Page 116 of Scandal Queen

Raised voices wafted down the hallway. Dixon walked at my side, his face grey, but his expression neutral. “How long have they been shouting?”

“Since about the time His Royal Highness Prince Oliver arrived.” Dixon’s thoughts didn’t show on his face.

“Oh.” I stopped at the library door. “Dixon?”

“Yes, Ma’am?”

“Why do the family always use this room? This whole palace, all these rooms to choose from, but this is the one they use the most.”

He hesitated. “It’s the warmest.” For a moment he looked like he wouldn’t say anything else. “And when the children were younger it was the nearest to the nursery.”

I nodded but his words just made me ache all over again.

“Dad! You have to come out there with me. The people need you.”

“No.”

The King sat in the same spot he’d done the day before, except this time instead of the curtains being closed, Ollie held them open and he gestured widely outside. I gasped at the view. From the gates, all the way down The Mall, a sea of people gathered.

Great big ugly tears rolled down my face.

Just days ago, rumours had said the people no longer wanted a monarchy; not one that lied or cheated, or paid for secrets, but look at them now.

The people gave a powerful message.

“Your Majesty.” I dropped to my knees in front of the King. “Your people. They will want you to say something. You don’t have to go out there, but just speak. Send them a message of thanks for their support. Tell them that you know they are there, please.”

I realised then what I did. I begged for the monarchy on my hands and knees. Me, the woman who’d spent a lifetime resenting those in power.

“Please.” I lifted his hand in mine, urging him to meet my gaze. “For Oliver. Please.”

His brown gaze lifted to mine. “I told you you’d have to be strong enough,” he murmured, just low enough for me to hear before then raising his defiant gaze to Ollie. “No.”

Oliver brushed past us, storming from the room just as John walked in. “Why are Bella’s staff still here? Why haven’t the police come to interview them to find out what bastard gave her the tablets?” he asked.

“No police.” The King spoke clearer now.

“Dad!” John glanced around. “Where has Oliver gone?”

I shrugged, but King Henry met his younger son’s furious gaze. “He’ll be doing what he’s told. As he’s been trained to do.”

My stomach plummeted and I stood from the floor. What the fuck was I begging for? What was I fighting for when these people didn’t want to help themselves?

“Leave me,” the King snapped and John and I both looked at one another. Silently, we filed out of the room and stood in the hallway. Dixon had miraculously disappeared again.

“Have you seen your mum?” I asked. John would probably go down in history as the most frustrating person I knew. I wanted to hate him in so many ways, but I couldn’t quite make myself do it, not anymore.

“She’s in Bella’s room. She won’t come out.”

I pointed to the floor above. “Up there?”

“You won’t be able to miss it.”

John kind of hung there, not knowing what to do. With a shrug he returned for the battle room next door where the hum of voices came from. He opened the door and I could see the slim shape of Freya stood by the window. Marcus was at the large oval table, rubbing at his eyes.

I walked along the corridor and went up the plush red stairs, turned the corner and then walked back along the corridor above the path I’d walked below. Bella’s room must have given her an amazing view of London. I knew which room had been hers, flowers stood outside the door. I knew nothing had been brought in, so these must have been from the staff. I knocked and waited, but when there wasn’t an answer I just went in anyway. I figured people were no longer surprised when I broke protocol.

“Hey.”