Third In Line

Chapter Sixteen - Together Again

"Mum!" Ellie whined as Kate used her saliva soaked thumb to rub glitter off of her daughter's face.

"Hold still" her mother commanded as she held her head in place. Ellie's sister was sulking right next to her, having already suffered a humiliating face wash at the hands of their mother.

Ellie was forced to hold still and endure her mother doting over her, but the wet thumb treatment was also a punishment in itself. "There isn't even that much glitter on me" she complained.

"I know dear, I was cleaning off the paint" Kate replied. Her tone of voice had changed so much from before, when she thought Ellie and Alex were a pair of orphan girls. Now it was angry, bordering on furious and nothing like the composed Duchess that Ellie was used to seeing at public engagements.

She could tell her mother was struggling to keep her cool, so she decided to stay quiet and be as nice as she could. Alex and I didn't think about the consequences of sneaking away. We never think about consequences, ever.

They were waiting together in a private room, no cameras or charity officials, just the four of them. It was their little bit of respite before Kate stepped out and made her speech, and normally her mother would appear ready and prepared, but now she looked distracted and nervous.

"You two have a lot of explaining to do" Will announced as he gave a bottle of water to Kate and placed his arm around her.

"We were just bored" Alex mumbled, staring at the ground.

"That is no excuse to go running off like you did. Did you know how many photographers were swarming around this place?" Will asked calmly. Her parents had a knack for being angry without actually appearing angry.

Oh yeah, we know. She stopped herself from grinning at that. Apparently their parents didn't know about their early arrival at the press room, and she was determined to keep it that way. Hopefully the reporters won't be allowed to ask questions after Mum's speech.

"What were you doing with the kids?" Their mother asked, her anger slowly subsiding.

"Just playing games, talking a lot" Alex replied.

Kate eyed both of them up and down, focusing on their dresses which still had specks of glitter and paint spread over them. In Ellie's opinion, the mess was hardly noticeable. "And ruining your clothes in the process. What were you thinking?"

One little mark and suddenly my dress is ruined. Relax Mum.

"Well we put the cloaks on to protect our clothes" Ellie reasoned, flashing her charming smile in the hopes of convincing her mother.

Their mother shook her head, immediately detecting a  lie.

"Ellie, don't lie to me, I know you've never cared much for the wellbeing of your clothes" Kate grinned playfully at her, "I think you put the cloaks on to hide from us"

Both of the girls nodded sullenly. "We saw the cameras and just thought we should hide" Ellie explained.

"Yeah, we didn't want you finding us and getting angry in front of everyone" her sister added.

Their mother stood over them and gently stroked their cheeks, smiling proudly "Well that was very thoughtful of you girls"

"We weren't going to be angry with you two, we just wanted to know where you were" Will said, adopting the caring tone of a protective father.

"Ben was with us the whole time!" Ellie pleaded. Even when their parents would say they weren't angry, she and her sister still felt the need to argue their case.