Page 5 of The Crown

Her voice caught. “Oh no, what has happened.”

He smiled, and her relief calmed the surge of adrenaline that had raced through her.

“It seems, you have become a celebrity during the night.” He clicked on the screen, and the room dimmed.

Image after image of Jo in her bathing suit, enjoying the yacht, draped across Nico, and kissing him on the dock scrolled across the screen. Her face flamed. They were from websites, news pundits, paparazzi, and tabloids. The pictures kept scrolling. Nico reached for her hand and whispered, “You look hot.” She knew he was trying to cheer her up, but the invasion of her privacy felt so personal. She felt bare, even violated.

And they kept coming.

Nico called out, “Father, I think we get the point.”

“Just a few more.” The next set were from waterskiing, ending with her most spectacular spray.

“Whoa, Jo, look at you! That’s incredible!” Nico’s admiration almost made the embarrassment worth it.

Trane grinned. “She can slay, brother. She might even take you down.”

“We should take her out on the course.” Nico turned to her, eyes animated. “We have designed our own buoy course, requiring you to cut the sharpest possible turns, up your speed and everything—”

Their father cleared his throat.

Daniel’s quiet voice added. “Those aren’t from my camera.”

Jo turned to him, “What?”

Trane frowned. “Are you certain? You took nearly 100 shots.”

“Of course I’m certain. Look at the angle.”

Jo felt even more spied upon. “How could anyone get those shots? That is a private, secluded place with only one entrance. We would have seen anyone enter or leave.”

“Unless they knew we would be there and camped out in the woods.”

Jo couldn’t believe it. “Surely not…”

But everyone’s faces told her this was completely plausible.

“How are you, Jo?” Nico’s obvious concern comforted her.

“I feel like something has been stolen.” For the first time a trickle of doubt crept in. Was she cut out for this life?

The queen interrupted. “This is part of our life here. We do our best to ensure private moments. We work hard to keep a portion of our lives from the outside eye, but it is to be expected.” She smiled and there was a hint of warmth there, comfort. “At least you look marvelous, dear. You have won them all over.”

A strong unspoken concern weighed on the group. The queen sipped her orange juice, her eyes now calculating. “For now.”

Jo had seen what they did to Nico all last year while he hid out in her home town of Shady Lakes, South Carolina. The tabloids might love her now, but they would love to exploit her first mistake just as much.

She voiced one niggling worry. “Do they ever get inside the house?” She was starting to feel a creepy awareness of imaginary eyes watching her every move.

Nico put his arm around her shoulders. “Absolutely not. We have one of the best security forces in the world in our country.”

That was something she didn’t know. Why would they need such a force in their quiet unassuming island? But she was glad for it. She nodded, trusting their system.

“So, I can’t tell. Is this ok? Good or bad? Should I do something about it?”

The queen said, “The pictures are neither here nor there. The positive aspect is that you have their attention. If you want to do something of worth with the notice, now is a good time.”

Jo stopped. And for the first time considered this aspect of her role as future queen. She would have a place here; she could make a difference. But she would need help. “Could you help me, do you think? In putting together a platform? I want to be organized and productive in the things I can accomplish.” She turned to the queen in particular. The woman frightened her, but she also was the best one to guide her in this particular area.

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