Royal Package - Lili Valente Page 0,39
in my head insists that only nature girl Sabrina could be in such excellent shape while the guilty voice argues that I’m being an insane bully who should give poor Elizabeth a break.
I’m not sure which to believe, but I know I have to get to the bottom of this before it’s too late. If I have the wrong twin, it would explain why my introvert-busting techniques are failing miserably. And if I have the wrong twin, all I have to do is bide my time and expose her when the moment is right.
But if I have the right twin…
If I’ve misjudged Lizzy all these years…
Well, I may have to start seriously considering the fact that there might be no way out of this engagement unscathed.
Chapter Fourteen
Sabrina
From the texts of Sabrina Mila Rochat
and Elizabeth Agnes Rochat
Elizabeth: Hey! I just read your messages. Sounds like things are going well!
* * *
Sabrina: Oh my God, Lizzy! Finally! Where the hell have you been? I’ve been texting for four days straight! I even tried calling the house yesterday.
* * *
Elizabeth: What? But I’m not at the house, Sabrina! I’m YOU on vacation in Munich.
* * *
Sabrina: Except you’re NOT me, and you’re NOT in Munich. I have no idea where you are and neither does anyone else. I was beginning to think you’d been abducted and murdered and it was my fault for not alerting the authorities that you were missing sooner.
* * *
Elizabeth: I’m not missing. I found a rental cottage in Islip Downs. I’m barely thirty minutes from home. I’ve been busy working, that’s all. Everything’s fine.
* * *
Sabrina: Everything is NOT fine. It’s not okay to check out when I’m up to my neck in royal intrigue and need your advice, Elizabeth! I was really scared for you.
* * *
Elizabeth: I’m sorry, Bree. I just lost track of time. All the days and nights are bleeding into each other. But I promise to do better. You don’t think anyone at home is suspicious, do you? What did you say when you called?
* * *
Sabrina: I didn’t say anything. Chamomile picked up. Since she’s the only one who can tell the difference between our voices on the phone, I hung up without saying anything.
* * *
Elizabeth: Oh good. We don’t want her to have to lie for us. Better if she has no idea what’s going on. So aside from my thoughtlessness, everything seems to be going well, though. It sounds like Andrew is nice, and you’re enjoying yourself and fitting in with the family.
* * *
Sabrina: I spent hours yesterday shaking the hands of five hundred members of court, former members of court, and every person in Gallantia remotely related to the royal family. At one point, I met Andrew’s twentysomething cousin. I wanted to joke that I was probably more related to Andrew than he was, considering my great-great-whatever-grandmother married a Gallantian royal in the 1700s. But I thought that would horrify you, so I didn’t.
* * *
Elizabeth: Yeah, incest jokes aren’t my favorite. Especially when I’m part of the punch line.
* * *
Sabrina: But you’re not! You and Andrew aren’t related. That was the point. Neither was this twenty-whatever cousin. Anything further than fourth or fifth cousins doesn’t count, and I really shouldn’t have to stand around in heels for an extra hour to shake their hands.
* * *
Elizabeth: Still, I’m glad you retrained yourself. I would have stuttered through the delivery anyway. You’re remembering that, right? To talk like a basket case with social anxiety?
* * *
Sabrina: You’re not a basket case. It’s a medical condition. You wouldn’t be so hard on yourself if you had diabetes, would you?
* * *
Elizabeth: Well… Maybe. If I only had diabetes around some people and not others because my brain refused to get its act together and handle sugar the same way no matter who happened to be in the room.
* * *
Sabrina: Stop it.
* * *
Elizabeth: All right. Just promise me you’re not setting me up to fail.
* * *
Sabrina: Well, I have been going running with Andrew.
* * *
Elizabeth: What?! But I HATE running!
* * *
Sabrina: But running is good for you, and I had to do something to work off the stress. This is very stressful, Elizabeth, and you made it worse by refusing to respond to my texts. If you had, maybe I could have stopped the running, but now it’s too late.
* * *
Elizabeth: *eye-rolling emoji* Fine. I’ll fake a sprained ankle or something. But