gave a bark of laughter. ‘You mean, he hasn’t asked you?’
‘Yes and no. Yes, he’s asked me. No, we didn’t talk about any public announcement.’
‘Well, he mentioned it to me last week,’ said the King, stirring it.
‘Oh, really?’ Bella narrowed her eyes at Richard.
‘Thought you were running a bit of a risk there, lad,’ said his father, starting to enjoy himself.
Even the Queen said, ‘Good grief, what’s wrong with you, Richard? You go to war with me when I say I think it’s too soon … and you still haven’t asked Bella properly? I give up. I really do.’
‘Shut up, Mother,’ he said, still calm.
He went down on one knee in front of Bella. ‘Please will you marry me and let me announce it to the world? There, we’re sorted now, aren’t we?’
She was outraged. ‘Sorted?’
‘Mistake,’ said the King.
‘Shut up, Father. Bella, you know that dating a Prince of Wales isn’t all joy. And you’ve spat on your hands and given it your best shot. If you’ve enjoyed it as much as I have, please, please, please, let me tell the world you’ll marry me?’
She stared down at him, transfixed.
He said softly, ‘I’m not complete without you. You know that. Why shouldn’t everyone else know, too?’
The Queen said, ‘You’ve only known each other three months.’
Richard did not stand up and he did not take his eyes off Bella’s. ‘Best three months of my life,’ he said.
Bella felt as if she were in a high wind. ‘You didn’t like all of it,’ she pointed out, trying to get her feet back on the ground. ‘You stalked out in a huff.’
‘And you got your revenge by not answering my messages.’
‘You know that was an accident—’
‘I know that it made me feel desperate. Hell, I even offered to write poetry to get you back.’
‘Ho,’ said the King. ‘Big mistake.’
‘Father, we don’t need audience participation. Shut up or go away.’
Bella said, ‘Yes you did promise me a poem. A … a … a trillet or something. And you’ve never delivered. Don’t you keep your promises? What sort of omen is that?’
She waited for a torrent of denials. She had underrated Richard.
‘I was negotiating,’ he said blandly. ‘A triolet sounded good.’
‘I’m holding you to it. If you love me.’
Their eyes locked. There was a long pause.
Richard looked very serious.
‘What about a limerick?’
Bella was so startled she gave a shout of laughter and bent and kissed his nose. ‘You are a shocking, devious man and I love you.’
At once he leaped to his feet and took her in his arms.
‘So can I tell them you’ll marry me?’ he whispered, for her ears alone. ‘It’ll be good, I promise.’
‘Yes,’ she said blissfully. ‘Yes.’
16
‘It’s Official!’ – Morning Times
By the time the Press started pouring into Drummon Bridge there was a much bigger story than they had come for. The King sent Julian Madoc down to the gates to invite them in, while the staff set out chairs in the drawing room, Richard drafted what he would say and Bella telephoned her parents with the news.
Her mother was nearly silenced. ‘My little girl. My dear little girl. Oh, Bella.’
Her stepfather took the phone from his wife. ‘Your mother’s weeping into some kitchen roll. What she means, of course, is that we’re both delighted and we hope you’ll be very happy. We liked him very much.’ He lowered his voice. ‘It would be nice if you could come and see her really soon, Bella. I think she needs to talk. And not on the phone.’
‘Yes, Kevin.’
‘And our very best wishes to Richard,’ he said, surprising her. ‘Tell him he’s on to a good thing.’
She was misty-eyed when she put the phone down. Dear Kevin.
It was just as well that someone wished her well because her father, predictably, went into a rant. He was on board a boat somewhere in the South Atlantic and he had to talk over howling gales from the sounds on the line. He managed it easily.
‘… never thought a daughter of mine would be so feeble. Succumbing to celebrity culture, that’s what it is. Celebrity and social climbing. God, you’re just like your mother.’
‘You stop that,’ yelled Bella. ‘There’s nothing wrong with my mother. She’s a better parent than you ever were.’
‘At least I gave you ideas and some principles,’ he shouted back. ‘What happened to them, eh? What happened? A bit of discomfort on your first expedition and you’re back in London chasing some parasite because he’s got an outdated title. When I get back