Free A Royal Entanglement: The Young Royals Book 2 by Emma Lea Page A

know you flirt with her, but you flirt with everyone.”
    “Nothing’s been going on,” I said frustrated, “I was trying to get her to go out with me and she turned me down.”
    Dayne was looking down at the photo on the front page.   We were dancing and she was looking up at me, seemingly lost in my eyes and there was a crooked smile on my face.
    “It doesn’t look like she was turning you down,” Dayne said.
    I turned away from the paper and looked out the window as we arrived at the Palace gates.   A few die-hard paparazzi were camped out and started snapping away as the car drove through towards the Palace.   It wasn’t unusual for me to turn up at the Palace, I’d been working here for months, but the time of day was unusual and bound to be commented on.
    I barely held my temper as I exited the car and strode through the doors towards the Queen’s office.
    “Lord Bingham!”
    I turned at the frantic call.
    “Lady Alexandra is still in her suite,” the footman said.
    “Take me to her.”
    He nodded and led me in a different direction.   I had never been to Alex’s suite before, so I followed diligently, making note of the directions.   Eventually we arrived and the footman knocked on the door before opening it to a well appointed sitting room.   A lady’s maid was waiting for me.
    “Lord Bingham,” she said executing a curtsy, “Lady Alexandra will be out presently.   May I pour you a cup of tea?”
    “Is there coffee?” I asked brusquely.
    “I’ll bring some,” the footman said and disappeared back out the door.
    Dayne had followed me in and looking around the room.
    “Please have a seat,” the maid said, “I will let Lady Alexandra know—”
    “Let Lady Alexandra know what?”
    I turned to see Alex exiting, what must be, her bedroom.   She looked fresh and put together and I could tell that she hadn’t yet seen the papers.
    “Lord Bingham,” she said, surprised.
    “I apologise for the intrusion,” I said, turning to face her and walking towards her.   “I needed to speak to you—”
    “This is highly irregular,” she cut me off, her eyes flashing.
    “I know,” I said, “But—”
    “I thought we’d said all we needed to say last night.”
    “Alex, you’re not listening to me.   I have something—”
    “Tea please Margot,” she said walking past me to sit at her breakfast table.
    “Alexandra, please,” I said, finally fed up with her trying to avoid me.   “You need to listen to me.”
    The room fell quiet and all eyes were on me.
    “I need to make you aware of some photographs that are in today’s paper.”
    “Oh God,” she said, her hand going to her mouth and her skin paling.   “It’s not my sisters is it?   Or my mother?   Please tell me my mother is not on the front page of the paper.”
    “Your mother is not on the front page of the paper,” I said and she relaxed slightly, “You are.”
    “What!” Alex stood to her feet knocking over her tea, the contents spilling across the small breakfast table and dripping onto the carpet below.
    “There are photos—”
    “Oh God.”
    “Of you and me—”
    “Oh God!”
    “Dancing at the cocktail party last night.”
    She looked at me, puzzled.   “What?   Why?”
    “And there are other photos of us together.”
    “Oh my God Freddie!   Did you do this?   Did you leak these photos to force me into dating you?”
    “Don’t be ridiculous Alex,” I said, “What kind of person do you think I am?”
    “Oh God.   This is awful.”   Alex sunk back down on her chair, her hand covering her mouth, her eyes wide and her face pale.
    “Out!” I cried, “Everybody out.”   I ushered Dayne and the maid and the footman who brought my coffee out of the room and closed the door, flicking the lock to keep them out.   I took a breath and turned back to Alex who was sitting, frozen, on her chair and looked like she was going to pass out at any moment.
    I knelt beside her chair and took her hand in