Page 83 of The English Queen

“She was flirting with me. She told me this. I thought she was arguing with me. However, I now realise if Beth actually likes you, she will rib you. I am a literal person. Beth deals best in humour and dry wit. She is masterful at argument. I am the opposite. I leaned into the only strength I had. I wrote her letters. She refused to believe the letters were even mine. She got so angry with me and accused me of having a woman write them. She swore up and down no man had neat handwriting.”

Another round of laughter rang out.

“I do have lovely penmanship. I blame nuns for smacking my hands when I fell out of place in primary school. But I do have much neater handwriting than my wife. Not that hers is terrible.”

Beth rolled her eyes.

“Somehow, my notes were enough to float me along as I got to know her—completely in secret. We went on this way for months and months. The only person here who knew had nothing but a guess. It was the Countess—Rita—Beth’s cousin. She called Beth out but didn’t tell anyone. The relationship only became knowledge among the rest of our family and friends when things went south on Prince Elliot’s wedding weekend, and I had to flee to return home to take up after the loss of my father. I had to leave in such a flash I did not wish to wake her. So, I wrote her another letter. It was the best I could do. I told her to wait for further instruction. Beth responded by doing the absolute opposite.”

Duncan clapped and hooted.

“Predictable. Predictable,” Robbie sighed.

“She left her brother’s reception, got on a plane, and posted up in Brussels. Sorry about that, Eli.”

Elliot shook his head.

“She sent me a letter. I worried since she had left royal life and wasn’t interested in becoming Queen, I’d never see her again. Instead, here she was occupying a hotel suite letting me know she was here to support me and my family. She’s been this way ever since. I love her to pieces. She is the best person to come into my life. She has never left me in a time of trouble, she always tells me off the ledge, and she puts up with my foibles without acting as though they are a liability. I love her immensely.”

“I am forever grateful she took the leap and put up with the change of pace. I know playing consort has not been easy. However, Beth has been an absolute pro. And I have never been so happy to call her mine. To my wife, Queen Bethany, I only wish you the most happiness here and I am so fortunate to have you for the rest of my years on this earth. To us, to good health, and to many happy years.”

Among the women, there were few dry eyes left in the room. Even Rita looked like a sap—a rarity. Vanna was predictably in tears. Maggie dabbed her eyes. He’d expected his father to lose it before his mother. Maggie stayed on through the waltzes. Robbie was concerned by her staying seated. What mother didn’t want to dance at her daughter’s wedding?

“Mum,” Robbie said, approaching. “You won’t dance?”

“Your father has a full dance card with the girls,” Maggie chuckled. “And I’m not much for a dance anyway.”

Presently, Keir was out on the dance floor with none other than Natalie who had only recently learned to dance. She was feelinggrown up.

“Nonsense,” Robbie said. “If you tell Pa you’d like to cut in, he’d be unable to tell you know. Natalie has at least a decade and a half ahead of her before she does this. She can wait or slum it with me.”

“I don’t even know if I have it in me, Robbie. Your father is such a lively dancer—”

“Oh, stop, come on. It’s Bethy’s wedding. You’re dancing, damn it. C’mon. I’m not the dancer Duncan or Pa is but I can do alright?”

Maggie relented, standing to take a spin.

“I won’t last long. I am knackered.”

“You and I both. Vanna got up at an obscene hour to tend to Beth. So did Kiersten, unfortunately. I’m surprised you’ve lasted this long though, Mum. Beth would understand—”

“No, no, she would but I won’t…” Maggie choked up. “This will be the last wedding I attend, Robert. The last. Wrap your head around the finality of it.”

Robbie swallowed and nodded, fighting tears.

“I’m so happy to have made it. So happy. I was just… I am relieved. The wedding was beautiful. You all did such a lovely job. She couldn’t look more lovely.”

“Or happier,” Robbie added. “Nor could he. They will have a nice life together.”

“All the way over here.” Maggie was down.

“Well, you’ll have time to visit. It’s only over here. It’s not even two hours on a plane, Mum. You’re getting stronger again. It will be okay. Give yourself a break. And Louis swore he wasn’t trying to take her away and she’d be back. For fuck’s sake, they will be back for the summer. Calm down. She’s coming back for Ascot—with him. Don’t think of it as bleak, Mum. You gotta keep your spirits up.”

“I want to spend more time with Kiersten.”

“Well, I can see how Vanna feels about—”

Maggie pulled a face.

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