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“I enjoy hers, too.” She shrugged a shoulder.

“But you will be leaving her for New York soon.”

“I can’t help that. I don’t live here; I live in New York. My job is there. My family is in Pennsylvania.”

“I understand. I’m not asking you to move across the world. I’m merely asking you to remain her confidant if she requires or requests it.”

“Oh, God. Yeah, of course. I don’t want to just leave and never talk to her again. I couldn’t do that. I–” Palmer stopped herself, realizing she might be going a little too far for the private secretary. “I hopeshewants to keep in touch. I wouldn’t mind coming back for a visit, and if she’s ever in the States, I’d expect her to let me know so we can meet up. I’d offer to let her stay at my place in the city, but it’s way too small for a Queen and her staff.Ibarely fit.” Palmer laughed lightly.

“I believe that you are a good person, Palmer.”

“I hope so. I try to be.”

“Elizabeth has always been a good judge of character. I should have known that if she approved of you, you were worthy of that approval.”

Palmer turned her body to Rebecca and said, “I’d never hurt her, Rebecca. I’d never do anything to hurt her.”

“Good,” the woman replied, nodding.

“Is this loud enough?” Elizabeth’s voice came from the microphone attached to the pulpit. “Louder? Softer? Can you hear me back there?” She smiled wide in Palmer’s direction.

“I can hear you,” Palmer spoke loudly. “Loud and clear, Your Majesty.”

CHAPTER 21

“It’s not the top of the hill, but it’s safer, and this close to the coronation, security really didn’t want me leaving the palace,” Elizabeth explained.

“No, it’s great,” Palmer replied. “Freezing cold, but it’s great.”

“The space heaters and every winter coat in the country aren’t enough for you, Palmer?” Elizabeth laughed, looking over at her.

“I think I’m just meant for warmer weather,” Palmer said.

“I hope that’s not true,” Elizabeth blurted out before she thought about it.

Palmer turned to her then and asked, “Why’s that?”

Elizabeth tried to look away from Palmer’s eyes, but she couldn’t. They were piercing through her, and the swirling colors from the Northern Lights only made them more mesmerizing. Elizabeth hadn’t been able to get away before her coronation, but shehadbeen able to put together a view of the Northern Lights from the palace roof. It wasn’t the same, but she hoped that it was something Palmer would remember forever. Her staff had been kind enough to place large space heaters in a circle around two comfortable lounge chairs, which the women had pushed together. Beneath their heads were fluffy pillows. Over their thermal wear, they had a thick blanket. They’d been staring up at the colors moving about the sky for the past several minutes, and neither of them had said anything since the nearly nightly show began. To Elizabeth, it was a perfect reason to stay up late.

“Because if you can’t handle the cold, you might not come back to visit me,” Elizabeth said finally.

“There’s always the summer,” Palmer replied, turning to look back up to the night sky.

“The lights aren’t as prevalent in the summer.”

“I wouldn’t be coming back for the lights, Lizzy,” Palmer stated, sliding a little closer to Elizabeth.

“Cold?” Elizabeth asked, moving closer to Palmer.

“Yes, but I’m not all that cold. I just like to be dramatic,” she replied. “This is one of the coolest things anyone’s ever done for me. I sayoneof the coolest because the coolest thing was the camping attempt the other night. You are responsible for probably the best couple of weeks of my life, Elizabeth.”

Elizabeth swallowed and said, “I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. What does it say about your life if one of the best things in it was a camping trip where there wasn’t any actual camping?”

“It’s about who I’m spending it with,” Palmer replied. “I think I’d go to the dentist voluntarily and have a root canal ifyoucame with me.”

“Oh, don’t bring up the dentist on a night like this. No need to ruin the evening.” Elizabeth laughed a little. “Can I tell you something?”

“Yeah,” Palmer replied.