Page 7 of The English Queen

“Your back is not.”

“My back is fine,” Vanna insisted.

Robbie knew her back wasn’t fine, but arguing about her horses was a losing game. In this field, Vanora was second only to Elliot’s wife, Charlotte, an Olympic eventer. Vanna was a favourite of the huntmaster since she was nearly fearless or at least had been prior to the last baby. And, unlike Charlotte who was all business, loved to gossip as she rode. Robbie would never be in the first group. He would ride back with Duncan. Polo riders weren’t known for their hunting prowess, but he wasn’t about to leave Vanna out there on her own.

Vanna left to join Rita and a groom helped Robbie swing atop his chosen horse from his mother’s collection of overpriced, well-fed horseflesh. He rode off and found Duncan sitting on his horse next to Rebecca. Rebecca was not a rider. She waited with the other non-riders.

Nira trotted up. “Granny is going out.”

Nira was Rebecca’s daughter from a relationship with a doctor in a past life. He was the same doctor who delivered all four of Robbie’s children. Nira was sixteen–near seventeen–and she liked to ride, often beside the Queen.

“She’s what?” Robbie coughed.

“She’s feeling better. She’s coming out,” Nira answered. “Good, yes?”

“Yes, good,” Duncan said as he, Robbie, and Rebecca made eye contact. His tone was not enthusiastic.

“I need to find Vanna,” Robbie said.

However, by that point, it was too late. None other than Her Majesty rode in on the back of her favourite cob, Norman. And then the huntmaster called everyone to do the hack out.

“Fuck,” Robbie whispered as Nira trotted to join his mother in the third group.

“I am pretty certain we are fucked,” Duncan said. “I will ride back in group three. You ride in group two as an intercept. Vanna will no doubt be up ahead. Boom. Crisis averted? Thank God neither Louis nor Beth is riding.”

“Yes, indeed.”

They rode out and everything remained stable. Robbie tracked in the second group along with Eli and one of Charlotte’s friends who came on a green horse unprepared to stay with the pacesetters. Robbie found himself being trailed by none other than his mother who wanted to chat.

“I need to apologise to you Robbie. I am not upset with you. I did attempt to apologise to Beth this morning, but she would not see me,” the Queen explained.

“Mother, I… I can’t talk to you about this right now,” Robbie protested.

“Is this not the ideal time, Robert?”

“Is it?”

It was for her because he was a captive audience. It wasn’t as if he could just leave.

“Look, I know Thursday was uncomfortable for everyone. I proceeded to have an absolute meltdown and your father was livid with me. Beth is very upset and… Louis must be enraged.”

“Louis just wants it to stop, Mum. He is appalled if not deeply embarrassed on our behalf. He will defend Beth to the death. He’s not going to be your friend here. She is now your peer, and you better realise that. You have got to stop with your condescension and underestimating her. That’s for the two of them to manage.”

“I know, I know. And I don’t think poorly of your sister. She is, of course, very talented. But she never wanted this.”

Robbie let out a sigh. “The things we do for love. Why does this not excite you? You were depressed when she left. You were cross when she insisted she didn’t want children. Now, it seems like she’s fine with them and is effectively back in the fold. You will see her more than you did when she was in bloody Paris.”

They took a fence and Maggie regained her train of thought. “He controls her.”

Robbie burst out laughing. “Controls her?! Good God. If anything, she has him over a barrel. You never give her credit. Beth doesn’t let anyone control her. That’s why she was so resistant to getting involved with anyone. She doesn’t want to be put on a pedestal. Louis isn’t the type to own a woman. That’s absolutely not what it is.”

“Well, the way he lost it on me—”

“No, that was the response to you treating Beth like an incapable child and then an object worth negotiating. I would have reacted the same way with Vanna and have. Mother, do I control Vanora?”

“Unfortunately, no.”

Robbie didn’t let her pick the fight.

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