tired eyes smiled. ‘Thank you, my dear. How kind of you. I certainly hope so.’
Bella was all set to travel in the second car with Princess Eleanor, and was even moving towards it, when the Queen stopped her with a gloved hand on her arm.
‘No. You go with Richard, Bella. Stay together as long as you can.’
They drove in a convoy through Central London. As well as the two Royal cars there were also security cars in front and behind them, and motorbike outriders. All through the city traffic stopped and drew to one side to let them through. Six months ago Bella could never have imagined such progress. Now it didn’t seem to matter. She held Richard’s hand tightly all the way there. The journey didn’t take long. They didn’t speak.
At the airport they were driven to a small VIP room, where quiet, efficient officials completed passport and flight formalities painlessly. And then the two limousines drove out on to the tarmac and came to rest beside the waiting plane.
Everyone got out. Bella could feel her throat thicken with tears. This was crazy. It was six weeks, for God’s sake. And Richard had much more to worry about than she had; not just the trip and all the briefings he would have to catch up on as he went along, but his father’s health, too. She had seen how genuinely fond he and his father were of each other, though neither of them ever expressed it of course.
I must not make a scene and make this harder for him, she thought.
She said brightly, ‘I want lots of photos and a kiss a day.’
He kissed her formally. But there was a smile in his eyes that was worth all the repressed sobs in her chest. ‘You’ve got it.’
He and Eleanor went up the steps. Turned at the top and waved. But not to me, thought Bella, suddenly desolate. This one is for the cameras.
When they had disappeared and the cabin doors were being closed, the Queen turned to Bella. ‘Ride back to Town with me?’
As soon as they set off, the Queen pressed a little button and a soundproof glass partition slid up between them and the chauffeur.
‘My dear, I wanted to say how grateful I am for the support you have given us all, especially Richard, over the last few days. It cannot have been easy.’
Bella did not think she could say anything without blubbing like an idiot, so she just made a vague you’re-welcome gesture.
‘Quite,’ said the Queen, understanding. ‘You behaved beautifully back there. I was very proud of you. Proud of you both. I know this is the worst time for you to be apart. I’m just so sorry that circumstances—’
Bella couldn’t take any more. ‘How is His Majesty?’ she said swiftly.
The Queen smiled. ‘Not very pleased with life. He feels fine. But the doctors won’t release him until they know what happened. He says he’s become a lab rat and is being difficult about blood tests. The doctors have all my sympathy. He’s on fighting form.’
‘That’s good news.’
‘Yes. Now, I wanted to ask you whether you would like to move into the Palace soon? With Richard away and the wedding approaching …’
Oh, Lord, thought Bella. Is this my punishment for encouraging him to play Viking and promote Morgan’s Ginger Thins?
She said in a small voice, ‘I’m very happy sharing a flat with Charlotte Hendred.’
The Queen looked as if that surprised her. ‘Are you sure? Don’t the paparazzi make a nuisance of themselves?’
Bella grinned. ‘They stood around outside the block of flats for five days and saw Lottie and me leave to go to work every morning and come back from work every night, except for Saturday when we bought food and went to our parents’. They got bored.’
The Queen smiled perfunctorily. ‘That might change now.’
‘Now? Why?’
‘While Richard’s away. They will be watching to see who you amuse yourself with.’
For a moment Bella didn’t understand. ‘Catch me two-timing him, you mean?’
‘Not necessarily. They will be more interested as it gets closer to the date anyway. And with this unfortunate business of the promotional tee-shirt—’
‘I knew it! This is my Ginger Thins punishment.’
Queen Jane smiled. ‘No question of punishment. That was entirely Richard’s own fault and so I told him. But we thought that after that incident, especially with him away, you might find yourself a little – exposed.’
Bella was certain that ‘we’ included Lady P. Interfering old bat.