Affairs of State (Daughters of Power: The Capital #6)(23)
Author: Jennifer Lewis

“And some of the Americans are getting crazy, too. I saw you and Daniel dancing like demons to the bluegrass a while ago.”

“Daniel’s definitely mined my fun-loving streak. Before, I always enjoyed watching other people have fun at events. Now I’m realizing how great it is to be one of them.” She glanced up. “Cara’s just as bad as me. She’s only supposed to be managing PR for the event, but look, she’s trying to retie the bow on that table skirt even though she’s so pregnant she can barely bend.” They hurried over to her. “Drop that bow or we’ll send you on enforced maternity leave.”

Cara had recently left the White House press office after she fell in love with a network news reporter, and now worked with DC Affairs. She had that famous maternal glow already, her eyes shining and her chestnut hair glowing. “I have more than a month left before I’m due. You should indulge me now as I may not be capable of anything once I’m only getting two hours of sleep a night.”

Cara’s husband, Max, appeared, glass of champagne in hand. “Max, darling.” Ariella kissed his cheek. “You need to rein your wife in. She’s trying to do everything again.”

“I’ve talked to her about that and she’s still unstoppable. She should never have agreed to work with DC Affairs. You and Scarlet are a bad influence.”

“It must be killing you that ANS is getting the scoop on the wedding.” Ariella and Simon had decided that ANS should have exclusive coverage of the wedding as a reward for Liam skillfully orchestrating her reunion with her parents. Until recently Max had been the popular anchor of a rival TV network and still worked for them behind the scenes.

“I’m over it. It’s a nice change to be able to enjoy a royal wedding instead of barking about it while standing on a street corner somewhere. I notice Liam’s busy dancing with Francsesca. Isn’t he supposed to be manning the scoop of the century?”

“Nope.” Ariella crossed her arms. “None of my friends is allowed to work today, by royal command. Anyone caught working will be thrown into a dungeon.”

Max glanced up at the ivy-covered walls of Whist Castle. “Hmm, that sounds like an interesting experience. Maybe I could do a live feed—”

“Oh, stop.” Ariella laughed. “Have you seen my husband? We’ve only been married forty minutes and I’ve already lost him.”

Scarlet nodded toward the area near the champagne bar. “He’s locked in conversation with my husband. I think Simon’s trying to convince Daniel to expand his network into Africa.” Daniel owned a social networking site that had helped spread the word about the concert for World Connect. “I still can’t believe you guys managed to get Pitbull, Beyoncé and Jay-Z and Eric Clapton all on the same stage, and only two weeks before your wedding, no less.”

“Uh, hello, don’t forget Mick Jagger and Aretha Franklin.” Ariella still glowed with pleasure at how incredible a success the concert had been.

“Seriously, you guys are a force to be reckoned with.”

“The concert was for an awesome cause so it was easy to get people excited.” She smiled. “I’m going to Africa with Simon next month to raise awareness of his projects there.”

“Look out, Africa.” Max grinned. “There’s no question that you and Simon are the most popular couple in the whole world. I didn’t think his older brother’s romance could be outshone but you’ve proved me wrong.”

“At least they don’t seem to hate me.” Ariella shrugged. “I wasn’t at all sure how the British people would react. I can truly say they’ve welcomed me with open arms. Not that they had much choice with Simon around.” From where they stood she could see the queen in apparently intent conversation with her father.

“How could the British people not love you?” Lucy had strolled up with her husband Hayden and his curious toddler. She was a former reporter for ANS where she and Hayden had discovered that her own stepfather, then head of the network, had approved the illegal phone tapping that had revealed Ariella’s parentage. Lucy became friends with Scarlet and Ariella after hiring DC Affairs to arrange her own wedding. “I know Liam takes full credit for reuniting you with your dad, and for getting Ted and Eleanor back together.”

“All of our ears are burning.” Ted Morrow walked up behind Ariella with Eleanor on his arm. He looked both statesmanlike and warm at the same time, and Ellie looked radiant in a stunning Narciso Rodriguez dress Ariella had helped her choose.

Liam was hot on his heels. “I’m shamelessly trying to negotiate exclusive coverage of your father and mother’s wedding. A president hasn’t married in office since 1915.”

Ted Morrow beamed. “I told this nice young man that I’m far too busy enjoying my daughter’s wedding to think about my own just yet.” He turned and kissed Ellie softly on the cheek. “Though we freely admit that it will happen this year.” A big fat rock sparkled on Ellie’s slim hand. “We have a few other things to do first. After this shindig winds down we’re heading to Ireland to visit the village where my beautiful Ellie was hidden away for so long.”

“They’ll be really happy to meet Ted.” Ellie gazed at him adoringly. “After my husband died five years ago, people started pestering me to date again, and I never wanted to. I seem to have changed my mind.”

“Thanks to my efforts, of course.” Liam beamed. “Everyone told me you’d never come on air for the reunion, even Ariella. But I’ve never been one to take no for an answer. If I had I wouldn’t have won my own bride.” He squeezed Francesca, who grinned. She wore a stunning ruched dress that made her look like an Italian bombshell. “She would have told me the stars weren’t aligned right, or something. Speaking of stars, here comes Prince Charming.”

Simon walked over and waved. “You all know my cousin Colin, right?” He gestured to the tall blond man walking next to him. “He’s the diplomat who negotiated the privacy rights treaty that brought me to the U.S. in the first place.”

“Where I found my wife, Rowena.” Colin squeezed the pretty woman at his side.

Rowena waved hello. “I’m having the time of my life here in Colin’s home country. Everyone’s so sweet.” She held the hand of her toddler son. Ariella had made sure that all children of the guests were invited as well. Who would want to go away for a weekend to a foreign country without their children?

“Ah, we’re not always that sweet.” Simon kissed Ariella on the cheek. “My wife can tell you that sometimes we’re as stubborn as mules.”

“I like to think of that as part of our charm.” Colin smiled. “It certainly can be an advantage in foreign diplomacy.”

They all laughed. Simon raised his glass. “I hope you’ll all be regular guests here at Whist Castle. We intend to travel back to the States as often as possible so it’s only fair that you all return the favor.”

Ted Morrow lifted his glass. “I’ll drink to that. As long as you don’t start trying to tax our tea, we’ll get along just fine.”

“You Americans barely even drink tea,” Simon protested. “One time I ordered tea in a D.C. restaurant and they brought me an ice cold glass of dishwater with a slice of lemon in it. Very uncivilized.”

Ted chuckled. “We’ll be sure to have some of that dark witches’ brew you British enjoy on hand when you and Ariella come to stay at the White House.”

“Don’t forget the biscuits,” Simon teased. “And they’re not the big puffy ones dripping with butter that you Americans eat, either.”

“I know.” Ted smiled. “They’re what we call cookies. Since my beloved Ellie has now lived on both sides of the Atlantic, she’s helping me navigate the language barrier. It’s wonderful being part of a big, international family.”

Ariella beamed with pride as her handsome husband wrapped his strong arm around her waist. In a few short months she’d gone from being a lonely orphan to finding herself at the center of a large and growing family, with two loving parents, a sexy and adorable husband and a network of friends stretching around the world. Could anyone be luckier?

“Three cheers for Their Royal Highness,” chimed in Colin. They all lifted their glasses. “Hip, hip!” called Colin, and the crowd roared a deafening, “Hooray!”

Ariella laughed. It would take her a while to get used the sometimes antiquated customs in her newly adopted homeland.

“Hip, hip!” yelled Colin.

“Hooray!” roared the guests.

But she’d have fun doing it, and sharing her life with the most caring and loving man she’d ever met.

“Hip, hip!”

The cheers had spread through the crowd and the final “Hooray” boomed across the lawns like rolling thunder.