Page 81 of Regally Binding

Liss did as instructed, but her pulse was uncontrollable. Marianne was killing the King, and there was nothing she could do. The idea was ludicrous. Liss shook, and her teeth clamped down so tightly on her tongue that she tasted blood.

Suddenly, Bear disappeared. I’m alone. He couldn’t deal with her like this. The King would die. Marianne would destroy Liss next. She couldn’t trust Steve. Her new life risked the safety of those around her, like Isla. Her grandma didn’t care and—

Suddenly, items clattered onto her lap from the handbag she took to the palace party. Bear tossed everything out.

“You made us go back for this for something. I don’t know what, but this bag or its contents must be important.” Bear searched through the items but was as dumbstruck as when he pushed her hand against her heart.

Liss nodded in the direction of the plastic heart. He grabbed it and opened her hand. Bear placed the heart in her palm and wrapped his hand around hers and the heart. “Count to ten with me, Liss. Please.”

The combination of his touch, his soft albeit strained voice, and the heart from her mum forced the distraction she needed. As Bear reached six, she mumbled with him. The tension in his shoulders eased and her heart slowed. By ten, she was exhausted but calmer.

Bear pulled Liss against him and repeated his count from one to ten. The gaps between the numbers got longer as shebreathed. They counted together until her breath was under control and her chest unrestricted.

Before she could explain, Bear’s phone rangShe passed it to him, but he returned it. “It’s Beatrice. Do you want me to go?” Liss shook her head. She needed him by her side. Hopefully, she wouldn’t have to repeat her thoughts if she could explain them at all.

Liss turned the call to speakerphone as she answered.

“Hello, Felicity. How are you holding up? I’m so sorry I didn’t get to speak to you at the end of the party.” Beatrice’s Scottish lilt warmed her. They shared niceties, although Liss fisted her hands as she struggled not to blurt out her fears. But catastrophising wouldn’t help if she was going to get Beatrice onside.

Bear squeezed Liss, and her shoulders relaxed with her escaping breath.

“Have you seen much of Grandad?” Liss asked.

“Not yet, sadly, but we’re visiting him later this evening. I spoke to him a few days ago, and I’m worried about him.”

“I’ve spoken to him several times and just got off the phone with him.”

“How did he sound to you?”

“He had a new hacking cough. I can’t believe how many new symptoms he has each time I speak to him. I told him I’d see him Thursday, but he’s going downhill so rapidly. He said himself that it’s only been in the last six months. How can someone get ill that quickly without anyone knowing what’s wrong? I’m scared for him.”

“I am too.” Beatrice’s voice wavered slightly. “He seemed fine six months ago, and then things just changed. I’m baffled. Will you talk to him about accepting a royal role when you see him on Thursday?”

“Yes. That’s my plan. I would have talked about it more with Grandad today, but…” She couldn’t tell her the truth.

“But?”

“He said he had to go. He’d wanted to speak to me privately but said that Marianne was on her way back and liked to be around when he spoke to people or had visitors.”

Beatrice was silent. Maybe Liss sounded like a gossip. Her mouth twisted to the side as she waited. “That explains why she insisted on being there tonight. I was happy to hear it because Gable and I wanted to speak to her about her behaviour to you at the party.”

“Oh?”

“I was disgusted. You were given a bad impression of our family. Where you should have been welcomed, you were mistreated. I’m so sorry.”

Liss sighed. “Thank you. I thought maybe I was being silly, but it did hurt.”

“You were so kind to secretly drink on my behalf and for not telling anyone about the baby.”

“It goes without saying. It’s yours and Gable’s secret to share when it’s right.”

“Well, I will be having a word with Marianne. Alex should have behaved better too. Before Marianne, he didn’t even want to be king. He liked organising parties and enjoyed the operations side of being a royal. He wanted to stay in the background. I don’t recognise him anymore.”

“I wasn’t a big royal watcher in the past. But I thought he would be a little kinder,” Liss replied, squeezing her eyes shut briefly. She continued to tremble. She wasn’t skilled at diplomacy unless faced with a drunk punter. “It must have been a shock for him. Are Gable and Alex close?”

Bear took her hand and squeezed it. The panic attack had exhausted her and now she didn’t know how to broach theprospect of attempted murder. Bear handed her a cookie, and she breathed the sugary goodness in deep. She could do this.

“They were close, but Alex pushed Gable aside after he met Marianne at a party. The couple quickly became inseparable.”

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