Даниэла Стил - Royal

She let Starlight walk a little, but he was too anxious to leave him out for long. She spoke to him soothingly, and then it was time to take their places. Annie was wearing the queen’s royal colors of purple with gold braid, scarlet sleeves, and black velvet helmet with gold fringe. It was the greatest honor of her life. She was satisfied with the order for the race, and avoided looking for familiar faces as they rode to the start. She kept her mind and her eyes on Starlight, and nothing else. She praised him as they waited and then they were off. She gave him his head quickly because she knew him well now, and it was how he liked to run. He began strong and then settled into his pace, as she edged him forward and kept him steady on course, and then she urged him to increase his speed, pushing him harder and harder to his limits, using his strength and his size to gain momentum, and then she forced him on past what he wanted, but using his trust in her to push him beyond anything reasonable. He pounded and pounded and pounded the ground, faster and faster until his hooves barely seemed to touch the earth. If someone had asked, they would have thought she was flying, and then she pushed him for the final furlong, and she could see the others slip away as she and Starlight moved ahead, and with a final burst of agony and insanity, she asked his utmost from him, and drove him even harder, and they crossed the finish line alone. They kept going until she could slow him down without his getting injured, and came back, and looked toward the royal box with a broad grin. They had done it. Starlight had come through for his owners, his queen, and his jockey.

She had no doubt this time. They had finished in first place. And the announcer declared the winner, Her Majesty Queen Alexandra’s horse Starlight, ridden by the queen’s niece, Her Royal Highness Princess Anne Louise Windsor. It was the proudest moment of Annie’s life, and one of the queen’s best too. Annie could see them jumping up and down in the box, and could almost hear them screaming. The roar of the crowd had been tremendous, and Starlight looked startled by the noise, but Annie kept him in control. The queen and Lord Hatton came down from the royal box to accept the trophy with her, and the queen reached up and patted Annie’s arm and thanked her. They were both crying and didn’t even know it.

“What a wonderful race you ran, Annie,” she said happily.

“It was all Starlight,” she said modestly, and Lord Hatton was grinning broadly, as he thanked her, and she rode Starlight back to his stall. She stayed with Starlight for a few minutes until he started to calm down, and then she left him to the grooms and trainer, and walked toward the royal box to find her family. She was still feeling dazed herself and unsteady on her feet. She didn’t even bother to clean up. She was covered with mud, and had splashes of it on her face and all over her helmet, when she walked straight into Anthony coming toward her. She stopped when she saw him and didn’t know what to say.

“You were fantastic!” he said, and then folded her into his arms without caring about the mud all over her, still wet from the race.

“I’m filthy, don’t…” He kissed her before she could stop him and it reminded her of the first time in Sandringham when he had surprised her and told her he loved her. When he finally stopped, she was even more breathless than she’d been from the race. And just as surprised as she’d been the first time he kissed her.

“I’m sorry I was such a fool. I wanted to tell you before the race, but I didn’t want to throw you off. My God, you were incredible. You were a blur on the racetrack.” Anthony was smiling at her as she looked up at him in amazement.

“Why did you come?” she asked him, rubber-legged from the ride. She imagined that he was there for his father.

“Why do you think? To tell you I love you and that I’m sorry. I was wrong, and you were right. This is what you were born to do. I was wrong to try and stop you. Thank God you didn’t listen. It’s a damn fine dream, and if we wait ten years to have children, then so be it.” She was only twenty-six.

“I just wanted one year, not ten,” she said softly. “I’ve already done what I wanted. This race was my dream, to do it here, for England, and for Alexandra. I won’t do it forever, I promise,” she said, and he stopped her and kissed her again.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep. You’re the best jockey I’ve ever seen. My father thinks so too. And to think I damn near killed you racing to a tree. Lucky I didn’t,” he said, and she laughed as she fell into step with him and he tucked her hand into his arm. She wanted to see the others now too.

“Why didn’t you call me back?” she asked as they walked around the racetrack to the royal box.

“Because I wanted to be right, and I knew I wasn’t. I got sacked, by the way. I was drunk for three weeks and screwed up all their events. I want to work with my father, and help him manage the farm. I belong there, and so do you,” he said softly, and then stopped her for a minute before they reached the others. “Will you marry me, Annie, even though I was a fool?”

“Yes,” she said in a voice so soft that only he could hear it.

“Do I have to ask your aunt?”

“Probably. And the prime minister, and the cabinet, and the lord chamberlain, and a million other people, and my father.” They were both laughing as he followed her up the stairs to where they were all milling around and congratulating each other. The queen smiled when she saw them. Things had improved immeasurably in the last few minutes, and she wasn’t sure if Annie was smiling because she’d won, or because Anthony had just kissed her. The queen had seen it through her binoculars and was pleased.

“I have a question to ask you later, ma’am,” he said softly, and her smile widened.

“The answer is yes,” she said, and he hugged her.

“Thank you, ma’am.” They all stayed in the box for another half hour, and then left. They were having dinner at Windsor Castle that night, and there was much to celebrate. Annie left the box with them, with an arm around each of her brothers, and her three young cousins right behind them. Her face was still splattered with mud, and she’d never looked happier. And before they got into the van the queen had brought for them, Anthony stopped Annie and kissed her again. “You are one hell of an amazing rider,” he said with a look of awe on his face. “Thank God you didn’t let me bully you. I’m sorry I did,” he said after the others were in the van.

“It doesn’t matter. I didn’t listen to you. I couldn’t. But I love you and always will. I never stopped loving you all this year.” But it had been a long, lonely year without him.

“I hope our children ride like you do. You made history today, Annie.” And they both knew she would again. Possibly many times, and then one day she’d retire, but she would always have the memory of what she’d accomplished. No one could ever take that from her now. Anthony knew better than anyone that no one ever should. This moment, and this day, and this achievement belonged to her, and rightfully so.

“Are you two coming, or are we going to die of old age waiting?” Victoria shouted out of the van at them.

“Sorry,” Anthony said, helped Annie into the van, and hopped in behind her. They took off for the castle with everyone laughing and talking about what a great and utterly unforgettable day it had been.

Chapter 18

Jonathan and Annie were waiting in a small room at St. Margaret’s Church on the grounds of Westminster Abbey, the Anglican parish church near the Palace of Westminster. It had been built in the eleventh century. She had chosen a simple white lace gown with long sleeves and a tiny waist, and she looked more than ever like a fairy or a very young girl. She was wearing a veil, and the gown had a train which stretched behind her as she stood nervously with her stepfather, waiting for their cue to start down the aisle.