Chapter Nineteen: Got You Covered
There was a huge crowd waiting to greet the queen at the airport. A whole section of the runway had been roped off and police were working hard to keep the excited well-wishers behind the barriers.
"Jane's more popular than ever," King Henry noted, in his usual gruff manner. The royal limousine was parked a short distance away. "Your stepmother is a perfect royal in every way."
"Yes, father." Mary fidgeted inside the hot and stuffy limousine. She wondered what her royal father would say if he knew how Jane had behaved in France!
"Darling, you can't imagine how awful it's been. I've missed you!" Queen Jane was all smiles and perfume as she slipped into the limousine. She threw her arms around the king's beefy neck, squealing and kissing him on the lips like an eager young bride.
"Oh, please!" Mary couldn't stand the sight of her father and stepmother acting like fools. Royals symbolized order and dignity. Not that it mattered what she thought. The king and queen were kissing as though they were all alone in the luxurious limousine!
Mary turned away from them and looked out the window. The pumped up crowd of royal-watchers was waving and cheering as the long black limousine rolled slowly past and Mary couldn't help returning their heartfelt greetings with a wave and a shy smile.
It was always fascinating to see the people. The faces in the crowd were every shade and color, young and old, drawn from all over the vast expanse of the once-mighty United Kingdom. Mary drank in the dreamy nostalgia on the faces of the old ladies, and the eager excitement of the freshly scrubbed schoolchildren waving tiny flags. All of them were so proud of the royal family, so full of devotion and so excited to see her that Mary actually felt tears sting her eyes.
Just then a very different sort of face swam into view. Mary felt a prickle of excitement, the tiny hairs on the back of her neck seeming to stand up stiffly. Grinning at her from the very center of the crowd was the sexy, spike-haired girl photographer she'd met in Scotland. Mary remembered the girl's outrageous jewelry, that chain of silver skulls around her neck and those jingly snake bracelets. And she was still wearing the same torn white t-shirt and those skin-tight black leather pants!
Mary didn't know why, but she began waving frantically to get the girl's attention, almost as though she were the star-struck royal watcher, instead of the other way around. It was ridiculous to get so excited when she couldn't even remember the cheeky young photographer's name! All she remembered was the two of them laughing together at the fashion show, and that unexpected kiss. That unexpected kiss . . .
"Look who's decided to join the family business." King Henry's deep voice made Mary jump. But when she turned around, she saw that her father was pleased. He looked like a sleepy old bear who'd just been dipping into a pot of honey.
"Mary will make us all proud, Henry, just you wait." Queen Jane smiled at her stepdaughter. Mary reckoned that Jane enjoyed being pawed and mauled by the king. It was as though his hunger fed the craving inside of her. And she had such a smug, satisfied look on her face, too. It was enough to make Mary feel sick.
"I thought I saw someone I knew," she muttered, in a sulky voice. Her cheeks turned red as all the memories came rushing back. That innocent kiss in Scotland had been splashed all over the tabloids, and the press had nastily labeled Maxie as her "gal pal."
"Saw someone? Saw who?" The king's sleepy little eyes were suddenly awake and alert and suspicious.
"I'll wager it's Jamil Khan," Queen Jane softly. "You know he's always been quite devoted to Mary. Very deeply devoted. And his lovely family is very keen to support the monarchy in every way!"
"Just so long as we fly their fancy jets, and stay in their big hotels," Henry grumbled. But he was already fumbling for buttons of Jane's blouse, as though he meant to undress her right there in the back seat of the limousine!
Mary turned away in disgust. But not before she caught the look the young queen gave her. Jane was secretly on her side. She even mouthed the words with her kiss-swollen lips.
Got you covered!