Chapter Thirty-Four: Going Home
"Sally, I'm home!" Mary Tudor was glowing and full of confidence as she pushed open the door to the pretty little beachfront cottage. She'd just had the most fabulous afternoon of her life!
"Mm." Someone was curled up in Mary's bed sound asleep. Her face was buried in the pillow, but the golden hair suggested it was Sally, her sweet and loyal but rather cheeky personal assistant.
"Come on, sleepyhead, get up!" Mary shook the girl vigorously, amused but also annoyed. Sally was only a servant, after all. Just because the two of them had been sleeping together . . . well, maybe it was time to put a stop to all that. Mary felt that she should draw the line and make her position clear, but just then the woman turned over and the princess got the shock of her life.
"Sorry, darling! Just getting a rest before the long flight home."
"Your Majesty! I'm sorry, I mean . . . what are you doing here?" Mary felt positively weak in the knees. The last person she expected to find curled up beneath the covers was her stepmother, Queen Jane of England! Jane was a sexy blonde, just like Sally, but the two of them really didn't look much alike. Jane had long hair and loads of curves. Sally was quite skinny.
"I'm here to bring you back to England." Long-legged Jane sat up in bed, quickly shaking off her sleepiness. "You've had a lovely holiday, Mary, but now we have work to do in London."
"I've been working here," Mary protested, collapsing on the side of the bed. The fight against climate change had led her to Daphne Dumont. But once on board Daphne's yacht she'd forgotten all about protecting the planet, and given in to pure passion instead.
"You're sunburned," Jane commented. She pushed a curtain of dark hair back from her stepdaughter's flushed face. "My heavens, what is that purple mark on your neck? Is it a bruise? Or perhaps it's a bite, the kind a woman gets from her lover in bed." The queen chuckled. "You have been enjoying your holiday!"
"I went scuba diving on Daphne's yacht. Afterwards I fell asleep." Mary pushed her stepmother's hand away, feeling awkward and uncomfortable. Making love to Daphne all afternoon had not been a scheduled royal event!
"You're making friends of your own, and finding a purpose outside the royal family." Jane was using her soothing stepmother voice, which was gentle but at the same time very firm. "I'm glad you've found a friend you can share your private moments with, Mary. But before you commit your public support as a royal to Daphne's cause, I think a bit more research is in order."
"But I promised to help her! Someone's cut off her funding, and I'll just bet it was father or one of his wealthy friends." Mary scowled fiercely, remembering the pleading look on Daphne's tear-streaked face. It was just before they began kissing . . .
"Your instincts are correct." The queen flipped open her phone, and showed Mary a series of pictures. They were mostly of Daphne at scientific events, but some of them showed her piloting fancy yachts and a couple of sleek Italian sports cars. "You see, your scientist friend enjoys some very expensive pleasures."
"That doesn't prove anything!" Mary scowled fiercely at the picture of dark-haired Daphne attending a film premiere with a tall, well-endowed and strikingly attractive young redhead. The statuesque, flame-haired beauty had her arm around Daphne's waist.
"That's Bridget O'Flaherty, the Irish actress." Queen Jane tapped her phone and the screen went black. "Last year she gave your friend Daphne nearly a hundred thousand pounds for climate research. Of course the two of them broke up soon afterwards. Loving a woman like that can be an expensive hobby."
"She's not after my money!" Mary's blue eyes filled up with tears. "Daphne just wants to make the planet safe, and the oceans. She's a scientist and she's won awards and she has loads of followers on the internet!"
"Oh, Mary." Slim, suntanned Jane sighed deeply. Her eyes were kind, but her words cut deep. "Can you really be so stupid?"
"I want to see my father." Mary blinked back her tears, making a furious effort to appear in control. "I want to see the king!"
"Yes, of course. The royal jet is ready and waiting at the airport. It's time to get packed and organized." Jane snapped her fingers, and Mary's assistant Sally instantly appeared in the doorway.
"Hello, beautiful lady. All done having fun in the sun?" Sally's cheeky smile and flirty looks didn't hide her brisk efficient manner. She was already holding Mary's best Chanel suit in her hands. "Just jump in the shower and I'll have you all dressed in no time. You never know who's snapping photos at the airport!"
"Thank you, Sally." Mary realized that her only chance of helping Daphne was to fly right back to London and see the king. She looked at her royal stepmother, who had clearly masterminded the entire affair. "You're flying back with me, aren't you?"
"Of course," Jane chirped. "But while you're showering and our lovely Sally is helping you dress, I'll just hop down the road for a minute or two. I have to say a few goodbyes of my own!"
"Oh." Mary knew that Jane had been enjoying a little holiday of her own with a sexy Texas billionaire. But instead of feeling sad now that it was over, the queen was cheerful and full of fun, clearly glad to be going home.
"Come on, lovely lady. You'll feel better after a nice hot shower." Sally spoke softly, showing all the proper respect. But her blue eyes held a spark of upstart desire. She wanted Mary for herself!
Mary felt miserable. She didn't want Sally, she wanted Daphne. But she couldn't simply turn her feelings off and on at will.
Would she ever be a true royal like Jane?