Lady Illea (Lady Illea #1)

Chapter Forty Two

While daddy refused to leave the hospital on a wheel chair the doctor's insisted. There were swarms of people outside the hospital and now, in front of my house, it looked like a mob. I jumped out of the cab grabbing our things from the back trunk and Leslie and Em were helping daddy into his chair.

I couldn't make out what the crowd was saying. They were all talking so loudly, all at the same time. There were cameras and flashing lights. More and more the reasons to not go back to the palace were filling up my head. With the end of the summer drawing near the heat wasn't as bad but it was heat just the same and I wasn't in the mood for a bunch of reporters.

Lez and Em gave each other a look before they went head on into the crowd and they split down the center to let them through. Daddy has sunglasses on, Leslie mumbled answering very few questions, and while Emilie was enjoying the attention she looked as though she were becoming annoyed.

I took in a deep breath and braced myself going after them.

"Lady Alessandra!"

"Lady Alessandra!"

Someone pushed out a headshot of me with a marker. I didn't want to be rude so I just took the marker and signed the photo. What I didn't notice at first, but I certainly did now, was that there weren't just reporters. They were regular people too. I was shocked to see so many people on my block and in front of my small run down house.

The neighbors were outside and a little girl lifted a book. I bent down smiling at her, and signed her book. She beamed and I kept walking.

"Miss Carswell! Miss Carswell! What's life like in the palace!'

"Lady Alessandra are you and the prince in love?'

"Miss Carswell have you met the met the former Queen and King Maxon and America?"

"Lady Alessandra how is your father's health? Will you be returning to the palace?"

There were so many questions my head was spinning. A man stuck his head out from the crowd and with that a camera. I took the camera from him and giving the best smile I could turned it around and snapped a picture. I gave it back to him.

"Here you go"

He lit up. "Thank you!"

A few more people handed me things to sign and I did. Finally when I reached the door to my house it was a struggle to keep everyone out.

"Please," i said. "I'm very tired"

There was a bright light and too many cameras for me to count.

"Lady Alessandra!" someone shoved forward a microphone. "In what condition is your father's health"

"He suffered a heartattack and went through a minor surgery. He's fine now"

"Will you be taking care of him?" a woman asked.

'I will"

"Lady Alessandra!" another man shoved forward a recorder. "Will you be returning to the palace after this?"

I swallowed. "I do not know"

I turned to close the door and there was an uproar of people talking at the same time.

"Wait, Lady Alessandra!" a woman standing next to a man with a camera called. "Do you love the Prince?"

"He's a good man" I replied vaugley, ready to slam the door shut.

"You didn't answer my question" she replied.

"Miss Carswell!" another man fought for my attention. "Has the royal family contacted you"