Across the Pond (Prince Harry #2)

Chapter Sixty

Standing back on Dalkeith ground, it felt odd. Meredith knew the streets close to Dalkeith, but she never ventured too far into town in her time at Dalkeith Palace. Yes, it was still a palace.

A breeze ran across the field where she stood, which was once pasture for the animals. There weren't many times that Meredith went into the field. She had been far too busy with Edinburgh and inside the palace. If she came out, she went to the bridge or to the cliff. For now, Meredith stood five hundred feet away from the scene.

Harry put a hand on her shoulder. Meredith slipped away, walking toward the edge of the hill.

She stood at the edge. Her toes curl at the edge. The green grass slipped between her toes, across her sandals. The blades tickled the bottom of her feet. Looking down, Meredith tried to imagine Jack rolling down the hill at a high speed, how much it hurt, what his injuries were. From behind, incidentally, Harry stood where Meredith had laid in the grass, where she stayed until the police came.

Inside the palace, and Meredith knew the code, a body in the hallway and a body in the room. Stories of Dalkeith Palace being haunted had run rampant while Meredith had lived there, but now it only grew worse. When the bodies had been taken away, the palace had only been closed for a month between visitors. More college students lived in the palace.

Her eyes came to the slope. Meredith tried to blink away tears that threatened to push over. There were questions that went unanswered. Jack-- why, but it was more than Prince Harry and Meredith. It was more than jealousy. Yet Jack never gave it up. It was more than him being crazy, and Meredith wanted to understand. She needed answers.

Harry slipped his hand into hers, interweaving their fingers. He said nothing, staring forward like she did. His eyes skimmed the slope, remembering the night too. It pulsed through his veins, how she sent him away, and Harry hadn't understood for a long time. He thought she didn't want to see him, like he failed. Yet, it was protection. Harry vowed to protect her, yet Meredith was so independent that she didn't allow that.

It had been a long night for both of them. Meredith was sent to hospital, where she underwent tests and police asked her questions. Harry was brought back to Holyrood Palace by Bill, where he sat in silence. No sleep came. He stared at his phone. Bill didn't know what to do and was on the verge of calling Harry's older brother. There wasn't protocol to follow.

Meredith's eyes drifted to the high bridge, and she took him with as she walked. Her long legs led to log strides, which Harry desperately kept up with. She seemed desperate to just run away from that spot. Her breath was left uneven. She trembled.

"Mere, stop." Harry whipped her around, pulling her into a hug.

"No." Meredith pulled back. "Someone might see."

"Who?" Harry glanced around. A few cars came and went, and there were always people in the park-- but no one paid attention to them. It was a common theme with Meredith.

"No." She walked down the lane, and Harry followed.

Past the bridge and into the woods, Meredith took a hard right and came to an open field. Not many people knew of this little piece of land in the park, and at one time, it was used for the horses and cattle to graze. One tree grew defiantly, casting a shadow of darkness as the sun hung.

"Mere, do you want to leave?" Harry asked, realizing how difficult this had to be for her.

"No." Meredith stood defiantly, as always. Faltering wasn't her style; worse yet was admitting she needed help. "These woods, the path, this place, Scotland, that house-- none of it belongs to him. He doesn't get to take happy memories from him. He doesn't get to win." She fought back tears, and Harry didn't dare to touch her. Yet, she came to him, curling her arms around him, and he held her. Her head rested on his shoulder. Harry's hands rubbed her back in a calming rhythm. After a minute, she relaxed.

"Palace," he corrected.

Meredith started to laughed. "My apologies." She pulled back, wiping her eyes.

Hooking his finger under her chin, he brought her eyes up. "Don't apologize for anything."

She nodded. "Now, come on, Franco's is the best."

He scoffed but went with her anyway.

On the grounds of Dalkeith Palace as the sun began to set, Meredith, Harry and Bill ate Franco's fish and chips. This was Bodyguard Bill's first time and enjoyed it enough. For Meredith, it was just like she remembered, and it was wonderful. She didn't realize how hungry she was until it was almost all gone. Harry pursed his lips and chewed.

"Don't like it?" she asked.

Harry sighed. "I mean it's well enough, but it's very salty."

"Swallow," Meredith advised. "It doesn't matter if it tastes good. Swallow."

After a few seconds, Harry rolled his eyes.

"I know what will help and piss off Bill," Meredith said, and immediately Bill glared over. "Malone's."

"No," Bill said automatically.

Meredith's eyes fell onto Harry, and he shrugged. "Good, we're going," Meredith stated, and Bill was ready to start a fight but she was already on the way back to the car.

In the car, Bill responded, "This is a bad idea. Both of you will be noticed easily."

"That's the fun of it."

Bodyguard Bill looked over to His Royal Highness, Prince Harry, which Harry gave him a look that stated "Let her learn." Driving off toward Edinburgh, everyone hoped this didn't bite them in the ass.

It was packed like always in Malone's Irish Pub as people gathered for the dance. Meredith took a shot of whiskey and then washed it down with Irn Bru. She managed to keep it all down, though it was a challenge. As for Harry, his eyes looked to the dance floor, swallowing at his fear of doing this again. Bill looked everywhere else.

"Partner up and to the middle," said the woman through the microphone. Meredith blew a kiss to Bill and led Harry to the center of the dance floor for the ceilidh. The woman started to give directions, which Meredith followed easily. Harry tripped over his own feet. She led for him, with thirteen years of dance under her belt. Meredith found it easy to follow the steps. Meredith spun herself in the hands of Harry.

In the middle of the song, Harry stepped on her foot again. "Sorry, sorry, sorry."

She laughed and danced again. "Don't worry about."

As the round of songs finished up, Harry walked over to where Bill stationed himself, watching the crowds. "Enjoying yourself, sir?" he asked smugly.

"You think you can do better. You dance with her," Harry spat.

"I'm working, sir."

Meredith held out her hand. "Harry can be guard. You can be my partner." Before Bill could protest, Meredith took him to the ceilidh's dance floor. "Do it well," Meredith whispered in his ear, "and we can leave."

After directions, the fast music started up, and Bill put his words where they belonged, except he was pretty good. Instead of Meredith leading, he did, and she was thoroughly impressed. He even cracked a smile. Meredith twirled at Bill's command. It was marvelous. It was a jump forward, a step back, out, in, twirl, two steps forward, and Bill kept up easily. Meredith laughed as she twirled again, and the song came to the end.

Walking back over to Harry, Meredith replied, "I think I might have to trade up." She winked at Bill.

"I think thirteen years of a difference is enough," Harry said. "Going again?"

"No. I'm tired," Meredith said, "unless you two want to have a go."

Harry laughed. "Well, then I guess it's bedtime. What do you say, Bill?"

"Your wish is my command, sir."

He rolled his eyes and took Meredith's hand, leading her out of the ceilidh and into the night.