Page 74

“No one needs to knowwhereshe’s going, and she’ll have some security go with her. She’ll be safer there than she is here. Besides,” Victoria leaned over the empty seat that Elizabeth would soon fill, “I want my sister to be happy, Palmer.Youmake her happy.”

Palmer nodded and gave Victoria an awkward smile. Then, trumpets sounded, and the announcer, who had already announced the names of several Dukes and Duchesses along with Victoria and her escort, David Wilson, announced Elizabeth’s arrival into the ballroom.

“Her Majesty, Queen Antonia I,” he yelled.

Elizabeth walked in, and Palmer saw what she’d seen earlier at the coronation – Elizabeth was a Queen. She was a Queen long before she’d had to take the job, and she’d forever be a Queen in Palmer’s eyes, even if she gave it up one day. Her long deep-burgundy dress with purple sash contributed to her looking the part, but her confident and kind expression was what sold it to the room of dignitaries, lords, and ladies. Palmer stood up with the rest of the room as Elizabeth made her rounds. She stopped at one table to greet another King and Queen. Then, she made her way to her table, where Palmer was waiting.

“Your Majesty,” Palmer said, giving her the requisite curtsy.

“Miss Honeycutt,” Elizabeth replied, smiling at her knowingly.

???

“You’re in the papers, and I’mnotthe one getting the scoop,” her editor said.

“I didn’t think it was that big of a deal,” Palmer told him, looking back to see that Elizabeth was drinking her whiskey and staring at the fireplace. “I told you, I needed the time off.”

“Palmer,thisis the story. You should have been writing about this. Everything on the record, and with pictures. Instead, I’m reading about an American woman accompanying the new Queen to her coronation dinner inThe Times.The Times, Palmer.”

“I had no ideaThe Timeswould pick this up. The dinner was a private thing. I didn’t know there were reporters there.”

“You’rea reporter,” he replied.

“I was off-duty.”

“What is going on with you, Palmer? This is a once-in-a-lifetime story:A reluctant Queen takes over from her fallen father.”

“I sent you my piece.”

“And we’ll print it. It’s fine, but it could have been more. It could have been better.”

“I promised her,” Palmer stated.

“Who?”

“The Queen.”

“Promised her what?”

“That I’m here as a friend now.”

“Well, why the hell did you do that?”

“Because I am; I’m here as a friend. You have your story. It’s a good one. But today is off-limits.”

“This is bullshit. But if you said off the record, we’ll stay away from it. I don’t need a lawsuit from an entire country on my hands here. We’ll talk when you get back, though, Honeycutt.”

“Yes, sir,” she replied, hanging up after.

“You’re in trouble because of me, aren’t you?”

“What? No,” Palmer replied, moving to sit down next to Elizabeth. “It’ll be fine. I just didn’t know there was a reporter fromThe Timesin the ballroom tonight.”

“There wasn’t. There weren’t any reporters there at all.”

“I’ma reporter,” Palmer argued.

“Any reporters working tonight,” Elizabeth corrected, glancing over at her. “Youweren’tworking, right?”