Royal Court

by Jenny Frame

  “I’ll try to be brave,” Holly said. “Now which shade of lippy for a riding stable?” Holly held out a palette of colours for her.

  Bea pointed. “This one, please.” Then she said, “Oh, by the way, George, Cammy, and Quin are going to give the children a polo lesson.”

  “You mean Cammy and Quin will have polo gear on too?”

  Bea nodded and grinned like the Cheshire cat. “Yes, they will, and you’re coming with us. It’ll be an informal day.”

  Holly gulped, and her heart thudded wildly. “Wait—didn’t Cammy once say polo was for posh girls and boys?”

  Bea giggled. “She’s been persuaded to make an exception for the children.”

  Holly clapped her hands together. “I can’t wait to see this.”

  ***

  Quincy wasn’t wildly comfortable doing this. During their visit to Appledown Riding Stables, she was to hand over the protection of the Queen Consort and Princess Edwina to Clay, while Queen Georgina, Cammy, and herself took part in a polo lesson.

  In the run up to the tour, Queen Georgina’s private secretary had been informed that the children who came to the stables were studying all the equestrian pursuits the Queen enjoyed, and polo was the main one.

  The Queen suggested that they donate some children’s polo sets to the stables and get involved with a lesson. Quincy had been reluctant, but the Queen had asked her as a favour, and so she couldn’t say no.

  It wasn’t that she didn’t want to get involved with the children, but she didn’t like being the centre of attention, and now she was to be front and centre on every news broadcast around the world.

  After her nightmares and bad sleep last night, she was surprised she could even function properly, far less play polo. Her nightmares had been particularly bad—it must have been talking about Jacob with Holly that had triggered them. Holly had pressed and pressed her for information, and all she could think to do was run. God only knew what Holly thought about her.

  She was beginning to regret encouraging Holly to help her paint her model soldiers. It would probably be safer if she just gave the rec room a miss and stayed in her room.

  The cars pulled into the stable courtyard, and all the children, the staff, and their families were waiting and waving a mixture of American and Union flags.

  The Buckinghams were creating plenty of goodwill, just as their tour was meant to do.

  Quincy was in the car behind the royal party. Clay was sitting in her stead with the Queens, where she would normally be. She was impressed with the new young recruit. Clay took her assignment very seriously, but had that happy knack of fitting in with the family aspect of the duty. Quincy didn’t know if she would ever do that well.

  The royal car stopped, and Quincy said into her body mic, “Clay? Look sharp. Don’t relax just because this is an informal visit.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Clay replied.

  Letting your guard down during such a small visit, with children as the main well-wishers, was an easy mistake to make. Any assailant would take this as an ideal opportunity to strike, and even though Quincy would be otherwise engaged, she would never switch off.

  Quincy watched Cammy emerge first and open the Queen’s car door, and the children and adults squealed as she stepped out. Then Clay opened the consort’s door. She noticed Clay’s gaze taking in the full perimeter as the consort got out.

  Well done, Clay, Quincy said to herself.

  Both the royals waved to the crowds before George leaned into the armoured car and took Princess Edwina from her car seat. There was an even bigger cheer. Princess Edwina had been a star from the moment the Queen and consort announced the pregnancy to the news outlets. Countless words had been written about the princess in her first year, and no doubt interest would increase as she grew up.

  Then Quincy’s attention was caught by Holly coming out of the car. The Queen Consort had asked Holly to come along to help with Teddy, to give Nanny Baker a break for this outdoor event.

  When she saw Holly and gazed at that bright happy smile, she forgot to breathe.

  She felt a touch on her arm and was knocked from her thoughts. It was Lali, summoning her from the car. Everyone had gotten out but her. Brilliant. After reminding Clay to stay alert and promising not to switch off despite her different role today, she had done just that. Holly stole her attention.

  ***

  Holly, George, and Bea made their way down the line of children and staff, taking their time and making that human-to-human contact they were both so determined to bring to their roles.

  Bea and George were shown the stables, and they talked to the staff about the challenges they encountered. Bea found it fascinating and explained to the staff why the city riding project was so close to her heart, and how much her sister Abigail got from it.

  Then came the part Bea was most anxious about—Teddy was going to ride one of the smallest ponies in the stable. Riding was not for Bea, she and horses did not mix, and the thought of her baby on one didn’t fill her with joy. But horse riding was ingrained in George and her family, and something Bea couldn’t fight against.

  George had put Teddy on the back of a horse before she could walk and took her out to play with the horses every weekend at Windsor.

  In the stable yard a very small pony was led out, and Bea held Teddy just that little bit tighter. She didn’t want to pass her anxiety to her daughter, but she couldn’t hide her natural reaction. Her sister Abigail would be so proud that her niece was enjoying her own love of horses.

  George must have noticed her worry, because she came over to her and smiled. “Let me take her. She’s going to be fine, my darling. The stables have chosen a very mild-mannered pony, and I know what I am doing. Do you trust me?”

  “Of course I do. I know you do this with her every weekend, but”—Bea shot a look to the bank of photographers waiting for their piece of today’s visit—“if it wasn’t in front of all of them, I’d feel better.”

  “I completely understand how you feel, Your Maj, but the paparazzi won’t dare try anything sneaky with Teddy’s mum in charge.” Holly felt Bea’s anxiety as she stood beside her. Since coming to work for her friend, Holly had come to understand that the royal family’s life was a constant balance of negotiations with the media, so they could have some semblance of a private life.

  Each public appearance, holiday, and family event was only possible if the press were given their photo op of the day, and this was it. Since Teddy had been born, photos with her were the most requested.

  In order to have privacy later, the press were allowed this one shot outside, of George leading Teddy around on the pony. The pony ride went ahead without incident, and then George, Cammy, and Quincy set up the children’s polo equipment and joined the children on horseback.

  Holly joined Bea and Lali against the fence to watch. George and Cammy were really good looking in their polo gear, but she could not take her eyes off Quincy.

  That day she had first seen Quincy at the polo, she had assumed Quincy was a confident woman who knew how good-looking she was, but now Holly knew that wasn’t the case. Quincy’s long, muscular legs in those polo trousers and boots almost made her drool, but the fact that Quincy didn’t know how good she looked made her all the more enticing.

  I’m lusting after Quin the dull, but then she corrected herself. She wasn’t dull, she was intense. Intense emotions were held at bay behind those so troubled but gorgeous blue eyes. Holly couldn’t imagine hiding her emotions. If she wasn’t happy, everyone knew it.

  If someone could break Quincy’s self control, what would they unleash?

  She saw one of the children struggle to manage her horse, and Quincy trotted over quickly and gained control of the reins.

  Holly gave a long sigh.

  Bea said, “Was that a longing sigh, Lali?”

  “I think so,” Lali replied.

  Bea had Teddy in her arms. “That only begs the question, which one of our gorgeous polo players
made our best friend sigh, Lali?”

  Lali smiled and played right along. “I would hope it wasn’t either of ours, Bea, so that only leaves Captain Quincy.”

  She’d been rumbled. “Oh, shut up, it’s just the polo uniform.”

  Just then Quincy jumped off her horse, took off her helmet, and looked right at her. Holly felt her knees turn to jelly. She grasped the fence tightly.

  George called to Quincy and she looked away from Holly and walked the child’s horse over to the other side.

  That had never happened to Holly with anyone, male or female. She was sure it was the thought of that torrent of passion that was under Quincy’s hard surface.

  She was sure because she had felt it when they’d shared that awkward forced kiss.

  Bea bumped her shoulder. “I think she caught you looking, Holls,” Bea said while bouncing Teddy on her hip. “Auntie Holly likes the captain, doesn’t she, Teddy?”

  Holly said, “Haven’t you got some queening to do or something?”

  “You better watch it,” Lali said. “Story will get jealous.”

  “As if? Listen, Quincy is good looking, okay? I admit it,” Holly said.

  “I’ve seen her looking at you, Holls. I think she likes you,” Bea said.

  “Come on, she does not look at me. I aggravate her, cause her trouble, and generally annoy her. Besides, every time I try to talk to her, it either ends in me arguing, or long silences. It’s like trying to get blood out of a stone.”

  “Holly,” Lali said, “you can talk more than enough for both of you.”

  Bea leaned over and whispered, “Sometimes the most quiet, unassuming people are the ones who will love you the fiercest. I found that out.”

  That comment took her by surprise. She looked at Bea, then back to Quincy. She had promised herself she would break through that tough outer surface. Her attraction to Quincy was just going to make her more determined.

  You just need to be unravelled, Stompy.

  Then Lali said, “Oh, by the way, your coffee fairy? You’re looking at her.”

  “What? Quin gets my coffee?” Holly said with surprise.

  “Yes, I asked around. She got Clayton to find out what you like and picks it up on her morning run.”

  “But that first time we’d just had a big argument,” Holly said.

  Quincy happened to look across and Holly said to herself. “What is going on inside you, Captain?”

  Chapter Twelve

  The week they were spending in Chicago was frenetic. Some days they had four engagements in a day, and starting tomorrow Queen Georgina was leaving Bea and Teddy and making some solo visits to neighbouring cities.

  Luckily at the end of this week they would be headed to Kentucky, where after a public appearance at the Kentucky Derby, the royal party would be staying for a week-long break at the Castleford Ranch, owned by a horse breeder friend of the Queen.

  Holly didn’t get the chance to spend time with Quincy in the rec room for another few days, since Bea and George had evening engagements, but this evening was free.

  She waited in the rec room for an hour and Quincy never came in. Clay went out for the evening so she couldn’t ask her where her commanding officer was. Holly thought back to their last conversation here. She had asked, prodded, and probed about her military life and her friend in the marines, and then Quincy had run away.

  Was Quin frightened to talk to her? Maybe she thought Holly’d keep asking things she was too uncomfortable to talk about. She would, she conceded, but she would approach things differently this time. First she had to find Quincy.

  She went to Quincy’s room, but first she went to her bedroom for a quick change. Instead of her comfortable wool jumper, she put on a little tight low-cut top. Holly hadn’t tried her hand at gaining a woman’s attention in a long time, and her first and only girlfriend had pursued her, but she knew from her relationships with men, a little distraction could oil the wheels of a conversation.

  Happy with her appearance, she walked across the hall and knocked on the door. A surprised looking Quincy opened the door, and her eyes momentarily flicked down to her cleavage and then quickly back up.

  You are human then, Stompy.

  “Can I help you, Holly?” Quin said.

  That posh voice was sexy, Holly did have to admit. “I was waiting for you in the rec room.”

  Quincy looked even more surprised. “You were?”

  “Yes, I thought we were painting your toy soldiers together.” Holly pushed past Quincy and found a table set out with all her paints and soldiers. “Are you trying to hide from me, Captain?” Holly said with a hand on her hip.

  “No, I—I didn’t think it was a regular appointment.”

  Holly laughed and flopped down onto one of the chairs around the table. “Appointment? We don’t have an appointment. I just thought it was something we were doing together. Are you sure you’re not hiding from me?”

  “No, of course not. You’re welcome to join me,” Quincy said.

  Holly could feel Quincy’s awkwardness pouring off her. “Relax would you? I’m sure I’m not the first woman who’s been in your bedroom.”

  Quincy never replied to that, but said, “Can I get you a drink?”

  “White wine, please,” Holly said.

  Holly watched Quincy nervously get her a drink from the minibar. She’d never seen her so off kilter, or her iron control slipping so.

  It was because she was in Quin’s private space. Outside that door she was Captain Quincy, the unflappable Captain Quincy, but in here…That was the question. Who was the real Quincy?

  Holly wouldn’t make the mistake of asking direct questions about her friend Jacob and the problems she was sure powered Quincy’s nightmares. She had to be clever and gain her trust first.

  “Your wine, Ms. Holly.” Quincy handed the glass to Holly. Quincy was so nervous that she had to hope Holly didn’t notice the slight shake to her hand. She had imagined that by staying in her room, she would avoid Holly and her questions. Now here she was in Quincy’s most private of spaces.

  She sat down and Holly pointed at the mug on the table. “You drink too much coffee, Quin.”

  “No, it’s camomile tea. I thought I’d try it. A friend recommended it to me—I don’t sleep too well, you see.” Why had she said that? Don’t tell her anything.

  “Okay, I’ll let you off then. Is this my guy?” Holly picked up a soldier from the box.

  “Yes, that’s the chap,” Quincy said.

  Holly chuckled and leaned forward to pick up her brush, giving Quincy a closer look at her cleavage. “You say things in such a funny way, Quin.”

  Quincy’s heart thudded wildly. She remembered the feel of Holly’s lips, and then imagined what kissing and licking her way over Holly’s plump breasts would feel like. Her mouth watered, and her sex ached.

  Quincy had never felt so attracted to someone before. She had worked with a lot of women, and many had tried to seduce her, but she had always, politely and quite easily, brushed them off. None of them had made her feel like this.

  “Quin? Are you listening to me?”

  “Sorry?” Quincy said.

  “I was talking to you, but you were miles away,” Holly said.

  Holly had distracted her again, this time with her body. This was becoming a pattern. Quincy chastised herself.

  “Sorry, what did you say?”

  “I said, are we all set for the aquarium tomorrow?” Holly said.

  Quin nodded. “Yes, I sent a team there today to recon the place, and the local police will sweep the place tomorrow.” She’d had no choice but to relax her preferred choice of closing the building, after Inspector Lang talked to her.

  “Great, now paint.” Holly pointed to her models.

  “Oh yes.” Quincy lifted her brush but was so tense that she couldn’t relax and paint as she normally did.

  Holly was sitting in her room.

  She never had anyone in her private space. She
felt obliged to speak, but her mind was blank. Holly was used to sparkling conversation, no doubt, and all Quincy could do was gulp hard, and could find no words.

  “What army people did you say these were?” Luckily Holly filled the silence.

  “The Grenadier Guards. One of the oldest infantry regiments. They were raised in 1656,” Quincy explained.

  “Wow, that’s a bloody long time ago,” Holly said.

  Quincy couldn’t help but smile at that response. “I suppose it is. They served King Charles II, then—” Quincy stopped short. “I won’t bore you with the history.”

  Holly looked up from her soldier. “You’re not boring me. Are your marines as old as that?”

  “Not quite. The Royal Marines were officially founded in 1755. But we have a long, proud history.”

  “Do you miss it? I suppose it’s a once a marine, always a marine kind of thing?” Holly said.

  Despite all the pain and the terrors of her dreams, Quincy did miss it. “Yes, I’ll always be a Royal Marine commando. I miss the day-to-day work of looking after my unit. Training and working hard.”

  Holly smiled. “At least you get to run in some nicer places now.”

  “It’s not the same…” Quincy’s mind wandered to training with her men in the wet moors of Scotland. “I remember running for miles, with full kit, in the driving rain and cold of the Scottish Highlands, but then the sheer exhilaration of finishing, setting up camp, and sitting around the fire together.”

  Holly screwed up her eyes. “How can that be fun?”

  “It’s hard to explain. You push your body to its limits, to the point when you think you might collapse. You think the harsh reality of nature is going to break you, but then you realize that every one of your men and women is feeling the same pain, the same hopelessness.”

  Quincy could see herself running beside Jacob, could see his struggle, and everyone else’s.

  “You know you can’t let them down, and you keep going. We pull each other through. There is no one, there’s only together. We go on together or not at all.”

  She had to stop speaking and clear her throat. “That’s what being a Royal Marine is all about.”