s what we need.”
I watched him closely.
It hadn’t been me inviting the public in that had caused the media sensation which had caused a storm the last forty-eight hours. It had been our kiss. One simple kiss and suddenly the entire world eagerly awaited the next slice of royal drama, or they seemed to be waiting to see what royal protocol I’d break next.
And I would. This was me.
Oliver shook his head. “We need to rethink your staff. You are too lonely. I forget you aren’t used to this isolation. The lack of freedom.”
I slapped my hand on the dash, utterly irrational. “No. What I need is my friends and to not have the world watching me do the school run.”
