Ada & The Queen (The Woodhouse Series #3)

Chapter 24

CHAPTER 24

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*Buckingham Palace, Westminster/Woodhouse Residence, Belgravia*

A royal carriage was waiting for me outside as I woke up the following morning,

"Some warning would be nice..." I grumbled as Agatha dragged me out of bed and got me ready for an audience with the Queen.

All night my mind had raced about the incident at Burlington House as well as the letter from Millie Conway. I did not know what to do about any of this.

If I helped Millie, I was giving myself a distraction from all of the stuff going on at the royal court. I would be a detective but not in a major-crimes way. Theodore and Adler could not say anything - this was simply helping a woman in need and they could not put me under house arrest for that.

But then everything that happened at Burlington House - the comments of those men. They called me unladylike and "just like my mother". I did not want that and I did not want to bring down the reputations and status of everyone around me for the decisions that I made. I lived with the stigma of my arrival in this world everyday - did I want to exacerbate the bohemian view that people already had of me or did I want to prove everyone wrong that I was not like my mother in that way?

I left the townhouse, heading straight for the carriage with my head down as we made our way to Buckingham Palace.

"Your Majesty, Miss Adelaide Woodhouse..." A footman announced me to Jane and Her Majesty in the Queen's parlour and I entered the room, curtsying to both ladies who smiled, gesturing for me to join them as they dismissed the footman, the door closing.

"How have you been, Adelaide? It has been too long..." Jane remarked and I smiled as a maid offered me some tea and cakes.

"I have been well. I have been working and I went to the Summer Exhibition at Burlington House..." I explained as Her Majesty nodded.

"Albert was the art-lover in this marriage..." Her Majesty replied, gesturing to a few paintings on the wall. "He had all of the rooms at Balmoral decorated with the most fantastic art pieces he had collected over the years. You should definitely come and see it if you are interested in art..."

"It would be an honour..." I smiled as Jane cleared her throat, gesturing for her Majesty to say something.

"Oh yes...we invited you here today because we would like for you to be present when the Irish Ambassador arrives for a state visit!"

"You...want me to attend a state dinner?" I questioned, nerves filling every inch of me.

"Of course! We want everyone to know about you! You saved my life, Adelaide..." Her Majesty said and I hesitated.

"The man missed...I merely went after him to stop him from hurting anyone else..."

"He could have taken another shot?" Jane reminded her. "It was because you went after him that he did not..."

"I do not know about that..." I shook my head as Jane shook her head.

"Stop being modest!" She laughed. "You are the hero who saved the Queen and no-one is not going to know about it."

I blushed. "When is this state dinner? I have to take time off work..."

"16th July," Her Majesty said, picking up her teacup and sipping her drink.