Running Around Royal (Prince Harry #4)

Chapter Seventeen

There wasn't a break for Meredith. Jessica didn't say that the duchess looked tired; she just told the makeup stylist to put more makeup on the face of Meredith. Thankfully, the duchess was too exhausted to be offended. Her hair was done multiple times before it was wrapped around the tiara. Bobby pins were stuck in her hair before she was allowed to move an inch.

Jessica looked her over. "Some more concealer under the eyes, please." The makeup stylist did as she was asked. The stylists left after. "There will be a break soon. We have a day off in Germany, so you could go see your old host family."

"That will be lovely. Thank you." Meredith took a sip of the tea, which was meant to relax but wake her up. She ran her teeth across her tongue, still not liking the taste and still not understanding why Jessica kept giving it to her.

"You'll get used to it, ma'am."

"I don't think so," she muttered into the mug and swallowed the rest of it.

"You're supposed to sit it, ma'am."

"I'm supposed to do a lot of things," Meredith stood, "ma'am." Carefully, she stepped into the dress and pulled it up, feeling it shift around her. "Jessica?"

The home secretary came around and tried to zip it. Jessica's fingers slipped from the zipper, and she let out a hiss. "Breathe out, your highness." She tried the zipper again.

Meredith let all the oxygen out of her lungs. "It's fine, I didn't want to breathe anyway." The zipper moved into place, and Jessica did the clasp. Meredith breathed in again, and her chest was barely able to move. "Are you sure there isn't another dress I could wear?"

"I'm afraid not, ma'am. Is there anything I can get for you?"

"No."

"We'll be landing in a few minutes, ma'am." Jessica curtsied and left the compartment, but Meredith wasn't giving a break then. Harry walked in, wearing his black tux. His nice shoes were nicely shined. He fixed his cuff links with a smile. He paused in the doorway, eyes and mouth wide.

"What?" Meredith asked, looking back into the mirror. She smoothed her hands down the dress.

Coming over, he put his head on her shoulder and whispered, "Let me do that for you." His hands replaced hers, running them up and down her dress. His nose went into her hair. "You look stunning." His hot breath made Meredith's hand stand on end. His hands traveled down her ribs and onto her lips, which he handled softly. "You'll knock them dead. All eyes will be on you." Harry spun his wife around. "And they'll be jealous."

"Of you?"

"Of you." Harry brushed back a few strands of her hair. "You're so gorgeous that they'll be sad they aren't you."

"They'll be jealous that you're not on their arm." Meredith kissed him, and they both felt the jerk as the airplane's tires came down. "I know what the trickiest part will be tonight: sitting down in this dress."

Meredith was right. After all, she was getting used to all these dresses, and when they were tight, it was hard to breathe and hard to sit. She sat down three times the whole night and into the early morning in the dress: on the airplane, on the car ride there and on the car ride back. The bright camera lights flashed as Harry stepped out of the car first. He walked over, buttoning his jacket again. The door was open, and Harry held out his hand, which Meredith took. Her knees stayed easily together as her feet hit the pavement, and she stood. Her dress glittered easily in the light.

There wasn't a red carpet like there had been before, and the couple stopped for a few pictures. Just a few feet away from them, Albert II, Prince of Monaco, and his wife, Charlene, Princess of Monaco. Their twins weren't there tonight. The two spoke French until Harry and Meredith approached. It was with appropriateness how Meredith greeted them, dropping into a curtsy-- well, as far as she was able to get. Harry and Albert II walked a few feet away, only slightly caring about the cameras. The Duchess of Windsor was in the trusted hands of Charlene, Princess of Monaco now.