How she became The Queen of Scotland

Chapter 17

The next morning Maddie took him on full tour of the palace. All the time she had spend here she had used to catch up with the history not only of the city of Edinburgh and Scotland in general but also with the history of the palace.
They ended their tour in the apartments of Mary, Queen of Scots.
"And this is where David Rizzio, rumoured love affair of Mary, got dragged to from his place at the Queens dining table to be murdered with allegedly 57 stabs. He was a musician and secretary for French correspondence to the Queen. Her second husband, Lord Darnley, on the other hand grew insanely jealous of the friendship between Rizzio and the Queen so he joined a Protestant group planning his murder. The rumours of Rizzio being the father of Mary's then unborn child might have added to his motivation."
"Which one of the Marys are talking about exactly?"
"Ah yes, I have always got the two of them mixed up before too. We are talking about Mary, Queen of Scots also known as Mary Stuart. She was the daughter of James V of Scotland, as a matter of fact she was his only surviving legitimate child and also the mother of James VI and I, the king under who's reign the union of the Scottish and English crowns happened on the 24th of March in 1603. He ascended the English throne after the death of Queen Elizabeth I. The other Mary you are thinking about is Mary Tudor, known as Mary I of England but you would probably know her by her more colourful alias of "Bloody Mary". A name she got by her vicious attempts to reestablish the Catholic Church in England after her father, King Henry VIII had split England from Rome, to establish his own church, the Anglican Church of which Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is still head of today. And all of this just because he wanted to marry Anne Boleyn and the pope wouldn't grant him a divorce from his first wife Queen Catherine of Aragon, a strictly catholic Spanish princess."
"Wow." Henry just looked at her with amazement. "And you have all of those information ready in your brain just like that?"
Maddie lowered her eyes. She didn't know how react to this compliment.
"Hey..." Henry took a step towards her, carefully lifting her chin with his right hand. "I really mean it. This is impressive."
"Thank you. I am not quite used getting compliments for my history lessons. All the other people usually get bored when I even mention the bloodline of the former Kings and Queens."
"I have to admit I did get bored too when my history teacher tried to get the knowledge into my brain. But when you say it you make all of it come alive. It is a pleasure listing to you talking about something you feel so passionate about."
"It probably doesn't hurt that I can add the historical flair of Mary's actual apartments to the history lesson."
"It certainly does not. But it also doesn't hurt that you are the one giving the history lesson."
Henry had placed his hands on Maddie's hips now slowly pulling her closer.
Leaning in he whispered into her ear: "Somehow I can never shake the feeling of being watched."
Maddie peaked around him and saw the servant patiently waiting at the other side of the room looking at the floor to not breach their privacy anymore than he had too.
"I am afraid you will never be quite able to shake that up here. But you get somewhat used to it." She whispered with her lips very close to his ear causing him to pull her in even closer.
"Yes, Simon. What is it?"
Henry thought Maddie would let go of him as soon as the servant approached him but she didn't. Maddie herself was surprised that she held onto him.
Simon approached them bowing his head.
"His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales called."
"Did he leave a message?"
"No, M'am, but he wondered if you could call him back."
"I see. Thank you, Simon."
"M'am" He bowed his head before quickly leaving the room again.
"And I am sure that is another thing I would never get used to."
"That is acutely one of the nicer parts. You do get informed about everything without being forced to have a phone on you all the time. As ironic as it sounds it gives me a bit of freedom in here. But I should return that call. If Charles calls me on a Saturday it must be important. Come on." Maddie took Henry's hand guiding him back through the palace to her private rooms.
"I'm sure it wont be long. Are you okay waiting for me here? Please feel free to take one of the books."
"Sure, I will be right here waiting for you." He held onto her hand for as long as he could before she left the sitting room heading to her study.
"Madeleine my dear, how do you do? I hope you are having a pleasant weekend."
"I am very well, thank you Charles. But a little bird tells me that you are not just calling to ask me how I am." Maddie waited eagerly for his response. Even though Charles had made it clear on numerous occasion that he was still very fond of her and would always grant her his full support these kind of conversations still made her a little uneasy.
"Oh please don't worry my dear." Charles laughed on the other side of the phone. The sincereness of it let Maddie release the tension in her back.
"Kate told me that you are currently hosting a visitor you are rather fond of and I have to admit I am curious as to who that is. My nosiness got the better of me I suppose."
"Well Kate is not wrong. I do like him. I do like him a lot actually. But it is way to early to say anything more about it. And to be honest it feels a little... odd talking to you about it over the phone."
"I see. Oh why don't you just come and visit me at Highgrove real soon. So we will have time to catch up."
"Why does this feel like a set up to me?" Now it was Maddie's turn to laugh.
"It is not, I promise you my dear. But there are some things I would like to discuss with you.  When can you come?"
"To be honest Charles I have no idea what my schedule looks like for the next weeks. I know that Phil has organised a lot for the time before the holidays. Is it alright if I get back to you on Monday about this?"
"Of course, my dear. Just let me know. Now I must let you get on. I don't want to keep you from your guest."
"Thank you. It's been good talking to you again Charles."
"And to you. Good bye Madeleine."
"Goodbye."
The call left Maddie a little bit confused. What was all that about?
Sure Charles had taken to her like she was his own daughter even after Harry and her had separated but this cryptic invitation was peculiar nonetheless.
She shook her head to clear this thought out of it. This could wait until monday. For now she just wanted to get back to Henry and enjoy this weekend with him.
Henry looked up from the book he had chosen as soon as he noticed Maddie coming back.
"So you are spending your time with..." Maddie tried to grab the book out of Henry's hands but he just pulled them back causing her to stumble almost falling over.
"I got it, I got it."
"Shame. I would have caught you, you know."
"How? With that book still tightly in your hands." Maddie laughed while readjusting her posture.
"I think we were pretty much finished with the tour of the palace but we still have the garden left. And we should probably get this in before it gets dark again."
"Thank god I brought my polar gear."
"Come on. It's not that cold out there. Wait until January then it will be real cold out there."
Maddie extended her hand moving her eyebrows up down and quickly.
"And now you think that the old man needs help getting up?" Henry crossed his arms in front his body trying to look as stern as possible.
"If the shoe fits." She laughed before sticking her tongue out at him.
His arm shot forward so quickly she had no time to react.
He grabbed her extended hand to pull her forward so she had no chance but to fall on his lap immediately wrapping her arms around him trying to regain her balance.
"Hey, what was that for?"
"Payback for calling me an old man."
"I didn't."
"You kinda did..." Henry's voice had become more of a whisper.
"No I am pretty sure I did not." Maddie locked eyes with him.
With one of his hands on her lower back he pulled her in a little closer.
The sound of the ringing telephone got both of them back into reality.
"Typical." Maddie sighed lowering her head while putting both of her hands on Henry's shoulders to push herself back up again.
"Yes?"
"I am very sorry to disturb, Your Royal Highness, but Mrs Ruthven wondered if you really wanted to cook for yourself and your guest tonight."
"Yes, Gordon the plan is still very much correct. Please tell her to enjoy her time off today. She deserves it."
"I will do, M'am. Is there anything else you will be needing, M'am?"
"No, thank you Gordon. It's time you enjoy your weekend too."
"Thank you, M'am."
Maddie hung up the phone stepping closer to one fo the ceiling high windows.
Henry walked over wrapping his arms around her hugging her from behind.
"Everything okay?"
Maddie took a deep breath pulling his arms tighter around her.
"Yes." She smiled while resting her head agains his shoulder.
"Oh look. It's snowing."
"Some might say this would be the perfect moment for a first kiss." Henry whispered in her ear.
Maddie's smile widened. "Nah, only if you are into that sort of thing."
She untangled herself out of his arms running to the next door.
"What... ah... ?" He stood there, arms just hanging by his side following her movement with his eyes, his head steady and without movement.
"Come and find meeee."
Maddie left the room running looking for a possible hiding space. She heard Henry finally chasing after her.
"You really think you can outrun me?"
"I don't have to. I know this place and it's hideouts pretty well."
She turned her head. He was on to her.
"But that doesn't help you when I see where you are going."
"Do you?"
Maddie crossed the next corner swiftly opening a hidden a door stepping into the secret hallway.
"I d... Maddie?" Henry stopped instantly. He looked around. The corridor ahead through the other rooms formed a straight line. He examined the room. The furniture contained a couple of chairs and pictures on the walls. Basically nothing to hide behind.
From his time on the Tudor set he remembered that almost every palace had a set of secret doors and hallways. Maybe that was the case here too.
"Maddie oh Maddie." He sang while pacing around the walls starting right at where he had entered the room. He remembered he just had to look for straight lines on the wall. Some were hidden pretty well while other were fairly obvious.
Maddie stood behind her door not moving and trying hard not to laugh. A giggle escaped her mouth never the less.
"I heard that." Henry laughed. Now he had a direction.
"Are there any alarm systems I might set off?"
Maddie didn't want to answer him, but if he would set off one of the alarms a whole police team would turn up outside within minutes.
"You shouldn't touch the paintings or open the windows."
Henry followed her voice leading him to the door he could only see because of the little doorknob.
"Got you."
"That was a mean trick asking about the security system."
"I never said I would play fair."
"Is that the only way for you to win?" Maddie pulled him into the narrow corridor leaving just a tiny bit of space between them.
"That depends."
"On what?"
"My opponent." Henry looked right in her eyes while slowly raising his hands. He placed his left hand on her hip and let his right hand reach for the strand of hair that had fallen into her face.
"And with you, I don't think I would stand a chance." Again his words had turned into whispers. He pushed the hair behind her ear leaving his hand resting on her cheek.
Maddie didn't even realise she was holding her breath. Her hands were still in on his chest were she had placed them to pull him in closer. But now they were relaxed and open just resting on his shirt. She could feel his heartbeat. The racing of it.
She looked down from his eyes to his lips still holding her breath.
Henry moved his hand down to her chin lifting it up gently while stepping in even closer so their bodies were fully leaning against each other.
The moment their lips locked Maddie felt the breath finally leaving her body. A wave of relaxation hid her just as much as the wave of excitement did. Her hands grabbed his shirt tying to hold on to something before her feelings knocked her over.
Henry felt her stumble quickly pulling her even tighter.
Neither of them wanted this moment to end.