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73.

I rang Granny on January 3.

We’re coming back to Britain, I said. We’d love to see you.

I told her explicitly¹ that we hoped to discuss with her our plan to create a different working

arrangement.

She wasn’t pleased. Neither was she shocked. She knew how unhappy we were, she’d seen

this day on the horizon.

One good chat with my grandmother, I felt, would bring this ordeal² to an end.

I said: Granny, are you free?

Yes, of course! I’m free all week. The diary is clear.

That’s great. Meg and I can come up for tea and then drive back to London. We have an

engagement at Canada House the next day.

You’ll be exhausted³ from the travel. Do you want to stay here?

By “here” she meant Sandringham. Yes, that would be easier, and I told her so.

That would be lovely, thank you.

Are you planning to see your father too?

I asked, but he said it’s impossible. He’s in Scotland and can’t leave until the end of the

month.

She made a little sound. A sigh or a knowing grunt⁴. I had to laugh.

She said: I have only one thing to say about that.

Yes?

Your father always does what he wants to do.

Days later, January 5, as Meg and I boarded a flight in Vancouver, I got a frantic⁵ note from our

staff, who’d received a frantic note from the Bee. Granny wouldn’t be able to see me. Initially⁶ Her

Majesty⁷ thought this would be possible, it will not…The Duke of Sussex cannot come to Norfolk

tomorrow. Her Majesty will be able to arrange another mtg this month. No announcements about

anything shall be issued until such a meeting takes place.

I said to Meg: They’re blocking me from seeing my own grandmother.

When we landed I considered driving straight to Sandringham anyway. To hell with the Bee.

Who was he to try to block me? I imagined our car being stopped at the gate by Palace police. I

imagined smashing past security, the gate snapping across the bonnet⁸. Diverting fantasy, and a fun

way to spend the trip from the airport, but no. I’d have to bide⁹ my time.

When we reached Frogmore I rang Granny again. I imagined the phone ringing on her desk. I

could actually hear it in my mind, brrrang, like the red phone in the VHR tent.

Troops in Contact!

Then I heard her voice.

Hello?

Hi, Granny, it’s Harry¹⁰. Sorry, I must have misunderstood you the other day when you said you

didn’t have anything going on today.

Something came up that I wasn’t aware of.

Her voice was strange.

Can I pop in tomorrow then, Granny?

Um. Well. I’m busy all week.

At least, she added, that was what the Bee told her…

Is he in the room with you, Granny?

No answer.

1 explicitly   

ad.明确地，显然地

参考例句：

• The plan does not explicitly endorse the private ownership of land. 该计划没有明确地支持土地私有制。
• SARA amended section 113 to provide explicitly for a right to contribution. 《最高基金修正与再授权法案》修正了第123条，清楚地规定了分配权。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

2 ordeal   

n.苦难经历，（尤指对品格、耐力的）严峻考验

参考例句：

• She managed to keep her sanity throughout the ordeal.在那场磨难中她始终保持神志正常。
• Being lost in the wilderness for a week was an ordeal for me.在荒野里迷路一星期对我来说真是一场磨难。

3 exhausted   

adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的

参考例句：

• It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
• Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

4 grunt   

v.嘟哝；作呼噜声；n.呼噜声，嘟哝

参考例句：

• He lifted the heavy suitcase with a grunt.他咕噜着把沉重的提箱拎了起来。
• I ask him what he think,but he just grunt.我问他在想什麽，他只哼了一声。

5 frantic   

adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的

参考例句：

• I've had a frantic rush to get my work done.我急急忙忙地赶完工作。
• He made frantic dash for the departing train.他发疯似地冲向正开出的火车。

6 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

7 majesty   

n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权

参考例句：

• The king had unspeakable majesty.国王有无法形容的威严。
• Your Majesty must make up your mind quickly!尊贵的陛下，您必须赶快做出决定！

8 bonnet   

n.无边女帽；童帽

参考例句：

• The baby's bonnet keeps the sun out of her eyes.婴孩的帽子遮住阳光，使之不刺眼。
• She wore a faded black bonnet garnished with faded artificial flowers.她戴着一顶褪了色的黑色无边帽，帽上缀着褪了色的假花。

9 bide   

v.忍耐；等候；住

参考例句：

• We'll have to bide our time until the rain stops.我们必须等到雨停。
• Bide here for a while. 请在这儿等一会儿。

10 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。