Everything Was Perfect - Part 2.
Hearing the bedroom door open a short time later, both Harry and Sabrina slowly rose to their feet and looked over at Clarisse as she slowly emerged from the room. "Are you ok?" Sabrina asked as she walked over to her friend and gave her a quick hug.
"Yes, but can you leave us. I need to speak to Joseph," Clarisse said as they pulled apart and looked over at Joseph still standing by the french doors.
"Of course we can," Sabrina nodded and looked over at Harry, tilting her head towards the door, before looking back at her friend. "I'll be downstairs if you need me," she said softly and walked over to the door.
"Thank you," Clarisse said as she turned her head, watching them both leave and close the door behind them before she looked back over at Joseph a moment. "I'm sorry for accusing you, Joseph, I really am," she said and looked down at the floor while wrapping her arms around herself. "I was angry, and it was wrong of me to accuse you like that when I know in my heart that you would never do anything like to me, to us."
"It's ok you know, I completely understand… you needed someone to blame, after all there is someone responsible for all of this mess," Joseph said sadly as he finally turned his head to look over at her, "it might as well be me, I was the one who brought us here after all."
"No, no," Clarisse exclaimed as she lowered her arms and hurried over to stand in front of him. "Bringing us here was the most wonderful thing you could have ever done. We got to spend time together away from the palace, away from rules and regulations," she said while looking up into his eyes. "I got to be myself, if only for a little while."
"Yes, and it was wonderful," Joseph said as he studied her face, "but then it all went wrong."
"Yes it did," Clarisse nodded before looking down between them, "but if there's anyone's to blame, then it's me. It's my own fault, I was careless out on that balcony and let my guard down when I shouldn't have."
Watching her, Joseph's heart broke. She was only being herself, enjoying a bit of freedom for a few days. Was it really asking to much for her to be left alone, just once. "We both let our guard down," he said softly and stepped closer to her, putting his hands out onto her sides as she looked back up at him, "we both got caught up in the moment, again, but I should never have suggested we go out into the hot tub in the first place. I should have known better."
"We both should have known better," Clarisse said sadly as she stepped closer to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "But it's done now, we just need to face the consequences."
"Yes we do, and I'm going to be there with you every step of the way," Joseph said and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as he buried his face in the curve of her neck. "Sabrina said you called home?" He said after several moments silence and lifted his head to look into her eyes.
"I did, yes," Clarisse nodded as she smoothed her hands from his back onto the top of his shoulders. "I spoke to Rupert."
"You did?" Joseph said in surprise, "what did he say?"
"Well he's not very happy, but is preparing a statement to be released later on," Clarisse said and lowered her hands from his shoulders. "I told him that we will be home today too."
"Ok, that's fine," Joseph said as Clarisse looked down between them once again, "and maybe that's for the best."
"I'm sorry," Clarisse said sadly.
"Hey, what are you sorry for?" Joseph asked while putting his hands up onto the tops of her arms and studied her face.
"Because you planned this amazing weekend away and we now have to go home a day early," Clarisse said as she looked back up at him.
"Honestly, it's fine," Joseph said as he put one hand up to brush her hair back behind her ear before stepping closer to her and wrapping his arms around her shoulders, as she rested her head on his chest, "it'll be safer with more security, especially now that we have been photographed together."
"Maybe you're right," Clarisse said as she wrapped her arms around his waist and closed her eyes. She felt safe in his embrace, felt like nothing could hurt her when she was in his arms. "Rupert told me that there are a lot of news reporters at the palace gates."
"I thought there would be," Joseph nodded slightly and took a deep breath.
Arriving back at the Palace later that day, they all made their way through the back entrance after parking the car around the back of the Palace, away from prying eyes, to find Philippe stood waiting for them in the foyer. "I'm glad to see you made it through the circus at the gates," he said, looking at his mother then Joseph, Sabrina and Harry following behind.
"Yes, us too," Clarisse nodded as she walked over to her son, "where's your father?"
"In the library with Pierre and your lawyer," Philippe said and kissed her cheek, "they are waiting for you and Joseph."
"Alright, we'll make our way there in a minute," she said while removing her coat and draping it over her arm, leaving her scarf around her neck, "do you know if your father asked to have one of the guest suites set up for Harry and Sabrina?"
"Yes, he did," Philippe nodded and looked over at his mother's friends, "you're staying in the suite next to mother's."
"Ok, thank you," Sabrina smiled.
"You can go on up, or take a walk," Clarisse said as she looked over at them, "whichever you prefer."
"I think with all that going on outside we will just go on up to the suite," Sabrina said as she walked over to her and gave her a quick hug, "good luck, come see me when you're done," she whispered in her ear before pulling back.
"I will," Clarisse nodded as Sabrina and Harry began making their way up the stairs, "thank you."
"We better go see them in the library," Joseph said and watched as Clarisse turned to him. "Get it over with."
"Yes, I just want to drop of my coat in my office first," Clarisse said.
"I can take it for you?" Philippe offered as his mother turned back to him.
"Oh, thank you darling," Clarisse said and handed him her coat before looking back at Joseph, "well here goes."
"Good luck," Philippe called after them as they began walking across the foyer and into the hallway leading to the library.
"I know you're nervous," Joseph whispered as he walked beside Clarisse and put his hand on her back. For reassurance.
"Nervous? Who said anything about being nervous," Clarisse said and laughed nervously as she pressed a hand to her churning stomach. But the truth was, she was nervous. She felt sick to her stomach that she had been so careless out on the balcony after managing to keep their relationship a secret for so long.
"Clarisse I know you, and I know when you're nervous," Joseph said softly while smoothing his hand up and down her back. "But there's really no reason to be, I'm here with you and we will get through it. Together."
"Thank you," she said sincerely and bent her arm up to briefly touch under his chin and jaw with the tips of her fingers before they both walked into the library together.
"Ahh, I was wondering when you would arrive," Rupert said and rose to his feet with their lawyer, Iven, as she and Joseph approached the table, "I trust you had a good drive back and the circus at the gates didn't cause to much trouble for you getting in."
"We did," Clarisse said and looked at Pierre, who had remained seated at the table, a brief moment before looking back up at her husband. "But no, they didn't. I was surprised though, just how many news reporters there were outside. We didn't have any leaving the lake house."
"That's because they didn't disclose your location," Pierre said matter of factly, his gaze remaining on the news coverage being shown on the television that they set up for the meeting as everyone looked at him. "So they all just come here instead."
"Shall we all sit and get this meeting underway?" Rupert said as everyone looked at him.
"Please," Clarisse nodded and took a seat at the table first followed by the King then Joseph and their lawyer.
"I must say that I am surprised you are so calm, your highness," Iven said in his thick french accent while looking at the King as he looked across at Clarisse resting her elbows on the table in front of her and clasped her hands together, "considering the circumstances of the meeting."
"I have to be," Rupert said and averted his gaze to Joseph sitting beside his wife before he turned his attention to their lawyer, "especially at my age." He said and Iven nodded slowly.
"Now, going by the allegations, your majesty," Iven said as everyone looked at him, "is that you in those pictures that were taken out on the balcony? Are you having an affair with Mr Elizondo?"
"Yes, Iven, that is me in the pictures," Clarisse said as she looked from the lawyer to her husband, "but we are certainly not having an affair."
"If it's not an affair, then what is it?" Iven asked and looked at the King too.
"It's an open marriage," Rupert finally said as he and Clarisse continued to stare at one another.
"An open marriage," Iven exclaimed in surprise.
"Yes, an arrangement that we both agreed too and have been happily in for the last two and a half years," Rupert said and looked at their lawyer as Pierre shook his head.
"You both have?" Iven said and shook his head in disbelief.
"Yes," Rupert nodded, "well my relationship actually ended a few months back, but Clarisse and Joseph's is still going strong."
"How come yours ended?" Iven asked.
"We wanted different things," Rupert said and slumped back in his chair while looking down at his hands resting on the table. "She wanted me to divorce Clarisse and marry her instead," he said, knowing that was the first time he had admitted the real reason he and Ruth had broken up to Clarisse and he daren't look up.
"Oh," Iven said and nodded, "well that's out of the question, you divorcing, obviously, but you know if this does get out that you've been in an open marriage there will be trouble. Don't you?"
"I know, and that's why whatever we do or say in our statement we have to tread carefully," the King said.
"It doesn't have to get out," Pierre said as everyone looked over at him and watched as he turned to them, "there may be a way out of this after all."
"How do you mean?" Rupert asked as he sat back up straight.
"Well as much as I'd rather not look at them, I mean who wants to see their mother that way," Pierre said as he finally looked at his mother a brief moment before looking back at their lawyer, "I have actually been paying attention to the photographs detail and it seems to be the only ones they have are those four."
"Yes, the four or five, whatever it is," Iven said as he glanced down at his notes. "Are the only ones they have."
"Yes, and surely if they had more than these then they would have shown them too, right?" Pierre asked.
"Yes, the more they show the more money they get," Iven nodded, "and the more revealing they are the more money they get too."
"Exactly what I thought," Pierre nodded, "well these photos that they keep showing don't actually show mother's face. In any of them," he said and they all looked at the television.
"That is true, they don't," Iven nodded after a moment and looked back at the King then the Queen and Joseph.
"So, couldn't we deny that is actually mother in the photos with him?" Pierre said as he looked at his mother and Joseph.
"That could work," Iven nodded, "would you be willing to make a statement too, Joseph?"
"We could even deny that you were even there this weekend, no one else knows right?" Pierre asked, before Joseph had chance to answer the lawyers question, as everyone looked at him.
"No, I never said anything to anyone," Clarisse said, completely forgetting that she had in fact told the prime minister on Friday that she was going away with Joseph and their friends. And so had Rupert.
"But wouldn't they have seen her majesty getting out the car and coming in today?" Iven asked as he looked at the Prince then at the Queen.
"No, I ducked down when we approached the palace and we came around to the back entrance," Clarisse said. "So they wouldn't have seen."
"This might work, if we can put a good enough statement together we may just get away with it," Iven nodded and looked at the King. "But what about the staff?"
"They won't say anything, they all signed disclosure agreements," Rupert said and nodded slowly.
"Good, good," Iven nodded and studied the King a moment, "what do you think?"
Looking up at their lawyer then across the table at his wife, Rupert nodded, "let's do it."
"Can I read the statement out to the press and news reporters once it's been written and approved?" Pierre asked.
"Why?" Clarisse asked suspiciously as everyone looked at her. "Why would you want to read it out when you're obviously disgusted over the whole thing and couldn't even look at me when I came in."
"Clarisse, he's only trying to help," Rupert said and watched as Clarisse turned her head to look at him. "I think it'll do him some good if he does, give him a bit of practice."
"Exactly," Pierre said. But he couldn't deny the fact she was right, he was disgusted over her behaviour and he still couldn't comprehend what went through his mother's mind last night to behave in such a manner, knowing what it could potentially do to the monarchy if it ever got out. Which it has. "I just want to help," he said as his parents looked at one another.
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