“You’re suggesting that the camera is making this up?” I asked, my voice dripping with scorn.
Alexandra shrugged. “I don’t know how you’ve manipulated this footage. But it’s clear that you’re trying to discredit me and my family for your own ends and I won’t allow this to happen. Not again.”
The ‘not again’ was interesting, and I shared a look with my mother. What was she talking about?
“In the circumstances, Alexandra,” my mother said in a conciliatory tone of voice, “I think we may have to put the betrothal idea to one side for now. And by ‘for now’, I mean ‘forever’. I don’t think it will be necessary to make what happened last night public…”
“What you claim happened!” Alexandra butted in.
“What I, and a digital recording, say happened,” she continued. “No need to drag anyone through the press. But before we draw a permanent line under this unfortunate affair, I think we can agree that one matter remains outstanding.” She turned to face Keira. “Miss Valencia, I can only apologize for the way in which you have been treated. To simply ignore your version of events because of your accuser’s position was utterly wrong.”
I thought I heard my brother muttering something about Keira ‘holding the knife’ but I might’ve been mistaken.
“You have been treated in a grossly unfair manner,” my mother continued, “and I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me and my family for that.”
I looked at Keira. I already knew exactly how she would react.
She smiled. “Thank you, your Majesty. That means a great deal to me. And please don’t worry; I know how bad it looked. I was holding the knife when everyone came in, after all.”
Michael seemed to perk up a bit.
“That is very decent of you, Keira.” My mother looked back to Alexandra. “Since you are walking out of here with no ill-consequences for your actions and wanton vandalism, I feel an apology would be the very least we could ask of you. As well as being the only proper thing to do.”
Anger washed across Alexandra’s face. “Apologize to the servant your son is…”
“Now, Alexandra.” My mother’s face was set in granite.
For a moment Alexandra’s face was a tussle of expressions as she tried to decide what to do. Then she stood and turned to Keira, and Keira stood too.
“Miss Valencia,” Alexandra said sweetly. “You’ll never have him. Cunt.”
She brought back a hand to slap Keira across the face, and I darted forward to stop her. Luckily, the hand was quickly caught mid-swing by my mother, and to the shock of all in the room, she delivered a stinging slap across Alexandra’s face.
“I do not know how you behave in your own country,” she said. Her voice was quiet, but the suppressed rage was there for all to hear. “But when you are in mine, you will behave as befits royalty. That means with decency and respect towards all. We have been placed above other people by birth, not by God, and our actions can drag us down below them again just as easily. In case the message has somehow failed to get across, Alexandra: I don’t care how advantageous the match may be, you will never marry any son of mine.”
With that, she swept out of the room, followed by Michael. Alexandra stood still, a shocked expression on her now-red face, and she looked at me and Keira, then over at the computer screen. I could tell she wanted to get some sort of revenge by going to the media and telling them about us, but she also knew that if she did that, we’d release the video of her attacking the painting, which would certainly make everyone question her story, not to mention her sanity.
Finally, she put her head down and rushed out of the room as well. As she did so, I hurried over to Keira, wrapping one arm around her shoulders and placing another hand on her abdomen.
“Are you okay? I know stress is bad for babies…is the baby okay?”
She nodded. “I’m fine.”
“I’m so sorry. I should’ve known she’d do something like this,” I said. “I got caught up talking to one of the other Swedish dignitaries in the sitting room, and by the time I was done, I figured you’d already be finished work and asleep in your room. But I should’ve checked on you.”
She smiled. “Andrew, really, it’s not your fault. There’s no way you could’ve seen this coming.”
“Well, still…I feel like I should’ve somehow known and prevented it,” I said. “Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”
“Yes,” she replied, her smile growing wider. “I’m totally fine. I knew you’d come for me, I knew you’d believe me, and I knew you’d help me. I’ve always had trouble trusting people in the past—because of my parents in my younger years, I suppose—but I trust you. I knew you’d be here for me.”