Read Online The Balmoral Incident by Alanna Knight - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Alanna Knight
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Olivia would be staying in the royal household apartments with Vince and when Mabel mentioned this he laughed. ‘Not at all. She is quite definite about staying here in the cottage with you.’
Smiles were exchanged. We were immensely flattered at such a decision, choosing the humble cottage rather than the grand castle.
Mabel said in tones of awe, ‘Indeed, that is good of her,’ while Meg was busy telling Thane how he would love Faith. ‘We will have such fun, climbing all those trees, playing games together.’
I wasn’t so sure about that. Vince had confided thatFaith was terrified of large dogs and was regarding Thane thoughtfully. I was regarding him thoughtfully for another reason. A new Thane had emerged since we came to Balmoral. He had become a domestic pet, no longer the strange creature more human than canine, and that set me wondering if his magic was related to his mysterious origins, that he belonged to and was controlled by Arthur’s Seat. At least Meg had not observed any change in him while I thought of those interminable rainy days when he was quite content to lie at her feet.
By introducing him to another environment, had he reverted to being ‘only a dog’ as Vince insisted, or ‘That Dog’ as Mabel described him? I hoped I was wrong, remembering ten years of protection during which he had watched over me and had known instinctively when I was in danger.
At last the sound of the motor car’s horn, with Vince at the wheel. We ran to the door as Olivia and Faith emerged. The next moment, we rushed forward, hugs exchanged.
‘Rose, let me look at you,’ said Olivia. ‘You haven’t changed a bit since last we met – how long ago?’
Olivia had changed, but for the better, more elegant, more regal and composed, security fulfilled by a happy marriage and motherhood.
Meg had taken charge of Faith, leading her by the hand, and observing them together there seemed little difference in the three years between them. Meg was tall for her seven years while Faith at ten was rather pale and frail-looking. Like her father, I suspected she was never going to grow up to be taller than average height.
Thane was framed in the doorway, tail wagging, a large friendly dog waiting to be introduced. I saw the look of alarm, the hesitancy as Faith looked towards her mother, but Meg held her hand firmly, whispering words of reassurance. A sigh of relief from me, at least, as I saw her tentatively stroking his head, the signal that he was not to be feared.
The ever-silent Lily had been instructed to set the table and prepare tea and as we went inside, Vince marshalled the new arrivals’ luggage upstairs. Mabel and Meg and I had the best rooms but Olivia insisted that no change be made.
This was to create problems. Olivia’s choice to remain with us in this far from humble abode instead of under the royal castle roof left the only other available bedroom in the attic next to Lily. However, by evening, the two girls, friendship firmly established, had arrived at a solution.
Meg said that her mother and I should share my room while she moved up to the attic and shared with Faith. She did not regard losing the comfort and the magnificent view as important.
Mabel said: ‘I am most impressed by Olivia’s sacrifice,’ having obviously feared that she might be the one downgraded to the attics.
In an aside to me, Vince murmured: ‘Mabel hasn’t seen the household’s quarters or she might change her mind about them. They are rather starkly furnished and quite chilly, the late Queen was a stickler for economy and did not think that ordinary mortals needed the comfort of warm beds and cosy fires.’
He rubbed his hands together. ‘Nothing like having a snug little cottage, a pretty little garden and an ancient tree with the right kind of stout branches. Meg is wistful about turning it into a tree house when I have the time.’
At the back of my mind the presence of that great tree, although handsome
Smiles were exchanged. We were immensely flattered at such a decision, choosing the humble cottage rather than the grand castle.
Mabel said in tones of awe, ‘Indeed, that is good of her,’ while Meg was busy telling Thane how he would love Faith. ‘We will have such fun, climbing all those trees, playing games together.’
I wasn’t so sure about that. Vince had confided thatFaith was terrified of large dogs and was regarding Thane thoughtfully. I was regarding him thoughtfully for another reason. A new Thane had emerged since we came to Balmoral. He had become a domestic pet, no longer the strange creature more human than canine, and that set me wondering if his magic was related to his mysterious origins, that he belonged to and was controlled by Arthur’s Seat. At least Meg had not observed any change in him while I thought of those interminable rainy days when he was quite content to lie at her feet.
By introducing him to another environment, had he reverted to being ‘only a dog’ as Vince insisted, or ‘That Dog’ as Mabel described him? I hoped I was wrong, remembering ten years of protection during which he had watched over me and had known instinctively when I was in danger.
At last the sound of the motor car’s horn, with Vince at the wheel. We ran to the door as Olivia and Faith emerged. The next moment, we rushed forward, hugs exchanged.
‘Rose, let me look at you,’ said Olivia. ‘You haven’t changed a bit since last we met – how long ago?’
Olivia had changed, but for the better, more elegant, more regal and composed, security fulfilled by a happy marriage and motherhood.
Meg had taken charge of Faith, leading her by the hand, and observing them together there seemed little difference in the three years between them. Meg was tall for her seven years while Faith at ten was rather pale and frail-looking. Like her father, I suspected she was never going to grow up to be taller than average height.
Thane was framed in the doorway, tail wagging, a large friendly dog waiting to be introduced. I saw the look of alarm, the hesitancy as Faith looked towards her mother, but Meg held her hand firmly, whispering words of reassurance. A sigh of relief from me, at least, as I saw her tentatively stroking his head, the signal that he was not to be feared.
The ever-silent Lily had been instructed to set the table and prepare tea and as we went inside, Vince marshalled the new arrivals’ luggage upstairs. Mabel and Meg and I had the best rooms but Olivia insisted that no change be made.
This was to create problems. Olivia’s choice to remain with us in this far from humble abode instead of under the royal castle roof left the only other available bedroom in the attic next to Lily. However, by evening, the two girls, friendship firmly established, had arrived at a solution.
Meg said that her mother and I should share my room while she moved up to the attic and shared with Faith. She did not regard losing the comfort and the magnificent view as important.
Mabel said: ‘I am most impressed by Olivia’s sacrifice,’ having obviously feared that she might be the one downgraded to the attics.
In an aside to me, Vince murmured: ‘Mabel hasn’t seen the household’s quarters or she might change her mind about them. They are rather starkly furnished and quite chilly, the late Queen was a stickler for economy and did not think that ordinary mortals needed the comfort of warm beds and cosy fires.’
He rubbed his hands together. ‘Nothing like having a snug little cottage, a pretty little garden and an ancient tree with the right kind of stout branches. Meg is wistful about turning it into a tree house when I have the time.’
At the back of my mind the presence of that great tree, although handsome
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