Page 59 of Scandal Queen

“I want you to have a home, Leia. Not somewhere you have to stay because of who I am, and what the circumstances necessitate. I never want you to feel like you are just stopping by and don’t belong. So this is yours. Your name is on the deeds.”

My breath came in short bursts. “Oliver…” I had nothing. I stared at the stone clad cottage. It looked like something out of a fairy tale. The woodsman from Red Riding Hood could come marching out the door at any moment, his axe in his hand.

“Did you know about this?” I asked Daisy.

“No!” I scrutinised her face and decided she didn’t have her fibbing I’m-so-guilty look on it.

Oliver reached into his pocket and pulled out a key with a ribbon on it. “There are no security pads, no staff. It’s just ours, well yours.” He grinned wide and my heart raced for different reasons. “Although I’m kind of hoping you will let me live here with you.”

“I thought you were going to ask Nana to move into the palace? Isn’t that why you invited her over for tea?” I could have sworn that was the plan.

“With the agreement of my parents, I’ve offered Nana the use of my, sorry I mean our, old apartment. It’s here when she wants it.”

“And she said?” There’s no way Nana would agree… I think.

Oliver’s smirk answered my question. “She asked what the rules were on overnight guests.”

I cringed. “That’s disgusting.”

Oliver chuckled and motioned that I should open the door. He turned and picked up the giant box of Lego, but I remained rooted to the spot. Daisy looked at me expectantly.

“What about all the decorating you did for Daisy’s bedroom?” My heart sank down to my stomach. “I feel like I’m making life really awkward for you. You keep trying to please me, when really.” I trailed off and he waited expectantly. “When really you give us everything just by being who you are.”

Oliver laughed, the sound ringing through the early evening air. “That’s probably the nicest thing you’ve said to me yet.”

I flushed, hot and bothered.

“Open the door, Leia.”

Daisy nodded, slipping her hand into mine. I cast a suspicious gaze over her again. She loved that bedroom in the palace, but she didn’t seem to be overly upset to lose it. “Open it, Mummy.”

“My house?” My fingers shook as I held the key. I’d never owned anything of my own before. The house I’d brought Daisy up in had belonged to the council. Daisy and I just two of the needy people who desperately required help to keep a roof over our heads.

This was beyond anything.

It changed things that I didn’t think Oliver realised. More than loving a prince, moving house. This gave me bricks and mortar to call my own. Still, I hesitated. “I need to pay you back.”

“What?” Confusion flashed across his face. “It’s a gift, Leia. And really it cost nothing at all.”

“To you. But to me, it’s everything, Ollie. I’ll pay you back every penny and then it will truly be mine.”

His you’re-utterly-ridiculous expression of frustration flashed over his face, but he cleared it as quick as it arrived. “Perfect. I’ll give you my bank account details.”

“Thank you.”

“Oh, my god. Will you just open the door already? This box is actually heavy.”

I chuckled as I slid the key into the lock and pushed the door open.

Big swollen tears filled my eyes and then blinked slowly down my cheeks. Inside everything looked perfect. Shades of Oliver’s signature style lingered amongst all my own belongings from the Finsbury house. It was Oliver Beaufort, mixed with Ikea classic.

I snorted and wiped at my face.

Oliver put the box on the floor and then slid his hands to my shoulders, making me look at his face. “Please tell me they are happy tears. If I have to decorate and pack again, I might cry myself.”

“No, it’s perfect.”

I recognised the black sofas from the Bermondsey warehouse where we’d spent our first night together. The bright red rug on the oak floorboards was also from there. And the dog.