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Elizabeth laughed and said, “Rebecca, can you tell them we’re ready?”
“Yes, Ma’am,” Rebecca replied, turning toward the front of the vehicle to tell the driver they were ready to leave.
“I enjoyed your email,” Elizabeth told Palmer.
“I enjoyed your letter, Ma’am,” Palmer replied.
“Rebecca will leave us when we get to the palace. She just wanted to be here to go over the rules with you in person.”
“Rules?”
“Yes, the rules, Miss Honeycutt,” Rebecca said firmly, turning back around to her. “I assume you brought everything I asked you to?”
“Yes, the security guard put it in the other car.”
“Very well. Her Majesty,againstthe advice of her head of security, head of public affairs, her private secretary–”
“Oh, don’t forget, Victoria,” Elizabeth interjected, holding up her hand.
“Yes, Her Royal Highness, Princess Victoria also objects.”
“To what? Where are you taking me?” Palmer asked Elizabeth.
“You’ll see,” Elizabeth replied.
“The rules, Miss Honeycutt,” Rebecca persisted. “You will have two guards assigned to your person. Her Majesty will also have guards. Even though you may feel like you’re alone, security will be close by. Anything that is said between the two of you today or tomorrow willnotbe included in your interview. You agreed to this not being about your article, and it is, therefore, entirely off the record.”
“No problem,” Palmer replied.
“She understands, Rebecca,” Elizabeth told her secretary. “Please stop scaring the woman.”
“Ma’am, I must advise against this again. If you want a night with your friends, we can arrange something at the palace. I can phone your university friends, and–”
“Rebecca, it’s done. It’s been planned,” Elizabeth replied.
“Fine,” Rebecca said. “I’ll give up.”
“Should I be worried?” Palmer whispered to Elizabeth.
“No, everything’s fine. She’s just protective.”
“Does she thinkI’mgoing to do something to you?”
“No, she’s worried about whoever killed my family, Palmer. Everyone is.”
“Then, shouldn’t you be at the palace? We can go there. It’s safer,” Palmer replied. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
Elizabeth smiled at her and said, “I know. That’s why I trust you.”
They drove on for several minutes in silence until Rebecca got out of the SUV after asking Elizabeth one more time to reconsider her plans. Elizabeth declined yet again, and they went on with the driver and now three security guards in their vehicle, along with the ten to fifteen more in the following cars. Elizabeth watched as Palmer stared out her window, tinted so that no one could see inside the car but light enough for them to see out. Every so often, Palmer would smile at something she saw until they made their way out of the city and in the direction of the hills.
“Ma’am, can you tell me where we’re going?” Palmer asked.
“I already told you.” Elizabeth smiled when Palmer turned to her, confused. “The other day; I told you we should remedy–”
“Camping?” Palmer interrupted. “You’re taking me camping?”
“Yes,” Elizabeth smiled. “My family owns a large plot of land at the top of that hill.” She pointed off to Palmer’s side of the vehicle. “I’ve never actually been there.”
