Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 116759 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116759 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Princess Olivia, wife of Prince Frederick, the son of my grandmother’s grandfather, turned to glower at Juno in distaste. She stomped her cane down hard before her aide helped her further downstairs.
We waited until she was out of earshot before bursting into laughter.
“Are you all causing trouble?” Mum popped up behind us with Pa in tow. They were dressed in their finest. The sight of Pa’s tie made me very aware of the one currently strangling my own throat. I hated a bloody tie. Not to mention the layers of clothing I was currently sweltering in because it was June. Whoever decided men’s attire for the Royal Enclosure should include a three-piece morning suit with a top hat in the summer was a sadist.
“Juno is being her charming self.”
“Princess Olivia looked like she’d swallowed—”
“Her husband’s—”
“Don’t you dare finish that sentence,” Mum cut off my sister’s interjection.
Lily and I had to look away from each other or we’d dissolve into another round of raucous laughter.
I’d introduced my parents to my girlfriend after our final exams. Lily had returned to my childhood home with me for a long weekend. Not only did it give my parents a chance to get to know her, but I got to see for myself that my parents’ marriage really was back on track. Pa had stopped drinking too. Clearly scared by his dependency on it during his separation from Mum, Pa was sober. In solidarity, Mum had rid the house of every single drop of alcohol.
Being home, seeing them doing so well, gave me a chance to tell them about my change of career decision. Bolstered by interest from a prestigious art gallery in London, I’d decided to pursue my art career. I didn’t take up their offer to sell my artwork because they expected a whopping eighty percent commission, but it gave me the confidence to increase my prices exponentially. Unbelievably, my original pieces were selling for thousands of pounds.
I explained to my parents I was going to use some of my trust fund to buy a proper studio and my own gallery in Edinburgh. They were taken aback but seemed prepared to support me no matter what. Especially once I showed them the art. Mum got misty-eyed at the idea of me hiding my talent from her.
Lily had said goodbye to Sierra and Maddie. It was incredibly emotional for her, but I’d make it my mission to bring the women back together again for visits. Maddie would visit more often because she and Shaun were still together. Harry and Sierra’s short-lived friends-with-benefits came to an end, and I wondered how attached Harry had gotten there. He’d been in a foul mood since she left.
With the girls gone, Lily and I were looking for our own place in Edinburgh. When I relayed that to my parents, it seemed to really settle on them how serious we were. Pa was generous and welcoming to Lily, and I could tell he liked her immediately. Mum, while welcoming, took a little longer to warm up. I didn’t know if it was merely a mother’s prerogative to be wary of the woman her son chose to love. However, when Lily and I were leaving, Mum had pulled me aside and said, “She’s lovely, darling. Utterly lovely. I understand now.”
It was such a relief to have back the parents I’d grown up with and not the crazy people they’d turned into last year.
“It’s time.” Mum gave Lily a reassuring smile. “My mother, Princess Mary, would like to meet you, Lily.”
I tried to keep the scowl off my face. It seemed ridiculous I had to bring Lily before my grandmother to pass some kind of inspection after the shit she’d pulled. Granny hadn’t returned my call, but Mum had spoken to her, and she’d agreed to back off. Only because Mum had relayed that Lily was no longer on the podcast and because Granny was apparently appalled by the methods Zac had used to do the job she’d employed him to do.
Mum didn’t tell Granny Lily’s younger sister January was still on the podcast or that she was outrageous on it in a way Lily had never been.
“We’re with you.” Juno clapped a hand on my shoulder and gave Lily a nod. “We’ll all go together.”
Lily tightened her grip on my hand and straightened her shoulders. “All right.”
My grandmother was surrounded by the members of my family, including my uncle Michael, Mum’s eldest brother, the Earl of Avon, and his wife Pamela. His children, my cousins, were all in attendance, some with their younger brood who were over the permitted age of ten years old.
“Your Highness.” My mother gave a small curtsy to her mother since we were in public. “I’d like to introduce you to Sebastian’s girlfriend, Lily Sawyer. Lily, this is Sebastian’s grandmother, Princess Mary, my brother Lord Michael, and his wife Pamela.” She didn’t bother introducing the rest of the family as Lily curtsied while I bowed.