“I adore Bella,” I say, thinking of how she and I have shared Connectivity DMs several times a day since our shopping expedition, and she has been an ear for me during the upheaval of the past few days. “She has become a good friend to me.”
“And from what I hear, you have been a good friend to her in turn,” Prince Henry says.
“Has Bella decided what she wants to do after she graduates from Oxford?” King Arthur asks.
Prince Henry takes a sip of his cocktail and pauses. “No. If she had her way, she’d stay buried in medieval studies forever.”
Suddenly, we are approached by Helene. “Poppy, may I steal you for a moment? And Xander, if you hope to keep a woman like this by your side, where are your manners? Please get her a drink. Just not a gin and tonic,” she adds cheekily.
I blush. Xander grins.
“Poppy, would you like a glass of wine?” he asks.
“Yes, please,” I tell him. Then I turn to King Arthur and Prince Henry. “It was an honour meeting both of you.”
“Likewise,” Prince Henry says.
“I shall see you at dinner,” King Arthur says.
“Yes,” I reply happily.
Xander goes to get me a glass of wine, and Helene links her arm through mine. “How are you holding up, dear?” she says quietly.
“Better after King Arthur greeted me so warmly,” I say. I take another look around the room. “Where are Queen Antonia and the dowager queen?”
Helene gives me a smug smile. “Pouting.”
“What?”
“She and the King Mother have been detained,” Helene exclaims, rolling her eyes, “and will join us later.”
“And they’re not truly detained.”
“Unless detained means holed up in Queen Antonia’s apartments and lamenting the destruction of the monarchy, then no. They are avoiding us. You know, this mix of commoners and repulsive, modern-minded young men and women they can no longer control.” She pauses to take a sip of her martini. “You are all going to save this monarchy from itself, mark my words.”
Once again, that overwhelmed feeling surges through me as her words sink in. It’s not just Xander who will be the face of this monarchy, if I marry him, I will also play a big part in its caretaking as well.
The thought is both absurd and terrifying. Me. A baker from Wales, securing the monarchy for years to come?
Once again, one question comes to mind.
How is this my life?
Helene dips her head towards mine and whispers in my ear, “Now I’m going to introduce you to Arabella. I beg you, do not run off and leave me with her. I’ve listened to her moan the entire time I’ve been here, and it’s making me want to suck this martini dry and ask for five more. I need emotional support before I can escape to dinner. And you’ll see exactly what I mean in seconds.”
Helene then brings me to Arabella.
“Arabella, this is Xander’s girlfriend, Poppy Davies,” she says brightly.
Arabella’s face immediately brightens. I dip into my third curtsy of the night and rise, smiling at her.
“Your Royal Highness, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” I say.
Arabella smiles warmly at me. “I feel like I know you after everything Bella has said during her weekend here.” Then she frowns. “I can’t believe she’s gone again. I do miss her when she’s not around. The house is so empty now that Liz has left, and Victoria insists on living outside of the palace in some flat.”
“Where is Victoria tonight?” I ask.
Arabella sighs. “She has a project she is working on. I have to say, she is strict about her studies.”
I nod. That’s something I do have in common with Victoria. She is as passionate about fashion as I am about biscuits.
“I only get a fleeting glimpse of her these days,” Arabella continues, sadness flickering through her eyes.
“That’s what children do,” Helene says. “They grow up and go their own way.”
“You couldn’t possibly understand, Helene,” Arabella says, her brown eyes flickering with hurt. “When they leave, it’s just dreadful. I’ll never understand why Liz left St. James’s for Kensington. We were able to have tea all the time, and now she’s simply too busy. I have to tell you, my life inside the palace is so lonely since they all abandoned me. Isolating. The days are so long without my girls. I don’t know how I manage it.”
I bite my lip. I see what Helene means. I get the impression that Arabella relies way too much on her daughters for