“What made you choose Oxford?”
“I didn’t actually choose, really. Ella and our mother sort of did that for me.”
“Really? How so?”
“I never thought graduate school was an option for me, so when I refused to apply because I didn’t have the money, Ella and my mom did it for me, behind my back. I’ll never tell my chancellor this, but Ella wrote my application essay. I had no idea she had done it until I was accepted.”
“That’s wonderful. What a gift to give your sister,” Catherine says to me.
“Well, she’s the brilliant one who had a perfect GPA throughout high school and college. I just did her applications because I wasn’t going to let her forget her dreams because of money. In the end, it was her brilliance that earned her acceptance and a big scholarship.”
She turns back to Maya. “What is your field of study?”
“History and political science, with an emphasis on preservation. I hope to work in a major museum as a curator.”
“She just secured an internship with the British Museum,” Sterling says.
“It’s just admin work, but it’s a start,” Maya says, blushing slightly.
“And how do you like living in England?” Harrington asks.
“I love it,” Maya gushes. “And I’m not even too bothered by the weather. I don’t know why, but I just connect to it. It will be hard to come home next year when I finish school. Although, lately, England has been a little less fun.”
“And why is that?”
“The paps are relentless,” Sterling answers when Maya looks sheepish. “They’ve been hounding Maya since she was photographed with Ella at the polo and cricket matches when we did our Lennox Rose campaign through London. They now know she’s her sister, so they’re trying to get to her.”
“What?” I say to Maya. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t want to worry you because you have enough going on yourself. And there’s nothing you can do about it, anyway.”
I bite the inside of my cheek, conceding her point. “I still want to know.”
“She can’t walk to the tube or go to school without being followed and harassed,” Sterling says. “At least she quit her job.”
“I didn’t quit. I was let go because my boss was overwhelmed with the bombardment of paparazzi.”
“Why haven’t you hired a driver for her?” Asher snaps.
“I’ve tried. She keeps refusing my offers.”
I raise my brow at Maya.
“I can’t afford to pay for a driver. I’m on a student’s budget.”
“You wouldn’t be paying,” Sterling says, rolling his eyes. “I already explained this.”
“Well, it’s too much.”
“Nonsense,” Harrington says. “If you have paparazzi hounding you, you need a safe way to travel.”
Sterling turns to Maya and gives her an “I told you so” smile. “See? Here’s your proof. My family will not be bothered if I provide a driver for you. And at this point, we may need to discuss security as well.”
He leans in and whispers something else in her ear, and Maya turns and glares at him. My eyes bounce back and forth between them. Clearly, they’ve been in contact quite a bit since I left London.
“Maya, what else is going on? Why would security be needed?” I ask.
“Because her neighbors are cunts,” Sterling says.
