A Royal Night Out Page #6

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Yeah.

Bye, Mum.

Coo-ee!

I'm back!

You two...

I'll deal with you two later.

Now, where the hell have you been?

That's not going to help.

Where have you been, dear?

Everywhere.

And all in all, I must say...

I've had an

awfully interesting time.

Why don't you sit down

and tell us all about it?

- Oh, yes, do tell, please.

- Mmm.

- I'm rather tired.

- Margaret!

- What?

- Where is your sister?

Yes.

Lillibet.

She's gone off with this fellow she met.

Gone off? With whom?

Jack. Airman.

A nice chap.

- I think she rather likes him.

- And where is she exactly?

What now?

- I'll drop you off at your place and then...

- You're off.

Something like that.

Why didn't you go with your sister?

I didn't want it to end.

I just wanted...

I don't know.

I thought princesses already had

everything they could possibly want.

But what if the real me

wants not to be her?

That princess.

What if she wants something else?

Like Paris.

Don't look so disapproving,

Great-Great-Grandmama.

Little detour.

There's no rush.

I could sit in the Caf de Flore all day,

with no schedules, no meetings

and prepared remarks,

drinking excellent hot chocolate

with cream.

You could get a job there.

Got to make ends meet somehow.

Walk down the boulevards under the trees.

Go up the Eiffel Tower...

If it's still there.

Montmartre looks so pretty in pictures,

and the Louvre,

and the Luxembourg Gardens.

On a Sunday afternoon.

Just another girl in the crowd.

Without everyone bowing and curtseying.

We could go dancing.

- I do dance rather well.

- I remember.

And I'd teach you to be better.

Thank you.

All that freedom to breathe.

All that "what if?"

We both know that's not going to happen.

Quite.

After the Ritz, Trafalgar Square.

Then the Curzon Club with this first chap,

the one before Raymond and Stan,

where he gave me this

pink fizzy stuff to drink

that I must say tasted rather strange.

Then Soho.

- Soho?

- An interesting place.

Dead horses, this strange smoke

that everyone was just wild for...

By the way, what's a knocking shop?

Just stack 'em over there.

Come on.

Papa... Mummy.

Sorry we're late.

This is my friend, Jack Hodges.

He should have breakfast with us.

I don't think that that

would be appropriate.

Well, I do.

We heard your speech, sir.

In a pub.

Did you indeed? In a pub?

Presumably everyone was too drunk

to take any notice.

Actually, they liked it.

They liked it very much.

Where did you meet my daughter?

On the number 14 bus.

Really? I've always wanted to go on a bus.

I jumped on the wrong one.

Margaret was on the number nine, you see.

Jack's been wonderful all night.

Really?

In what way wonderful?

I was very lucky to have him

to look after me.

He's a hero, you know.

He flew more than 50 missions over Germany.

Oh, right. How did you get along?

I did the best I could.

You see that badge?

That one?

It indicates Jack's an ace

and has shot down at least five planes.

He thinks I don't know

what that badge means, but I do.

He's a bit of a good 'un underneath.

Lizzy.

I don't see what's so funny.

Jack has to go somewhere now

and I would like a word with him

before he does.

Oh, and I owe him some money.

How much?

Seven pounds, eleven and fourpence, please.

Well, we...

Don't keep much here,

but I'll, er, have a whip-round

amongst the footmen.

So...

You seem to have

brought her home for us safe and sound.

Well done.

- For everything.

- Thank you, sir.

Lillibet...

No one must ever know about this.

You spent last night at the Ritz.

Lillibet.

I'm having luncheon

with the American ambassador.

Foreign affairs. Would you like to join us?

I'd like that.

Oh, good.

Good.

Sorry.

Could sleep for a week.

By the way,

I don't think the future

belongs to just my lot.

And I don't think you do either.

Right.

Papa should have that money by now.

Is it action stations again?

Go back to sleep.

Jack's off.

Mmm. Bye, Jack.

Jack's off.

There's no way I'm going to be on parade

in 30 minutes.

I could get Papa to call.

He's rather influential.

- Actually, I could call.

- No.

Thank you,

but I can take care of it myself.

So are you going to go back?

Yes, I am.

Thirty minutes, did you say?

Whoa! Careful!

Do be quiet.

I've been driving since I was 11.

One of the advantages

of owning half of Scotland.

Second Lieutenant Windsor driving

Airman Hodges on a special assignment.

We had a good night, didn't we?

We shall treasure it always.

Goodbye, ma'am.

Goodbye, airman.

Not a bloody word, right?

Come on, Jack. We're on parade!

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