Princess Adeline of Wales

Chapter Fifty-Five: My Happiness and Yours

2nd of January 2007 - FitzClarence House, London

"You look beautiful," Simon complimented with a smile as he allowed Adeline to step into the house, he offered a wave to the guard that had dropped her off before closing the door behind him and moving to take Adeline's coat. 

The weather had not been on their side that evening and Simon had been quick to change plans when it was clear that the rain wasn't going to let up; he guessed a garden picnic around the bonfire really would have to wait until the summer. 

"Thank you, you look rather dashing yourself," Adeline replied with a smile, she had been looking forward to seeing Simon after spending the Christmas holidays in Sandringham with the rest of her family. 

It had been a rather quiet affair as usual, most of which was spent with her family with her classes the last thing on her mind; it was only a few more days before she returned to Chester for the next term. 

Simon lead the way through the house, glad that yet again they had the place to themselves with his sister opting for a last minute ski trip with some old friends rather than sticking around in London. 

"How was Christmas?" Adeline asked recalling that he'd not been looking forward to spend the holidays at his parents' estate; the FitzClarence family having descended on the family home in Surrey. 

Their brief talks over the holidays had only revealed so much to Adeline and more often than not their conversations had been cut rather short because of their commits with their own families. 

"As expected. Father spent the entire day complaining, my mother spent it hiding from my aunt," Simon replied with a shake of his head, he knew that his mother missed the days where she could count on her sister for anything. 

Things hadn't been the same since they both got married and he almost felt sorry for his Uncle Christopher sometimes. 

"They don't get along?" Adeline asked moving to sit at the counter, she smoothed out her skirt as she sat down on the bar stools and watched Simon closely; she tried to recall what he had said about his aunt. 

She knew a little about his family, a subject that he often shied away from when they were together; Simon didn't want to discuss either of their families when they were together really.

"I suppose they did at one point. Then Aunt Mary started to see everything as a competition, if my mother did anything then she needed to do better," Simon replied with a shrug, he'd never paid much attention to the specifics of their relationship. 

Only that his mother often took to avoid his aunt where she could, he'd caught her hiding in the pantry on Christmas day when he'd gone looking for a snack while they waited for dinner to be prepared. 

A glass of what he suspected as his father's finest Scottish whiskey in her hand as she stared at him wide-eyed when he'd flicked on the light and entered the room. 

Of course, his mother had been quick to neck the drink before stepping out of the panty with a smile painted on her face as she returned to being the perfect hostess for the rest of the family. 

"Isn't that always the way with siblings?" Adeline asked picking at the sleeve of her jumper, her thoughts drifting to the competitive nature of Harry when it came to anything that William was doing. 

She couldn't really say when this had started, but it was something that she had certainly noticed when she'd been in contact with her brothers in recent months. 

Anything that William did, Harry would find an excuse to do it bigger and better with a smug smile on his face as if he'd won some sort of competition when he was congratulated on his efforts.