Page 4 of Royally Redeemed
My desire to win the honorable Edwin Winslow’s approval and love sent me down a rabbit hole. My father was a man of character—a supportive husband and doting father. Born to a cabinet minister, he remained one of the most decorated Olympians in British history. My mother loved him more than words and he believed she hung the moon.Thatwas the family I grew up in.Thesewere the people who raised me. To disappoint them—especially Dad—was dreadful.
“I feel like shit about it, okay? I apologized?—”
“You still said it!”
“I was violated! My private words were taken out of context. And I refuse to even go into how bad things got or why?”
“Why?” I scoffed. “Because it doesn’t fucking matter. I hope we categorically deny this.”
“Lie? No. We will do no such thing, young man. You did this to yourself and here we fucking are. Your mother doesn’t believe in lying.”
“Where is Mummy? I’m such a disappointment she can’t even be bothered with me?”
My dismissive tone hid how broken this left me, but Dad knew me too well.
“She is too angry to speak with you calmly,” Dad confirmed. “Trust me when I say you would rather deal with me right now. I am using all my restraint to avoid laying into you, Duncan! You know better! And don’t play the victim here. You verbally abused your ex-girlfriend and, in doing so, you airedallyourdirty laundry. Moreover, you flat out admitted to going to a strip club!”
“Men do that!”
“Maybe men do, but you should know better.”
“You’ve never?—”
“Not since I was with your mother. You’re mad to think I would risk anything with her over something like this!”
“Yes, it would have all been resolved if I’d just married a very boring, nice girl.”
“Duncan, no one ever asked for that. We wanted you to grow the fuck up. We would have been very happy with Nessa, quite frankly, but you cocked that up! Now what woman would have you?”
Those words hurt more than he knew. If my father were aware of the whole story, he might side with me. But, the reality embarrassed me more than words. I beat down my feelings again. I set it aside. I would be the disappointment. I played that role so well.
“Duncan, I love you,” Dad affirmed. “But you really need to start acting like a grown man.”
2
THE ASSISTANT
ELOISE
5 December
London Daily Times
“There is no need to panic,” says Royal Correspondent Leo Hayes. “The text messages look bad, but inside sources say the Queen is handling it. What the next steps are here, we do not know, but she will take it seriously.”
It seems there may be a reckoning awaiting Prince Duncan.
“He's been so spoiled,” Leo continued in this exclusive with theDaily Times. “He needs to be put on a leash and reminded of all his responsibilities. Her Majesty deserves to retire, and new convention dictates that seventy-five is the typical age of retirement. It was expected she would announce her intention to abdicate to her son about this time, but that seems impossible now. Either she fixes this or she risks the entire institution.”
One hopes Her Majesty can fix this mess.
Jax shouted, “Ella, coffee, for fuck’s sake!”
I tried not to glare. I picked myself up and visited the espresso machine. She wanted an Americano—her fourth of the fucking morning. It was only nine. She treated me like her assistant, but I wasn’t. I was a junior agent now and worked for the firm’s other partner, Abi Forrest. Abi was a saint. Jaqueline Drummond was a bitch and a half.
“I will get you coffee.” I faked a cheerful tone. I passed Abi’s assistant, Myrtle.
“She’s on a roll today,” Myrtle said.
