THE TIME AND EFFORT THAT went into getting me out of The Dorchester was both brilliant and ridiculous. Poor Josh was forced to endure the crowds, just to keep their attention off the staff entrance so I could escape. Damon’s eyes were like steel—hard and formidable. I shied away every time I caught his stare from leaving the suite, to getting back to Kellington. He didn’t utter a word for the entire journey, and the silence was agony, full of silent disapproval and fury. I must have shrunk a whole foot in height in the space of an hour, feeling small and inconvenient.
It’s the morning after the night before, and I’m sitting at the breakfast table at Kellington. My scrambled eggs haven’t been touched, and my eyes haven’t moved from the picture dominating the front page of a newspaper. All I can see are my Uggs and my two slim legs sprouting from the tops. Josh’s face is perfectly clear, though, and it is etched with infuriation.
“Tell me it isn’t you.” Eddie’s voice startles me, and I quickly flip the newspaper over, like there isn’t another million in print available.
“What isn’t me?” I force-feed myself some eggs, trying to appear as casual as possible.
Eddie’s hand appears and returns the paper upright, his finger landing on the Ugg boots. “You have these, right?”
“As do a million other women in Britain.”
“But these ones are yours, yes?”
I drop my fork and look him square in the eye. “If you must know, yes.”
Eddie rounds the table, his chest expanding, ready to say some more, but he pulls back his words and sits down when Kim wanders in, her face stony. “New phone,” she says, turning on her heels and walking out.
“Thank you,” I call, wincing a little at her shortness. She knows she’s being kept in the dark, and she doesn’t like it.
“Did you feel free while you were being hustled through that chaos?” Eddie asks seriously once Kim has gone. “And to think they don’t know your identity. Imagine the fuss if they ever find out.”
“When,” I say curtly. “When they find out.” Resting my napkin on the table, I stand from my chair, giving up on trying to put something in my tummy, and also giving up on trying to reason with my brother. “Good day to you, Edward.” I stroll away, chin held high.
“When they find out? So you’re going to tell the King?”
“I am.” I don’t let my steps falter, and I don’t let Eddie’s surprised tone affect me, either. I’m not enduring the stress of last night again, and I don’t mean the hordes of people camping outside the hotel, but more the logistics of getting to the hotel. I’m a grown woman, for pity’s sake, and I had to skulk around London like a teenager who had snuck out while her parents were sleeping, just to see her boyfriend. “Don’t try to talk me out of it.” Will he try to talk me out of it?
“Adeline.” Eddie’s up and coming after me, his steps hard on the floor.
“I said you shouldn’t try to talk me out of it.” I turn when I make it into the foyer, aware of the people around us, including Felix, Jenny, and Kim, who all look up from their phones where they’re gathered by the door.
Eddie wisely notes their presence and pulls me to the side, huddling over me. “I don’t want to fight with you,” he says quietly.
“I don’t want to fight with you, either.”
“Then listen to what I have to say.”
I lean back, cautious. “I’ve already listened.”
“It’s impossible. You and him, it can’t work.”
It takes all my strength and more not to retaliate at his continued efforts to put me off my quest. I cannot, however, halt the tightening of my jaw. “I love him.” I practically grind the words out, and Eddie recoils. “Yes, you heard me. I love him. Say what you will, Edward, but it will be a waste of your breath. If I don’t get the King’s blessing, then I’m willing to walk away from all of this.” I motion to the luxury palace interior that surrounds us, the bars of my jail.
“You don’t mean that.”
“I wholeheartedly mean it.” I take in air, gathering strength. “My life has been suppressed for thirty years, and I’m done with it. I’m done with them. Done with this.” I throw my arms up into the air heavily.
“With me?”
My mouth snaps shut, my eyes widening. “Never you.” I couldn’t be without Eddie. The idea alone hurts my chest.
“And Mother?”
“What?”
“You’re talking like it’s so simple for you to walk away, but you’re forgetting it isn’t only the Monarchy you’ll be walking away from. Not just the King, but your father. Not just the Queen Consort, but your mother. You’re willing to sacrifice your family, a family who loves you, for him? A man you’ve known a matter of weeks?”
“Our parents’ love is conditional,” I murmur quietly, as if trying to convince myself of that. “As long as I do as I am told, they are happy. Everyone is happy. Except me. And I wouldn’t be walking away just for him. I would be walking away for me, too.”
“I don’t want you to make a mistake. I don’t want you to ostracize yourself.”
“And I don’t want to drown in this world any longer.” I reach up on my toes and kiss his cheek. “I love you.” I don’t get the chance to walk away, because Eddie takes me in a hug, and though I’m surprised, I’m more relieved. He might not agree, but he will never disown me. I wish I was as confident in my parents.
“I love you, too.” Eddie sighs. “I’ll try not to shoot him while we’re hunting today.”
“Wait, what?” I’m out of his arms quicker than a racehorse out of the stalls. “You’re going shooting?”
His grin is wicked, and though I really should not be appreciating his sudden easy persona, I’m grateful my brother, as I know and love him, is back. “I’m heading to Claringdon now. We’re meeting at the paddocks before we head out.” He breezes off, as if he didn’t just deliver that bombshell.
I watch him go, my legs stuck in position while my brain tries to comprehend this news, as well as talking my legs into moving. Josh never mentioned where they were meeting. He’s at the palace? “Eddie, wait.” I rush after him, my mind whizzing. “Josh will be there? At Claringdon?”
Stopping on the steps, he faffs with his collar and then flips a flat cap on his head. “I assume so.”
“I’m coming.” I backtrack to the foyer where Olive is waiting with my bag and coat, ever the amazing mind reader that she is. “Thank you.” I shower her with gratitude as she helps me into my coat, taking off down the steps as I fasten the buttons. Eddie’s eyes are alarmed as I fly past him, jumping in the back of the car, offering a small smile to Damon as I land. He is still partially scowling. I deserve it. And more. I could never find what I have with Damon with any other bodyguard, and I truly hope I’ve not damaged that. I so regret deceiving him, but now is not the time to say sorry, not with an audience. I hope he sees the remorse in my pleading eyes.
Eddie approaches the car and dips down, getting me in his sights. “Get out.”
I slam my bag on my lap and focus my attention forward, adamant in my stance. “No.”
His exhale is dramatic and long as he falls into the seat. “Don’t you think the King will consider it strange that his wayward daughter is choosing to visit the palace without a summons?”
“I’m going to have breakfast with Mother.” I nod to myself, giving my back a mental pat for being so creative.
“You just had breakfast.”
“No, I didn’t,” I reply coolly, going into my bag for my phone. There’s a message from Josh, and I smile like a crazy woman when I open it to find that he has sent me a selfie, only a small white towel wrapped around his trim hips.
“Are you serious?” Eddie snatches my phone from my hand and studies the picture with a sickened expression. I try to grab it back, but with his strength versus mine, it is completely pointless. “You showed me yours,” he says, reading the text with the picture.
“Stop!” I grapple for his hands, but he holds the phone higher while holding me back with his spare hand. “So I’ll show you mine? Urghhhhh.”
“Eddie, give it back.”
“You sent him a picture of your boobs?”
“No, I did not,” I gasp, disgusted by his suggestion, swiping my phone from his grip. “We were playing, that’s all.”
“With fire, Adeline.”
I sniff and return to my phone, my smile back, wishing I could blow this image up and paper my suite with it. “There is nothing X-rated about this picture.”
“Tell the King that when it falls into the wrong hands.” As Eddie goes to close the door, Kim rushes down the stairs, armed with her phone.
“Oh, now what?” I grumble.
“You’ve gone off schedule,” Eddie mutters.
“Ma’am, you have a royal engagement with the founders of Trax. As patron of the charity, I strongly advise you not to cancel.”
Bloody hell. I forgot about that. Not surprising when my head is full of an American. “What time?”
“Two-thirty, ma’am. Jenny will be here at midday to help you prepare.”
I’m cutting it fine, but Josh is at Claringdon, and I really, really want to see him. “I’ll be here, Kim.”
“Yes, ma’am.” She nods—still terse with me—and makes her way back into Kellington.
Damon starts the car, and my stomach does that wonderful flippy-floppy thing it does when I know I’m about to see Josh. I know I won’t be able to touch him. I’ll hardly be able to talk to him, either. But I will get to look at him.
I’ll also be offering advice on how to approach this hunting trip and my father. His plan is gallant, but we all know it is far-fetched. Yet there’s hope inside of me that he can work his magic.