pressure and guilt you the way she is.”
Part of me knew that was true, but it wasn’t the only truth
that mattered to me.
Victoria had been my best friend all my life. We’d stayed up
late, telling each other secrets. We’d explored all the nooks and crannies of
this palace together. We’d laughed and shopped and done each other’s makeup.
And I’d ended up hurting her terribly.
I shook against Jack for a minute before I made myself
straighten up. “I’m sorry the dinner party was so terrible.”
“It’s not your fault. I’m pretty tough. I got through it.”
He’d gotten through it because he’d known it was temporary.
It wasn’t an inevitable part of his life.
Not the way it was mine.
***
The next day, I told my mother that
we weren’t up for any social functions, although I agreed to have tea with her
and her friends, as long as Jack didn’t have to come too. My excuse was that
Jack wanted to see Villemont, since he’d never been there before, so Mother
arranged for the limo to take us on a tour.
We stopped at every site that was remotely noteworthy, and at
every place we visited, people went out of their way to welcome us and show us
around. So instead of an enjoyable sightseeing trip, Jack had to face a fuss
everywhere we went.
He wasn’t as miserable as he’d been at the dinner party, but
I knew this wasn’t how he would have chosen to spend the day.
At around two in the afternoon, we were sitting on a bench
in the main city square, drinking coffee we’d just bought from a café. For the
first time, Jack looked genuinely relaxed.
“I’m sorry about all the hoopla,” I said, trying out his word.
“It’s unavoidable.”
“So you have to deal with that everywhere you go?”
“For the most part.”
He made a face. “No wonder you wanted to move to Minneapolis
and stay anonymous.”
“It’s just here, where everyone knows I’m a princess. I
could go to Paris and most people wouldn’t know who I am.”
“But your mother doesn’t want you to live in Paris, any more
than she wants you to live in the States. Right?”
“Right. Princesses stay home.”
“Wasn’t that Edward guy from Geneva?”
“Yes. If I’d married him, I would have moved to Geneva, but
that’s close enough for my mother.”
“But Minneapolis is too far.”
“I think it’s less the distance and more the fact that I’m
not living according to her wishes.”
“You know how I feel about that.”
“Yes. I know. But I thought one of your rules was to never
apply pressure. To let people make their own decisions.”
“You can make your own decision. But I’m allowed to say what
I think about it. And I think it’s just wrong. You can’t let her dictate your
entire life.”
“I haven’t.”
“If you move back here, you will.”
I gave him a sober look. “Has it ever occurred to you that I
love it here, despite all the hoopla. This is my country, you know.”
Something flickered on his face, something I couldn’t quite
recognize. But then he looked like himself again as he said, “I know. But my
point is still valid.”
Of course it was valid. I wanted to do what was best for me,
but I didn’t want to abandon my family or my country. And I didn’t want to hurt
the people I loved.
There was no good or easy answer for me here. Surely Jack
could see that.
“I’m sorry you’re having a terrible time,” I said at last.
“But I did warn you.”
“I know you did.”
“So you are having a terrible time?”
He arched his eyebrows. “Let’s just say it’s not the best
vacation I’ve ever taken.”
“It hasn’t been all that fun for me either.”
“So let’s go back,” Jack said, reaching out to take my hand.
“Let’s go back home. If neither of us wants to be here, let’s just go back
home.”
Very gently, I pulled my hand out of his. “Jack, you know I can’t.”
“I know you won’t . It’s not the same thing.”
Seven
When I went down to breakfast
Part of me knew that was true, but it wasn’t the only truth
that mattered to me.
Victoria had been my best friend all my life. We’d stayed up
late, telling each other secrets. We’d explored all the nooks and crannies of
this palace together. We’d laughed and shopped and done each other’s makeup.
And I’d ended up hurting her terribly.
I shook against Jack for a minute before I made myself
straighten up. “I’m sorry the dinner party was so terrible.”
“It’s not your fault. I’m pretty tough. I got through it.”
He’d gotten through it because he’d known it was temporary.
It wasn’t an inevitable part of his life.
Not the way it was mine.
***
The next day, I told my mother that
we weren’t up for any social functions, although I agreed to have tea with her
and her friends, as long as Jack didn’t have to come too. My excuse was that
Jack wanted to see Villemont, since he’d never been there before, so Mother
arranged for the limo to take us on a tour.
We stopped at every site that was remotely noteworthy, and at
every place we visited, people went out of their way to welcome us and show us
around. So instead of an enjoyable sightseeing trip, Jack had to face a fuss
everywhere we went.
He wasn’t as miserable as he’d been at the dinner party, but
I knew this wasn’t how he would have chosen to spend the day.
At around two in the afternoon, we were sitting on a bench
in the main city square, drinking coffee we’d just bought from a café. For the
first time, Jack looked genuinely relaxed.
“I’m sorry about all the hoopla,” I said, trying out his word.
“It’s unavoidable.”
“So you have to deal with that everywhere you go?”
“For the most part.”
He made a face. “No wonder you wanted to move to Minneapolis
and stay anonymous.”
“It’s just here, where everyone knows I’m a princess. I
could go to Paris and most people wouldn’t know who I am.”
“But your mother doesn’t want you to live in Paris, any more
than she wants you to live in the States. Right?”
“Right. Princesses stay home.”
“Wasn’t that Edward guy from Geneva?”
“Yes. If I’d married him, I would have moved to Geneva, but
that’s close enough for my mother.”
“But Minneapolis is too far.”
“I think it’s less the distance and more the fact that I’m
not living according to her wishes.”
“You know how I feel about that.”
“Yes. I know. But I thought one of your rules was to never
apply pressure. To let people make their own decisions.”
“You can make your own decision. But I’m allowed to say what
I think about it. And I think it’s just wrong. You can’t let her dictate your
entire life.”
“I haven’t.”
“If you move back here, you will.”
I gave him a sober look. “Has it ever occurred to you that I
love it here, despite all the hoopla. This is my country, you know.”
Something flickered on his face, something I couldn’t quite
recognize. But then he looked like himself again as he said, “I know. But my
point is still valid.”
Of course it was valid. I wanted to do what was best for me,
but I didn’t want to abandon my family or my country. And I didn’t want to hurt
the people I loved.
There was no good or easy answer for me here. Surely Jack
could see that.
“I’m sorry you’re having a terrible time,” I said at last.
“But I did warn you.”
“I know you did.”
“So you are having a terrible time?”
He arched his eyebrows. “Let’s just say it’s not the best
vacation I’ve ever taken.”
“It hasn’t been all that fun for me either.”
“So let’s go back,” Jack said, reaching out to take my hand.
“Let’s go back home. If neither of us wants to be here, let’s just go back
home.”
Very gently, I pulled my hand out of his. “Jack, you know I can’t.”
“I know you won’t . It’s not the same thing.”
Seven
When I went down to breakfast
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