“Yes, Millie. Heath was very well behaved so I was just letting him play a bit before coming inside to get him cleaned up for dinner.”
“Very well, Princess, I shall bring him inside now. Would you be joining us or do you prefer to spend more time in the garden?”
“I’ll come inside shortly and maybe have a nap, Millie. I’m a bit tuckered out today. Have you heard from Edward?”
“Yes, Princess, he is expected to arrive momentarily.” She quirks her brow in knowing, silently urging me to play into her conversation. “It would seem Prince Drew will be returning with him.”
Now that, I was not expecting.
I quirked my brow, silently admonishing her. Millie’s habit for gossip cost me my job as tutor all those years ago, and if not for Edward’s kind soul, she’d been fired too for breach of confidentiality. Yet, the nerve of her to stand here and gossip about Prince Drew … It was unbecoming of her, and I’d have half the mind to report her to the Queen herself, but we had far more important issues of topic to be concerned with. Prince Drew was un-expectantly returning from boarding school during their spring break rather than going on the class trip as planned.
“Save it, Millie. I’ll get the story when they both arrive.”
“Yes, Your Highness.” She curtsied with a nod.
“My sweet prince,” I called to Heath.
“Yes, Mum?” He stood, truck in hand, and made his way to me.
“Millie will take you to clean up for dinner now, sweet boy.”
“Five more minutes?”
“I’m afraid now, love. Mum will join you shortly.” I tweaked his nose, which made him laugh, then Millie took his hand and led him inside.
I rested my head against the rocker and rubbed my round tummy, humming quietly to the baby. The warm spring wind soothes me, and it wasn’t until soft lips caressed my forehead did I realize I’d fallen asleep. My eyes flickered open to see Edward’s smiling face looking back at me.
“Hello, Sleeping Beauty,” he muttered.
“I didn’t mean to fall to sleep,” I replied on a yawn as I stretched my arms.
“How was your visit with Drew and the dean?”
“Not what we were hoping for actually. He’s home now and may return to boarding school after spring break.”
“What’s the story there?
“Ah, you’ve had too much time with Millie, I see,” he joked and pulled me up from the rocker. I jabbed in the side then took his hand.
“Not funny, Edward. You know I’m concerned about Drew. I’d went along with you today if I’d felt like traveling. As much as I hate that he missed the trip to Greece, I am glad that he is home.”
“Not my story to tell, lovely, and I doubt you’ll get much of a response out of Drew. Besides, I only know what the dean eluded to me, and that wasn’t much. Maybe there wasn’t much to tell. Drew’s locked down tight and close lipped about whatever is troubling him. I’m sure he’ll figure it out on his own.
Obviously we were all concerned for him. Drew had always been vibrant and full of life, eager to learn and grow immensely. So when the headmaster reached out to Edward in regard to Drew’s sudden withdraw, we knew we had to get down to the heart of the matter. Edward had made weekly trips to the school to check in on Drew, and each time he was dismissed as though there was no cause for concern.
As we entered the hall, Drew exited the library leaving the door open wide. The Queen sat with her face in her hands, obviously stressed beyond disbelief over Drew’s situation.
I released Edward’s hand and tried to hurry my steps, but my round belly had me wobbling unevenly rather than walking faster. “Don’t you dare, Drew,” I called ahead.
He swung around and stared me down, crossing his arms over his chest as he waited for me to catch up. “I’m in no mood for more sage advice, Maggie, really.”
I realized as I approached him how much of a young man he’d grown into as I had to lean my head back to make eye contact. Standing at six-feet-one, it was safe to say he towered over me and still had room to grow.
“No lip, Drew. By the looks of your mother, I’d say the two of you have already minced words, but surely you wouldn’t dare to be cruel and hurtful to a woman with child,” I challenge him with my brow cocked.
He looks back toward Edward and then down to me, his shoulders slumping in defeat.
I took that as cue that I’d broke the barrier holding him in silence and walked ahead of him sure that he’d follow. Each step was painful, my back aching and throbbing under the weight of my heavy belly. I made it to the garden and sat in the rocker, taking a deep sigh to ease the pain.
Drew found his way toward me and sat on the bench next to me, looking around to make sure nobody was near to overhear our conversation.
“I can remember the first day I met you. You weren’t happy to have a new tutor, and you doubted my abilities to teach you and Abigail. It’s pitiful to admit, but I was intimidated by a twelve-year-old. Now look at you eighteen, a mirror image of Edward, minus the cocky attitude and flirtatious personality, and in your first year of university. You have an amazing life ahead of you as Prince, responsibilities that will weigh heavily on your shoulders, but if any one man in this family was destined to rule all of England, it was you, Prince Drew.” He scrubbed his hand down his face and stared off into the distance, remaining silent.
“Drew, whatever it is, you can share with me, and it won’t go any further. Promise.”
“It’s not what’s wrong, Maggie, but what’s right.” He sighs, the defeat in his voice intense.
“I don’t follow, Drew.”
“You said it perfectly. I have my whole life ahead of me, as perfect as it may seem. It’s anything but.” He stared at me for a moment then asked, “What if I’m more like Edward than any of us realized?”
“What do you mean, Drew?”
“Flirtatious, irresponsible? Ready to escape the Royal life just for lo—”
I stared blankly as his words registered. The headmaster contacted Edward weeks ago concerned with Drew’s sudden change in behavior. His grades were slipping, he’d secluded himself from friends, and his demeanor was no longer strong and confident, but cocky and dismissive. Edward and The Queen had tossed around ideas of possibly being bullied, though who would bully a royal; perhaps he’d been enticed with drugs? Suddenly the lightbulb of recognition flickered and I realized what the problem had been all along.
“What’s her name?”
“Eliza Noble, and she’s turned my world upside down.
Thank you so much for reading Royally Schooled. I hope you enjoyed Maggie and Edward’s love story and if you did, I think you will love my next book Royal Academy. It’s all about Drew (all grown up!) falling for a girl who appears wrong for him in every way, but she steals his heart anyway.
Order Royal Academy now so you don’t miss it.
You don’t have to wait for Royal Academy for more Royal Romance. You can read Bad Boy Prince FREE!
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Also by Mckenna James
Royally Schooled
Royal Academy
About the Author
Mckenna James is the pen name for a collaborative writing duo who share an addiction to sweet tea and a love for wealthy, attractive men.
Since they don’t know enough devastatingly handsome men with boatloads of cash to spare, they decided to create some. They specialize in fairytales for today’s world featuring modern princes and heroines who speak their minds and carve out happily ever afters on their own terms.
Join her Reader group on Facebook.
Table of Contents
COPYRIGHT
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
>
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Epilogue
Also by Mckenna James
About the Author
Royally Schooled Page 16