reality, they want to take my temperature.”
“Your
temperature?”
“To
see what my intentions are. To see if I’m going to cause them any trouble.
I’ve assured them that my focus is on my practice in North Africa and that I
have no interest in making any sweeping reforms to San Morrando. It’s all very
tiring. I leapt at the chance to rehearse for the wedding just to get away
from it for an hour.”
“Look
at you, talking like you’re a real person with a heart and all,” Juliette
grinned. “Luckily, I know the truth.”
He
chuckled, then smiled warmly at her. “Yes, luckily.” He paused. “You know,
I-”
“Sir!”
Armand interrupted, dashing into the ballroom holding a tablet PC in his hand.
“Sir, there is something you need to see. Ah, Miss Juliette, you’re here as
well. Good. This concerns you, too.” Armand set the tablet down on the stage
and flipped the screen around so that everyone could see.
The
website banner read, “Channel
6 News.” Armand tapped the embedded video and it began to play.
“Breaking
news,” the female anchor began. The headline next to the anchor’s head said,
“The Next Princess?”
“Channel
6 has exclusive new details on who Prince Guillermo’s new bride might be. We
go live to Eulalia Prieto in Morrando la Vella. Eulalia?”
Juliette
pointed at the screen and exclaimed, “That’s my flower shop!”
“Thank
you, Reina. I’m standing in front of the Jardin de Verdure flower shop in
Morrando la Vella owned by the rumored bride-to-be, one Juliette Thierry.” The
video then cut away to a prepared piece. “Juliette Thierry is-”
“Oh
my God. That’s the picture I had taken for the merchant’s association,” she
paused as the announcer droned on. “I hate that picture.”
“-
and her bio on the Morrando la Vella Small Business Association website states
that she graduated from Université Paul-Valery in Montpellier, France. She’s
25 and, as you can see from her photo, very pretty.”
The
video abruptly cut back to the live feed. “Now, the flower shop, which is normally
open on Tuesdays, is closed today lending credence to the rumor that Miss
Thierry has already moved into the Palais d’Or.”
“Eulalia,”
the anchor asked as the video went to a split screen between the studio and the
on-the-street reporter, “do we have any information on how they met?”
“Not
yet. However, my sources tell me that the prince and Miss Thierry shared an
intimate dance at Sunday night’s royal ball.”
“Thanks,
Eulalia. Great report.”
The
video ended.
Guillermo
exploded, “Unbelievable,
Armand! We couldn’t even keep it a secret for 48 hours. Who leaked it?”
Armand
looked pained. “It
could have been anyone, sir.”
“She
hasn’t even completed her first day of lessons,” Guillermo lamented.
“I
know, sir. And I do apologize.”
Guillermo
faced Juliette. “I
am truly sorry, Juliette. I had hoped to give you at least a week to get used
to all of this. Please accept my apology.” The sincerity in his voice gave
her pause.
“I-”
Juliette couldn’t find the right words to respond, so she just nodded.
Armand
asked, “How
would you like to proceed, sir?”
“We
have no choice. We’ll have to move up the announcement. What does the
schedule look like?”
Armand
picked up the tablet, tapped the screen twice, and showed it to Guillermo. “As you can see,
there are no options for tomorrow, but on Monday you have the charity picnic
for the children’s hospital.”
Guillermo
grimaced. “Isn’t
there anything else?”
“I’m
afraid not, sir.”
“That
will have to do, then. All right, that will be our coming out party. We’ll
have our first photo op there.”
Guillermo
and Armand began walking briskly out of the ballroom together. “We have to get
on top of this. If the media runs out of control, who knows what they’ll
uncover.
“Your
temperature?”
“To
see what my intentions are. To see if I’m going to cause them any trouble.
I’ve assured them that my focus is on my practice in North Africa and that I
have no interest in making any sweeping reforms to San Morrando. It’s all very
tiring. I leapt at the chance to rehearse for the wedding just to get away
from it for an hour.”
“Look
at you, talking like you’re a real person with a heart and all,” Juliette
grinned. “Luckily, I know the truth.”
He
chuckled, then smiled warmly at her. “Yes, luckily.” He paused. “You know,
I-”
“Sir!”
Armand interrupted, dashing into the ballroom holding a tablet PC in his hand.
“Sir, there is something you need to see. Ah, Miss Juliette, you’re here as
well. Good. This concerns you, too.” Armand set the tablet down on the stage
and flipped the screen around so that everyone could see.
The
website banner read, “Channel
6 News.” Armand tapped the embedded video and it began to play.
“Breaking
news,” the female anchor began. The headline next to the anchor’s head said,
“The Next Princess?”
“Channel
6 has exclusive new details on who Prince Guillermo’s new bride might be. We
go live to Eulalia Prieto in Morrando la Vella. Eulalia?”
Juliette
pointed at the screen and exclaimed, “That’s my flower shop!”
“Thank
you, Reina. I’m standing in front of the Jardin de Verdure flower shop in
Morrando la Vella owned by the rumored bride-to-be, one Juliette Thierry.” The
video then cut away to a prepared piece. “Juliette Thierry is-”
“Oh
my God. That’s the picture I had taken for the merchant’s association,” she
paused as the announcer droned on. “I hate that picture.”
“-
and her bio on the Morrando la Vella Small Business Association website states
that she graduated from Université Paul-Valery in Montpellier, France. She’s
25 and, as you can see from her photo, very pretty.”
The
video abruptly cut back to the live feed. “Now, the flower shop, which is normally
open on Tuesdays, is closed today lending credence to the rumor that Miss
Thierry has already moved into the Palais d’Or.”
“Eulalia,”
the anchor asked as the video went to a split screen between the studio and the
on-the-street reporter, “do we have any information on how they met?”
“Not
yet. However, my sources tell me that the prince and Miss Thierry shared an
intimate dance at Sunday night’s royal ball.”
“Thanks,
Eulalia. Great report.”
The
video ended.
Guillermo
exploded, “Unbelievable,
Armand! We couldn’t even keep it a secret for 48 hours. Who leaked it?”
Armand
looked pained. “It
could have been anyone, sir.”
“She
hasn’t even completed her first day of lessons,” Guillermo lamented.
“I
know, sir. And I do apologize.”
Guillermo
faced Juliette. “I
am truly sorry, Juliette. I had hoped to give you at least a week to get used
to all of this. Please accept my apology.” The sincerity in his voice gave
her pause.
“I-”
Juliette couldn’t find the right words to respond, so she just nodded.
Armand
asked, “How
would you like to proceed, sir?”
“We
have no choice. We’ll have to move up the announcement. What does the
schedule look like?”
Armand
picked up the tablet, tapped the screen twice, and showed it to Guillermo. “As you can see,
there are no options for tomorrow, but on Monday you have the charity picnic
for the children’s hospital.”
Guillermo
grimaced. “Isn’t
there anything else?”
“I’m
afraid not, sir.”
“That
will have to do, then. All right, that will be our coming out party. We’ll
have our first photo op there.”
Guillermo
and Armand began walking briskly out of the ballroom together. “We have to get
on top of this. If the media runs out of control, who knows what they’ll
uncover.
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