Princess Adeline, Duchess of Clarence

Chapter Thirty: Shooting Weekend

21st of July 2017 - Sandringham

With the Queen's permission, Harry invited Meghan to join his weekend shoot at Sandringham with sixteen friends to arrive for dinner on Friday night, shoot on Saturday and leave after lunch on Sunday. 

Most of the guests were old friends from Eton with their wives and girlfriends. All of them employed by international banks and auction houses or were estate owners and racehorse trainers. 

All were bonded by common assumptions, principles and loyalties. Like other shooting weekends, the guests could look forward to endless banter, jokes – and a lot of drinking. 

Simon had not been surprised that he and Adeline had ended up on the list for the gathering, it had been a while since he had attended such a gathering. 

Adeline sat nervously in the car next to him, it was an entirely different experience than either of them were used to; not that it would be discussed this weekend. 

The slow drive from their home at York House was spent in silence, the radio playing quietly in the background as they both considered what this weekend would be about. 

It didn't take long for them to reach the estate where they would be spending the weekend, the children in the back of the car. 

They would not be the only ones to bring their little ones this weekend, it was the first time the group had gotten together in a little while. 

"Adeline, it's wonderful to see you again," Lizzy greeted moving to hug her as she climbed from the car, she was thrilled to see the couple knowing that these weekends could be long. 

Especially now that she had a little one of her own, her and Guy's daughter Willow had been born and she wouldn't have changed it for the world; she adored the little girl. 

"It's good to see you Lizzy," Adeline said knowing that Lizzy had been one of the few that had continued to support their relationship after Harry's meltdown about it; she was rather thankful that she was in attendance. 

Adeline couldn't remember the last time she had seen Lizzy and Guy, it would have likely been the wedding but she couldn't believe that it had been so long. 

Guy shook hands with Simon, pleased to see his return to the fold and he had a feeling it had a lot to do with Harry's new girlfriend that had merited an invite to this occasion. 

The two families wasted no time in getting inside and getting their little ones settled in the rooms where they would be staying for the weekend. 

An odd sort of tension in the air that even Adeline couldn't put a name to, everyone seemingly very welcoming to her and Simon stating how pleased they were that they were here. 

"What is she like?" Zoe asked sitting down next to Adeline as they waited for their host and his new girlfriend to arrive, it wasn't a good sign to start with that Harry wasn't here to greet any of them upon their arrival. 

The fact that Harry seemed to be the last to arrive did not bode well for the rest of the weekend, especially if he wished to make a good impression with the new girlfriend to all of his friends. 

"Erm..." Adeline said not really knowing what to say, she didn't know Meghan that well nor did she wish to share her concerns with the group; she wanted them to make their own opinion on Harry's girlfriend without her concerns in their ears. 

Zoe raised an eyebrow at Adeline, her lips pursing slightly at Adeline's hesitation and taking note that it wasn't entirely a good sign that Adeline didn't want to tell her anything.