AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“The team, ma’am, is the palace’s, well your, lawyers, publicists, communications directors, and press secretary.”
“Press secretary? But I thought the palace avoided talking to the press unless it was a matter of grave importance,” I repeated what I was told.
“Yes, ma’am, but the press secretary must know all the information that the press is working on—stories that may break—so we may know what we are not speaking on. Once the press secretary finds out of an upcoming article that could be a danger to the image of the monarchy, it is brought up to me so I may bring it to the king, in order to decide if the team is needed.”
Oh. Okay. Sure.
“And the team has been assembled because of this morning’s paper?” I asked, glancing to Gale, who readjusted his cufflinks angrily.
“Yes, ma’am. It might be best for you to join as well.”
Immediately Gale’s head snapped up, and he glared at him. “Balduin, that is not—”
“I will go and see this team,” I said calmly before Gale let out his anger on the wrong person.
“Odette, I didn’t want to bother you with this,” Gale replied.
“You are not bothering me. None of this is bothering me. I’m fine. I need to learn as well,” I said, taking my husband’s arm. “Besides, are you sure you will be fine with just your mother and grandmother there? You don’t need back up?”
He thought of it and nodded. “Good point, but your schedule?”
“We are still going over the royal trip: clothes, customs of each city or town we are stopping at. I’ll have time later.”
“Fine. Then let’s get this over with,” Gale said when Balduin moved out of the doorway to let us go forward.
I had told him I was fine. But I really wasn’t sure how to deal with “scandals” yet. Or how the palace dealt with them. I tried to prepare myself for whatever was to come at me, and there were some days I was perfectly fine. Then there were days, like today, where I felt blindsided. But I chose to ignore it…the best I could, for Gale’s sake at least. However, the moment we reached the drawing room, and I came face to face with half a dozen older white men in black suits, and the most serious expressions written clearly over their faces, plus two queens on the opposite side of the room, I remembered there was no avoiding anything here.
That made ten people when you added Wolfgang and Balduin, all huddled and ready to go to war over the two articles. Was this how it was for Elspeth every time there was an article about me? Did she call me all those times for tea directly after this?
“Your Majesties.” They bowed to us.
“Well, what have you all been discussing so far?” Gale asked as he walked me to my seat and took a seat of his own. “Have we found where the photos came from?”
“We have not, sir; however, the identity of one of the women in the photos is going to be published later today. The Morning Eagle is doing a ‘guess which noble lady’s hand this is’ poll on their website.”
I glanced at Gale, who just stared at the bald man with a slight hunch in his back. His face was void of all emotion, and he refused to look at anyone. I couldn’t really blame him. Who wanted to talk about their past sex life in front of their mom and grandmother?
“And it is…?” the man went on speaking but then paused…obviously a bit nervous under Gale’s hawkish glare.
Normally he was fun and light to speak to, but right now, he looked ready to take a sword and cut him into pieces.
“Oh, get on with it. You are only making the situation more awkward for everyone,” Queen Arabella snapped.
“The lady in question is Mrs. Prudence Fadington, the Countess of Ewart and Ballard.” The moment he said her name, my mind flashed to yesterday’s reception—to the woman with auburn hair, olive skin, and dark eyes, who did her best to help me throughout the day whenever any of the other noble ladies tried to push on topics.
Although I had only met her that one time, she had made me think at least they weren’t all bad. Meanwhile, she knew she also had a history with Gale. So why? Was she secretly laughing at me? Trying to be nice, so she could be around me…Gale more?
“The countess has been married for a decade,” the man continued, drawing my attention back. “Which means she was most likely married when the photo was taken, sir.”
“Then she should have known better,” Queen Arabella snapped angrily. “She is also five years older. The king was not in a relationship at that time. It was she who was taking advantage of him. The press should be focusing on her.”
“Ma’am, it still does not sit well with people to have them under the belief that he is seducing married noblewomen,” the man responded.
“If a woman acts as if she is not married, you do not fault a man for acting in kind,” she replied with her head held high. “It was not as if she was alone, and he carried her away. The king, no the prince, was young and reckless before. He has grown up.”
“Gale,” Queen Elspeth said, looking at her son, who still didn’t bother to look at either of them. “It is not as if many would be surprised about your past. That is why it is important to redefine who you are in public.”
“Exactly, ma’am.” Another man with reddish-brown hair and a crooked nose came forward. “Sir, we do not know if any other photos are floating about. There are no legal ramifications on this. The Privacy Act hinders the press from publishing photos taken on royal grounds without the palace’s consent. But that is not the case here. You cannot fight that. Let them spend their time trying to paint you as a sinister villain to the public. You will use it to your advantage. Everyone adores a great love story. So let us give it to them. The love story of you and the queen.”
