Chapter Nine: Learning From the Queen

"Yes, I realize the situation with George was quite scandalous. Fortunately I was able to reason with your father. Oh yes, that feels marvelous." It was a sizzling hot day in the south of France, and the Queen of England was enjoying a lazy afternoon at the beach. A dark-eyed French lifeguard with a dazzling smile and a deep tan had been giving Jane swimming lessons all morning, and now he was rubbing her white shoulders with suntan lotion.

"Humph!" Mary didn't like the way her stepmother simply shrugged off the scandalous stories in the press. After all, the nude photos of Jane had been a terrible embarrassment to the royal family. Mary's royal father had talked of banishing Jane, sending her on a tour of mines and factories in some gloomy part of the country till the scandal died down. Yet somehow Jane had softened the king's anger, and even regained his royal favor. Mary wished she understood what had happened, and how the young queen had reasoned with King Henry behind closed doors.

"Yes, that's so good. Oh, that's divine." The sexy French lifeguard had finished rubbing Jane's smooth shoulders, and now he began stroking the suntan lotion deep into the hollow of her lower back.

"I'm going back up to the hotel," Mary said sharply. "I want to take a shower. The environmental impact conference starts at four."

"Mm, you do that." Jane almost seemed to be in a sort of trance. "I do love my stepdaughter," she sighed. "Love you, Mary."

The posh, secluded hotel suite was dark and cool and very quiet. Mary had her shower, and after she dried her hair and put on a robe she sat down on the wide bed. Just then the telephone rang.

"Father!" Mary's whole face lit up with overpowering happiness. King Henry almost never had time to call her when she was away.

"Are you and the queen enjoying yourselves?" the king asked.

"Jane is," Mary said quickly. "I mean, she's swimming. She's getting a lot of sun and has a tan now. I don't like the sun. I like learning about global warming and the environment."

"You're a sensible girl," her father said. "But make sure to enjoy the sun and get some exercise. I don't want you looking pale and unhappy on the international news. Put on your brightest smile."

"Yes, father." Mary felt a bit let down as her father ended the call. Instead of getting dressed at once for the environmental conference, she lay back on the bed for a moment to rest. Jane knew how to please the king. She always dazzled the crowds, always looked her best in public. But no matter how hard she tried, Mary struggled to project a glamorous public image. She was too serious, always worrying about what people would think. She needed to relax, but it was hard. So hard to relax . . .

"Oh, Mary!" Queen Jane's lovely blue eyes were full of laughter. "You said you were getting ready for the conference, and now we're going to be late!"

"Is it four o'clock already?" Mary felt like a fool. She'd fallen asleep in her robe and was still feeling a bit groggy and sluggish. But lovely Queen Jane was wide awake and dressed in her best. She was alert and smiling and sparkling all over with jewels.

"Silly girl! You were in dreamland all afternoon. It's after five now, and we've got to hurry!" Jane was pushing Mary this way and that, getting her out of her robe and into a skimpy black dress. "You've got a good figure, you know. You should really show it off more! This little black dress will be perfect for the cocktail hour."

"We're going to the cocktail hour? After we missed the conference?" Mary kept rubbing her eyes, trying to wake up. She felt like she was still asleep and dreaming.

"Of course we're going, sleepyhead! The real deals always get made over drinks anyway. That's what Bernard says." Jane was delicately applying lip gloss and giving Mary a final inspection.

"Bernard?" Blinking her eyes, Mary looked up at her stepmother questioningly. "Who is Bernard? The environmental minister?"

"No, silly. The minister is over seventy and never makes deals. The person we're interested in is on his staff. You met him at the beach this afternoon, remember?"

Mary gasped. "I thought he was a lifeguard! The way you were acting, I thought you . . . I mean I thought the two of you . . ."

Jane laughed, putting away her lip gloss like a gunfighter holstering a six gun. "Oh, it was quite good fun. But things never went too far. I'm Queen of England, after all. And I love your father. But there are ways of persuading powerful men to listen to reason. You've got a lot to learn, Mary my love."

"I guess I do." Mary blushed. She kept remembering the way sly Bertrand had made the lovely young queen sigh with pleasure. And she wondered if Jane was really the one who was in control.