AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Majesty,” the man next to Rebecca said, turning away so as not to see his Queen in her nightclothes, which revealed nothing anyway. “Your breakfast was delivered as usual, but you weren’t in your room.”
“We thought something had happened,” Rebecca said to Elizabeth. “Call off the search,” she added to the security head.
“Yes, Ma’am,” he replied to Rebecca. “Majesty.” He turned back and bowed before leaving the room, closing the door behind him.
“Miss Honeycutt,” Rebecca said in a tone Elizabeth knew all too well.
“It’s not her fault, Rebecca.Icame inherelast night.” Elizabeth stood up.
“I should probably get dressed,” Palmer said.
“Yes. I’ll be in my room, Palmer,” Elizabeth replied. “Rebecca, would you follow me, please?”
“Yes, Ma’am,” Rebecca said but didn’t take her eyes off of Palmer until Elizabeth dragged her from the room.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t in my room. I didn’t mean to frighten anyone,” Elizabeth said, moving into her closet to search for something to wear.
“Elizabeth, might I ask what, exactly, you were doing in bed with the reporter?”
“You know her name, Rebecca. And I was with Palmer because she caught me crying last night, and the only thing that stopped me was talking to her until I fell asleep.”
“Oh,” Rebecca said, not finding any other words. “My apologies then, Ma’am.”
“Palmer is a friend. I don’t have any of those, Rebecca.” She turned to her secretary. “Not students from the university and not truly even my sister, whom I love more than life itself but can’t talk to her how I talk to Palmer; not now that we’ve lost so much. It’s not fair of me to put it on her, what I’m going through, when she’s going through just as much.”
“Majesty, she’s your sister. She understands.”
“Maybe so, but I’m enjoying Palmer’s company. She’s been, I don’t know; she’s been a lifeline to me, Rebecca. I don’t know what I’m going to do when she goes back to New York.”
“Elizabeth, you know I worry about her being a reporter and what she might write.”
“I know. I did, too, but I don’t anymore, Rebecca. I trust her.”
“She’s really a friend? You trust that she won’t report anything that might put you or this country in harm’s way?”
“I do. If she wanted to write an article and ruin me or this family, she could have done that already. The things she heard and saw yesterday alone could have filled a book. She could have gone back to her hotel, wrote that book, and emailed it off last night, but she didn’t. She stayed with me, Rebecca. She kept me company and helped me push the bad memories away. I believe her when she says we’re friends.”
“She still has a job to do. It’s why she’s in the country, Elizabeth. She has a story to write.”
“I know. I plan to talk to her about that today before she returns to her hotel. Iwouldlike to get dressed and eat my breakfast first if that’s okay with you.”
“Of course. Shall I have something brought in for her as well?”
“Please. And make sure they include coffee for her, not tea.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” Rebecca said, nodding.
“Thank you,” Elizabeth replied.
Rebecca made her way out of the room, and Elizabeth opened the door to Palmer’s room after a soft knock and Palmer’s reply to come on in.
“How much of that did you hear?” Elizabeth asked.
“None. I was in the bathroom. Is everything okay?”
“Yes, it’s fine. Breakfast will be in my room in a few minutes. Care to join me?”
Palmer nodded and asked, “How much trouble am I in? Isthisan off-with-my-head type situation?”
