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Elizabeth chuckled and said, “Notall, but some.”

“Did I just insult your ancestors by not liking the whiskey?” Palmer checked.

“No, but youdidmake me feel like my father.”

“I did? How, exactly?”

“He introduced each of his children in turn to this whiskey; Martin was first when he reached eighteen. Alex came next. I was a few years later. Victoria was after me, obviously. Martin, Alex, and I handled it okay. I had to grow to like it, but I didn’t cough it up like someone I know.”

“Hey,” Palmer said, slapping Elizabeth on the leg lightly.

“Victoria, on the other hand,” she began, chuckling. “Spat it out in my father’s face. She sputtered and coughed, and he had to rub her back and talk her through it. Then, he laughed, and we all laughed with him.” Elizabeth pictured that family moment in her mind. Her mother had been there, too, asking why he felt the need to share a glass of alcohol with each of his children on their eighteenth birthday. “She still can’t stand the stuff.”

“Good memory?” Palmer asked, watching Elizabeth closely.

“Yes,” she said. “But then, the bad ones come in. I watched the video even though they told me not to.”

“The video?”

“The TV stations were there for the grand opening of the hospital. They got the whole thing on camera. Rebecca tried to tell me not to, but I just had to see it.”

“Oh, Elizabeth…” Palmer slid closer, wrapping an arm around Elizabeth’s shoulders.

“Palmer, I don’t know what to do. You can’t write that in your paper. The country needs a Queen that–”

“Hey, I told you before, there’s nothing to worry about. I wouldn’t do that, okay?”

Elizabeth wiped back the tears and said, “Yes.”

“You believe me, don’t you?” Palmer asked seriously. “That I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you?”

“I do,” Elizabeth replied. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to get some sleep. It’s early, but the events of the day have gotten to me.”

“Of course. Should I find myself a room, or will Rebecca or someone want me to–”

“There’s a room next to mine that’s available.” Elizabeth stood up and walked toward the double doors. She pulled them open, moved into her room, and pointed at the door that led to the smaller bedroom that used to house the closest servant to the resident of her room. It had been redone into a very nice guest room. “This one.”

“Okay,” Palmer said, standing up. She grabbed her bag and walked into the bedroom. “I guess I’ll say goodnight, then.”

“There is a phone in the bedroom. Call the kitchen if there’s anything you need. There should be toiletries and towels in the bathroom, but if–”

“I’ll be okay,” Palmer interrupted. “Sleep well, Your Majesty.”

“Palmer, I–”

Palmer winked at her instead and said, “I’ll see you in the morning?”

“Yes, you will.” Elizabeth nodded.

CHAPTER 16

The room was nicer than Palmer had expected, but the bed was a full and not the luxurious king bed in Elizabeth’s room or the very nice one in the resort. The new hotel had a full bed as well, so she might as well just get used to this until she could get home and enjoy the one nice thing she’d done for her apartment since moving in: buying the queen-sized bed and very-high-thread-count sheets. She hadn’t brought her laptop on this little adventure, but at least she now had her notebook, pen, and phone. Since it was still pretty early for her, Palmer decided to handwrite some of her thoughts on the article, thinking with each note that she wrote down about when and how she’d heard it from the Queen. She wouldn’t break her word to Rebecca, but most importantly, she wouldn’t break her word to Elizabeth. Anything she saw or heard tonight was completely off-limits.

As she lay back against the pillows after taking a shower, Palmer thought she heard something coming from her right, Elizabeth’s room, through the adjoining door. At first, she wasn’t sure she’d heard right, but after a few minutes, she knew for sure: Elizabeth was crying. Palmer closed her eyes in heartbreak for the woman next door. It wasn’t fair for someone like Elizabeth to be going through this at all, but definitely not all at once. She’d nearly lost her sister, her last remaining family member, tonight. It was too much for anyone. Yet, Elizabeth had been strong enough to go on not only for herself but also for her country.

Palmer thought about playing some music on her phone to drown out the sound; not for herself, but for Elizabeth’s benefit. She sensed the woman had a lot of pride and wouldn’t like it if Palmer heard her crying. Palmer knew she couldn’t just sit there andnotdo something, though. Instead, she dropped the notebook and pen, stood up, and went to the door. She knocked softly but heard no reply. Could she get in trouble for going into a Queen’s bedroom at night without having permission? She probably would have been executed for doing it a few hundred years ago, but surely, she was safe now.

“Elizabeth?” she asked softly after opening the door just a crack.