Post by CarpentersFan2003 on Jan 14, 2004 20:27:03 GMT -5
The following evening Karen, Richard, and Lynda where picked up by one of Her Majesty’s drivers in a limousine. Karen and Lynda had taken most of the day to prepare for the concert. Both had been to the hotel’s spa.
Karen had finally done what she always wanted with her hair. She’d had it streaked with copper highlights. She had also been to one of the dress stores in the hotel and picked up a low cut red silk dress that was styled to look like a Japanese kimono. She had her hair piled on her head and it hung down in ringlets.
Lynda wore a similar style dress but hers was in yellow.
“ We will be arriving at the Palace in about five minutes.” The driver called back to his passengers.
“ God I can’t believe that I’m going to meet the Queen of England.” Lynda said with a nervous giggle. She grabbed hold of Karen’s arm.
“ Remember she’s just another woman on this planet.” Richard said.
“ One that happens to be a Queen.” Karen rolled her eyes.
Once the car pulled up to the South Gate and into a garage. The driver eased the car into a waiting parking spot and turned off the car.
A waiting footman opened the door for Karen and she stepped out.
“ Thank you.”
“ Your quite welcome Ma’am.” The footman said. He waited for Lynda and Richard to vacate the car and then closed the door.
“ This way if you please.”
The footman lead the other’s to a waiting elevator and then using a foot petal he started the car upwards.
“ I’m been told to show Ms. Carpenter-Yates to Her Royal Highness’s the Princess of Wales private drawing room.” The car came to a stop and the door’s opened. The footman gestured for Richard and Lynda to step out. “ You will find the auditorium down the hall and to the right.”
“ Thank you Sir.” Richard said as the door was closing.
Karen and the man rode in silence up two more floors. Then the car came to a stop.
After opening the door’s the footman took Karen’s arm and led her, down a hallway that had priceless paintings hanging on the walls. He stopped at a set of double doors. He released Karen’s arm and then knocked sharply on one of them.
The door’s opened and a maid looked at Karen and then she smiled warmly.
“ Come in Ms. Carpenter. Her Royal Highness will be out in a moment. Thank you James for showing up our guest.”
Once Karen was inside the maid closed the door and said.
“ Please make yourself comfortable. Would you care for a cup of tea or something else to drink?”
Karen for shook her head no and said.
“ Thank you for the offer.”
“ Alright I will go an see if Her Highness is ready. Back in a moment.”
Karen didn’t respond to the maid as she was to busy looking about the sitting room in awe. It was gorgeously decorated. The walls where a warm shade of tope, with white trim. There where painting on the walls of landscapes. The furniture consisted of a sofa, loveseat and two high-backed chairs all done in a light floral pattern. There was a fireplace on the far wall and the mantel displayed photos of both Prince Charles and Princess Diana and a large picture of Prince William’s christening.
It was then that the door that the maid had went through opened and the Princess of Wales stepped out. She strode up to Karen with a grace all her own and put out her hand.
Karen took it in her own and then bobbed a quick curtsey. She and Lynda had practiced them together for weeks back in California.
“ It’s a great honor to meet you Your Highness.”
Diana giggled slightly and then said.
“ Please, call me Diana. I can’t stand all the pomp people make over me. Besides you’re twelve years older then me. It doesn’t feel right for you to be doing that. Please have a seat. Can I have Marta bring you something to drink?”
Karen shook her head again. She took a moment to look over what the Princess’s was wearing.
She was in a navy blue, formal length dress, which was accented at the waist with sequins that radiated out over the bodice in a sun burst pattern. She had on matching low heeled shoes. In her blond hair was a diamond and sapphire tiara that was matched by her earrings and choker style necklace. On her left ring finger was her engagement ring a large sapphire surrounded by diamonds and a simple gold wedding band, not unlike Karen own.
Karen couldn’t help feeling slightly self-conscious at her own choice of formal wear for the evening. Compared to the Princess. Karen looked totally unfashionable.
Diana got right to the point of her meeting with Karen. She explained that she’d been a fan of the Carpenter’s for years and had Karen’s health not taken a turn for the worst she’d have had the singer perform at her wedding in 1981.
“ Thank you.” Was all Karen could say.
“ I also wanted to ask you if you could sing. “ I Need To Be In Love ” tonight. It’s my son’s favorite song. I’d be grateful if you would.”
“ Of course. I take it that the young Prince will be there this evening?” Karen asked.
“ Yes he will be.”
“ Wonderful, I live children.”
“ That reminds me, congratulations in the birth of your new daughter. I saw it on the news. It must have been a real scare for you and your husband when she came so early.” The Princess said. Her own feelings as a mother in her voice, her eyebrows knitting with concern.
Karen nodded her agreement. She then glanced at her watch. It was getting close to show time.
“ Well. I think that I have taken up enough of your time Karen. I will have Marta take you down to the concert hall. Thank you for meeting me.”
“ The pleasure is all mine Your Highness.”
*** *** ***
The concert was a complete success. Karen and Richard started out with their bigger hits and then moved on to some of the lesser-known songs. Of course at the end of the concert Karen sang was “ God Save The Queen ” much to Her Majesty’s delight.
When Karen sang “ I Need To Be In Love.” She asked for Princess Diana and Prince William to join the band on the stage. Karen sat on her drum stool and then picked up the young Prince and sat him on her lap, and William love every second of it.
After the show Karen, Richard, Lynda and the band members all mingled with the family for about an hour or two.
Karen was speaking to Prince Andrew and his girlfriend Sarah Ferguson.
“ We’d love for you and your brother to join us when we go skiing in Switzerland this spring.” Andrew said.
“ I will have to see if we can. If it were in March I’d love to. Then I can bring my husband and children along. However, April we will be in Japan.” Karen smiled as she sipped a glass of wine.
“ Grand. Then it’s settled. I will book a chalet for the first two weeks of March.” Andrew said and then moved on to talk with Lynda and Gary Sims.
*** *** ***
When Karen and the other’s arrived back at the hotel. There was a message waiting for her from Nathan. The desk clerk said that the she was to call Downey General Hospital ASAP, and that it was to do with one of the children. Nothing else was said.
As soon as Karen was in her room she called the operator and had her put the call through to the Hospital. Karen then spoke to the Hospital’s switchboard operator and had them page her husband. After what seemed like and eternity Nathan came on the line.
“ Karen, Thank God you called I was going out of my mind. It’s Christopher, he has bacterial meningitis, and he’s running a fever of 103.6.” Nathan’s voice was haggled and he sounded exhausted too. He then said some thing to Karen that she was hoping that he wouldn’t. “ I would really love it if you could find a way to come home. I think it would do Chris a world of good to.”
Karen didn’t think before she replied.
“ Nathan I can’t do that. We have a sold out tour here in the UK. We are booked for the next two weeks. Maybe then I can get Richard to postpone the rest of the tour in Europe, but I can’t see being home before then. I’m sorry.”
“ Karen it’s your step-son for God’s sake. He needs you here. Hold a press conference, explain the problem and then get home.” Nathan all but snarled into the phone.
“ I’m sorry Nathan, there is too much at stake here. I will not forfeit over twenty million dollars… I will see you in two weeks. Goodnight.” Karen hung up the phone.
