my girlfriend to the family, my mother told her that she was my “little rebellion”, and I would get over it. Isn’t that right, Mother?’
The Queen looked away, as if he had not spoken.
‘Come, Bella.’
He was almost savage. ‘Are you seriously going to leave me to port and cigars on my own? Get real.’
‘Bella and I want some girl time alone, dear. If you don’t want port and cigars, get them to make you a chocolate milk shake,’ flashed his mother. ‘It’s about your age group.’
And she swept out. Bella looked at him in alarm, but he just jerked his head to send her after his mother and sank back into his chair. Bella bundled after the Queen.
She found Queen Jane had retired – there was no other word – to a beautifully appointed boudoir, with mirrors and soft lights and cushioned window seats plus three loos and half a dozen hand basins. The Queen was sitting in an exquisite little tub chair, blowing her nose rather hard. The air was heady with the scent of many perfumes.
Bella sat down on the edge of the window seat and waited.
‘Oh, he makes me so mad sometimes,’ said the Queen. ‘I know it’s not easy being Prince of Wales and I try to help. But he just bites my head off.’
She blew her nose one more time and then blotted carefully under her eyes for good measure.
‘I’m sorry you saw that. Normally we don’t fight in front of other people. I suppose I was just so worried when I saw all the nastiness all over the web.’
Bella was surprised. ‘I didn’t see much nastiness. People were curious, of course. But it all seemed quite kindly.’
‘They were saying he was – well, let’s not talk about it. A dear friend showed me some messages that you may not have come across. And just as well.’ She patted Bella’s hand. ‘Now, listen. Richard won’t like me saying this, but you’re going to need some help. The Press was bad enough in the old days, but now, with the web and all those social networking sites, it’s just out of control. I think you need a mentor, someone you can call any time that you have a problem.’
‘Thank you,’ said Bella. ‘But my flat-mate is in PR and she’s been pretty good at guiding me up to now.’
Queen Jane looked relieved. ‘Oh, that’s good. So there’s really only protocol to worry about.’
Bella was non-committal.
The Queen laughed. ‘I see Richard has been telling you what he thinks of protocol. I don’t blame him, really. It must seem very artificial to your generation. But it eases the wheels with a lot of people of different ages and from different cultures, if you just tell them what the rules are.’
‘I suppose I can see that.’
‘Good. I will ask a good friend of mine to call you and talk you through it. Lady Pansy helped me when I came here as a bride. She’s utterly reliable and very kind. You will like her.’
The Queen stood up, went to the mirror, fluffed up her hair and tidied her make-up.
‘I’m glad we’ve had this talk. I do want you to feel that I am on your side. Shall we go back and see whether Richard has murdered someone?’
He was in the Queen’s drawing room, pacing. The coffee tray was brought in. Both he and Bella refused a cup, but they sat dutifully making conversation about books and the weather until the Queen had finished hers. Then Richard leaped to his feet and they said their goodbyes and were gone.
On their way to the car, he said, ‘Have you had enough of me tonight?’
Bella gave him naughty look. ‘What do you think?’
At once he lost his impatient frown and bellowed with laughter. ‘Thank God for you, Bella Greenwood,’ he said when he could speak. ‘You might just turn me human again. Right. Where? Back to the flat or my pad?’
‘The Palace?’ she said doubtfully.
‘God, no. I hate the Museum. My flat is in Camelford House. George and Nell both have apartments there, and so has my grandmother for when she leaves Wales and comes to London. But we don’t interfere with each other and you won’t see them. Fancy it?’
‘Yes!’
‘Good.’
13
‘Can this Last?’ – Royal Watchers Magazine
The entrance to Camelford House was more forbidding than the Palace’s, with huge blank black gates. But once inside, it felt a lot smaller and a great deal friendlier. The gates opened as soon as Richard’s car