Back in Time

THE INVITATION

I was reading the pilot copy of Laura's book when Clara came in with my coffee and the invitation from France, she was also carrying some papers in between her armpits.

"Here's your coffee, and the invitation." She carefully placed it on my desk.

"Can this book be more boring? I mean I'm still in chapter three but I'm already bored to death. If it isn't for my job I'm never going to finish this thing," I said as I rolled my eyes thinking—there's still hundreds of pages more to go. "Everything is about love, sacrifices, falling for the guy, blah-blah-blah, it gives me headache."

"What do you expect? It's a love story, Mary."

"Stating the obvious much?" she just shrugged. "So who sent the invitation?"

"It came from Pierre Orleans, apparently, he is a minted French historian who likes to buy old castles and ruins and make it into a tourist spot, and he is currently building a museum dedicated to Mary Queen of England, which I'm guessing is what the invitation is about," Clara explained.

"Wow! I'm impressed. You did your research haven't you?"

"Yes, I did, before I came back here, after I got the invitation I did a little research first, and here is the print out of his biography if you need some more details," she handed me down the papers she was carrying.

"Okay, now I'm more than impressed."

I opened the letter and Clara was right, it's an invitation to the opening of the museum in Paris, France. Pierre wants me to give a speech about Mary of England, my grandmother. Yes, actually, I have a royal blood, my family line are monarchs, well, used to be. Mary is my great, great, great grandmother; she was the last monarch in our family before she died saving her husband during the 16th century.

My parents almost got the crown back but they were assassinated before they did, so now I'm the only living Scott who has the rightful claim to the throne of England. There was a plan to assassinate me as well but they failed, they killed my governess instead.

"So what's the invitation about?" Clara asked.

"You were right, it's an invitation for the opening of the museum and they want me to give the opening speech," Clara smiled, it was obvious she's excited for me. "I can't."

Her smile faded. "What? Why? What's wrong? You were never one to back down on literally, anything before."

"It's not that, it's just that—Mary of England died saving her husband, that's all I know about her. Every time we talk about history in class I always dozed off, it's boring. Plus, all these having a royal blood thing, it's what killed my family since the 16th century..."

"Are you getting collywobbles?"

"No, it's not that I'm afraid, it's... it's hard to explain."

"Come on Mary, you're the bravest person I know, you never back down on anything, whatever it may be. I know what happened to your entire family hurt you a lot, but this is a great opportunity for you, people in France will know you and it will be good for your company, plus you've been working hard so much that you deserve a rest. This could be a great holiday for you, off the office and breathing foreign air, it will do you good. You can do this Mary."

"Fine, I'll go, but only if you come with me."

"Of course, I wouldn't miss it for the world," she replied.

The next thing I know, we were already boarding an aeroplane bound for Paris. During the flight I was thinking of what to say in my speech, my laptop in front of me, waiting for me to type something on it. I've done lots of speeches before, but none felt like this one, I can't think of a single word to say. All I could think about is the blank white page on the screen of my computer as I was looking at it. Bollocks! Where the bloody hell my wits had gone?