Page 32 (1/2)

My hands are on his neck, his jaw, pulling hi seeps into an I came here, for you--I didn’t know You didn’t losenow, tears streaan opens his beautiful brown eyes and sparkling drops of water cling to his heavy, dark lashes And his voice is clear and deliberate

"I think of you"

My breath catches "Really?"

He brushes my wet hair back, his forehead still pressed to an strokesat the sa you’d say that"

He sweeps his thumb across my lower lip and looks into my eyes

"I feel it too, lovely Ellie"

"You do?"

He nods against ers skim the stubble on his jaw, his chin, his neck--I just want to touch hian takes my face in his hands and kisses me It’s a whisper of a touch, at first, a soft stroke of his lips I reach up and press against hi as h when I feel the stroke of his tongue Slow and exploring but firainst mine It slides and flicks andway Logan coversjust a bit; then, with a breath that feels regretful, he pulls away

His hands move down my hair too to the palace Your sister"

"Oh God--Liv--she must be a et an stands us up, keeping hold of h the rain to his car in the muddy driveway "I have my phone--call her on the way"

THERE ARE TEARS AND HUGS when I get Ellie back to the palace We go to the yelloing room, because the Queen herself would like to see that Ellie is alive and well Henry and Sarah are there too, as are Prince Nicholas and Olivia She tackles Ellie thetoo And apologizing The way she tells the story, she left The Goat to get soot lost Then, hours later, she just happened to passhoest crock of shit I’ve ever heard It doesn’t even make sensebut they’re all just so happy, so relieved that she’s safe, that no one questions it

I don’t confirht-faced, neutral I won’t lie to Nicholas--ever But there are conversations he and I need to have--and I have no intention of having theer to get started

Those plans are delayed when the Queen calls for wine Albert, the butler, hands lass and I take it, join in the toast and drink--but it’s coroup of i inside this rooht aside when Ellie uses Olivia’s phone to call their father in New York And there areto visit in a few days’ ti rush to get to Olivia can be delayed

After Ellie hangs up and the wineglasses are cleared, it seeht Put ain

And this, I’etSarah’s hand

Her Majesty nods "Yes, of course you do But the tio by quickly and there is still ht-haired prince shakes his head "We want to get ht Here Now"

I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Queen look confused I don’t think anyone has ever seen the Queen look confused--or surprised But at the moment she’s both

"What?"

"Ellie could have died," Henry tells her in a clear, calht this out; he knohat he wants and he’s deter, and the only consolation was that they had all those years together Life is so short, Granny It goes by so quick" Henry pulls Sarah closer against his side "I don’t want to spend anotherSarah’s husband"

"No one else has to know; it’ll just be for us We’ll keep it a secret," Lady Sarah offers "We’ll still have the service and the reception as planned, of course"