Chapter 6 – Not in the best of moods
Viscount Mabrey approaching the speaker's place like a predator cornering a prey brought back some memories for the Queen. She meant to show the Viscount that he wasn't the only one with teeth and claws but she was very aware of the fact that an MP was given a larger tether than a Queen.
´Your Majesty, an article was published today saying that you are married.´
´I am aware of the gossip Viscount.´
´Is it true?´
´I am a widow,´ the Queen said. ´And I suggest we now continue with politics rather than gossip.´
The MPs shook their heads and whispered their disapproval. The Viscount raised his hand in an apologetic gesture. ´Yes… I would like to do so ma'am if it was not for the fact that Mrs Romero would be anxious to drop the subject too.´
The MPs hummed in agreement.
´If you valued the Queen Regent's word over that of a gossip, you would do the same.´
The Viscount coughed. ´It's understandable that a woman in love may do things a Queen Regent would rather forget about.´
´Such as marrying without asking Parliament's approval?´
´Indeed ma'am.´
´There is no register that filed a marriage of mine, except for the Pyran register of 14 September 1954.´
´Indeed indeed. The article made me think that one day you might consider marriage. Do you?´
´Are you proposing Viscount?´
The Queen's remark was greeted with hilarity. She welcomed the response though she knew she didn't control the flock.
´My esteemed colleagues seem to find this laughable. I think that a nobleman makes a better choice than a bodyguard.´
The MPs turned serious again. The Queen remained silent.
´Don't you agree ma'am?´
´I heard you Viscount.´
´Have you heard Genovia? According to the article your subjects agree with me. They feel that it would greatly harm the monarchy when a Queen-Regent remarries a commoner.´
´Discussing the topic is a waste of time for I do not have wedding plans.´
And I don't, Queen Clarisse thought. Joseph and I never mentioned marriage.
´Please ma'am, don't be upset with me for acting like the devil's advocate, but if you were already married, you would also not have such plans.´
Clarisse couldn't bring herself to repeat what she had just said.
´I just told you that I did not secretly marry.´
´I'm confident that the Genovian registers will not show a thing. Parliament's approval – and you won't mind if I mention it – is needed regardless of where a marriage takes place. Genovia deserves to know the truth. Checking the registers all over the globe is the devil's own work so- .´
´You just offered yourself as his advocate Viscount,´ the Queen interrupted with a smile, ´Why not do the job for him?´
Laughter.
Her Majesty pleasantly continued: ´I would advise you against it though: it will be tedious and in the end you will conclude that I'm not married.´
To Mabreyˈs chagrin the MPs made approving sounds.
´I take your word on that ma'am,´ the Viscount concluded in a tone of voice that belied his words.
The Viscount returned to his seat but others were eager to take the stand on the same topic. The third MP was someone the Queen had not expected to face: Lord Jalva. He admired her but he gave a brief class on wedlock in the Renaldi family and he concluded that he knew that Her Majesty, coming from one of the oldest noble families in the country, and being a descendent of Kings, would not marry without Parliament's approval.
The Queen read between the lines. When she finally returned to her office, she felt a headache coming up, which developed further after she read the readersˈ comments in Tittle Tattle.
OoOoOoO
After lunch the Queen had just opened a file to get to work when her private line rang.
´Yes?´
´Good afternoon Mother.´
´Darling! How are you?´
´I'm fine Mother. Say, this gossip is even nastier than the previous one, isn't it?´
´Yes it is Philippe.´
´It's smart of them to have picked Joe.´
The Queen remained silent.
´After all you wouldn't be the first to enter a mésalliance with a bodyguard. ´
´I thought you liked Joseph.´
´I would hire him as my head of security without thinking twice. But I wouldn't marry him.´
After the Luna pictures the Queen had found out that her youngest son laughed at the thought of her having feelings for another man. It had made her think that she had to prepare him. She had even told Joseph that there was work to be done. Her first excuse not to inform her children about her relationship with Joseph had been that said relationship was very green. And when they had become lovers she did not want to leave fairy-tale land. It was convenient that her Prince Charming had never asked her to be introduced to her sons in his new capacity.
´I would be very surprised if you did,´ the Queen said when she realised her son was waiting for her to reply.
Philippe laughed. ´Will you sue the gossip magazine?´
´Parliament is off my back. Why should I give Tittle Tattle more attention?´
Philippe grinned and switched to another topic.
OoOoOoO
In the popular talk show GV today VIPs shared memories about King Rupert. The artist Jerome Cangrejo, who had a talent for appearing near royalty on pictures, talked about what a handsome couple King Rupert and Queen Clarisse had made. When the host reminded him off old gossip concerning the late King's affairs, Cangrejo waved that away as being vile lies. ´I was privileged to spend time with Their Majesties and trust me: they had a bond. A warm, loving bond. They belonged toget-.´
The Queen used her remote to turn off her TV. Elsewhere in the castle Joseph did the same.
OoOoOoO
In the late afternoon of the following day the Queen informed Charlotte that the two of them were going to visit Joseph in his apartment. The injured bodyguard insisted on making them tea and he declined Charlotte's offer to help him. As a result the Queen's saucer wasn't dry but she pretended not to notice.
´How do you feel Joseph?´ Her Majesty asked.
Joseph had called doctor Valera to ask her for how long his emotions would get the better of him. Her answer hadn't pleased him. He had tried to improve his mood by exercising on his indoor cycle, but with one arm in a sling that hadn't been a success. He felt like a fool and a failure.
´Is your man-servant helpful?´
´I wish I wouldn't need one,´ Joseph said. He was disgusted with himself for sounding sulkily.
´I wouldn't like being an 'invalid' either Joseph. But I am sure that when I would break my arm you would urge me to accept help,´ the Queen said.
Joseph again made no reply.
´I know it is different for me, for I always have maids around anyway.´
Joseph made an effort to return the Queen's smile. He started blinking.
´You received many cards,´ the Queen observed. ´May I go and see them?´
´Of course ma'am.´
The Queen gestured Charlotte to follow her. Behind their backs Joe dried his eyes. When he had calmed down he rose and addressed his Queen.
´Your Majesty,´ Joseph started.
The Queen turned around. Charlotte walked to the other window where more cards wished Joseph to 'Get well soon!'
´I am sorry that my conversation at the hospital caused such trouble. And I deeply regret my behaviour of yesterday morning. I acted like a fool. It was embarrassing and I wish I could undo it.´
´Speak no more of it Joseph. I understand that the article must have come as a shock for someone who lost his memory. Combined with your… delicate mood of present… Please don't feel guilty about it.´
Joseph cleared his throat to reply but he reasoned it was better to simply incline his head. When he yawned the Queen saw it fit to end the visit.
OoOoOoO
Late in the evening the Queen urgently needed a cup of Darjeeling. Her hand reached for the phone on her desk when she thought the better of it.
´You can use a walk Clarisse,´ she told herself.
The Queen happened to wear flat shoes and she quietly made it to the kitchen. She was just about to enter when she heard voices.
´Why do you think he doesn't come down here anymore Mrs Danieli?´ a woman asked.
´He's not yet recovered is he? And he's a proud man. Easy on the flower Anna!´
The Queen found herself incapable of moving.
´I heard someone say that Mr Romero stays away from the kitchen because the Queen wants to prepare us that he now belongs upstairs.´
´Nonsense! I admit, Mr Romero is a fine man, but I agree with Jerome Cangrejo that -. Well… He's a servant, like us, ainˈt he? Servants shouldn't… you know… ´
The Queen decided she didn't need tea after all. With a blush on her cheeks she made it back to her office where she sat behind her desk with her face in her hands. The tick-tack of her watch made her check the time. Nearly eleven. She hesitated for a moment and then dialled a number.
OoOoOoO
´Ja?´
´Hello B. It's me.´
´C! How are you?´
Clarisse sighed.
´A little bird told me that your session went well,´ Beatrix said.
´What little bird?´
´Someone from my embassy. I asked him to attend the session.´
´You didn't!´
Clarisse felt better all of the sudden.
´What's the point of having an Ambassador in peaceful Genovia if you can't have him execute tasks?´ Beatrix asked.
Clarisse giggled.
´Something else happened though,´ Beatrix guessed.
´Yes,´ Clarisse said. ´I opened an exhibition today and heaps of journalists showed up. They shouted questions and the invitees were talking behind my back. The King would turn in his grave and things like that. I told Parliament that I'm not married, but it seems that the gossip is too good.´
´How is Joseph?´
´He is very emotional. I never saw him like this. He read the article, Lord knows how he got it, and he stormed into my office yesterday crying out: "Are we married?" Motaz and my spokesman were there as well.´
´Oh no!´
Clarisse informed her friend about the other things Joseph had said and she concluded: ´He apologized for his outburst today. I think he no longer believes the gossip.´
´How horrible it must have been for you!´
Feeling hugged by her friend's words Clarisse changed the subject. ´I feel bad about not being able to around him more often. He feels miserable.´
´He would find it awkward should his employer visit him every day, especially with the gossip being discussed still.´
Clarisse admitted to herself that B had a point. Longing for more supporting words she told her friend about her son's call.
´He may be a grown man; he spoke as a child,´ Beatrix replied. ´Don't let Philippe's anxieties rule you.´
Clarisse hesitated to ask her friend how she felt about queens marrying commoners. Instead she inquired after Bˈs granddaughters. A few minutes later on the friends ended their conversation. At night Clarisse dreamt that Joseph was crying and that she yelled at him to behave. She woke up feeling guilty.
OoOoOoO
During the week following Tittle Tattle's best-selling issue ever, the Queen learned that to her subjects the topic of her re-marriage wasn't yesterday's news. The background buzz she had told her friend about continued still and people didn't stop writing letters to newspapers in reply to letters in reply to letters about why the Queen-Regent shouldn't remarry.
At the audience several people told her that King Rupert was not out of their minds. To every one of them she replied that she was grateful to hear it and that she herself thought of the King often. And she did: a few times a month her senses picked up something that reminded her of him. In the first six months or so after his death she had felt lost. Rupert had been her friend and she missed him. Gradually she had settled in her new life. And last year there was Joseph. He had always been there of course. As a trusted bodyguard. As an employee whose company she appreciated. As a friend. It had been B who had made her acknowledge that he made her skin tickle without even touching her. It had set something in motion: for the first time she had chosen for herself. For the first time she had embraced que sera sera. She had lived in the present and she had loved every second of it. Having faced the future she couldn't help but wonder though: if she could go back in time would she do it again?