Chapter 25
Twenty-Five
“These people are absolute scumbags.” My father slams his fist against his desk, sending several papers flying to the ground.
Franny lifts her head, huffs, then resumes her nap, stretched out on the rug by the fireplace.
“If it were within my power, I’d put all gossip rags out of business, then send the lot of them to be imprisoned in the Tower of London.
I’m sick and tired of them preying on my family. ”
“I fully support that,” Eddie says, trying to lighten the mood. He’s standing behind my chair with one hand resting on my shoulder. “But since you don’t have absolute power, like good ol’ Henry VIII, maybe you can settle for talking the PM into passing a law to ban the tabloids.”
“If only,” Papa grumbles, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“Carrington won’t lift a finger to help.
He’s only just managed to get reelected by the skin of his teeth.
He can’t risk angering anyone. No. The only thing we can do is issue a strongly worded statement denying the entire affair and hope that does the job. ”
The muscles in my stomach clench and tighten. I can’t have him deny it because the rumors are true. It physically hurts me that I have to hide and downplay my relationship with the man I’ve developed feelings for, but I don’t see any other alternative.
My eyes travel to the newspapers on the ground.
Staring back at me on the front page is a blurry photo of Art and me sharing a kiss just outside the London escape room a few weeks ago.
Luckily, since the quality is so subpar, it could be argued that Art was whispering something in my ear. His back is turned toward the camera.
Even if it’s his job, Art has worked hard to protect me.
It’s my turn to repay the favor. “Papa, actually, I’d rather we stay quiet for now.
” He meets my gaze. “It’s always been the policy of this family to ignore whatever is being printed and let the gossip die on its own within a few news cycles.
We made a special exception last time, and I don’t think we need to again. ”
“I appreciate what you have to say, Alice, but I’m not entirely convinced this will disappear all that easily.
You’re a young and beautiful princess. There are so many people out there who have watched you grow up, and now that you’re an adult, they’re sure to take an unhealthy interest in your love life. ”
I wince, knowing that everything he’s saying is one hundred percent true. What I’ve always found incredibly strange and awkward is how strangers can feel like they know me based on photos, appearances I’ve made, or interviews I’ve given.
Over the years, I’ve received hundreds of thousands of letters—everything from invitations to a child’s birthday party to criticisms of how I wear my hair.
They’re always written so intimately. I found out a long time ago, for my own mental health, it’s best if I don’t read or see them.
The palace correspondence office takes care of the job for me, but every now and then, they’ll let me know if something interesting stands out.
“You’re probably right, Papa, but can we at least try it my way?”
“I’m open to it, but I’d like to hear your take, Edmund.” He nods to my brother.
“I agree with, Alice, sir. I think it’s worth maintaining our silence.
If we issue a denial, it’ll set the precedence that the palace comments on the personal lives of the family.
Besides, the quality of the photos is questionable.
” Eddie bends over to pick one up. “It’s grainy and difficult to identify who’s in the photo.
For all we know, this could be a coffee vendor Ali ordered a cappuccino from. ”
“It’s not. There’s no mistaking it’s Arthur.
From the angle the photo was taken from, I think one of the employees of Locked in London must have snapped the image and sold it to the press,” I say, picturing the man in the dirty uniform who’d checked us in.
I remember the supervisor mentioning the disorganized clues might’ve kept us there longer.
Now we know it was probably done on purpose.
I only hope there isn’t any video of us inside the escape room.
“If that’s how the staff operates, I’m canceling my visit.” Eddie crosses his arms.
Papa frowns. “Locked in London? What on earth is that?”
“It’s a room you’re locked inside of and given a time limit to figure out how to escape from it,” Eddie replies.
Papa wrinkles his nose. “Why would anyone find that appealing?”
Leave it to my brother to simplify the explanation too much.
“Eddie’s forgotten to mention that the way you figure out how to escape is by solving a series of clues and mini challenges.
The ones I was given were actually quite tricky.
It involved being given literary quotes and piecing together which books it came from. ”
“I see,” he says.
“I don’t know how you managed it. When I was looking on their website, that enchanted library challenge looked way too difficult. Amanda and I were going to do the pop culture one,” Eddie tells me.
“Alice has always enjoyed problem-solving. I can see where it might be an activity she’d enjoy.”
“It was interesting, but once was more than enough for me,” I tell them.
Papa nods. “I’m guessing these photos were taken at this escape room?”
“Yes.”
“Did you have any of the staff members sign an NDA? Perhaps we can take some legal action against them.”
“I’m not sure,” I admit. “That would’ve been Art’s domain.”
“Would you like me to follow up with him?” Eddie offers.
“I’d appreciate that,” Papa says. “Only you’ll have to follow up with the security office. The young man in question has been reassigned.”
I jump to my feet. “Reassigned?” I sputter.
“Alice . . .” Eddie warns. “We talked about this.”
I ignore him. “On what grounds?”
“On the grounds that he might have broken the terms of his employment.” Papa’s forehead is creased. “All credible claims and accusations are investigated by the security office. It’s standard operating procedure.”
“I told you,” Eddie mutters.
I snap his direction. “You said he’d be temporarily suspended. Not that he was going to be reassigned.” I turn back and face my father. “This isn’t going to be permanent, is it? Papa, please, I need him back on my team.”
“Alice, I understand this has all come as a terrible shock to you, but you must understand that while an investigation is ongoing, Arthur cannot work on your security team. The protocols are there for a reason. I love you dearly, but I will not intervene on your behalf.”
“Fine. I understand that, but has he been permanently removed from me?”
“That depends on the outcome of the investigation. If he’s done nothing wrong, you have no cause for concern.”
But that’s just it. We have. My heart is sinking. I fall back down into my chair, opening and closing my mouth. No words come out. I’m a ship that’s been lost at sea without a lighthouse to safely guide me in.
How thorough is the investigator going to be?
Are there more photos of us out there? We knew there was a chance this was going to happen, and now it has.
I have to speak with Art. I have to find out if he’s all right.
I’ll find a way to get by, but his entire life is being flipped upside down. Everything he’s worked for.
Eddie and Papa exchange worried glances.
“Why don’t I ring for some tea,” Eddie suggests.
I bob my head up and down. “Yes, tea. Tea is good.” My brother disappears into the front office.
Papa walks around his desk and sits next to me.
He places a hand under my chin and lifts it.
“Alice, I want you to know, I’ll do everything at my disposal to try and help the situation along.
As much as I don’t like it, we’ll try it your way.
I’ll refrain from having the press office issue any comments. ”
“Thank you, Papa,” I whisper. I hug him, burying my face in his coat. The familiar sandalwood scent comforts me.
As we break apart, I hear Art’s voice in my head, urging me to use this time to speak to my father about being a working royal. During our last conversation, I told him I’d try and take care of it soon. But I didn’t. I postponed it. Again.
I swallow hard. I’ve run out of excuses. I need to do this now. Otherwise, I have no idea if I ever will. Taking a deep breath, I say, “Papa, while we’re here, there is one other thing I wanted to speak to you about.”
“Of course.” He scoots back half an inch.
“There’s something I should’ve told you and Mum a long time ago.” I look down at the carpet. “Everyone else in this family has always taken to attending engagements and making public speeches like a duck to water. But that’s never been the case for me.”
I explain to my father how much dread and anxiety I have when I’m out in the public eye. I open up about how the last year has been more difficult than anyone has imagined. Even with a brilliant therapist, it’s taken me months to be able to piece myself back together.
“I thought when I began uni, I’d be able to finally have a private life, outside of the spotlight, but as I’ve come to find, these last few weeks actually haven’t been too bad.
I’ve enjoyed some of my work. It’s been enough to make me reconsider where I stand on being a working royal.
Plus, there’s also a few causes I’d like to support, like helping those who have been bullied.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that at the beginning of the summer, I was prepared to ask you if I could step away from all royal engagements, but now, I’m willing to be out there on a part-time basis. ”
When I finish, I lift my head and watch as he blinks slowly several times. I see Eddie standing silently in the background, arms behind his back.
“Alice, why have you never told your mum and me how you feel? If we’d known, we would’ve scaled your schedule back.”
“I . . . I . . . I suppose I was ashamed of myself. I’m the daughter of the king, and being able to be a working royal is what’s expected. Eddie has never had any trouble.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Ali.” Eddie scoffs. “Believe me when I say there’s been stretches of time where I’ve struggled. At one point, there was talk of me being stripped of my duties because of how poor my behavior was.”
My eyes widen.
“It’s true,” Papa confirms.
“But with time, practice, and some positive influences, I was able to turn myself around.” Eddie elbows me lightly. “None of what we do is easy or comes naturally. To quote Amanda, we’re brilliant at faking it until we make it.”
“David and Uncle Frank have both expressed the same feelings as you. I’ll tell you exactly what I told them.
” Papa crosses one leg over the other and glances at us.
“You may not have been able to choose the family that you’re born into, but you will always have a choice in the life you’d like to lead.
Mum and I will love and support you no matter what you decide you want to do. ”
“If it were me, Ali, I wouldn’t rush to make any decisions,” Eddie suggests.
“You have a lot on your plate right now, especially with your school term about to start up. I doubt it would surprise anyone if you focused on your studies. But if you’re halfway enjoying yourself as a working royal, why not ask Mum if you can handpick what’s added to your schedule? ”
“Would that be possible?”
“Certainly,” Papa says.
I take tea with Eddie and my father, feeling a little better, but still torn over the situation with Art. One problem has been solved, but another has emerged.
An agonizing three days pass and things continue to grow worse.
Almost all the big tabloids are running headlines on me.
More photos of Arthur and me have surfaced.
This time they’re from us enjoying a walk through Tokyo together.
There’s still nothing concrete that confirms we’re in a relationship, but the speed with which these photos have popped up is scary.
In all that time, I’ve been waiting with bated breath to speak to Art.
“My plan is brilliant yet simple, if I do say so myself,” Eddie boasts over video chat.
“Well, get on with it, what’s the plan?” The muscles in my face twitch.
“Somebody’s grumpy.”
“What do you expect? I’m out of patience. I haven’t been able to speak to him since all the headlines have popped up. I have no clue how he’s managing all this. So excuse me if I’m a little anxious. What’s. The. Plan?”
Eddie sighs. “I managed to pull his personal email address from his file to pass on to you. It shouldn’t be monitored by anyone and should be safe to send a message to.”
I smack my forehead. “You want me to send an email to him?”
“Yes?” He cocks his head to the side.
“That could take ages for him to actually read, assuming he even checks his email. There has to be a better way.” I hold the mobile screen closer to my face, staring my brother down.
“Ali, there isn’t. The man doesn’t have any social media accounts. He’s got a mobile number and an email in his personal record. That’s it.” I open my mouth, but Eddie quickly adds, “And no, I’m not giving you his personal mobile number.”
Frustrated, I toss my phone onto the bed. “I’m so sick of all this. At this point, I might as well drive over to his flat.”
“How do you know where he lives?” I hear Eddie shout.
“He invited me over for a date.”
“You know what, I’m sorry I even asked that.”
A light bulb hits me. What’s stopping me from going over?
Nothing. So why don’t I? All I’d have to do is slip away from Angela.
I’d feel incredibly guilty about it, but it wouldn’t be all that difficult.
I’d just need us to be in a place where I blend in with a crowd and could sneak away.
Maybe I could use something like visiting Jenna as an excuse.
I could catch the Tube from Covent Garden to Battersea.
“Alice? Are you still there?” Eddie asks.
“Alice? Oh, bugger off, you’re ghosting me.
You try and do something nice, and this is the thanks you get.
” He raises his voice. “Alice, if you can hear me, I’m sorry it’s not what you wanted.
I’ll see if I can come up with something better, but for now this is the best I can do. Ring me later if you want to talk.”
He disconnects the call.
“I’m sorry, Eddie, but good enough is not going to cut it,” I mutter. “I guess the old saying is true. If you want something done, it’s best to do it yourself.”