Page 48 of Tabloid Princess

I wished the aching pain in my chest would go do one now.

“But isn’t he delicious though? Did you flirt with him?” She fanned herself down. “I would have.”

A wild territorial surge buzzed within me, but I buttoned it down.

“Aren’t you married?” I made my question light and innocent.

“Well, of course.” Her implication was clear, but then she giggled. “But what a man. What I would do if I had ten minutes with him, I can’t tell you.”

I offered her a tight smile. Internally, I wondered just how many 'shag lists' Prince Oliver was on.

“So fit. For a royal to have those looks. I mean he could be in movies with that face and body.”

I couldn’t help but narrow my eyes.

“Seen him naked, have you?”

“Oh you know, only in those magazines where they sneak pictures of celebrities on holiday. I think he was on some private island.”

“So you mean pictures taken when he hadn’t given permission?”

“Oh, Leia. Don’t be silly. No one expects to be in the limelight like that and not be snapped.”

Ironic. Some of us aren’t supposed to be in the limelight and still get snapped.

How did Prince Oliver feel knowing his private moments on his holiday were widespread gossip like that? As much as I wanted to hate him right now, it was little niggling thoughts like this—and my irrational obsession with looking at that picture of us—that undermined it.

Just then, Miss Evans came out of the classroom door. Her eyes searched for me and before she’d even beckoned me over, I knew something was wrong.

Was I expecting anything else? More fool me.

“Listen.” Vicky touched my arm and held me back. I shook her off but turned expectantly. “Some of us mums are going out next week for drinks. It would be lovely for you to join us. You’ve missed the last few.”

I’m guessing when she said last few, she meant all of them—because I hadn’t been invited.

“Thanks, but I’m pretty busy at the moment.

She swept her gaze over me, her burning curiosity utterly transparent. I knew what she was thinking. Why her?

“Well, maybe next time. Oh, and Emily has a birthday party next Saturday. I really hope Daisy can come. I popped an invite in her bag.”

I seethed like a volcano, but I knew that creating a scene in the playground would only make things so much worse and they were bad enough.

Instead I walked, ignoring the blatant stares, over to where Miss Evans had her hand on Daisy’s shoulder. I swept a careful gaze over Daisy’s face checking that she didn’t look like she’d been crying

“Is she unwell?” I asked my instant question.

“No, she’s fine.” She crouched down to Daisy. “Why don’t you go and play on the apparatus for a minute?”

Daisy, thrilled at this opportunity to use the strictly rostered equipment without anyone else being around, sped off without a second glance.

“What is it? What have people said?” My hands balled into fists.

“Nothing, nothing. It’s just I wanted to warn you that Daisy thinks she’s going to be having a prince over for tea.”

My stomach plummeted to the soles of my feet. “She what?” I whispered.

“The girls were all so excited when they came in this morning. They told her that her new daddy was going be a prince.”