A very dangerous game
Chapter 21
"Reparation"
Terrence Grandchester got an audition at Julliard thanks to his mother, Eleonor Baker. But the committee didn't know he was her son, since they didn't have the same last name and Terrence was talented. So he was admitted. It was his dream, because he had inherited his mother's acting talent. The duke after the scandal in Saint Paul had no other choice but to send Terry at his mother's to calm the situation a little… Dinah was sent in a boarding school in Switzerland and she had to study in French!
Terry was glad to live with his mother in her apartment with all the luxury and to attend the famous Julliard school. But he couldn't help thinking about Candy. He missed her so much. She didn't reply to his email… he wanted so much to speak to her! Explain himself, convince her of his sincerity… but he wasn't getting anywhere. Everything had happened so fast in college. He was stood up to follow his father, when Albert arrived and declared he was Candy's father and that he was taking the whole family back in America! During all that time, he was talking to Candy's father about his own daughter! Whoa! Thank God he didn't make him some intimate confessions! He was refusing to speak to his father on the phone…
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The whole Andrew family was reunited in the big living room of the manor. The Reagan parents and the great aunt Elroy were also there. Albert was standing ready to speak. Candy still couldn't believe what had happened; her Mr. Albert was her adoptive father and the great uncle William?
- Mr. Albert? Said Candy ironically, do I have to call you "daddy" now?
- The scandal at Saint Paul forced me to come out of my anonymity … I didn't expect my daughter and my niece to fornicate with the same boy and making a spectacle of themselves on top of that!
Candy looked down, blushing.
- To answer your question, yes, you can call me "daddy" Candy…
- We're here to discuss the consequences of your actions, said the great aunt.
- Consequences? Said Mrs. Reagan, what do you mean Aunt Elroy?
- What she means is that the scandal tarnished people in very high places, said Albert.
- High places… how high? Asked Mr. Reagan.
- Terrence Grandchester, the young man in questions, is the Queen's protégé, said Albert.
- What? Said Eliza, the Queen of England?
- That's what I just said, said Albert dryly.
- But..., said Eliza surprised.
- You didn't know? Said Albert, and you're pretending to be his girlfriend?
- I'm not pretending anything, it's the truth! Said Eliza.
- Candy? Said Albert.
- He… introduced me to the Queen at Ascot, said Candy looking down.
- That's what I learned, said Albert, she remembers…
- What do you mean, she remembers? Said Eliza.
- She remembers Candy's natural spontaneity, said Albert.
- What? Said Candy, but I…
- The article in the paper wasn't fake? Said Eliza upset.
- To make a long story short, the Queen wants this scandal to disappear, said Albert, we need a cover up of royal proportion!
- What does that mean? Said Anthony worried.
- It means, said Alistair, Candy and Terrence have to be together officially, by order of the Queen!
- WHAT? Said Candy, out of the question!
- I'm afraid it's almost a state affair, said Albert.
- Why her? Said Eliza, why not me?
- You know when I was a wanderer, I was working at the London Zoo and I met Terrence Grandchester one night in a bar… I helped him fight against some thugs who wanted to steal his car and we became friends… he confided in me. So you can't lie to me… He wanted Candy and he was dating Candy, not you…
- But my daughter was humiliated, her reputation… , said Mrs. Reagan.
- Sarah, your daughter made her own bed by wanting to prove that she had also slept with Terrence, she should lie in it…
- That's not fair! Said Eliza angry, I want Terrence! Candy doesn't even want him!
Anthony stood up, out of his mind…
- But uncle, he said, I love Candy and I want to marry her later when we're going to be older…
- There is now way you're going to marry that slut! Said the great aunt.
- Grandmother, said Anthony.
- No Anthony, I'm putting my foot down here. Candy is going to marry that son of the duke since she spread her slutty legs for him!
- But I spread my legs for him too, said Eliza outraged.
- Oh my God! Said Candy.
- Eliza, said her brother with a mocking tone, what are you competing for? Who's the biggest whore?
And he burst out laughing.
- Shut up Neil! Said his mother angry, William…you're choosing your daughter over mine?
- It's not about choice Sarah, Candy was dating Terrence, Eliza wasn't…
- But she ended up in his bed…
- Because she's a slut who wanted everything Candy had… As usual her sick jealousy for Candy prevented her from being rational once again… look what she's disputing, she wants to be the biggest whore, like her brother said!
- I'll let her have Terrence, if she wants him that much! Said Candy.
- No Candy, said Albert, the Queen was very clear…this whole story pushed the reporters to dig and they found the films from Ascot… She wants her protégé to regain his reputation and to make reparation to Candice White Andrew, the charming young lady she had met at the race track and she's giving you her blessing…
- Great! Said Anthony angry, Candy is my fiancée uncle! How could you agree to such a deal?
- Anthony, said the great aunt, she was with another boy, she lost her virginity with him!
- No grandmother, I was her first! Said Anthony.
- Oh my God! Said Candy looking down.
- Anthony! Said the great aunt.
- You don't understand grandmother, I love Candy… I love her so much I was ready to wait for her to explore other horizons and I did the same… but in the end, we were supposed to be together, at least we were hoping… after the game the Grandchester played… I thought we could eventually pick up where we left off… and now, you're telling me that the Queen of England demanding that she be with that snotty nosed kid! She can go to hell!
- Anthony! Said the great aunt.
- Anthony, said Albert, I understand your suffering, but because of Eliza and her schemes, the situation is out of our hands… it's almost a state affair, literally…
- Mr. Albert, said Candy with begging eyes.
- I'm sorry my little one, my hands are tied… It's the Queen of England… I can't do anything.
- I don't want to be with Terry, said Candy in tears.
- Oh enough with the crocodile tears! Said Eliza, you want Terry, they're giving him to you on a silver platter and you're fussing? Stop being such a drama queen! You're going to be with the best lover in the whole school! Stop whining already!
- Eliza! Said her mother, that's enough!
Candy looked at Albert.
- There's really nothing you can do to resolve this situation? She asked.
- Candy, if there was any other solution...
- Eliza…
- Perish the thought, said Albert laughing, like I said, Terry was my friend…
Eliza was sulking some more. She wanted Terrence, she had forgotten about Anthony, who didn't want Candy to be with Terry forever.
- I don't want to, said Candy, I refuse!
- Oh stop it! You're going to make me cry!
- You'll have to meet Terrence in a public place for the press…
- I don't want to go back to England!
- You won't have to, Terrence happens to be here…
- What? Here in Chicago? Said Anthony.
- No, in New York, said Albert.
- And all this meeting what is it for? Asked Anthony hurt.
- For the press… don't make any comment if they approach you, but you confirm to them that Candy and Terrence are a couple and that the Queen is giving them her blessing, said Albert.
- You're asking way too much from me, uncle, said Anthony angry.
- Don't say anything then, said Albert moved by his nephew.
- All this is ridiculous! Said Candy, you can't force me to be with Terry!
- The Queen can do it Candy…
- Stop hiding behind the Queen daddy! Said Candy, you can help me!
- Candy, I would've been able to help you if there wasn't the DVD on the internet… now the situation has snow balled…and it's time to think about reparation… to clean up all that mess!
Candy was crying. She turned to Eliza, she walked to her and she slapped her hard and then she left the room. Anthony followed her…
The rest of the family all started to talk at the same time…
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Terry was in his big bedroom in his mother's apartment. He was talking on the phone with a certain Susanna Marlowe who was in the same class as him in Julliard.
- Susanna, said Terry, I have call waiting, I have to go… it's an international call; it's probably my father…
- All right Terry, see you tomorrow at school.
- Bye Susanna, see you tomorrow, said Terry smiling.
Susanna had shown him from the second she met him that she was very interested… but he was only being nice to her: they were in the same class and sometimes they would have lunch together, but that was all. She was a good actress and they worked well together.
He took the other call waiting.
- Hello?
- Terrence?
Terry recognized the voice and was stunned.
- Your Majesty?
- Since when are you the most interesting topic in the news… two girls? I thought you like the little blonde you brought with you to Ascot...
- And you were right…
- So what was it with the redhead?
- It's a long story Your Majesty...
- I have all the time in the world.
Terry told the Queen everything. She listened to him and then she said.
- The reason for my call…
- Let me guess, my scandal also tarnished you and you want to bring out a cover to stop the mud from hitting you…
- A cover of royal proportion.
- I didn't expect anything less from a Queen…
- You have to get engaged to the Andrew girl and marry her…
- What? Said Terry, are you kidding me?
- Do I sound like I'm kidding?
- Your Majesty…
- You're going to repair that young lady's reputation by making an honest woman out of her.
- She hates me…
- No woman hate you Terrence, you have way too much charm… and what I saw in that little film, was love transcending, pure love… that girl loves you Terrence. You simply have to find a way to convince her to take you back…
- You have made my story into a state affair… Your Majesty.
- The redhead it the culprit, not me… You're my protégé and a scandal like that, inevitably touches me…
- I apologize Your Majesty; I never wanted to humiliate you that way.
- Reparation Terrence and everything will be forgotten. Good bye Terrence.
- Good bye, Your Majesty.
Terry hung up the phone.
- Your Majesty? Said his mother's voice, as in the Queen? The Queen just called you?
- In the flesh…
- Oh, and what did she want?
- Reparation…
- Reparation?
- I have to get engaged to Candy and marry her, to make a good impression, because I'm her protégé and this scandal also tarnished her…
- You love Candy, right?
- Yes…
- So this should be a piece of cake for you…
- Candy hates me mum…
- You'll find a way to convince her, I trust you…
- You're overestimating me…
- No, you're underestimating yourself. Believe in yourself Terry and you'll be able to win back Candy…
- From your mouth, to God's ears…
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