𝐷𝑎𝑟𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑡𝑜𝑛. ʙʀɪᴛɪsʜ ʀᴏʏᴀʟ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ

31 ♔♕ 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗽

𝚏𝚎𝚋𝚛𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚢 𝟸𝟶𝟷𝟷

It was a good job that Rose was her best friend. And that it was her birthday.

Or else she might have killed her.

Not in a nasty way. No, she wouldn't have bludgeoned her to death or anything like that. Maybe just a few too many sleeping pills? Or they were skiing, maybe she could just forget to leave the door open for her and she would freeze to death?

Actually that might be quiet unpleasant. Maybe not that one.

But still, Lady Rose Powlett was very lucky.

Precisely because it was her birthday and she had invited her brother to the dinner that they were all having at the Powlett's chalet in Megève, France.

It would have course been a very valid thing to do. If Bella hadn't have had an argument with said brother and their arrangement hadn't come to an end. If that hadn't happened then, there would have been no problem.

But as it was, that did happen.

It also would have been fine if Rose had placed them at opposite ends of the table and then Bella could have just spent the entire night avoiding him.

But this was Rose. Of course Rose didn't do that.

No. No, instead Bella was currently being seated next to said brother who was rather annoyingly looking extremely handsome in black tie.

Yes, Lady Rose Powlett was a very lucky woman.

"I hate having sisters sometimes."

The two of them watched with equally murderous looks as Rose cheekily raised a glass of champagne in their direction.

"Hello to you to." She could have been nicer. Yeah, she definitely could have been nicer. But it wasn't just her that was the reason for the argument. Yes she might have been the reason it properly ended, but he started it.

Bella was not going to make it easy for him.

"How are you?"

The question came after a deep sigh from him and a swig of wine. He was trying to be nice.

Bella chewed her salmon slowly, washing it down with another gulp of wine before she finally turned her head to him.

"Good, how are you?"

"Good."

"Good."

He had a small cut above his eyebrow that was beginning to scab over. And god knows how many other small injuries under his wonderfully well cut suit.

Alex noticed her looking at it briefly, not making any movement as he waited for her to return to her starter.

"Are you okay?" Bella asked again. There was no need to add anything further, they both knew she meant his recent tour.

"Yes," he replied more softly this time, adding after a pause, "thank you."

She just nodded in reply, taking another bite from her salmon and making a mental note to tell Rose how good the food was once she had forgiven her for this. Which knowing her and Rose would probably be about five minutes. Maybe ten at a push.