Theo tried not to bump into anyone as he made his way through the crowd, but he was having trouble seeing as the tears filled his eyes. His phone was already in his hand, dialling his most called number. “Nan?” he cried as the call connected.

“Theo?” she replied, her concern clear. “What’s the matter?”

He tried very hard not to start sobbing. He had to hold it together just a little bit longer. “Nan, where are you?” he asked.

“I’ve just arrived,” she told him. “I’m by the castle and some young fella wants to put me in a boat. Why, where are you?”

Theo pushed his way through one of the side doors and hurried inside the castle. He had to get to his room as fast as possible. “Oh, Nan,” he said, allowing himself to cry more now he was away from the crowd. “I’m so sorry, but-” he hiccupped “-would you be well annoyed if we went home? I can’t stay here. I just can’t-”

“Theo, calm down,” she said, her voice suddenly like iron. “Don’t you apologise to me. Do you want me to take you home?”

Theo rubbed his eyes and stumbled up the stairs. He was trembling all over. “Yes,” he whispered. His heart was hurting so hard he had to rub his chest. “Yes, please, Nan. Can we leave? I don’t want to stay. It’s too awful.”

“Then we’ll go home,” she said. “Do you want me to call a taxi to take us back to the station?”

Theo shook his head even though she couldn’t see. “No,” he said. “I’ll sort it.”

As much as he didn’t want to involve anyone close to James, Manjeet had promised that he would take Theo anywhere he needed to go. Theo couldn’t bear the thought of pissing his eyes out on the train with strangers watching him, wondering why he was such a mess.

So he said goodbye to his nan and arranged for Manjeet to meet her out in front of the castle. By the time he hung up, he had reached his room.

It wasn’t his room. Not really. It was just the place he had spent time with the most special man he had ever met. Or so he had thought.

That was what was so cutting. No matter how James really felt, he had been special to Theo. And then James had overheard him say all those appalling things to his stepfather, all to try and stop James being outed. It had probably all been for nothing. Jacob would almost certainly run to the press for a payday now.

And James thought Theo hated him.

Oh, fuck. James had heard Theo call him an idiot. What if James assumed that referred to his dyslexia? Theo would be devastated if James thought he was sneering at him for that. James had trusted him with that information. Theo would never betray him, no matter how upset he was. But it could well have sounded like he had.

Theo covered his face and leaned back against the closed door, wailing into his hands. He didn’t know he could hurt as bad as this. He thought his stepfamily had done the worst damage imaginable. It turned out he was wrong.

James had never cared for him, not the way Theo did for James. And now James thought Theo had been mocking him to the man Theo hated most in this whole world. How had everything gone so wrong so fast?

He had no time to hang about thinking it over, though, so he stumbled over to his suitcase and threw it open on the bed. He was usually an extremely neat packer. But right now, he simply threw anything he could get his hands on in the direction of the case and hoped for the best.

As he picked up his jeans, he made a snap decision. He stripped as fast as he could, chucking his clothes towards the open luggage. He didn’t want to leave looking the way he’d dressed to specifically try and fit in with James and this place. He wanted to depart as himself. Theo Glass, Essex boy.

Once he was in his jeans, T-shirt and red Converse, he continued throwing whatever he could find into the case as he cried. Part of him wanted to leave the new shoes behind. He wasn’t sure he wanted any presents from James now. But his poor, tattered heart couldn’t stand to let go of the only tangible proof that Theo had been with this incredible man.

Even if he had never really wanted Theo for more than just a bit of fun.

A whimper came from inside the suitcase. Theo spun around and blinked. Had he imagined it? He stepped closer and moved the top few items aside.

Bertie was curled up, his tail down and his eyes wide. He whimpered again at Theo.

“Oh, Bertie,” Theo cried. He picked him up and cradled him to his chest. He must have escaped his room and made his way in here before Theo came back and closed the door. “You are such a naughty boy.”

Bertie lifted his paw and placed it on Theo’s chest. In his distraught state, Theo felt like the little chap was begging him to stay. Theo might never have met James if it wasn’t for Bertie running off at the palace and almost knocking over that vase. It was fitting he should be here when Theo left.

Theo’s composure crumbled again and he placed Bertie down on the carpet as he continued to cry again. “I’m so sorry, mate,” he said as he fired the last of his possessions into the suitcase. “But I’m not welcome here. I have to go.” He shook as he zipped up the bulging luggage. “You have to look after James for me now, okay?” he said, dropping down to his knees and cuddling the dog for the last time. “Try and help him be happy. And look after your brothers and sisters, too, yeah? You have to stay out of trouble.”

Bertie whimpered as Theo let him go, his tail tucked firmly under his legs. He sat on the carpet and watched Theo hoist his suitcase up and wheel it to the door.

“Good boy,” Theo stammered. “Stay.”

Bertie did as he was told.

Theo left the key to the room on the dresser. He should have trusted his instinct and been better and locking his door. That way, he might have had more of a chance to keep his heart locked up safe too.

Unfortunately, there was only one way out of the castle. But Theo had only wasted a couple of minutes packing, so he hoped if he hurried back to the front door, he wouldn’t be stopped by anyone. He couldn’t help but feel these people would be glad to see the back of him.

This had all been a mistake. He’d never belonged in a castle with a prince like some sort of Disney character. Luckily, he had the likes of Iggy and his stepdad to remind him of that.

Shit. Jacob knew all kinds of personal details about Theo thanks to his snooping stepbrothers. The papers would froth at the mouth to get a juicy scandal like a gay prince fucking the hired help. They’d run out of ink. James would probably recover, in time. But what would happen to Theo and his career?

He would be fine, he told himself firmly as the suitcase banged down the stone steps. He wouldn’t be any worse off. He would just keep working for his nan. She would be more than okay thanks to this fundraiser. They would survive.

So long as James wasn’t ruined forever. It wasn’t like the olden days, where a tarnished reputation meant you would never marry well. This wasn’t a Jane Austen novel. The people would forgive their handsome prince’s mistakes and cheer him as he married a beautiful princess. Klara would probably make a brilliant wife. Theo could well imagine the people of Sweden as well as Britain would be overjoyed.

Even after everything, Theo couldn’t stop himself from wishing the best for James. Theo knew he should have more dignity and be angrier. But the trouble was, he was pretty certain he had fallen in love with his fairy tale prince. And you wanted the best for those you loved, even if that meant the worst for you.

Theo gritted his teeth as the faint sounds of the ball drifted through the corridors, chasing him like ghosts. He was almost free. Then he’d hug his nan and they could make their way home. With any luck, they would be back before midnight.

“Theo?”

Damn. He was so close to the front door.

He scrubbed his face and sniffed back his tears. Then he took a deep breath and tried to smile as he turned around and faced Peggy. She was carrying a tray of freshly baked cheese tarts and greeted Theo with a frown.

“Where are you off to?” she asked. The question was filled with concern, though. It wasn’t an accusation. “Isn’t the ball still going on?”

“Uh,” Theo said, forcing a tight smile. “There was a sort of emergency. I’m afraid I have to go.”

It was almost the truth.

He let go of his suitcase and stepped forwards to grip her shoulder.

“It was a proper honour meeting you, though,” he said with utmost sincerity.

A door opened somewhere, releasing a burst of noise. Theo jumped, thinking James could come out and find him at any second.

But that was indulging in the fantasy that James cared enough and wanted to follow him at all. It was probably a relief to him that Theo was fleeing. He smiled at Peggy and dashed back to his suitcase.

“Take care,” he told her as he rushed towards the front door. He didn’t want her to be kind to him. He couldn’t stand it.

As night had fallen, the temperature had dropped slightly, bringing a cool breeze on the air. Theo inhaled deeply as he stepped on to the bridge. As chance would have it, there were no guests arriving via the rowboats at that moment. Most of them were most likely already inside enjoying the fundraiser. So Theo made his solitary march across the bridge stretching over the moat.

A white shape on the dark water caught his eye. Theo stopped and squinted in the dim light. The castle was lit up, but aside from the illuminated front gates, there wasn’t anything else around aside from water, trees and fields. However, in the moonlight, he could just make out the swan on the other side of the lake.

It was alone.

Theo looked around, but he couldn’t see his mate.

The other bird was probably off getting food or sleeping or something. But Theo hated to see this one all alone. The parallel to his own situation wasn’t lost on him.

He felt pathetic as he cried for the swan as well as himself. He yanked the suitcase along by his side and continued heading towards the other side of the moat. “I hope you find him soon,” Theo said, thinking maybe the wind would carry his words to the solitary swan.

There was a black car parked outside the gates with two people standing beside it. Theo recognised Manjeet in his neat chauffeur’s suit. But he had to do a double take when he spotted the elderly woman.

“Oh, Nan,” he said as he was allowed through the security turnstile. “You look stunning.”

She really did. Her lacy dress was royal blue and came tastefully down to her knees and elbows. Her buckled Mary-Jane shoes were polished and gleaming in the floodlights above the gate, and the beads around her wrist and neck glinted. A blue fascinator perched neatly on her curled hair, and Theo reckoned she’d even got a bit of lipstick on.

He felt horribly guilty for taking this night away from her. But she chuckled at his compliment and opened her arms out for him. He felt like a small child as he let go of the suitcase and flung his own arms around her small frame. “Sal helped me get all tarted up,” she said, patting his back. “I was hoping I’d get to see you in your glad rags, though.”

Theo could hear the unasked question but didn’t want to answer it. “Sorry,” he mumbled. “Oh my days, you look so fab. Do you want to go in anyway? I – I can wait out here.”

She leaned back and frowned at him. “Why would I go in without you? Don’t be daft.” She looked towards Manjeet, who immediately sprang to life and smiled back at her. “Come on. This delightful young man informed me that he’s going to drive us all the way back to Essex. Is that right?”

Theo nodded and glanced at Manjeet. “Yeah,” Theo said. “Manjeet’s a boss.”

If James’s driver wanted to question why Theo was fleeing the castle in the middle of the night in tears, he didn’t show it. He simply opened the passenger door for Theo’s nan.

“It’s my pleasure, ma’am,” he said. Nan giggled at that.

“Ma’am,” she repeated, amused as she carefully sat herself down on the spotless leather seat.

Theo wheeled his case around to put it in the boot, but Manjeet hurried over to put it in the car for him. “I’ve got that, Mr Glass,” he said. There was something in his tone Theo couldn’t quite place. Manjeet met his gaze and held it, though. Was it sympathy he was trying to convey?

Theo was able to offer him a weak smile back. He probably looked all puffy-eyed, but he couldn’t help that. So he quickly sat himself in the other side of the car and fastened his seatbelt.

What little composure he had been clinging to vanished when he turned to look at his nan. Thank goodness there was a tinted partition between them and Manjeet.

“All right,” his nan said as they pulled away from the castle gates. “Tell me all about it.”

Theo cried the entire journey home.