The Royal Romance - The Valtoria Diaries

Secret number 2

Wednesday was a warm, dry day, and on getting up, Jen suggested to Maxwell that they took Chance for a long walk, and afterwards they were going to have brunch. Hana was going to be arriving this afternoon, so Jen wanted to make the most of having Maxwell to herself this morning; there was something she needed to talk to him about, after all.

He was whistling cheerfully as they went, every now and then throwing a stick for Chance to retrieve, the two of them working resourcefully together to entertain her. Eventually Chance slowed down to trot alongside Jen, and Maxwell did the same.

"Tired out?"

He nodded, then stopped. "Who me? No. I could go on and on. But Chance is pooped."

"Course," she said disbelievingly, and reached out her hand to hold his. "It's pretty round here, isn't it? Our own little forest. Reminds me of the day you made me this." She was wearing her twig ring today, she didn't wear it every day but had thought it would be nice to wear it for their first few days here.

"I can make you a matching bracelet if you like?" He suddenly jumped up and swung from a branch of a nearby tree, pulling it down in the process. "Oops.."

She giggled. "How big do you think my wrists are, Maxwell Beaumont?"

He sighed, and watched as Chance looked at his bounty with great interest. "And... it's an even bigger stick! FETCH!!" He threw it and Chance went galloping after it. "Well, I can, I just need to source my materials a little longer, I guess.."

She kissed him on the cheek. "Well, you've got all the time in the world to roam this forest and do just that... or whatever else you fancy doing in the forest.."

His eyes lit up. "No stopping you, is there?"

She raised her eyebrows playfully. "What? I thought you might like to climb some trees, or do some bark rubbings or something...."

As she leant in to kiss him, his phone rang.

He pulled away, and answered it excitedly. "Go for the Duke of Valtoria."

She giggled, squeezing his hand.

His face changed. "Yyyyeah... oh! Yes, that's... doable..." He looked a little cagey. "Tomorrow, you say?"

She looked curiously at him, wondering what this was about.

"I can probably get there for nine... how long do you need me for? Uh-huh, okay... yeah, I get your point..."

She mouthed the words "what's this about?" at him, but he just shook his head.

"Okie dokie... see you tomorrow morning at nine then!" He put his phone back in his pocket. "Sooo... mind if I disappear out for the day tomorrow?"

"No, that's fine, babe," she said, watching his face light up. It was something she'd only just taken to calling him, and he seemed quite content with his new pet name. "This to do with secret number two?"

He nodded, proudiy. "If I told you, it would ruin the beautiful look of surprise on your face when you discover my..." His expression changed as the penny dropped. "Wait.. you said secret number two.."

"Mm-hmm," she said, straight faced.

"So.. you think there's another secret."

She took a deep breath. "I know there's another secret, Maxwell. I spoke to Laura on Monday, didn't I?"

He gulped. "Yyyyeahhh..."

"Listen, you don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to."

She watched as he bit his lip, his expression fraught.

"It's just.. she's under the impression that she broke your heart, and I was only wondering if she was right."

He stopped walking, and she stopped beside him.

"Can we not do this right now?" he asked, not meeting her eyes.

"We can do this whenever you're ready," she said reassuringly. "But, I think we need to."

He sighed. "I'm not the same person I was back then. So much has changed. I don't want you to.. well.." He looked back up at her. "You might not like what I have to say, Jen."

"Hey. I love the person you are now. And the person you were back then.. he doesn't matter to me. I didn't know him. I love you now, and I will always love you from now forward. Whatever you have to say."

He nodded. "I know."

She giggled. "All these skeletons that are tumbling out of your cupboard..."

He looked upset for a second, then laughed. "They're not skeletons, they're ghosts. Remember? And I just need to protect you from them."

She giggled. "I'm practically a ghostbuster. Put me in that old estate car and give me one of those ectoplasm guns. I'll save you, Maxwell!"

With that she grabbed him and tickled him underneath his arms, revelling in the resulting shriek. Chance barked in response, defending his master's honour.

"Yes Chance! You tell her to stop attacking me! Domestic abuse is never okay!"

She shook her head, and kissed him, feeling his tension melt away in her embrace. Whatever this was, he was not looking forward to telling her, so she wasn't going to force it out of him. She knew he'd confide in her when he was ready.