“We’re
dismissed until after the first of the year,” I said, banging the gavel. “Enjoy
your holidays, everyone. Excellent work!” The members of parliament got up and
left the chambers. I packed up my bag, tucking my laptop into its sleeve. Heidi
was at my side, handing me a folder. I looked at the paperwork inside, seeing
that it was the finalized transfer of funds into an account for Alice. “Thank
you, Heidi.”
“Lady
Bella met with Alice and she received the same information,” Heidi said as we
walked to my office. “We will be tracking her to verify that she won’t have any
further contact with Mr. Swan or their property.”
“Keep
me appraised, Heidi,” I said, reaching for my overcoat and sliding it over my
shoulders. “Now, I’m off to see my fiancée. I can imagine that she’s got to be
exhausted from meeting with her sister.”
“From
what I heard; the meeting didn’t last as long as anticipated. She went back to
the apartment after her time at the prison. The paparazzi were hovering outside
of the prison. Jane drafted a statement, explaining her presence there,” Heidi
said, handing me her tablet.
I
briefly read it and was pleased with what Jane had said. The gist of the
statement was that Bella was meeting with her estranged sister, who had acted
inappropriately while she had visited our home. She’d explained what had
transpired between Alice and our family that landed her in jail. They wanted to
meet prior to Alice’s deportation from Gevalia, putting their situation behind
each other. I smiled, handing Heidi back her tablet. “Excellent response. Bella
did well in hiring Jane.”
“She
was the most competent of the candidates, Your Highness. She also has a
temperament that matches Lady Bella well. She’s snarky, but calm. Lady Bella
and Jane bicker like old ladies, but they are also good friends,” Heidi said, a
smile on her face. “I’m certain you’re looking forward to some time off.”
“That’s
relative,” I snorted. “I may not be working for parliament, but I do have
obligations with the royal family. Photo ops, interviews, parties and public
appearances. We’re also preparing another interview with Vanity Fair, a
more in-depth interview announcing our wedding date.”
“Well,
I’ll make sure that I have your schedule sent to your cell phone,” Heidi
nodded. “I’ll see you on Monday. Are you going to be at the apartment or at the
palace?”
“Heading
to the apartment. We’ll be at Masen Manor until after the first of the year.
We’ll return to the apartment the weekend before parliament returns for the
winter session,” I nodded. “Have a good weekend, Heidi.”
“You,
too, Your Highness,” Heidi beamed, curtseying before scurrying out of the office.
She nodded to Felix as he slipped inside, standing imposingly at my door.
I
put on my coat and left the parliament building. The weather was nippy, as was
the norm of mid-October in Gevalia. You could smell the possibility of snow,
but it never reached the ground. I eased into the back of the Range Rover, checking
my cell phone as we pulled away. The drive back to the apartment took about
twenty minutes. I smiled at the doorman, making my way to the elevator and rode
up to the penthouse.
Opening
the door, I tossed my keys onto the foyer table. “Cherie, I’m home,” I
called out. I was greeted by silence. “Hello?” I looked around, seeing a folded
card next to the key bowl. I picked it up, opening it.
Do
you want to play, Majesty? Whipped cream? Strawberries? Champagne? A Bella
sundae? Go to the kitchen for some provisions … and your next clue. Love, Bella
