To Marry a Prince

Chapter 11

‘Telling the Parents …’ – Girl About Town

Richard didn’t seem to think it was quite the earth-shattering revelation that Bella did. He was very nice, of course – those beautiful manners again – and he kissed her as if he meant it. But he didn’t leap to his feet and beat his chest in jungle triumph. Nor did he seem very surprised, unlike Bella.

She was about to point this out when the damned timer went off and their supper was ready. Frustrated, she felt they had only had half the conversation. It was like waiting for the other shoe to drop.

But Richard didn’t seem to feel like that. Over food, they drifted away from declarations of love. He told her about a security officer he wasn’t keen on, the nightclub he’d been photographed in, the crazy diary of the next few days. Bella told him about Lottie’s idea of turning Neill into a Viking oarsman.

Richard snorted with laughter. ‘I know you said he needed to get out more. But rape and pillage seems to be taking it a bit far.’

‘Neill is not a natural pillager. They won’t corrupt him!’

She told him about her new job. ‘It’s my sort of charity, saving woodland and replacing trees. They want me to reorganise their admin system, which I can do standing on my head. But what they really want me to do is evaluate project proposals, drawing on my experience in the field.’

‘And that’s the bit that has got you excited,’ he said, seeing the glint in her eye.

Remembering the island and all the supplies that Francis was sure they could cope without until the next consignment arrived, Bella’s eyes narrowed to slits of pure venom. ‘Oh, yes. After ten months with the fragrant Francis, I can tell a waffler at fifty paces. They say things like “I’m a big-picture man”, and “I concentrate on objectives, not operational minutiae”. They think it’s a waste of their valuable energy actually to spend any time with the researchers on the ground. Francis always used to—’

‘Since you mention Francis—’

She flipped back to the present with a jump. ‘Yes?’

‘I haven’t asked before. But how close exactly were you? I mean, ten months on a tropical island …’

‘You mean, the moon, the stars, the virgin beach, the turquoise sea?’

‘Yes, I suppose I do.’ He didn’t look very happy about it.

Bella leaned across the table and put her hand over his. ‘They didn’t stand a chance. In London, I was starry-eyed about Francis, I admit it. He was the big cheese and he was very flattering to me and, well, he talked a good story.’

A look of amusement dawned. ‘Our Gallant Leader Syndrome?’

‘Exactly. Francis is big on Inspiration. As long as he’s doing the inspiring, of course.’

Richard choked.

‘His feet of clay showed the first day. The very first day. He was supposed to have organised chemical toilets to be brought in by sea. He forgot.’

‘Ah. Not a good move.’

‘After that, well, I can’t say the scales fell from my eyes. I mean, he still had the charisma. But, well, he didn’t quite seem so irresistible somehow. It just all wound down rather sadly.’

‘I’m not surprised. Nothing like propinquity and poor sanitation for showing a man in his true colours. So you didn’t … er …’

She shook her head. ‘We didn’t sleep together, no.’

‘I’m glad,’ he said simply.

‘So am I.’ She leaned back and watched him for a while. Then said ‘And what about your ex? Almost the first day I got back, I was reading that someone had dumped you.’

One of the nice things about Richard was that he didn’t shy away from the suggestion he’d been dumped. He nodded. ‘You mean Debs.’

Bella didn’t remember the woman’s name but she recited what she could remember of the article.

‘Yes, that would be Debs.’ He thought about it. ‘That’s not an easy one. At first, Debs was great. She never got uptight. Didn’t mind being on display.’

Bella winced. One in the eye for me, she thought.

Richard did not notice. ‘She even laughed at the photographers when they ran down the street after us. Used to joke with them. She was so relaxed. As you know, I’m not very. I was crazy about her.’

Bella sat very still. He was crazy about her. Well, of course, there was going to have been someone. Of course, there was. He was twenty-nine, not a kid. But she felt angry and resentful and hurt and she wanted to kick Debs so hard she disappeared off the planet. It took her a while but she worked it out in the end: she was jealous. It was stupid, but there it was.

Richard was oblivious, still wrestling with the problem of Debs who had dumped him

‘You know me, Bella. I’ve always been a bit dull. Never late for receptions. Read my briefing, remember it.’

Bella’s eyes narrowed. ‘Is this the genetic good behaviour myth again? The one you peddled before jumping my bones in the middle of a major reception?’

He had the grace to flush faintly, though he looked pleased at the same time. ‘That was rather out of character for me.’

‘Hmph.’

‘Even you have to admit that I don’t have a lot of pizazz. Debs had pizzazz.’

‘You dated her for her pizzazz?’ Bella was incredulous.

‘What can I tell you? I’m a man. I’m shallow!’

‘You’re also winding me up,’ said Bella, not deceived. ‘What really went wrong? If you want to tell me, of course,’ she added conscientiously.

Richard stopped grinning. ‘Have you heard of the idea of the starter marriage? Well, that’s what I would have been for Debs. She probably didn’t know it, of course. But I watched what her friends did and she was on the same track. Big engagement party. Big, big wedding. Lots of gadding about and flirting with the cameras. And then the wife does her thing and the husband does his, and after a couple of years in the limelight they’re both ready to move on to someone else. I was so determined I didn’t want a dynastic marriage like my parents that it took me a while to see that there are other sorts of marriage that won’t do for me either. Debs’s sort, for instance.’

‘So she didn’t dump you?’

‘Yes and no. She did. But she wasn’t the woman for me and I knew it before she did. So I just went on not asking her to marry me until she got tired and gave me the push.’

‘I see.’

Bella said nothing more.

But later, when they were walking back to Lottie’s flat along the river, with the clouds scudding over Battersea Park, exposing and veiling a nibbled-cheese moon, she said thoughtfully, ‘You know, Debs probably did you a favour and Francis did the same for me – patronising twerp! In fact, when someone stops him buggering up perfectly good research projects, he will undoubtedly make himself a fortune as a motivational speaker.’

Richard stopped dead, flung back his head and roared with laughter.

‘You’re lethal,’ he said. ‘I love you too.’

And that was when Bella realised what she had been waiting for. Not the jungle chest-beating, not the exclamations of delight and astonishment. The vow returned.

She thought: I’ve never felt so right before.

Not that it was dramatic or even very romantic. Richard gave her a quick hug, but said, ‘We’d better keep walking or you’ll get cold. There’s snow in the air, I think.’

So instead of wandering hand in hand under the London stars, they marched briskly up from the river along Chelsea Bridge Road, past the well-lit, fashionable shops of Pimlico Road, then Orange Square and Mozart’s statue, heading towards the flat.

Only there was display in a shop window that caught Bella’s eye. ‘What’s that?’

She went over to it. Richard did not resist following.

It was a Christmas special in an interior design shop. In the window there was a family of mechanical polar bears, rather good ones with liquorice allsort eyes and huge powerful feet, their slab heads nodding. There were four of them, a mother, father and two cubs, one batting the other back into line. It was kitsch but at the same time, immensely appealing.

Richard peered down at Bella. ‘Are you crying?’

‘I like the little ones,’ she said, in a muffled voice.

‘You are crying. You old softie.’

Bella sniffed unromantically. ‘Well, you said you loved me. I think it just caught up with me.’

He said in a shaken voice, ‘Oh, Bella, my darling. Don’t cry, my love. Don’t cry.’

And they did kiss then, properly. They stood in front of the spotlit window and the first snowflakes drifted down and neither of them noticed.

People came out of the restaurant opposite, stopped, peered, then stared. They put their heads together, muttering. Then one of them brought out a phone and took a picture, took several. The group went off, bunched together to look at the tiny screen, chattering excitedly.

Bella and Richard didn’t notice that either.

Eventually, Richard raised his head and cupped her cheek in his gloved hand. He was breathing hard. Bella, dizzy and swaying, felt she would never remember how to breathe again.

‘Come on. Home.’

They ran back to the flat hand in hand.

Lottie looked up when they went into the sitting room. She was sitting on the sofa with her laptop on her knee. She looked uneasy.

‘Hi,’ she said. ‘Have a nice time?’

Bella nodded. ‘I got the job,’ she said in a voice that said her cup of happiness was running over.

Lottie seemed oddly distracted. ‘The job? Oh, the forest charity. Good for you. When do you start?’

‘Second of January they think. They’re sending me the contract tomorrow.’

‘Excellent.’ Lottie looked back at the screen. It kept beeping. ‘Um … where did you go tonight?’

‘We dined at home,’ said Bella, taking off her coat and twirling round happily.

But Richard was watching Lottie, a frown between his brows. ‘Something wrong?’

‘That depends.’

‘On what?’

‘On whether you two want to go public.’

Bella stopped twirling. ‘What? Why?’

‘You’re on Twitter,’ said Lottie brutally. ‘You know how fast these viral things go? I reckon global in fifteen or twenty minutes.’

Bella went cold. ‘No-o-o.’ It was a wail.

Richard kept his cool. ‘Someone saw us? Recognised us?’

‘They’re not sure.’ Lottie turned the laptop round and gave it to him. ‘See for yourself.’

He sat down on the sofa beside her and considered it gravely. ‘Ah, I see.’

There were three photos. Two of them could just have been any couple kissing. The third had Richard raising his head, three-quarter face to the camera. The back lighting of the polar bear window display gave the picture dramatic shadows. Unfortunately these only served to intensify his distinctive profile.

He sighed heavily. ‘My damned Coburg nose. There’s not much chance of convincing people there’s been a mistake, is there?’

‘Look at the tweets,’ Lottie suggested. ‘Plenty of doubters. You could always deny it.’ She stared hard at Bella. ‘Depends how much you’re prepared to lie.’

Richard read them fast. ‘Yes, I see,’ he said without expression. He looked up at Bella. ‘I think this one is your call, darling. Have a read, then tell me what you want to do.’ He stood up to make room for her.

She sat down and tried to focus on the messages. The limit on characters meant that many were so compressed she couldn’t understand them. But others were clear enough. Diners in London had seen Prince Richard (or was it?) kissing an unknown blonde/local barmaid/Australian ladies’ golf champion/any one of several soap and movie stars.

‘Golf champion?’ said Bella, seizing on the one thing that didn’t matter.

Richard raked one hand through his hair. ‘I danced with her at a Sports Personality bash. The photo’s on my file, that’s all. I barely know the woman.’ He sighed. ‘I’d better check in with my office.’

He pulled out his phone and Bella realised that he must have had it switched off all evening. As soon as he turned it on, it rang. He looked at the caller’s name and sighed; then answered, with his usual dutiful calm.

‘Hello Monty … Yes, I’ve heard … No, I don’t think that’s necessary. I will work on a statement with you tomorrow … Tomorrow, Monty. You can come and see me at eight. I’ll even give you breakfast.’

The moment he cut the call his phone rang again. He looked at the screen and groaned.

‘Hello, Mother … Yes, so I hear. I’m surprised you have, though. I didn’t know you were on Twitter … Oh, Lady Pansy told you, did she? Don’t see her as a typical Twitterer either.’

There was silence, while he listened to what was clearly a vehement maternal lecture.

‘I’m not being evasive, Mother. I just haven’t made my mind up yet. Be assured that when I do you’ll be the first to know … What? No, not tonight. I’m talking to my Press Secretary tomorrow about the options. And can I just point out that this is not life and death, or even a bad case of measles? Yes, we’ll clear any statement with Father. And you, of course.’

Another, shorter harangue.

Richard stiffened. Suddenly his voice turned icy. ‘Very well, Mother. Thank you. I will bear that in mind. Good night.’

He nearly shattered the phone when he pressed the Call End button. As soon as the thing started to ring again, he said, ‘Oh, shit,’ and switched it off entirely.

Bella went to him.

‘We’re in the soup, aren’t we?’

Lottie said hurriedly, ‘Don’t mind me. I’ll go and … and … And tidy something.’

But Bella said, ‘No, don’t go, Lotts. You’re good at this PR stuff. Richard, it’s OK if Lottie stays, isn’t it?’

He said with sudden bitterness, ‘You probably ought to have your own Press Team and a lawyer to boot. Of course Lottie must stay.’

Bella pulled herself together. ‘Then take your coat off and let’s talk. Lottie, can you think what you would advise us—’

‘You,’ said Richard swiftly. ‘This has to be your decision.’

Bella did not argue. ‘OK. What would you advise me to do, Lottie? Think about it. I’m going to make a pot of strong coffee and then we can sit down and talk. We need to agree a strategy.’

‘Cool,’ said Lottie, clearly relieved.

But Richard looked surprised.

‘Don’t worry about her,’ Lottie said kindly, leading him to the sofa. ‘That is one seriously together woman. You’re in safe hands. Trust me on this.’

Bella came back with a cafetière of maximum-strength medium roast, three mugs and two litres of semi-skimmed milk. Richard took his black. He swigged half a mug in one go. It was the only sign of agitation he betrayed.

‘I wish I smoked,’ said Lottie, who was less controlled than the Prince of Wales.

However, her summing up of the situation was masterly.

‘You have three options, Bella. First of all, you don’t have to say a thing. The photo is clearly Richard but it’s not so clear of you. You’ve done a good job of keeping below the radar so far. None of the Royal watchers have ever heard of you. You can keep your mouth shut and ride out the story.’

She paused, looking from one to the other of them.

‘Of course, that means you’ll have to stop seeing each other. The story’s out there now and the Press are going to keep after Richard until they find the answer to the secret of his mystery companion.’

Richard said swiftly, ‘An answer. I doubt if they’d ever be able to identify you for sure, Bella.’

‘But I don’t want to stop seeing you,’ she said. ‘That’s a no-brainer.’

He gave her such a blinding smile that for a moment she couldn’t think of anything else.

‘Right,’ said Lottie. ‘Then here are your other options. You can lie. You can stay silent and hope it all goes away. Or you can ’fess up. All of these depend on Richard’s co-operation.’

‘Of course,’ he said. ‘Bella never asked for this. I got her into it. I’ll do, say, confirm, whatever she’s happiest with.’ He spoke direct to Lottie, not looking at Bella.

Lottie nodded. ‘Thank you.’ She turned to her friend. ‘The first thing you have to remember is once you’ve told a story, there’s no going back. You can fudge and finesse or you can downright lie. But if you decide not to come clean, you have to keep on lying. Do you want to do that? From experience, I know it can be done. But often it’s more painful than telling the truth and it certainly goes on for longer. The tabloids have scented a story and they will dig and keep on digging after it.’

Richard said quietly, ‘She’s right.’

Lottie looked straight at Bella, serious-faced. ‘If you want to kill this story, my best advice is tell the truth – yes, it was you – and don’t elaborate. Don’t answer questions. No second press release. Certainly no exclusive to Royal Watchers or the Daily Despatch. Just shut up. Remember, you’ve done nothing wrong. You’re both unattached.’

Bella nodded.

‘Eventually he’ll date someone else and the Press will lose interest.’

Richard flinched but said nothing.

Lottie went on. ‘Of course, you could just keep your head down. You probably wouldn’t be found out. There are only four people who know – we three and Richard’s security officer. You could keep schtum and leave it to his Press Office to handle.’

Richard said quietly, ‘It’s what they’re paid for. You don’t need to be involved. You wouldn’t have been if I were anybody else. If I weren’t—’

‘Public property,’ said Bella softly. She tried to take his hand but he seemed to be lost in thought and didn’t respond.

Lottie said crisply, ‘Of course, if the Press Secretary admits it was Richard and doesn’t give up the name of the lady, the nastier rags will imply that it was a one-night stand and she was probably – er – professional.’

Bella was aghast. ‘What? They wouldn’t …’

Lottie shrugged. ‘Whatever sells their paper.’

Bella looked at Richard.

He spread his hands, in answer to her silent question. ‘I don’t know. I suppose they might. But that’s my problem.’

Lottie said, ‘And then we come to the fourth option.’

Bella sat up very straight. ‘There’s a fourth? I thought you said there were only three?’

‘Three b then,’ said Lottie impatiently. ‘Tell the whole truth. Whatever that is. Be prepared for further questions. Answer them. And keep on answering them as long as the relationship lasts.’

She sat back, looking at them expectantly. Richard got up.

Bella said to his back, ‘If you say it’s my call one more time, I will scream.’

‘Be fair, Bella. What else can he say? He’s had the paparazzi shadowing him all his adult life. He knows the score. He can cope. Can you?’ Lottie asked.

Bella ignored her. She stood up and went to Richard. ‘You said you loved me.’

He didn’t turn round. ‘Yes. Of course I love you. I would do anything … But if we tell the world we’re seeing each other, you’ll become public property too. You never wanted that. You said you didn’t.’

‘I know I did. But that was before.’

‘Before I said I loved you?’ He sounded tired. ‘Pulease.’

‘Before I knew you properly.’

He turned round then, looking oddly uncertain. ‘What?’

She said simply, ‘You learned to cope without selling your soul. So will I.’

Richard searched her face. ‘Bella, think about this. Are you sure?’

He looked so drawn she wanted to put her arms round him. ‘Are you?’

‘Me? Oh, yes,’ he said, quite as if it didn’t matter, as if that were a given. ‘I was sure the moment I saw you.’

There was complete silence.

‘Oh,’ Bella said on a long note of wonder.

He searched her face. What he saw there seemed to reassure him. His shoulders came down from under his ears and the tension lines round his mouth eased. He took her hands and swung them a little. His eyes were starting to smile again, she saw, and her heart turned over.

He drew in a long breath. ‘Well,’ he said. ‘Well.’

‘That’s settled then.’ Bella sounded a little breathless but brisk. ‘Press statement says we’re going out together.’

His fingers tightened. ‘Yes.’

‘Well, thank God for that!’ Lottie said. ‘Now, look, you’ll need to tell your nearest and dearest, along with anything you want or don’t want them to say. Someone will go to them for a comment, as sure as eggs is eggs. And you really ought to do that before you issue the press release.’

Richard couldn’t stop looking at Bella. ‘I’m afraid she’s right,’ he said. ‘The Palace machine will handle my family. But what about yours?’

Bella groaned. ‘Oh, great! My mother will burst with joy and my father will never speak to me again.’

‘I’m sorry?’ said Richard, startled.

‘He’s an anti-monarchist. I told you.’

‘I didn’t realise he was that bad. He’d actually break off communication because you’ve gone over to the enemy? That’s impressive.’ Richard brightened suddenly. ‘Actually, I’ll get to meet him now, won’t I? Great. Maybe I can talk him round.’

‘Don’t count on it,’ said Bella. She was making a list. ‘Mother and Kevin. Finn. Neill. Granny Georgia.’ She looked at her watch. ‘I’ll text them now and speak to them properly in the morning.’

‘Don’t forget the people at work,’ Lottie instructed her. ‘And you’ll need to update your Facebook page. I’d advise you to change the settings or you’ll get all sorts of nutters leaving stuff on there. Now let’s work out what you’re going to tell everyone.’

‘Er – one thing,’ said Richard. ‘My mother wants to meet you.’

‘Yes, of course, we’ll organise a date.’

‘I mean tomorrow.’ He looked at his watch. ‘Make that today. As soon as possible. She said lunch.’

Bella and Lottie exchanged alarmed glances.

‘My mother,’ he said dryly, ‘is a warm and wonderful human being and a miracle of organisation and tact. But she doesn’t like being blind-sided. She’s not pleased with me for not telling her about you.’

Bella gulped. ‘I shall tell her that was because I asked you not to,’ she said bravely. ‘But please – not lunch. I have to work tomorrow. Life has to stay as normal as possible or I’ll lose myself.’ There was an edge of panic in her voice.

Richard was unperturbed. ‘Fine by me.’

It was Lottie who said wisely, ‘You don’t want the first thing you do as Richard’s acknowledged girlfriend to be a head-to-head standoff with his mother. Quite apart from the fact that she’s Queen of England, the mother of every son in the world would hate you for that.’

Bella’s jaw set. ‘I’m not turning my life upside down.’

‘No need to. Negotiate, Bel, negotiate. Richard … suggestions?’

He thought. ‘I’ll speak to her in the morning. Tell her you feel you have to talk to your own parents first. She’s not unreasonable – when she’s not spitting mad. I’ll sort something out.’

They worked out a list of who would tell what to whom, when.

When they had finished Lottie stretched and stood up. ‘That was a good night’s work,’ she said with satisfaction. ‘I’m going to bed now. If I were you, Richard, I’d stay the night. It’s too late for anything else. But your choice.’

With which tactful invitation, she wandered off.

He stayed.

This time they both remembered to set an alarm call. So the next morning Bella waved Richard off then rang her stepfather. It was 7.15 and Kevin was on the train, already on his way to work. He had not read her text of the night before, which was par for the course. Kevin did not like mobile phones and used them as little as possible. Bella told him the bare facts, as she, Lottie and Richard had worked out last night.

Kevin took it calmly. ‘That’s very good news, my dear. He sounds a fine young man. Time you had some fun … Your mother? She’s got a hairdresser’s appointment this morning, so she’ll be up in half an hour or so, I’d say.’

Janet had not read her text either. So when Bella eventually spoke to her, a few minutes after 8, her mother was inclined to think it was a joke.

‘It’s true, Ma. I met him at a party and we’ve seen each other quite a few times since. Last night somebody got a photo of us together and now it’s all over the internet. His office will issue a press release later today.’

But Janet still refused to believe her.

Finally Bella gave up. ‘OK, Ma. Have it your way. But if you Google “Prince Richard” plus “Rumour”, you’ll see the photo. I’ll email you the press release when it comes out. Call me if you want to talk about anything.’

Her father texted: Disbelief here. Where are your principles?

To which Bella replied immediately: YOUR principles, Phineas Fogg.

Granny Georgia texted: I look forward to meeting him. Back on Christmas Eve.

Bella went to work.

At 9 Richard’s office sent her a copy of the draft press release for her approval. She approved. At 9.20 Richard rang.

‘It’s gone.’ She could hear that he was in the car. ‘I’m saying to anyone who asks that it’s a private matter and I’m not giving any interviews.’

‘Where are you going?’

‘Municipal swimming baths. I’m opening them. Followed by a diving display and races between first-year swimmers of all ages. Followed by lunch with the Mayor.’

‘Wow! Rock on.’

He laughed. ‘You?’

‘About to tell the evil dentist and his cohorts that when they see the papers at lunch-time, yes, it’s me.’

‘Good luck.’

‘They won’t care,’ said Bella, surprised.

But she was wrong. After she’d sent a brief email round the system, she was astonished by the messages of good-will she got in reply. The hygienists bought her a Groucho Marx mask, complete with glasses and cigar, for getting out of buildings unnoticed. Everyone seemed to be pleased for her. Bella was touched.

Janet, once she grasped that Bella had not been winding her up after all, was uncontrollable. She phoned continually, wanting details, strategies. When could they meet him? When could she tell the Golf Club ladies?

‘Ma, we’ve just told the world. The Golf Club ladies will know.’

‘But they’ll ask me about him. What can I say?’

Bella controlled a flicker of alarm. ‘As little as possible. Just say you haven’t met him yet but I’m bringing him to meet you and Kevin before Christmas.’

‘They’ll want to know if you’re getting engaged …’

They would want to know, Bella noticed. Not Janet.

‘There’s no question of that,’ she said firmly. ‘And you can tell them I said so.’