The Royal Scandal | Prince William |

Are You a Winner?

Shaking and all her fingers tore at the packaging. With less care than Jaclyn would have expected. "This is a gift from my husband."

Jaclyn took the jewelry box, and upon opening it everything clicked into the shape of a sterling locket with two engraved letters.

"These aren't your initials." Her fingers lifted to brush the silver, but found she couldn't.

"It's for his mistress."

"Oh."

It wasn't a big revelation, still, it was enough to make her put the object down. Whispers of cheating men were common, especially among the people in the aristocracy. Men of older generations saw it as a right, while the younger were just cocky idiots.

"If you know he's cheating on you, why..."

"Am I still with him?" Lady Mountbatten finished for her. She no longer looked distraught, at least. In fact her lips curled as if reminiscing, perhaps she was internally laughing at how ridiculous it all was. "Well, it's simple really. Divorce means I'm cast out, that she gets my title."

"But does that matter? Shouldn't your happiness come first?"

Lady Mountbatten winced. The more Jaclyn learned from her the easier it was to forget that she wasn't from their world. She grew up around people who chose to be together where there was more than gain and money involved, and despite her years still struggled to grasp the lives the aristocrats lived. If she were going to thrive as a royal she would need to come to understand what it took, and Penelope would be the one to teach her. "Being a countess is more than a title and jewels. In my husband's absence, galavanting with this woman and his money, it becomes my job to maintain the estate. I oversee the people we employ, the tenants, and help as much as I can in the towns nearby with my patronages."

Jaclyn mulled it over, chin pointed downwards and eyebrows furrowed in thought. "You stay out of obligation," she finally concluded.

"Yes, sadly you'll find most women in our situations do."

A beat passed, Jaclyn's head slowly lifting to reveal horror.

"Our?"

"Well.." The countess paused. It wasn't that she doubted William's and Jaclyn's devotion to each other, but undying devotion just as quickly died and led to infidelity as forced arrangements did. It hurt to see so many young couples promise forever to each other, but then never see it through.

Lady Mountbatten couldn't take her eyes off the young woman. It would be so easy to lie, to tell her they would be different, but she didn't want to come to regret her words.

"Will and I will never do that to each other," Jaclyn finally affirmed, confidence flooding over her insecurity.

"I pray you're right."

-----

May 25, 2007

The nights were finally warm, and Jaclyn smiled as she stepped from the car. Taking Williams hand he led her up to the red carpet that spread in front of the grand building where the awards were being handed out.

The press were herded and pinned to one area, jumping up over each other and pressing into the velvet rope. Their flashes a wall of lights replace the lacking stars in the sky.

Jaclyn squeezed William's hand one last time while they were still out of sight, and then promptly released it. She knew the rules, and anyways a part of her felt that she needed to do the walk alone. It was her night after all.

As they walked he leaned down to her ear. "You look beautiful tonight darling."

"So you've said already." Her lips slipped into a smirk, her hand squeezing his as she pushed ahead of him.