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historyrepeatsitself-phff · 6 years

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Chapter Eighty-Seven

“You sure you’re okay with taking her today?” Harry asked, as he watched Emmy straighten her own hair. He was sat on the bed, with Grace in his lap, already dressed in his suit for the evening. Emmy was due to visit the Chelsea Flower Show, while he had suddenly had to attend a charity dinner for the Rugby Union and could no longer look after Grace. Knowing it was too short notice to ask for a baby sitter, Emmy had reluctantly agreed to take Grace with her, although she was still angry about having to show Grace off to the public.

“I have to be, don’t I?” Emmy mused, getting to her feet and heading over to her wardrobe to get dressed.

“Well she seems in a good mood, don’t you Grace?” Harry said, kissing the top of Grace’s head. Grace cooed, nuzzling into his chest, and he played with her fingers, loving the contact.

“Let’s hope she stays that way,” Emmy answered, stepping into her dress for the event. She looked very classy and simple, in a midi blue check dress, and Harry knew that the comparisons between her and Kate that evening would be endless – it was the sort of dress Kate tended to wear, and ever since both Emmy and Kate had worn roughly the same colour to Pippa’s wedding, the press had been relentless.

“You look beautiful,” he said simply, placing Grace down on her playmat and getting to his feet. Emmy moved into his arms, and he wrapped her up in a hug, burying his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling deeply. His breath and his beard made her giggle.

“That tickles,” she accused.

“You love it.”

“I do,” she admitted, pulling away only so that she could see his face. Her eyes searched his, before she smiled and leant up to kiss him.

He was smiling against her lips, and he laughed lightly into her, losing himself in her taste. It was such an innocent kiss, so sweet and simple, and she felt light-headed just from his touch. She pushed at his chest, trying to get some air, and he chuckled.

“Too much for you?” he teased.

“You’re intoxicating,” she said, pouting at him. His hands moved to her waist, holding her tiny body, and he surveyed her. “I feel like I’m going to need a clear head for this – dealing with a five-month-old tonight.”

“Grace’ll be fine,” he said. “It’s all the gardeners I’m worried about. Having to focus on flowers with you there.”

She rolled her eyes as her cheeks blushed. “You see, most men just have more self-control than you.”

“Can you blame me? Look at you.”

“You have to make everything inappropriate, don’t you?” she said, half-smiling playfully up at him. “We were having a nice, innocent hug.”

“Nothing’s ever innocent with you.”

“I wonder whose fault that is,” she said, with a pointed look his way.

“Me?”

“You’re such a bad influence.”

He smirked at her, pulling her closer to his body, and she giggled, knowing what was coming. The next kiss was so much dirtier, simply by the way he deepened it, teasing her tongue with his own, his hands roving over her slender curves. She sighed into him, wishing she could stay there with him.

“Loo ta,” said a voice, and they broke apart to see Grace sat at their feet, peering up at them. She’d crawled over, and now that she was there she wanted attention.

“Oh, I’m sorry? Are we ignoring you?” Harry cooed, scooping her up into his arms and bouncing her. She giggled, her tiny hand splayed on his furry cheek, and her blue eyes went to Emmy as Emmy reached up to tidy her blond hair. “You going to be good with Mummy? You going to have fun and see lots of flowers? Huh?”

Grace broke into a smile. “Ta moo nee.”

He chuckled, kissing her forehead as Emmy went downstairs to answer Edward and Claire knocking on the front door.

“Remember, if you think Grace needs a break at any point, just let me know,” Claire said, as the car slowed to a stop. Grace watched her mother as Emmy gathered her things – she was taking a handbag to this event, so that she could carry some of Grace’s essentials with her too.

“Hopefully we won’t need to,” Emmy replied, before Zach opened her door and it was time for her to get out. It was a sunny evening, surprisingly warm too, and her sleeveless dress was not inappropriate as it fluttered in the light breeze. There were dozens of photographers there, taking pictures of all the arrivals, and Emmy could see some waiting to follow her around the show as well. She stopped, sparing a smile for the members of the public who were gathered over the road to try and catch a glimpse of any celebrities, before she made her way round to the other side to unbuckle Grace from her car seat.

Grace kicked her legs excitedly, and the watching crowd went crazy as they realized what Emmy was doing – Grace was not expected there that evening, and since she was rarely seen out and about they all instantly started trying to take a picture of her.

Emmy sat her daughter on her hip and kissed her temple protectively, before she made her way over to the officials waiting to greet her. Her official guide for the evening, a man named James, bowed before shaking her hand.

“It’s a huge pleasure to have you here this evening, ma’am,” he said. “Both of you.”

“Thank you,” she said. “I hope you don’t mind me bringing this little one.”

“Not at all, of course not,” he said, waving a hand dismissively. “It’s an honour. I hear you’ve been to the show before?”

“I have, yes, two years ago now,” Emmy said, as she started to follow him inside the grounds. “Back when I was engaged. It was a lovely visit, I’ve never been much of a gardener, but these gardens are so beautiful, that you don’t need to be to be able to appreciate them.”

“Of course,” James said. “We take pride in the variety in the gardens we have here. Everyone is very passionate at what they do.”

“Ah gah,” Grace babbled, her blue eyes widening in surprise and interest as Emmy rounded a corner and dozens of bright flowers came into view.

Emmy laughed, moving a bit closer so that Grace could see them better. She hesitated for a second, watching, and Emmy watched her take it all in. Then Grace turned her gaze to her mother, and Emmy smiled. Grace broke into a toothy smile too – her first front tooth had come through in the last few weeks.

“What is it?” Emmy murmured, kissing her fluffy gold hair. “What are they? Flowers?”

Grace stretched out a chubby hand, wanting to touch the roses nearest to them, and James chuckled lightly.

“Oh dear, is it okay if I let her have a little look?” Emmy asked anxiously, noticing how entranced Grace was with the flowers.

“Of course, she can touch them if she likes,” James said, and his voice attracted Grace’s attention – she frowned slightly, hand still reaching, as her eyes went to this stranger.

“Thank you,” Emmy said, then turned back to her daughter. “Hey, Grace, let’s go and have a little look, shall we? Ooooh, look at these lovely roses.” Emmy stroked one of the petals between her fingers, watching with adoration the bewilderment on Grace’s face. “They’re so soft, so pretty. Do you want to feel?” She adjusted Grace in her arms so that Grace was eye-level with the red petals, and Grace cooed in excitement, realizing she was within reach. She leant forward, and then, instead of trying to touch one of the flowers, Grace reached instead for a boring leaf.

“Oh, is that it?” Emmy said, laughing lightly as Grace picked the leaf and then lifted it to her face, amazed. “Not a pretty flower?” Emmy gently bounced one of the flower heads, trying to get Grace’s attention, but Grace was staring at her new leaf, her cheeks chubby as she frowned at it. Emmy chuckled, as did some of the photographers who were gathered a few metres away, snapping away.

“Well, she’s not a fan of the flowers,” she said, straightening up and sitting Grace back on her hip. “But she loves the leaves.”

“I’ll take that,” James said, laughing. “Now, shall we begin the tour?”

“Of course, now that this one has her leaf,” Emmy replied, grinning. She glanced back at Grace in her arms, checking she was okay, and her heart melted. Grace was smiling at the leaf, shaking it in her hand to see it flap slightly in the breeze. “Oh darling, do you like it?”

Grace’s blue eyes rose to Emmy’s face, and she cooed, giggling. Emmy laughed too – it was her automatic reaction to whenever her daughter laughed.

They were shown a few gardens, which Grace didn’t have much interest in, but at least she was quiet and happy as James showed Emmy around, and Grace only interrupted a few times while Emmy was talking to the gardeners there. She was very intrigued by one of the gardener’s big bushy beards. He was a man called Stephen, and he chuckled somewhat awkwardly as Grace stared at him.

“I think she’s confused by me,” he said, and Emmy laughed.

“She must like you,” she replied, bouncing her. “Grace? Have you made a new friend?”

Grace reached out then, trying to get his beard, and Emmy quickly pulled her away before she could grab it.

“It’s a big beard, isn’t it?” Stephen mused, chuckling.

“She likes beards, she’s always touching Daddy’s, aren’t you?” Emmy said to her, and Grace smiled, nuzzling into Emmy’s chest. Later, calling Harry ‘daddy’ would make headlines.

After a while they reached a garden that already had a royal visitor, and Emmy curtsied awkwardly as she greeted Elizabeth, Grace still sat in her arms.

“Sorry, little awkward with this one,” Emmy said, smiling at Elizabeth, who beamed back.

“Hello darling,” Elizabeth said, tickling Grace, who cooed. “Aren’t you getting big?”

“She is, look at that hair,” Phillip said gruffly, coming over and giving Emmy a hug. “Good job it’s not Harry’s colour, eh?”

Emmy laughed, used to Phillip saying insulting things that he didn’t realise were insulting. “Yes. Oh Grace, don’t do that.”

Grace had reached for her great-grandfather’s tie, her chubby fingers closing on it and shaking it excitedly, watching it move. She giggled in delight, and Emmy couldn’t help but laugh too, while trying to release it from her grip.

“Darling, let go,” she murmured in her ear.

“Oh, she’s not hurting anyone,” Phillip said.

“She might be in a minute,” Emmy said, laughing. “If she pulls any tighter she might strangle you.”

He barked a laugh at that as, finally, Grace let go, now more interested in the giant leaves ahead of her. She babbled, excited again, and Phillip gently stroked her golden head.

“She’s lovely,” he said to Emmy. “Gets lovelier each time I see her.”

“Thank you,” Emmy said, her heart warming at his words. “She also gets a lot more uncontrollable.”

Elizabeth chuckled at that. “Takes after her father, then.”

“Definitely,” Emmy answered. “Okay, I’ll see you both later I expect. Grace wants to see this plant over here.”

They left them, Grace cooing in delight as she got to stroke the soft, enormous leaves.

“She is certainly a very happy little girl,” James observed with a smile.

“You’re seeing her on a good day,” Emmy quipped, then shook her head. “I’m only joking, she’s actually a very good baby, aren’t you, Grace?”

Grace’s eyes rose to her mother’s, and she smiled. Emmy smiled back at her – it was clear to everyone watching how much of a connection the two of them had, and it had them all wishing that Harry was there too, so that they could see the fairytale family of three interacting together.

“There’s my little goddaughter!” Beatrice cooed, when Emmy and Grace caught up with her and Eugenie at one of the gardens. Grace giggled as Beatrice tickled under her chin. “How are you?”

“Good, yeah, you guys?” Emmy asked.

“We’re good,” Beatrice sang, sharing a smile with her sister.

“And Dave?”

“Oh, he’s grand,” Beatrice replied, with a cheeky smile, and Emmy couldn’t help but return it – Bea just had that kind of effect. “How’s this little one? Oh! I see you have some teeth now Grace!”

“Just the one,” Emmy said, wiping a bit of dribble off of Grace’s chin with her hand. “Her second one has just started coming through too. She crawls now, though!”

“Oh my goodness, really?!” Beatrice exclaimed, making a delight face at Grace. “Oh you are a clever girl, aren’t you?” She tickled her again, and Grace squealed in delight. “How come she’s here this evening? I thought you didn’t want her on any engagements yet?”

“Harry had a last-minute engagement,” Emmy said, with a roll of her eyes. Then, realizing that Bea was not aware that Elizabeth wanted Grace shown off to the public – because Bea was also not aware that Harry and Emmy’s marriage had been arranged – Emmy added, “I don’t really mind, though. It’s nice to have her with me.”

“And everybody loves that she’s here,” Eugenie said, with a smile thrown Grace’s way.

Not everybody loved that Grace was there. A little later on, after Emmy had caught a glimpse of and managed a tiny wave to Harry’s aunt Sophie, they ran into the person that Emmy had been dreading.

Kate looked tall and sophisticated in a midi dress too, although hers was green and flowery – Emmy recognized it as a Rochas dress that she had seen online – and her hair was pulled up into a slick ponytail. As ever, she looked so much classier and royal than Emmy ever managed, but Emmy forced a smile nonetheless.

Kate’s eyes widened in surprise as she took in Grace.

“Hello,” Emmy said pleasantly.

Kate’s smile was also warm, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Hello to you both. Hello Grace!” She tickled Grace affectionately, as she said, “I wasn’t expecting to see you here today, little one.”

“Harry had a last-minute engagement,” Emmy explained again, shrugging slightly.

“Last minute?”

“He didn’t want to let them down, they really wanted him, the event was just poorly organized,” she said.

“You need a nanny,” Kate answered matter-of-factly.

“Not yet,” Emmy replied simply. She did not appreciate Kate telling her how to be a parent. “We’re coping fine, I just had to bring her with me today, is all.”

“Hmm,” Kate said, her eyes watching Grace as Grace started to play with her mother’s engagement ring. “It’s a shame though, she’s going to take so much attention away from the gardeners.” It went unsaid, but Emmy knew that in her mind Kate had added “which is why you brought her”.

“I’m sure your two-thousand dollar dress will do that,” Emmy snapped.

Kate’s eyebrows rose in surprise, but before she could answer, Claire had stepped in. “Emmy, let’s go and look at the next garden, I think Grace will like it, it looks very leafy.” And with a hand on her arm, Claire guided Emmy away before she could even reply.

“What was that?” Claire hissed, as they followed James.

“What?” Emmy retorted, defensive.

“She didn’t say anything mean to you, and you just snapped at her.”

“You didn’t see the way she was looking at me!” Emmy complained in a whisper. “She might not’ve said anything but she was implying it.”

“Rise above it.”

“It’s not that easy!” Emmy shot.

“You’re a mother,” Claire said, and they stopped just out of sight of the photographers. “You’re a grown woman. You are not a child, you need to stop acting like one. You are the duchess of Clarence and you’re picking fights, bitching. I’ve sympathized with you up til now because I thought Kate was just out of order, but that! That was petty, Emmy. That was silly. And I know that Kate started this whole feud but that does not mean that you need to carry it on.”

Emmy stared at her in surprise, readjusting Grace in her arms as she tried to escape. Claire met her gaze somewhat awkwardly, realising that she’d just told her off, then said, “Let’s go.”

Emmy was surprised by Claire’s words, and slightly hurt too, though she didn’t want to admit it. Kate was the one at fault, and now Emmy was the one getting into trouble? It wasn’t fair, not at all, not when Kate accused Emmy of bringing Grace for attention. The mere thought that Emmy could use her daughter was disgusting.

Emmy forced herself to be jolly for the rest of the engagement, although some photographers would notice that she wasn’t her normal self, and several journalists would put that down to her encounter with Kate – and the Emmy vs Kate in the papers would worsen. But when they were back in the car, and Grace was babbling sleepily, holding onto Emmy’s hand beside her, Emmy sat in silence, angry at her secretary for having spoken to her like she was a child.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Claire said, as they got out of the car at Kensington Palace. Emmy had a visit to a local school the following day. “I’ll be over at 11 ready to leave at 11:30.”

“Okay,” Emmy said, already walking back to Nott Cott with Grace dozing in her arms. She felt embarrassed by how Claire had told her off, and she just wanted to be on her own so that she could be sullen in peace.

Harry wasn’t home – he wouldn’t be home for another hour yet – and the house felt very empty without him, especially once she’d put Grace to bed. She just wanted someone to tell her that it wasn’t her fault, but that hour sat on her own made her question everything. Maybe the whole thing was her fault, maybe Kate had never done anything wrong in the first place. Maybe it was all Emmy. Maybe she was the rude, petty one.

She felt sick by the time Harry arrived home. Curled on the sofa, still in her dress with a blanket draped round her, he took one look at her dismayed face and his smile disappeared.

“What’s wrong?” he asked hurriedly.

“I think I’m a bad person.”

He raised an eyebrow in surprise, fingering his bow tie loose. “I’d beg to differ. What makes you say that?”

“Something Claire said. I think I might be the problem, not Kate.”

“What do you mean?” He came and sat on the sofa beside her, finding her hand and squeezing it reassuringly.

The simple contact was too much and she couldn’t stop herself – she threw herself into his arms and hugged him tightly.

“Hey, it’s okay.” He rubbed her back gently. “I can tell you that it’s not you. I’ve seen what Kate has said to you. She’s always been the one to start it.”

“Apparently today I started it,” Emmy wailed. “What if it’s always been me?!”

“It hasn’t, I just said, I’ve seen Kate be unnecessarily rude to you-”

“But maybe it was provoked! Maybe it is me!”

“It isn’t, Emmy. Why do you think this?” He searched her teary eyes, heartbroken to see her like this.

Emmy was silent for a moment, head pressed to his chest, before she sniffled and said, “Because I’m a child, apparently.”

“Well, I can tell you that you’re not,” he said, trying to lighten the mood. “What are you trying to say, that I’m into children? Because that’s offensive.”

She didn’t laugh. She just nuzzled closer to him, needing the reassurance.

“What makes you say that you’re a child?” he asked gently.

“Claire. She told me I was acting like a child. That I was being petty.” Her voice broke.

Harry was suddenly very angry. He didn’t entirely know why, but all he knew was that he was suddenly furious that Claire had spoken to Emmy like that.

“Stay here,” he murmured, kissing Emmy’s temple before getting to his feet.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“I’ll be right back.”

He was already heading to the front door, and before Emmy could respond it had slammed and he was out, stalking across the grass towards the palace. Claire was being paid to work for them, to advise and not to criticize.

“Harry?”

Harry ran into Edward, who was heading towards the staff quarters from the offices. Edward looked surprised to see him.

“What are you doing?”

“I need to speak to Claire.”

“Why?” Edward asked, now walking with him.

“She was rude to Emmy,” Harry growled.

“I’m sure that she didn’t mean to be.”

“I get home and Emmy’s crying, saying that she’s a child because that’s what Claire said,” he shot. “And I think Claire needs to consider whether she wants to keep this job-”

“Harry, don’t be stupid,” Edward said, grabbing his arm. “What are you going to do? You’re going to go into her apartment and shout at her in front of her husband? You’re going to shout at her for being mean to your wife?”

“Emmy’s devastated-”

“And that’s because Emmy can be sensitive,” Edward said. “You know that. How many times have you upset her? What she needs now is you there, not you here shouting at Claire. What good will it do? Talk to Claire next time you see her.”

“I don’t want Claire ever speaking to Emmy like that again-”

“Claire is something like an aunt to Emmy,” Edward said. “She advises her and she helps her, and if she called her a child chances are it’s because Emmy was acting like one. Maybe this’ll be good, maybe this’ll have stopped all this Emmy-Kate nonsense.”

“I think that’s what it was about,” Harry muttered.

“Then maybe you should be going to your brother’s apartment and shouting,” Edward suggested lightly. “Maybe what Emmy needs more than her secretary trying to sort it, is her husband trying to sort it.”

Harry chewed on his cheek, but before he could answer, Rick had appeared at the end of the corridor.

“Harry! Oh thank fuck, I didn’t know where you’d got to!” he exclaimed, panicked. “We need to get back to Nottingham Cottage.”

“Why?” Both men stared at him.

“There’s been another attack,” Rick explained. “A terrorist attack, they believe. At a concert in Manchester.”

“Manchester?” Harry quoted. “Then why are we worried here-”

“Because there could be several attacks!” Rick said. “They could be coordinating them! We need to get back so that Jamie and I can make sure you and Emmy are safe.”

Harry looked at Edward. “Just think about what I said,” the secretary said, before heading off towards his own apartment.

Harry didn’t get a chance to answer, before silently following Rick back to his house.

Four hours away, 22 people had lost their lives in one of the most horrific attacks at an Ariana Grande concert, leaving the country reeling.

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