The Prince's Secret (Prince Harry Fanfic)

Part 38 - Requests and Promises

Samantha

"Don't make promises you can't keep," I said, trying to keep my voice light and teasing, but failing miserably.

"Let me rephrase the promise then," Harry said. "If the Queen forces me to get married in September, I will not be marrying Meg. That much I will promise you. In fact, she was so upset when I told her that our wedding was postponed, she took off for Toronto, and I haven't heard from her since."

"So are you two...separated?" I asked, wondering how to describe a state of engaged but wedding postponed, not speaking or living together, but still expected, somehow, to marry?

"I don't know. I guess so? For now, anyway. I don't know if she's planning on coming back. What it does mean, however," he said, "is that we are free to see each other as much as we like. As long as we are discreet, of course."

"Of course," I murmured, and we drove on in silence for a while as his words sunk in.

"Would your grandmother really force you to get married?" I asked finally.

Harry's laughter was grim. "Perhaps force is too strong of a word. My grandmother might want to encourage me to marry soon, but the Queen might request it...which is pretty much a demand that cannot be ignored. Unless..."

"Unless...?" I prompted, when he did not go on.

Now he focused on the road, not looking at me, his hands tense on the wheel again. "I could wait and hope that Will and Catherine have another baby after this one that is expected in the spring. That would bump me down to seventh in the line of succession. Or...in theory...there is always the nuclear option. I could renounce my right to the throne and marry whoever I please. But at that point...the Queen would be within her rights to impose a number of unpleasant consequences on me."

"Such as...?" I asked, my voice low.

"Such as taking away my titles and HRH, my duties, my home, my allowance....basically everything that I have...everything that I am. The Queen doesn't like quitters or those that shirk their duties. And for me to do that...to renounce my right of succession...I think she would consider it an act of betrayal."

"You can't do that," I said firmly.

"I don't want to do that," Harry said. "I'm not sure what you want out of this relationship, but this isn't a game with me, Sam. There's a lot at stake. For both of us."

"I'm not worth it," I said.

"I beg to differ. I wouldn't be doing all this if I thought you weren't worth it."

"We barely know each other," I protested.

"And so we are headed out for a weekend alone, " Harry said. "Or mostly alone. To get to know one another better. To spend some time together. Just Sam and Harry."

"Can we do that?" I asked, as my hand found its way to brush his leg. "Without being interrupted? Without being discovered?"

Harry squeezed my hand and smiled at me. "I think so. The Howards—John and Moira—are in London for the weekend, so we have Lainsworth to ourselves."

"Except for Duncan."

"And Simon. I can't really get away from them, you know," he said apologetically. "But they keep a low profile and know how to mind their own business. Besides, they're handy to send out for dinner if we don't feel like cooking."

"You have so many friends," I marveled.

"You don't?" he asked. "I mean, maybe not here, but what about back in Vancouver?"

I shook my head. "Not really. I mean, I have a few close friends and a wider circle of people I know—people that I might go out to dinner or a club with, those kind of friends. But seems like you have way more than I do."

"I have a large network," Harry corrected. "People I know, like you say. People I know from polo or hunting or rugby, guys I met in the service, people I've met doing charity work. But my circle of real friends is quite small. You might be surprised."

"And the Howards? What kind of friends are they?"

"Hunting and polo friends. They're the kind of friends I can ring up and say that I have a friend I want to take hunting and want some privacy, and they say, why don't you stay at our house? And don't ask any other questions. They have a place in London and they bought Lainsworth a couple of years ago as a country home. Totally renovated the place. I stayed with them last year for a hunt. They've got a couple of nice hunters here and you can have your pick."

"Do you trust them?" I asked.

Harry let out a short laugh. "It's kind of an unwritten rule when you're friends with a royal that you don't ask and don't tell. I didn't explicitly ask for their silence, but I trust their discretion. They won't say anything." He gave me a curious look. "Are you worried about being spotted with me?"

I laughed. "I'm worried for you. I don't have any reputation to speak of. I don't think anyone cares what I do."

"Except for the hunt, we should be pretty much undercover. Or under covers...I hope." Harry flashed me a wicked grin. "Lainsworth sits on a nice acreage down a private road, so we should be able to go walking or riding or...whatever...without being seen. I've made no plans other than having some groceries delivered. I just want us to be able to relax and unwind without any pressure."

Harry was holding my hand now, driving with the other. I studied his profile, the way his ginger curls turned up on the back of his neck and how broad and strong his shoulders were.

"You know what I would like?" I said. "A candlelight dinner in front of a fireplace, maybe a nice wine, and you and me just talking."

"Just talking?" he teased.

"Well, for a while, anyway. I want to know so many things about you. What do you like to read? Watch on the telly? What were you like as a little boy? And what do you want for the future?"

"I was probably a perfect little beast as a boy. I'm sure that's what my brother would say. And I want to know all those things about you too. And more. Much, much more."