Chapter 7
"Danielle," Queen Renee called up the stairs. "Where the heck is taking you so long? The caterers will be here any second. You should be down here with me when they arrive."
Just what I'm afraid of, Danielle thought as she stared at herself in the vanity mirror.
"We should go over this schedule one more time, Your Highness. Just a few finishing touches and..."
Danielle turned around. "Please, Jackie, no more, not now." She waved the secretary away. "And stop following me around. I'll be fine."
Jacqueline looked at her. "But, Your Highness, I'm only following orders."
Danielle smiled at that and stood up. "Of course you are, but there's the problem. They're not MY orders now, are they?"
"But Your Highness.."
Danielle's eyes rose to the ceiling. "And since when have we become so formal? We grew up together, Jackie. We're more like sisters than anything else. That's how I've considered you always."
Jacqueline shook her head. "I suppose you're right, Danielle, but I have strict..."
"DANIELLE!"
"Get going, Dani," Jacqueline smiled, handing her the matching suit jacket, "before she gets really angry and climbs those stairs."
"Too late," Renee said, standing at the top of the stairs. "Been there, done that. Now let's not waste anymore time, shall we?"
Danielle looked at her stepmother and then at Jacqueline and without a word followed her down the stairs with Jacqueline close behind.
********
"You what?" Larry was furious. "I can't go there myself."
"You're just going to have to, Larry," Henry's voice boomed over the cell phone. "Peter didn't show up again. Someone will have to cover for him."
Larry shook his head. "This is the third time this week that that little weasel had something more important to do than his job. You know how many times I've told you to get r id of him."
"If he pulls this one more time, Larry, I will. But right now I need you to get to the Winter Palace and make these arrangements. If you need me, I'm right here. CALL ME, okay? I'll leave my cell on for you. You got that?"
"Loud and clear, Henry. Oh and by the way, that other matter we discussed? You know the mystery lady, Nicole?"
"What about her?"
"She doesn't exist, there's no such person working at the Winter Palace. I looked her up on the web. The only Nicole at the Palace was..."
"Don't get me angry, Larry," the voice at the other end didn't sound happy. "I know that she works there, she told me so herself. Now you will find her and give her that message. Understood?"
"Anything you say, Henry," Larry said. "Anything you say."
"Later than," Henry voice came over the phone and clicked o ff just as quickly. He didn't even wait for Larry to say goodbye."
"Danielle," Queen Renee called up the stairs. "Where the heck is taking you so long? The caterers will be here any second. You should be down here with me when they arrive."
Just what I'm afraid of, Danielle thought as she stared at herself in the vanity mirror.
"We should go over this schedule one more time, Your Highness. Just a few finishing touches and..."
Danielle turned around. "Please, Jackie, no more, not now." She waved the secretary away. "And stop following me around. I'll be fine."
Jacqueline looked at her. "But, Your Highness, I'm only following orders."
Danielle smiled at that and stood up. "Of course you are, but there's the problem. They're not MY orders now, are they?"
"But Your Highness.."
Danielle's eyes rose to the ceiling. "And since when have we become so formal? We grew up together, Jackie. We're more like sisters than anything else. That's how I've considered you always."
Jacqueline shook her head. "I suppose you're right, Danielle, but I have strict..."
"DANIELLE!"
"Get going, Dani," Jacqueline smiled, handing her the matching suit jacket, "before she gets really angry and climbs those stairs."
"Too late," Renee said, standing at the top of the stairs. "Been there, done that. Now let's not waste anymore time, shall we?"
Danielle looked at her stepmother and then at Jacqueline and without a word followed her down the stairs with Jacqueline close behind.
********
"You what?" Larry was furious. "I can't go there myself."
"You're just going to have to, Larry," Henry's voice boomed over the cell phone. "Peter didn't show up again. Someone will have to cover for him."
Larry shook his head. "This is the third time this week that that little weasel had something more important to do than his job. You know how many times I've told you to get r id of him."
"If he pulls this one more time, Larry, I will. But right now I need you to get to the Winter Palace and make these arrangements. If you need me, I'm right here. CALL ME, okay? I'll leave my cell on for you. You got that?"
"Loud and clear, Henry. Oh and by the way, that other matter we discussed? You know the mystery lady, Nicole?"
"What about her?"
"She doesn't exist, there's no such person working at the Winter Palace. I looked her up on the web. The only Nicole at the Palace was..."
"Don't get me angry, Larry," the voice at the other end didn't sound happy. "I know that she works there, she told me so herself. Now you will find her and give her that message. Understood?"
"Anything you say, Henry," Larry said. "Anything you say."
"Later than," Henry voice came over the phone and clicked o ff just as quickly. He didn't even wait for Larry to say goodbye."