Grace

Chapter 43

"I don't want to go," Ben mumbled into the pillow.

"Why?" I asked. "You were looking forward to it so much yesterday. It was your idea!"

"Can't I just want to not go?" he asked.

"Well, I didn't particularly want to get stared and photographed at all afternoon but I didn't make a fuss. I think you can manage a family outing."

"But my whole family isn't here."

I sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. "You'll just sit here being even more lonely if you don't come. It'll be fun. And you can get some photos to send to your dad."

He stayed stubbornly silent. I shook my head and walked out intent on breakfast. I could smell bacon and mushrooms and even after last night's huge dinner, I was ravenous. It being eleven-'o'-clock might have had something to do with it. I followed the smell through a lounge and into a huge kitchen. The Queen was cooking. I had a moment of thinking 'oh wow this is so surreal' before her dressing down and striped white and blue pyjama bottoms and fluffy slippers registered.

"Morning, Grace," she said.

"S-sorry," I said and curtsied. "Good morning, Your Majesty."

"Oh come in, girl, I'm not going to pass up the bacon and eat you."

I paused a moment longer before sitting on one of the stools that was tucked under the island. There was an electric hob set into it on the other side and was where the Queen was cooking.

"Do you want some?" she asked me.

My stomach grumbled before I could say anything.

"Sorry," I apologised.

She shook her head. "Rowers. All the same." She quickly buttered another roll and filled it with bacon and mushrooms. She got a plate from the dishwasher and then passed it all to me. "Ben's asleep?"

I sighed and put the roll down. "He doesn't want to come today. He misses his dad."

"Well sitting in here moping all day won't help."

"I told him that."

She sighed. "Poor boy. I'll go and talk to him."

She took her roll with her. Johnny walked in.

"That was weird," I said.

"My mother was nice to you. Yes, how weird," he said and rolled his eyes. He put some more bacon in the pan.

"Last night she was..."

"She was..." He waved the spatula around to accent his hanging question.

I really wanted to say horrible, but didn't think it would go over well. "Queenly."

"Well, you can't embarrass anyone in the house but yourself."

"House," I said a little faintly and looked around. "Hang on. So when we go out later she's going to be all..."

"Queenly?"

"Yeah."

"Yes."

I groaned and took a huge bit of my sandwich.

"She'll never tell you this, but she likes you already."

"Morning," Albert yawned and walked in. "Got any eggs going, Johnny?"

"Not yet."

"'K." He yawned again. "I'll get a pan."

Johnny looked like he wanted to curl up in a corner and weep. He did put another section of the hob on though. It was one of those new ones that got up to temperature almost instantly. Albert whistled as he walked over, spinning the frying pan in his hand. Then he clanged it on the unit.