Papa sits taller. It takes him a moment to process the words he’s just heard. He blinks a few times, then furrows his brows. “Explain yourself.”
My father is not a man for excuses. He appreciates when a person sticks to the cold hard facts. That’s exactly what I plan to do.
“Last fall, when I first lay eyes on the Queen’s Park flat, I immediately fell in love with it. It was one of the few properties I’d seen in my budget that still had most of its original features, like the crown molding, beautiful hardwood floors, and sash windows. I know it’s not the prettiest property to look at, but that didn’t matter to me. I could see the potential in what the flat could become.
“In hindsight, I should’ve known the photos might be misleading.” My voice quivers, and my body burns with shame. My gaze travels to the ground. “I realized last week when the sale officially went through that I’d made a huge mistake. I never went to go and see it in person, nor did I bother to read the surveyor’s report. If I had, I would’ve realized there were substantial issues purposely omitted from the photos. The flat is in awful shape, Papa.”
“Alice, I’m extremely disappointed in you.” The disheartened sound of his voice weighs heavy on me. It’s worse than anger. He’s the person whose opinion matters most to me. We’ve always shared a special father-daughter bond, and now it feels like I’ve betrayed him. Guilt swells up in my stomach, squeezing me as tightly as a boa constrictor.
“You made an immensely foolish and irresponsible decision. This is something I can see Edmund doing, but not you. You’re supposed to be the levelheaded child.”
Papa stands. I risk a glance at him, watching as he walks over to the window, looking out at the gardens with his back to me. “If you’d come to your mum and me and told us this was what you’d wanted, all this could have been avoided. We would’ve ensured the property was properly vetted. Remember, if a price seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
He turns and meets my eyes, and I make myself smaller. There is a tightness around his mouth and deep creases on his forehead. His eyes, usually warm and inviting, are now shadowed, like clouds passing over the sun. “What exactly did you see at the viewing?”
“Nothing but problems. Everything needs repairs and updates to be habitable.” My shoulders hunch. “I’ve spent some time trying to get some quotes from different electricians, carpenters, and roofers. All in, it’s likely going to be an additional one to two hundred thousand pounds worth of repairs.”
“Do you have the budget for this?”
“Not right now, but if I do things in stages, and learn how to do some of the repairs myself to cut costs, I think I’ll be able to get by. My plan is to address the most immediate problems first, all the structural repairs, and go from there. That alone will probably run me about fifty to seventy-five thousand pounds.”
Papa closes the gap between us. I feel the weight of his gaze on me. “And how do you intend to secure the remaining funds for the other projects? What if there are unforeseen problems that arise?”
“I’ll deal with things as they come. Right now, I think the most logical course of action is to take out a mortgage or a loan. There would be interest to worry about, but in time, I could pay it back.”
“No.” He shakes his head. “You will not take out any loans or a mortgage. You’re a university student with a part-time job that pays eleven pounds an hour. No bank in their right mind would be willing to take a risk on you even if you’re a member of the royal family.” He runs a hand along his jaw. “No, Mum and I will lend you the money and we’ll figure out how you can repay us later. However, I have several stipulations.”
I listen carefully. Papa lays out his lists of demands.
One, they will purchase the neighboring flat, so we own the entire building.
Two, they will have final say over all the work that’s done.
Three, in addition to Angela and Art, there will be another security officer on duty at all times to watch the CCTV cameras and conduct bag checks. The garage will be converted into a hidden security office.
Four, a safe room will be installed in case there is a breach of security.
And five, a six-foot-tall gate will be installed in front of the house.
Those are just the ones that pertain to the building. Papa also mentions stipulations like not being able to go anywhere unescorted. In short, living in my flat will mirror my life in the palace. It’s like I’m a zoo animal that’s being given an upgraded exhibit. It may be shiny and new, but it’s still living a life in captivity.
There are no ways around it. I have no leg to stand on since this mess is my own making. Papa’s decisions are final. He won’t change his mind about any of these demands. He’ll likely add to them. So all I can do now is accept them.
“Yes, sir.” I nod. “I understand.”
“Good. Now that that’s been sorted, you can also expect to start having some more official engagements added to your diary. If you’re going to be an adult living on her own, you can expect to work like one too.”
“But what about school?”
“We’ll work around it. Your studies will always be a top priority.”
I squeeze my hands together tightly and chew on my lip. I’d hoped that with the start of uni, I’d be able to slowly begin steppingawayfrom public duties. Not beginning the transition to life as a working royal. My gap year travels helped me realize that I want a quiet life. I’m not delusional enough to think I’ll ever be completely left alone, but I’d like to at least try and give it a go.
“Do you have any questions for me?”
I open my mouth to argue, but I’ve used up the allotment of courage I’ve brought with me. Papa’s stern facial expression tells me that for now, this discussion has to be tabled. “No, sir.”
“Good.” He nods curtly.
