Highness (22 page)

Chapter 21

Kensington Palace

Apartment 1A

1:00 P.M.

Hope could feel her anxiety building with every minute that passed.  She knew that tonight was important for Michael, but she didn’t understand why.  She knew that she’d be meeting his family, but she didn’t know exactly whom.  She knew that the meeting had everything to do with their relationship, but she didn’t understand what his family proposed to do about it.  And to top off all the uncertainty, she felt completely alone.

              And it had not been that Michael had not been a gracious host.  In fact, every day, he had found a way to make her feel just a little more special than the day before.  He devoted all of his attention to her, and he opened up so much about his own desires in life.

              He truly was an open book, and in her entire life, she had never had that with a man. Maybe it was because he had nothing to lose.  After all, he was at the pinnacle of success.  He was born the Prince of Wales…and gorgeous…and by all accounts of the life that he lived, extremely wealthy. Still, whatever allowed him to just be himself, she was grateful.  Because just being himself, allowed him to be there for her. 

And there was no doubt that Michael would be there for her tonight, but she would have liked to have Bree there as well. Such a thing, of course, could not be, but still in her mind, she fantasized about having someone at her side tonight to witness whatever might happen.

              Just as she was about to pick up the phone and dial Bree, one of the staff knocked on the door and interrupted her. 

              “My lady?” the woman said in a mousy British accent.

              Hope puts down her phone and looked toward the door.  “Yes.”

              “The prince has arrived.  He’s just downstairs waiting for you,” the woman said, stepping into the opening of the door. She smiled as she gazed upon Hope – fully dressed and ready. 

              Hope smiled back at the woman.  “I’ll be right down,” she said, grabbing her clutch purse.

              “If I’m not being too forward by saying, you look absolutely beautiful, ma’am,” the lady said, moving out of the way as Hope passed.

              “Thank you.  Let’s just hope that he feels the same,” Hope said, taking a deep breath as she slowly made her way down the hall.  Taking her time, she thought about what clever thing she might say to Michael when she saw him.  After all, his team of assistants had dressed her up to the point that she hardly recognized herself. 

              As she made it to the long stairwell, she looked over the side to see Michael standing below with Geoff and his men.  He was busy talking to them under his breath until her foot hit the top step.  The echo silenced the room. 

              Then he turned to watch her descend toward him, completely paralyzed.  Straightening his black suit, he walked to the base of the stairwell and waited.  Looking up at her with a lusty gaze, he placed his hand on the banister, gripping it to keep himself under control.  

              Hope blushed incessantly. Her cheeks burned red as she realized that all eyes in the room were on her.  Even Geoff smiled, which was something that she wasn’t quite sure that she’d ever seen him do before.

              “Your Highness” she said when she arrived one step away from Michael.

              He gazed at her in sheer wonderment. 
Was this an angel?

              Standing before him in a crimson red strapless Chanel gown that contrasted with her warm brown skin and fit her voluptuous form perfectly from bodice to her wide hip, down her long legs to her ankles, she presented herself with a small bow. Her long black hair flowed over her shoulders in a blanket of silken elegance.  Her big brown eyes were bright with passion and desire.  Her shapely lips outlined and glossed with shimmer.  Her high cheek bones accentuated.  Every single detail of her body had been catered to, every attribute highlighted. 

              “Hope,” Michael said nearly in a whisper.  “You are a vision,” he said, taking her soft, delicate hand.  Helping her to the floor, he whirled her around once.  “A complete vision,” he said with a proud laugh.  “Isn’t she, gentlemen.”

              “Absolutely,” Geoff said proudly. 

              Hope leaned in and kissed his lips, despite the evidence that she knew it would leave. “Thank you. I’m very happy that you are pleased,” she said, wiping his mouth.

              Michael shook his head and inhaled her fragrance.  She was too much. Everything about her at the moment was driving him insane. “I couldn’t be more pleased.”
Unless you were in my bed
, he thought to himself. The dark twinkle in his eyes told on him. 

              Seeing that his friend was happy and maybe a little more energized about tonight, Geoff opened the front door.  “Are we ready, Your Highness?”

              Michael winked at Hope.  “Not just yet.  One more thing.”  Walking over to the table nearest the stairs, he picked up a black velvet box.  “While I was out, I found something for you.” 

              Hope walked over and looked at the box with curious eyes.  “For me?”

              Michael opened it slowly. “From Bvlgari,” he said, revealing a diamond necklace.  The three-carat, flawless diamond sparkled across the room.  

              Her eyes beamed with joy.  “Michael, it’s beautiful.”

              He pulled the gold necklace from the box and stepped behind her.  Placing the cold jewelry around her neck, he kissed her smooth skin.   “Supposedly, it is inspired by the crown and the flower, two enduring symbols of glory and celebration since ancient times.”  He paused at her ear and hissed the words. “But when I saw it, it only made me think of you.”

              Hope placed her hands on the necklace and turned to him.  “Thank you,” she said sincerely.  “I’ve never had anything so beautiful.  It’s…too much.”

              Michael held her gentle hands. “It’s not nearly enough.” Kissing her hands, he nodded. “Now, we are ready,” he said with a confident smile.

              “Yes, sir,” Geoff said, cueing the men to file out of the house. 

              As she walked beside him, she clutched his hand tightly. “I’m nervous,” Hope confessed. “What if they don’t like me,” she asked, looking toward the open door that led out to the motorcade waiting for them. 

              Michael put one hand on her lower back to feel the curve that led to her well-formed backside.  “You needn’t worry, my dear.  They will love you.”

              She smiled at his poor attempt to hide his own nervousness. “Liar.”

              “I love you,” he said honestly. “And that’s all that matters.” 

              Nodding in agreement, she pursed her ruby red lips together. “Right,” she exhaled.  “Well, let’s do this.”

              Out into the sunlight, they both walked together.  Hand-in-hand, they were escorted to the limo and placed carefully inside.  It was going to be quite a little day trip.  They were going back to Heathrow Airport to a private hanger to get on a small jet that would take them on an hour’s flight to Scotland and from their another motorcade would take them to Balmoral Castle.  And there Michael would present her for the first time to his family. 

              As the doors closed and they drove off, Michael pulled a bottle of champagne out of the side compartment and turned on the stereo.  For the occasion, he picked John Coltrane’s Blue Train record. 

              Slipping on her crimson shawl, Hope nestled down into the comfort of the leather seat.  “What are we celebrating?” Hope asked, taking her eyes off the view outside of her window of Kensington Palace. 

              Michael’s expression was calmly serene. “We are celebrating my decision to denounce the throne.” Popping the cork from the bottle of expensive champagne, he poured her a hefty helping in a crystal flute and passed it to her.

              Hope was suddenly confused. “Wait. What?” she said frowning.  Did she hear him right?  Was he kidding?  Because if he was, it was a horrible joke. 

              Michael poured himself a glass as well. With a growl, he kicked back in his seat and put his feet up. “Tonight, my family plans to
admonish
me. My brother, who thinks he is already King of England, plans to do his usual song and dance and then present me with a shitload of ridiculous and childish ultimatums.  But I’m tired of it.  I’m tired of all of it.  So, after a very stuffy dinner and a few drinks, I’ll denounce my title as Prince of Wales, and we will leave and start our life together without any more people trying to ruin it.” His blue eyes flashed at her with pure sincerity.  

              Lifting his flute in the air, he made a toast.  “To freedom.”

              “Michael,” Hope said, reaching out for him.  “You can’t do this.”

              “Why not?” he asked as he cocked his perfect chin up in a truly aristocratic fashion. 

              Hope didn’t have an answer entirely. Shrugging, she ran her hands through her hair, “Because you…” She was lost for words. The music played in the background clouding out her thoughts. “Because you can’t.”

              His head tilted.  “Will you love me any less?” he asked sincerely.

              “No,” she said quickly. She blinked fast. “I will love you no matter what you decide.  I will love you no matter what title you do or don’t have.”

              And that was all that he needed to hear.  “Then why should I worry about giving it up.” He chuckled.  “I don’t want it.”

              Hope swallowed down sudden fear.  “I don’t want to come between you and your country.  I don’t want you to lose your family.  Baby, you only get one – royal or not.”

              It was the look of concern on her face that moved him most.  How she was always ready to put other people’s priorities before her own.  That was his comfort.  “My country will be fine.  They have my brother, and trust me once you meet him, you’ll know exactly what I mean. He’s what this country needs.  And he has two beautiful children. 
Heirs
.”  He smiled at her with all the cares now cast from his heart. “And I finally have you, and I won’t just go throwing that away.”

              Hope’s heart was heavy with despair.  “I didn’t mean to drive you to this.”

              He poured another glass. “You didn’t, my love. I wanted this for so long.  In fact, my desire to be alone is what tore me and Thalia apart.  She was only with me for the crown so once I presented her with this outlandish idea of going to Africa to continue my work and denouncing the crown, she thought I was a complete waste.” 

              Hope sat back in her chair and finally took a sip of her champagne.  “So, you’ve wanted this long before me?”

              Michael shook his head as he tried to recall when the idea had first come to him many years ago. “I’ve wanted it since I was a boy, since I buried my father.  I just wanted to live.  I wanted to be free.”   

              Hope could understand that, as anyone could.  After all, what was a life, if you were never truly free to live it?  Plus, she had seen how hard it was to exist under the continual microscope of an entire country. Still, somehow, she felt sad to see him turn away from it, and mildly responsible for his decision.

              “Don’t be too hasty to decide because of me,” she said, sitting up in her seat. “This isn’t the kind of decision you make over dinner.”

              Michael moved from his seat over to hers and put down his bottle.  Wrapping his arm around her, he rubbed his nose over hers.  “My sweet little woman, I haven’t been swift enough.  I should have done this long ago.” 

              She didn’t understand. “You’ve been kind, and loving and honest.  And I’ve never known anyone as noble as you.  Honestly, if you were king, this world would be better because of it.  The world needs leaders like you, Michael.”

              Michael whispered in her ear. “It’s not that I don’t love my country. I do.  In truth, seeing my mother’s standard flying high above the castle makes my heart swell, but my brother is the best king.  And as long as he’s around, there is no need for me.”

              “What about your counsel?” Hope asked. “Everyone needs good counsel.  You could still be a help to your brother and your country as his counsel without giving up your birthright.”

              He ran a finger down her arm.  “The parliament is very capable.  The Prime Minister is a good man, a wonderful leader.  They won’t miss me,” he said, laying his head on her shoulder.  “I just want to go somewhere where I can make a real difference, Hope.  My place is in Africa.  It makes me happy.  And I want you there with me.  You could teach them so much.” 

              Hearing the pleading in his voice, she could no longer argue the merits of his current position.  She loved him too much to destroy his dream.  

              “Then, I’ll stand with you,” she said, holding his hand. “Whatever you decide, I’ll be right there.”

              Michael pulled her chin up and looked into her eyes.  “You are all that I’ll ever need in this world.”

***