Page 52 of The Un-Apparent Heir

“He had no right, Vanna!”

Robbie protested because his wife wasn’t willing to say she agreed. Ed and Natalie sensed the tension.

“Dad, just let it go,” George said. “I will try to calm him down while we’re over there.”

George and Patrick were in residence at Balmoral but agreed to return. Natalie and Ed were prohibited from entering the States, as was Robbie. If Paul was there, they couldn’t be stateside without authorisation. This did not meet the bar of approval. Ed sensed his father-in-law’s anger was misdirected. He was frustrated with the same system that prevented him from doing what he needed to help take care of Sanne. He loved her like he loved his kids. Vanna, especially, was very quiet. She wanted to run there. Ed could tell.

“Let it go,” Natalie restrained herself, remaining livid.

“I don’t want to hear your opinion on the matter, young lady. I don’t need?—”

“Robert!” Vanna shouted from the foot of the table. “Do not refer to her that way. Do not fucking admonish her!”

The Queen rarely spoke in such a manner, but Robbie hit a nerve.

“Calm yourself. Everyone here is in a panic. Sanne’s mother is likely braindead, they have a month-old baby, and Paul did what you would have done. So stop it.”

“Vanna, you know?—”

“Dad, fucking stop!” Natalie said.

Ed noticed she looked about ready to cry. “Just fucking stop!”

“You all are on some roll, aren’t you? All of you?—”

“Maybe we’re fucking right?” George asked. “Jesus! Can you admit you’re scared, not angry? You do realise those are two different emotions, right? You and Nat have that in common. The difference is she has more self-awareness.”

Robbie looked upset and fell silent.

“This is all because of me,” Natalie said. “And I feel terrible about it. It’s inhumane. It’s unfair to Sanne and Paul and most of all, Keir. I fucking hate myself. You getting all wound up is not helping, Daddy. It’s upsetting everyone. We are all broken and all feel terrible. Let it go. Let Paul take care of his family. Mum is right. You were a good father and husband—a dutiful one. Where do you think George and Paul get it from? You would have done the same. Don’t be like Grandma Maggie and get holier than thou just because you’re sitting at the head of the table and feel the need to bring up protocol. Fuck protocol. Family comes first. Personally, if I were you right now, I would have not given a flying fuck.”

“Well, you’ll see when you are me. This isn’t about you.”

“It quite literally is. I am the reason?—”

“Stop saying that,” Robbie said. “I won’t hear about it?—”

“It’s fucking true!”

“Nat.” Ed reached for her hand.

Natalie swatted him away. “No. Stop it! You don’t get to silence me any more than he does.”

“Nat, this is my fault if anything?—”

“No. It’s not. Just… fucking stop.”

She left, slamming the door.

“Does someone want to tell me what the fuck is happening?” George asked. “Because I missed something.”

“Paul and Sanne do not know that Keir will be king. Paul is now Natalie’s heir. And it’s all my fault—not hers—but she’s feeling like a caged animal unable to swoop in and do something to help. This is quite literally an insult to injury. It is killing her. There is nothing I can do to help. I'm the lowest low—a total piece of shit,” Ed said.

George looked confused. “What?”

“We cannot have children. Robbie knows that. Vanna knows that. No one else knows.”

“What!? Why didn’t Natalie tell me?”

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