Page 36 of The English Queen

She giggled as he pushed her back on the bed. “Why?”

“Because I worry I’ll wake up tomorrow and you’ll be gone. You’re everything I never imagined and yeah… I couldn’t live without you,” Louis said.

“I am going nowhere except back and forth across the English Channel until we’re both sick of it,” Beth reached up and touching his face.

?????

“It was a triumph,” Robbie said. “A triumph, Kiersten.”

The baby looked up from her scrambled eggs for a moment and returned to stuffing her face with her chubby little hands.

“Well, I don’t expect you to understand, I suppose,” Robbie sighed.

“What is a triumph?” Paul wondered.

“When something is amazing. Remarkable.”

“So, what was?” Paul asked as the baby threw eggs at the dog, much to his excitement.

“It was the tour. They are calling it all a triumph. I am sure your aunt and uncle will continue the magic.”

“Oh, you made breakfast. I love you so much,” Vanna said. She stopped to give Robbie a kiss.

“There’s more in the warmer. I made streaky bacon as well.”

“Because it’s better,” Paul declared.

“You’re thoroughly American,” Vanna kissed both children on their heads.

“Where are the beasties?” Robbie asked Vanna as she returned with a plate.

“The twins are still asleep. You made coffee? What should I be concerned about, Robert?” Vanna didn’t answer but accuse.

“Nothing,” Robbie chuckled. “I wanted to say thank you for putting up with me—and all of this, baby.”

“Oh, you’re kind.”

“Daddy said your trip was a ‘trumpet’!” Paul said excitedly.

Robbie chuckled, “Triumphant. And they said your mother was ‘most charming woman alive’ and she could ‘do no wrong’—both sentiments I must agree with.”

Vanna blushed and shook her head.

“Oh, the lady disagrees?”

“The lady thinks you are barking up the wrong tree,” she said in third person.

Robbie was jovial. He finally slept. He was back on the ground in a country where the sun wasn’t roasting him like a fried egg on a skillet. Moreover, he and Vanna finally managed to have sex for the first time in seemingly ever. He vowed never to take a baby on a tour again, but he could do nothing about it. It was a special sort of hell watching your delightful, stunning spouse in an evening gown night after night charm everyone only to be unable to touch her.

Robbie knew a man should say he liked his partner makeup-free and casual. There was a time and a place for that. He loved waking up next to his wife, her hair messy. It was better if he had something to do with her dishevelled appearance. However, Vanna glittering like the stars in an evening gown hit differently. She wasn’t a trophy, of course. But damn if he still did not pinch himself when standing by her.

“When are we going to see Auntie Beth?” Paul wondered as Kiersten screeched like an angry monkey.

She ran out of bacon. Paul kindly noticed and passed her some. He was so tender with his baby sister sometimes.

Robbie answered. “We will visit at lunch. Calm down. We’re giving her a bit of a well-earned rest, my darling boy. Calm down.”

“She was busy running to country while Granny was sick, and your uncles and daddy were gone. Beth has done a great service.”

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