Page 46 of A Royal Mistake
They watched in silence as Prince Alexander and Evie retreated down the path, the former grumbling the entire way under his breath.
“Sorry about that,” Pippa said, touching the tips of her fingers to her temple. “My brothers can be a little overprotective. It’s like they still think of me as a knobby-kneed eight-year-old, which clearly, I am not.”
“Clearly.” Pippa was a stunner. That was a fact. But it was more than her looks that drew him in, and that was the problem. If his interest had been purely physical—if her personality weren’t as beautiful as the rest of her—he could’ve resisted easily. But it wasn’t too late for damage control. He could still salvage the situation. “It’s getting late. I should get you back to the palace before Sarah realizes you’re missing. I’m pretty sure if she finds you’ve run off with me again, I’m going to spend the night in the dungeon.”
Pippa laughed, eyes dancing with amusement. “You never know. She might just tase you and call it a night.”
He shook his head, unable to suppress the grin that split his face. “You realize that’s not as comforting as you think it is, right?”
“Don’t worry, Henry.” She looped her arm through his, patting him on the chest with her free hand. “Whatever happens, I’ll protect you.”
If only it were that simple.
IT’S MY PARTY AND I’LL GHOST IF I WANT TO
Nothing says royal scandal like ditching your own society debut and leaving ten sexy suitors waiting in the wings. (Seriously, if HRH isn’t interested, we’d be happy to take a few of those handsome hard bodies off her hands!) According to court gossip, The Princess Royal ducked out of the ball just after ten and wasn’t seen again for the rest of the night.
So, where exactly did HRH spend the rest of the evening? And who did she spend it with? We have our theories, but we’re going to lay out the facts like the responsible journalists we are, so you can decide for yourself. #You’reWelcome
We have it on good authority HRH burned a hole in her dancing shoes before ghosting her royal entourage, dancing with several of the eligible bachelors, including the sexy AF Prince Gabriel and Miquel Martell i Leoni, who we’re told has all the grace of a camel with four left feet. But here’s where it gets interesting. HRH may have made the rounds, but she danced four straight waltzes on the arm of none other than Heinrich von der Recke (aka hottie with the heart of gold). Look, we aren’t experts on royal protocol (or anything, really, aside from cocktails) but we’re pretty sure this was a major breach.
So was it any surprise HRH’s interest in von der Recke raised more than a few over-plucked eyebrows? We think not. And for those of you who think chivalry is dead? Well, we hear Raphaelle de Castries made a valiant effort to cut in (whether to spare the lady’s reputation or his own is anyone’s guess) and was rebuffed in spectacular fashion. From where we’re sitting, this feels like the kiss of death for the French suitor. We’re betting Raphaelle will be the next to bid HRH au revoir and we volunteer as tribute to comfort him in his time of need.
So, now that we’ve got all the players on the board, where did HRH spend the night? Our guess? It was HRH in the garden with the philanthropist. After all, what kind of royal ball would it be if someone didn’t sneak off for sexy times in the palace gardens? Hit us up in the comments and let us know how you think HRH spent the night!
* Correction: Our original post stated HRH Princess Philippa did not return to the ball, but we have since been informed by the Palace Press Secretary that she returned to the ball at half past ten. We apologize for the inaccuracy and take full responsibility for the misprint. Which begs the question… Where was she and what was she doing during the unaccounted for time?!? We can think of plenty of naughty shenanigans to fill thirty minutes!
12
Pippa floateddown the hall toward breakfast, light as air. Aside from the residual pain of Miquel the Mountain breaking eight of her toes, she was in high spirits. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, and, thanks to Henry, the ball hadn’t been nearly as dreadful as she’d feared.
Liar. There was nothing dreadful about kissing Henry.
Getting caught by her brother, on the other hand…
Her cheeks flushed at the memory of Henry’s lips moving ravenously over hers. He was a skilled kisser, and when she’d been locked in his embrace, the rest of the world had ceased to exist, if only for a moment.
She’d never been kissed like that before. But it wasn’t just the heat. Henry’s kiss had been all-consuming, burning away rational thought, royal protocol, and any sense of propriety she might’ve clung to in fear. He’d focused on her as if she were the only thing in the world that mattered, and in that moment, she’d felt real passion.
The kind she thought only existed in books and movies.
The kind she’d give anything to feel just one more time.
Was it even possible to feel that scorching heat again, or was it the kind of thing that only happened once? Like beginner’s luck? She wasn’t sure, but she wanted to find out.
Maybe she could find Henry and—
“You’re coming with us,” Lena announced, rounding the corner with Evie at her side. She took Pippa by the elbow and turned her around, steering her back the way she’d come.
“But I haven’t eaten yet,” Pippa protested, trying to dig in her heels as the other women gently nudged her forward.
“Trust me,” Evie said, grim faced. “You do not want to eat in the dining room. Her Majesty is in rare form this morning.”
Pippa’s mind whirled. “What about Liam and Xander?”
Evie and Lena exchanged a look.
“It was every man for himself,” Evie said gravely. Pippa couldn’t tell if she was joking. “Don’t worry. I’m sure they’ll be fine.” Evie’s brows knit together. “Probably.”