Royal Pain in the Ass (35 page)

“
James, what are you trying to say?
”

James sighed and ran his hand down his face.
  “I
’
m trying to say that there are mannerisms here that are expected.
 
I would like it very much if you would let Lord Raleigh accompany you out to the countryside.
 
It would look good for all of us.
 
It will give all of us time to adjust.
”

“
Raleigh?
”

“
He asked me for a proper date, and I see no reason why I should deny him.
”

“
Maybe because he
’
s a kind of a jerk?
”

“
Juliet, do not speak ill of him please.
  He
’
s a respectable member of society.
”

“
Yeah, so is Ethan.
”

James took a calming breath.
  “
Juliet, please.
 
I am trying to work with you.
 
It would be nice if you would do the same.
”

“
Are you kidding me? James, everyone here hates me.
 
Everyone here wants me gone.
  It
’
s really, really hard to be nice to people who hate you.
 
I have to say it feels great to have someone skip into your room tell you it
’
s about damn time you left, good news Daddy came to his senses.
 
I have been trying.
 
I don’
t understand any of this place.
 
Every time I try I screw it up.
 
My every effort is thrown back in my face.
  Okay? 
I don’
t know what to do, you may as well just convince the king to send me home and we
’
ll pretend this never happened okay?
 
I’m not wanted here and I don’t even know if I want to be here. Just send me back. One less burden for everyone.
”

“
Is that really how you feel?
” 
James looked a little taken aback.

“Yeah.”

“
I can assure you, not everyone hates you.
”

“
James, you
’
re my father.
 
I get that.
 
But even you have to admit, your life would be easier if I
’
d never been introduced to your life.
”

“
Juliet, easier perhaps, but now that I know you, I don
’
t want you gone.
 
You must understand that.
”

“
Why?
”

“
Juliet, you are my daughter.
”

“So?”

“
This is going to sound selfish, but please bear with me.
 
Not only are you my daughter, but you are also Rose
’
s daughter.
”

“
Great.
  I
’
m your link to my mother right?
 
I get it now.
 
I remind you of her, right?
”

James sighed.
  “
That is part of it, but that
’
s not all of it.
”

“
James, I don’
t know if I can do this.
”

James stood up.
  “
I have not been a proper father to you.
”
James pulled me into a hug.
“It
’
s not fair of me to do this or expect this of you, but there are few other options.
”

It felt weird giving James a hug.
 
It was stiff and I don
’
t think he hugged people often.
  “
Um, what are you doing?
”

James pulled away and held me at an arm
’
s length.
  “
I don’
t know either.
” 
I couldn
’
t help it, I started laughing.
 
After a moment James joined in and we were in laughing fits by the end.
 

“
What just happened?
”
I gasped after we started calming down.

“I can
’
t say I
’
ve ever actually done that before.
”
James coughed, putting his composed face back on.
  “
That was quite out of the ordinary for me.
”

“
So, what is going to happen with me?
”

“I
’
ve already arranged for you to go on holiday.
 
Ian and Christine are already out there.
 
Christine is also having her debutant ball.
  She
’
ll be properly launched into society.
 
You are invited, which is part of the holiday.
”

“
So who all is going with me?
”

“
Raleigh.
”

“
And my advisor?
”

“
Is that wise?
”

“
What do you mean?
”

“
Juliet, did he hit you?
 
If he hit you, he is no longer your advisor.
”

“
James, that was a massive misunderstanding.
”

“
So you didn
’
t hit your face on the toilet.
”

“No.”

“
What did happen?
”

“You don
’
t really want to know.
”

“
Oh but I do.
”

“
No, you really don
’
t. 
But I can assure you, Xavier would never hit me on purpose.
”

“
On accident?
”

“
James, I can assure you, Xavier hasn
’
t done anything wrong.
  He
’
s been helping me more than anything else.
  I
’
m not as much of a mess as I was.
 
Even you have to of seen that.
”

“It
’s true.
 
Perhaps I did overreact.
 
I do want to know how you injured yourself.
”

“
James, I found my way to alcohol and in my drunken state ended up punching myself in the face.
 
Are you happy now?
  I
’
m an idiot.
”

“
You did what?
”

“
Exactly.
”

“
Oh . . . what?
 
How did you manage that?
”

“
Do you question yourself drunk?
”

“
I haven
’
t been drunk in a very long time.
”

“
Maybe you should try it sometime.
”

“
Juliet, I may enjoy a good brandy every now and then, I cannot afford to
get drunk. 
Go get your things packed.
 
Raleigh should be here soon, I
’
ll ring Xavier and have him prepared to go as well if that
’
s what you want.
”

“Okay.  Thank you James.”

“
Juliet, I don
’
t know how to do what we are doing.
 
I just want you to know, you aren
’
t alone.
”

I nodded.
  “
That means a lot.
 
Thanks James.
” 
I gave him a small smile and headed back to my room.

“
So, you
’
ve accepted that you
’
re leaving?
”
Angelica sneered.

“
Actually, I
’
m going to see Ian and Christine for her party that you aren
’
t invited to because you
’
re not of age yet.
  Isn
’
t that just a pity?
”
I cooed at her as I brushed past.

“
What?
”
Angelica screeched.
  “
How are you going?
”

“
Because I
’
m of age and karma is smiling on me now because of the way you are.
”

“Oh I
’
m going to see Daddy about this.
”

“
You do that, I
’
ve got some packing to do.
”
I rolled my eyes and retreated into my room with a sigh.
 
I started pulling clothes out of drawers and wardrobes and stuffing them into my suitcases.
 
I was almost finished with all the toiletries when I heard a soft knocking at the door.
  “
Come in.
”

Gwen was standing there looking forlorn.
 
She looked around, a grim expression on her face.
  “
So it
’
s true then?
”

“
What
’
s true?”

“You
’
re really leaving?
”

I gave her a sad smile.
  “
For a little while.
  
James wants to get a few things straightened out then I
’
ll be back.
”

“
Why did you agree?
”

“
Gwen, I don
’
t get a whole lot of choice.
 
I have to go.
”

“
Do you want to?
”

“
Yes and no.
”

“You do want to leave?”

“
I kind of want out of the media circus and it
’
ll be nice to be away from Millie and Angelica.
 
I will miss our sneaking out though.
  And I
’
ll miss Laurel and Harper and all the other shenanigans we get into.
”

Gwen nodded sadly.
  “
Want a cookie?
”
she sighed pulling out a package.

“Sure,”

“
Sugar or snicker doodles?
”

“
Both are fantastic.
”

Gwen shook her head.
  “I
’
m going to miss you.
”

I pulled her into a hug.
 “I
’
m going to miss you too, honey.
”

We chatted for a while until I heard another soft knocking.
  “
Who is it?
” 
Xavier opened the door and gave me a smile that sent my heart soaring.
  “You
’
re back!
”
I flew at him and tackled him in a hug.

Xavier let out a throaty laugh and fixed his askew glasses.
  “
I wasn
’
t gone that long.
”

“
I know.
”
I coughed as I picked myself up and offered him a hand.
 
He laughed and took it, but wouldn
’
t let me pull him up.
 
He got up all on his own.