Page 82 of Duchess Material

“Hello? Are you still awake? I’ve been admonished already. But maybe I need a little more punishment? A spanking?”

“Natalie?”

Natalie felt faint. This was not Ed.

“Uh, Dad, hi,” Natalie said. “I thought you were… well… Edwin and…”

“I am not Edwin. Natalie, how can you dare think about anything but what you said right now? Is this some sort of joke?”

“No, no. Dad, of course not. Ed was—he’s abroad and—”

She looked down as her mobile began to vibrate once more.

“Shit. He’s calling me.”

“Do not put me on hold, young lady! Natalie Mairead, do not hang up on me!”

“Calm the fuck down a second. I didn’t say anything. I thought my boyfriend was calling me. I apologise for the saucy bit. I’m mortified.”

“Maybe don’t enter into the fray in geopolitics, then!” Her father’s voice was cross.

“Dad, you sent a former fighter pilot to deal with nuclear disarmament. You sent a pilot who is sore about the death of her certification on her Lightning—the plane she loves the most. And you sent me here on the day that George’s fucking engagement was announced. These people would trivialise nuclear war to call my brother a slur out one side of their mouth while entertaining the idea of the gayest wedding on earth selling even more papers. Sorry if I refuse to apologise.”

The line was silent.

“Did I lose you?” Natalie asked.

Robbie grumbled, “No, you did not. Fine, fine. I gather I would have been a bit hot as well. Did you need to talk about nukes?”

“The whole fucking thing is about nukes! Dad, you are being ridiculous.”

“I am asking you—”

“I will behave myself, shut my mouth and be a good lady.”

“That is not what I—”

“Ta-ta now.” Natalie ended the call.

“What happened?” Lucy furrowed her brow.

Can’t talk, international incident.

Natalie dialled her Uncle Duncan, exasperated. If there was another pilot who could understand her, it would be the man who taught her to fly. If there was a person who had been through the gambit with her father before, it would be Duncan.

“Hello, ace,” Duncan answered.

Natalie groaned. “You’ve seen it?”

“It’s a great clip.”

“I hate the media.”

Duncan chuckled. “Keep that to yourself, sweetheart.”

“They are insufferable about the wedding. We’re dealing with nuclear war. The Americans are never going to be held accountable and they’re using the wedding to distract from it. Sorry, not sorry.”

“You know who you sound like?”

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