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‘It’s been a pleasure to work with Annabelle these last few months. She’s such a wonderful little girl and she’s making real progress.’
Isabelle looked a little startled at the familiarity. People probably didn’t speak to her like this. But as soon as Annabelle’s name was mentioned it was clear she was interested.
‘You’re the speech therapist.’ There was just the slightest hint of distaste—as if she were trying to put Ruby in her place.
‘She’s my friend.’ Alex’s words were quiet, but firm. Shooting a crystal-clear message across the tension-laden air. It was like a subtle counter-attack.
But this woman with decades of experience didn’t even blink. Her eyebrows rose a little. ‘Progress? Is she starting to talk?’
She was clearly surprised.
Ruby nodded and moved closer to her, away from the prying ears that were straining all around the room to hear their conversation.
Alex shot her a look that was a cross between pure relief and pleading, and with an almost imperceptible nod engaged the King in conversation, leading him over towards a drinks tray.
Ruby held out her hand to let the Queen lead the direction of their steps, and was unsurprised to find her leading them towards the entrance to another room filled with antique mahogany chairs. The door was closed quickly behind them by one of the palace attendants.
The Queen settled herself in one of the chairs and arranged her skirts around her before gesturing to Ruby to sit down too.
‘Tell me about Annabelle.’
Ruby smiled. ‘I’ve seen definite progress in the last few months. It’s slow. But steady. I don’t dispute the diagnosis of selective mutism. But do you know that in some cases children will speak in some circumstances but not others?’
The Queen gave the smallest of nods, so Ruby continued. ‘Annabelle was silent when I got here. Over the last weeks and month we’ve noticed noises.’
‘Noises?’
‘Yes. Gasps of excitement. Whoops of pleasure. Whimpers when we’re watching scary movies.’
‘My granddaughter whoops?’ There was an amused edge to her voice.
‘Yes, she does. But that’s not all—she often hums along to some of the songs in her favourite films. She seems to do it quite unconsciously—usually when she’s most relaxed or when she’s tired.’
‘And she’s that way around you?’ The timbre of the Queen’s voice had changed slightly.
‘It’s taken her a while to get to know me,’ said Ruby quickly. ‘But she’s been spending more time with her father.’
Part of her wondered if she should be saying this. She didn’t want to make it sound as if Alex had neglected Annabelle in any way at all.
‘We’ve made sure that all the palace staff knows that his time with Annabelle is to be uninterrupted. It’s time they spend alone—together.’
She was starting to get nervous and her mouth was running away from her. She wanted to be clear that she wasn’t trying to push herself between Alex and his daughter. The last thing she wanted was for the Queen to think she was trying to take Sophia’s place.
‘And is this working?’ There was a tone of slight disbelief. As if she didn’t quite understand the significance.
‘It’s definitely working. Annabelle is changing. Her confidence has increased in leaps and bounds. She’s a different little girl than the one I met when I arrived.’
For the smallest of seconds—almost instinctively—the Queen’s eyes narrowed. She straightened herself in her chair, pulling herself up to her full height. ‘Why do you think my granddaughter doesn’t talk, Ms Wetherspoon?’
There was a whole host of things she could say here. But experience had taught her to go with her instinct.
‘I think she misses her mother,’ she said simply.
There was the tiniest sound. A little gasp from the Queen. Then the woman’s eyes clouded, as if they were fogged by impending tears.
It was the clearest and most confident Ruby had felt all evening. Isabelle might be a distinguished queen—something that was way out of Ruby’s realm of expertise—but she was also a concerned grandmother—something Ruby could understand.
Ruby leaned over and squeezed her hand, and then changed position, gathering her dress and kneeling in front of the Queen.
‘Science tells us that even babies can form memories. Annabelle heard and recognised her mother’s voice for nine months in the womb, and then for another eleven months after she was born.’ She let go of the skirts in her hand and pressed her other hand over her heart. ‘She remembers her mother in here.’
Her voice was becoming huskier. She wasn’t trying to upset the Queen, but she felt it was important to be honest with her.
‘Alex has put a picture of Sophia next to Annabelle’s bed. He has made a picture album with photos of the two of them—as children they almost look like twins. It has pictures of Sophia alone, and pictures of her with Annabelle.’ She squeezed the Queen’s hand again. ‘He talks about her every night with Annabelle.’
If the Queen disapproved of Ruby using the familiar form of Alex’s name she didn’t show it. A slow tear trickled down her cheek. ‘He does?’
Ruby nodded. ‘It’s not sad. It’s not morbid. He just tells her a little story—something about her mother—and they move on to something else. They play a game. Watch some TV together.’
The older woman’s lips were trembling. ‘And who has helped him to do that?’
Isabelle’s pale grey eyes were fixed on hers. Ruby took a deep breath. ‘I have. Everything about their relationship has changed. I think Alex had a lot of grief locked up inside. Talking and spending time with his daughter has helped them both.’
The Queen’s gaze was fixed on Ruby. ‘You did this? You did this for them?’
A flash of recognition crossed her eyes, along with a whole host of fleeting emotions.
Ruby could step back at this point. She could fall into professional mode. It would keep her safe. It would keep her guarded. But the Queen had already seen Alex’s arms around her. Maybe she had seen more. It was time for honesty.
‘I care about them. I care about them both very much.’
The Queen licked her lips. ‘Do you think my granddaughter will ever talk?’
‘I can’t say for sure—but I do think so. I think she spoke the other day at nursery. I think she might have said something to one of the other children. But I didn’t want to make a scene. I didn’t want to draw her attention to the fact. We all have to be patient.’
‘And are you patient, Ruby Wetherspoon?’
The question shocked her. It might sound simple, but the Queen clearly wasn’t talking about Annabelle’s speech any more. She meant something else entirely.
Was she brave enough to be honest?
I’ve waited ten years were the words on her lips.
‘I am.’
There were another few moments’ silence. It was almost as if the Queen were taking time to digest all she’d told her. She shifted a little closer to the edge of the chair—a little closer to Ruby.
‘Alexander was Sophia’s safe place.’
Her voice was shaky, but controlled. Her silver-grey eyes were fixed on Ruby’s.
‘He was the one person she trusted to give her the ultimate gift.’
Ruby’s stomach squeezed. It would always hurt. It would always reach little parts of her that she couldn’t share.
Her voice was shaking too. ‘Annabelle is a beautiful gift. Of that there is no doubt.’
Their eyes met again and she felt the common understanding between them. This woman had lost her precious daughter. Her life would never be the same again.
If she wanted to she could hate Ruby. She could make life difficult for Alex. She could make their relationship impossible.
But it seemed she had no wish to do that.
‘I’m glad my granddaughter has someone who has her best interests at heart. I’m glad that Alexander is looking to build a life for himself and his daughter again.’
She pushed herself up from the chair and gave a little nod to Ruby with the hint of a smile.
‘And I would very much like to hear my granddaughter speak.’
Ruby straightened up and her knees gave an unexpected crack. She let out a nervous laugh—it certainly displaced any anxiety in the room.
Queen Isabelle gave her a serene smile. ‘I’m tired. But if I retired for the evening now people would talk. We should return to the ballroom together. I’ll be able to leave after a while.’
Ruby nodded. Of course. People had seen them leave the ballroom together and their tongues would wag if they didn’t return together.
Then the Queen did something she didn’t expect. She held out her elbow towards Ruby. An invitation to take it. Before it had been polite and because they were in company. In the confines of this room, when it was just the two of them, it was something she didn’t have to do.
