Page 16 of Scandal Queen

“Really?” The human Daisy kicked her legs under the duvet much like her four-legged counterpart.

“Sure.” Oliver stared at the ceiling, either thinking very hard, or perhaps absorbing the garish plasterwork that swirled in elaborate patterns. “This place is hideous,” he said, confirming my analysis of his thoughts. Maybe mind-reading was a thing after all. “How long exactly do you plan to stay here?” He turned slightly, his lips tilting into my favourite smile.

“Well as I was running away from you and your tabloid headlines, I guess as long as that takes to settle down.” I kept my tone light. Daisy watched us with that astute gaze she seemed to have been born with.

“True.” He nodded, a playful curve of his lips brightening the room more than the pale rising sun through the window. “How would you feel about relocating to a more suitable accommodation while Daisy recuperates?”

My gaze instantly narrowed. “Let me guess. You happen to have a castle just waiting down here.”

He smirked. “Not a castle, no.”

“I like it here.” I began to grin. “I think the decor is just wonderful. It’s got a relaxing atmosphere, and more importantly, my best friend leant it to me out of the kindness of her heart.”

“But does it have a sauna and tennis court?”

I rolled my eyes. “It has me.”

That smile on his face slowed, tightening my stomach. “That’s true. It does have perks.” He turned to Daisy. “What do you think? Do you want to stay here or come to the place I’m suggesting?”

She looked between us, biting her lower lip. “We should stay here if we can. It wouldn’t be fair to Molly otherwise.”

Oliver reached over and ruffled her hair. “You are quite right,” he agreed with a shrug and looking at her with utmost seriousness. “I do think you might be a true princess. You have a heart of pure love.” Her cheeks flushed with the colour I’d been so desperate to see the last few days.

“See, Mummy, I told you so.”

“You did. You did.”

Oliver sighed, albeit dramatically. “Well if we are staying here there is nothing for it but to call security.” He glanced at me shrewdly, expecting this to be the deal breaker, but I knew better than this now. I knew what he came with. An entire package. I’d agreed to accept it, because the alternative—living without him, was unacceptable to me.

He tried again. “I’ll ask the palace to put out a statement saying I’m on holiday and request privacy,” he finished with a grumble. “Not that we will get much here.”

“We’d better get going then before people find out where you are.” I went to fling the duvet back, but his hand caught my wrist.

“I could bribe some people, make them stay quiet.” His eyes sparkled, although he danced a dangerous line in my opinion. We were not at the ‘laugh-at-my-fuck-ups stage’ yet.

“Or we could start as we mean to go on. Private, but not secret.” I leant over and pecked a chaste kiss on his lips. Despite it being only a peck, I still reacted with scorching fire and painful darts of desire. Coughing, I jumped out of bed. “And who knows, maybe people in Cornwall won’t be interested in the coming and goings of a royal prince. This isn’t London.”

He glanced at the ceiling again before looking around the rest of the room. The rest of the furniture all seemed to have some form of floral print. To be fair to him, it was a long call from the sleek and understated furnishing of his own houses.

Flowers were good though, right? Different? This was a place that had no memories for either of us. “Come on Daisy, the doctor will be here soon, and we need to get some food. I’m guessing Ollie’s picnic won’t carry us far into today.”

I gestured for Daisy to follow me out of the room so Oliver could have some privacy getting up. “Is he really staying,” she whispered as we were halfway down the stairs.

“I think so.” I nodded, trying to read her reaction. “You are happy, aren’t you?”

She nodded but I could see through her apprehension. “What’s wrong?”

“Aren’t you scared of the papers? You were angry the other day; they were saying bad things about you.”

In the kitchen I concentrated on filling the kettle up to give myself some time to think of a suitable answer. In the end I went for one hundred percent truth.

“I think it’s impossible not to love the people you do. With Ollie that comes with papers, and attention, but I know I couldn’t not love him. I tried and it hurt.” I kept my eyes on her face. “Does that make sense? I love you just as much as always.” I tapped my chest. “But I’ve got room for both of you in here now, and yes I’m scared. I want to protect you, but I know I’ll be better at being who I am with him. Even if he does like posh things and we like things a bit simple.”

I couldn’t explain it right. It didn’t come down to belongings or houses, or the possessions that filled them. It came down to the fact that he had been born to be king. I’d been born to be the girl from Hackney… but those things didn’t define who we were when we were together.

Maybe I was naïve.

Yes.