Page 51 of Scandal Queen

“That’s what I’m saying.”

“Get out of the car now.” His face darkened with thunder.

I undid the door and slipped out. I turned to undo Daisy’s door, but Oliver already had a hold on the handle. Daisy’s face crumpled and her bottom lip protruded.

“Oh God.” Kneeling down, uncaring of who watched, I took her face in my hands. “I’m sorry, Daisy, I am. I’m just so worried about everything.”

Oliver knelt on the pavement in his smart navy trousers. “Daisy, Mummy doesn’t mean it, okay? She’s been through a lot; we all have.”

Daisy nodded. “I want everyone to be happy.”

“We are, I promise.” I smoothed her hair, well the bits of it I could touch under the stupid hat. “We are. I just have a lot of really silly thoughts about myself, and I always try so hard not to listen to them, but sometimes they shout louder than others.” I tried not to pull a face. “Does that make sense?”

Oliver’s straight lips said it all.

I rested my index finger on Daisy’s chest. “You are my number one, and maybe I’m jealous I have to share you now. Maybe I am bored and lonely but being with you two is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. You know how Cinderella doesn’t think she should go to the ball?”

Daisy nodded.

“Well I guess that’s how I feel sometimes, like I shouldn’t be here; but at the same time there isn’t anywhere else I want to be.”

I looked up to meet Oliver’s gaze. “Really. There isn’t anywhere else I want to be.”

His mouth softened a little and he grasped my hand. “Right, are we going to school or are we going to sit around on the pavement all day?”

“School.” Daisy and I said at once.

“Come on then.” He flashed me a smile, but it wasn’t totally free from reservation. “Are all school runs this stressful?”

“Sometimes. It depends on how many mummies are in the playground.” Daisy answered and I shrivelled a little inside.

Oliver’s eyes burned with determination. “Well then, it’s a bloody good job I’m here now, isn’t it?”

As we walked along to the gates leading to the courtyard entrance of the school, Oliver waved at the press while his other hand held Daisy’s. With my own free hand, I waved and smiled.

“See it’s not that hard, is it?”

Daisy and I glanced at one another, both of us curling our top lips. Sure, it wasn’t that hard at all, if you were a royal.

“Okay, so talk.” He didn’t put his seatbelt on and instead turned to face me, his arm resting over the steering wheel. “What’s going on?”

People watched but he didn’t give them the blindest bit of attention. I burned like the sun.

“I’m sorry, Ollie. It’s just these things are nerve-wracking for me.”

“What the school run, or doing it with me, because they both seemed to be an issue this morning.”

“No, not you.”

He rose an eyebrow but kept silent.

“You guys are all so normal in the palace, I can’t explain it right.” I shut my eyes and leant back against the headrest of the passenger seat. Maybe this would be easier if I had my eyes closed and couldn’t see the disappointment in his face. “Like your mum, and everything.” I skipped over his dad who didn’t like me. At all. “So it’s easy to forget when we are together at the palace that the moment we step outside everyone will be watching. Maybe not helped by the fact my life seems to have ceased to exist. I haven’t seen Nana since the Sunday before last; I haven’t been to work.” Wow a lot of words spewed out of my mouth. “I haven’t got to take Daisy for an ice-cream or to feed the ducks; anything normal. I mean, usually on the school run I’d be running around late and flapping, yet here we are gliding up in your Range Rover, perfectly on time… I mean, I don’t even like people using cars for school runs. Let’s not forget my daughter nearly died a couple of weeks ago because people are too lazy to walk. And I realise your normal is utterly normal, more than I ever expected, but at the same time it’s not normal at all.” I trailed off before adding, “Okay, I said normal way too many times then to be normal.”

He rubbed at his face. “I don’t know what to do or say. I moved you to the palace to keep you guys safe from the press, but now you are making me feel like I’m putting you in a gilded cage.”

“That’s not what I’m saying.” It was though and my lie was obvious. “I wish you and your family would show people how normal you all are. There’s all this mystery about the royal family, and yet you’re all kind of regular.”

He snorted a laugh. “Please don’t tell me I’m regular in all areas, otherwise I’ll be offended for life.”