Page 44 of Appointing

“Ingrid, I’m just Alex out here, okay?” Alex said. “No formalities when you’re on holiday; at least, not with me.” She held up a pair of pruning shears. “Time to prune the rose bushes. I have an extra pair if you want to help.”

“I can’t say I know how,” Ingrid replied.

“Well, I can show you.”

“I won’t ruin them?” she asked.

“No,” Alex said, laughing a little.

Ingrid followed the would-be Queen around the corner, where she noticed the beautiful rose bushes lining the side wall.

“Wow. They’re gorgeous,” she noted.

“I wasn’t really into flowers, but I spent some time with Palmer and Elizabeth, and they know a lot about them. They kind of got me into them. I even have an updated greenhouse here now, with about every shade of rose you can imagine,” Alex shared.

“I’d love to see that if I may,” Ingrid replied.

“Of course. You’re free to explore the grounds however you like,” Alex told her.

Ingrid watched the Princess as she worked with the roses first before Alex handed her a pair of shears, and Ingrid worked alongside her. After a few minutes of shared silence, Ingrid thought she’d gotten the hang of it. Then, she looked into the window behind the bushes. Elin was inside. She was laughing at something Lillian said and holding on to her teacup. Ingrid prayed silently that the Princess wouldn’t drop it or spill hot tea on herself.

“Everything all right?” Alex asked.

“Yes. The Princess Royal is a little on the clumsy side at times, and she’s laughing with her sister while holding hot tea, so I’m a little worried she might find something to trip over.”

“Elin?” Alex asked.

“Yes.”

“Clumsy? Really? I’ve never thought of her as clumsy. We played water polo together in school, and I’ve seen her walk rooms in the busiest of dresses without issue.”

“She played water polo?” Ingrid asked.

“Yes. If she weren’t royalty, she could have made the Norwegian Olympic Team; she was that good.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“I didn’t know that,” Ingrid replied.

“I doubt most people do. Christian was always in the spotlight, and it’s Norway – no offense, but people pay much more attention to the British royal family.”

“But I’m Norwegian.”

“Do you follow water polo or the Olympics?”

“Not really, no.” Ingrid shook her head. “But I know my Princess.”

“YourPrincess?”

“Hi,” Elin greeted, suddenly behind Ingrid.

“Oh,” Ingrid said, surprised, and accidently snipped at a rose, chopping it from its bush. “Sorry,” she said to no one in particular.

“That’s what we’re here for,” Alex said, smiling at her. “Maybe Elin would like that one.”

“What?”

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