Page 55 of Scandal Queen

“Did he?”

“Of course he did, the point of the story would be utterly depressing otherwise.” He chuckled against me and I reached up and kissed his jaw.

“So why did you give it to me the night of the variety performance?” I stared at the slender band again with greater interest.

“Because even though I knew you didn’t know what it meant, or what it had meant before, I wanted my promise to be there on your skin. I’ll never let you down, Leia. Not ever.”

“I know.” I reached around and pressed my lips to his, inhaling his scent of oriental spice. “Shall we go and get Daisy together? Then I want to take her to Bernie’s shelter for a little while.”

“I’ve got plans for this afternoon.”

“Oh?”

He pecked a kiss on my lips. “Just wait and see. Come, let’s go. She’s been talking about a dinosaur she wants to show us in the great hall.”

I snorted loudly. “Only you could send my daughter to a school where they have a great hall and not a dining hall.”

“I’m all about the great.”

His gaze dropped to my lips and my stomach tightened. “I know.” I winked.

“Well, so long as we are clear on some things.”

“Just some things.”

Daisy bounced into my arms when we met her at the door to St George’s. I swept her up tight, skimming my nose along her blonde hair, filling myself with the faint smell of her shampoo. I’d always hated missing the afternoon school runs, holding resentment that Nana got to share the after-school buzz while I sat in an office pretending I knew a lot about marketing that I really didn’t.

Of course I never quite envisaged that I’d have the press with me on the school run, but then even them I slowly managed to accept.

I knew I had to. I couldn’t keep fighting my chance of happiness. I had to take it.

As if reminding me of that very fact, Granny Alice’s ring pinched my finger as Daisy grasped a firm grip on my hand, her other one reaching for Oliver’s, so we walked in a connected line. Good for us, problematic for the people on the pavement. I refused to duck my head though and shy away from the interested glances we got. Instead I focused on the word vomit streaming out of Daisy’s mouth.

“Then I said to her, well the kitchen shouldn’t be throwing away all the food like that. I mean there are people starving in this world.” I seemed to have tuned back in at a pivotal moment. Daisy stood stock still on the pavement, let go of our hands and placed her own on her hips.

“You said that to the cook?” Oliver’s lips quirked into my favourite smile. “Wow, you’re an echo crusader, Daisy.”

“Well it’s a waste, there are starving people on these streets, Da—” She cut off her words; those bright blues I adored glittered around the edges.

Oliver stood stock still, frozen into place.

For my part, my mouth flapped open like a fish—my favourite look to share with the press.

Oh shit.

I should say something.

Anything.

Anything… right now… any time…

Fuck.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that.” Daisy placed her hand over her mouth, her eyes on me, alarm and… what was that… fright… in their depths?

“Daisy. Don’t worry.” I mean she hadn’t done anything wrong. She’d just called the man she loved Dad. I guess that was right… wasn’t it?

So why did she have tears trickling down her face? “Sorry, Mummy.”