Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 87609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
Silence fills the inside of the house. Lady Helena is perched on the arm of the lounge wearing a hot-pink dress with a poufy skirt and spaghetti straps. A floppy black bow sits in the center of the low neckline, and this dress is a lot, but she pulls it off just fine. Her makeup is just so, and her heels are sky-high. If this is her revenge dress, then I approve. Meanwhile, Dougal stands behind her with his arms crossed over his chest. Such an expression of disapproval on his craggy face and it is all directed at the man standing opposite.
Lady Helena beams as we walk in. “There you are, my darlings.”
“You look amazing,” I say.
“What? This old thing?” She gives me a wink. “It’s just a Christian Lacroix I picked up in the eighties. Thought it was fitting for today.”
The king’s demeanor is highly unimpressed. Regardless of having just stepped off a plane, his shirt and slacks appear freshly pressed. As if a wrinkle would dare mar such a personage. Not fucking likely. The outfit is rounded off with a blazer. His mouth is a flat line and his eyes are unhappy. No idea exactly what I was expecting, but he could be anyone’s uptight uncle. Sort of stuffy and vaguely commanding. But also ordinary in a way. The family resemblance is more obvious in the flesh. How the high forehead and deep set of his eyes have been passed down to his son. His gaze locks on to Alistair and his jaw goes rigid. Another thing the father and son have in common.
“Go on, then,” Lady Helena says to him. “Say what you came all this way to say. Or would you like a formal introduction first?”
Nothing from the king as he stares at his son silently. And Alistair returns the stare as calm as can be.
Lady Helena stands and executes a perfect curtsy. This is not her first time dealing with the high and mighty. “Your Royal Highness, may I present to you your firstborn child, Alistair George Arthur Lennox. Accompanying him is his delightful fiancée, Lilah.”
His Royal Highness doesn’t even spare me a glance. Talk about being put in your place.
“My apologies for the lack of middle and surname, Lilah,” says Her Ladyship. “I don’t actually know them yet.”
I give her a discreet thumbs-up.
Alistair jerks his chin. “Why are you here, sir?”
The king blinks at the harsh tone of voice. “We met once before a long time ago. I don’t suppose you remember.”
“I remember perfectly. I was in your way. You told me to move.”
Dougal snorts. “That’s all you had to say to your son? And he was a wee lad and all. What the hell is wrong with you?”
“I don’t recall your opinion being asked for,” snaps the king. “Who even are you? Why are you here?”
“Dougal lives here and is part of our family. He belongs here. But why are you here, sir?” asks Alistair again. And there’s something about the way he says sir. It makes his feelings on the matter of this veritable stranger known to one and all.
Lady Helena sighs. “That’s what we all want to know. If you’d be so kind as to answer?”
“What I’m about to say cannot go beyond this room,” orders the king. “Is that understood?”
No one says a thing. So much tension. You would need a sword at least to cut it—a knife would be insufficient. An axe is not out of the question.
In an ever so slightly more conciliatory tone, he asks again. “Do I have your word?”
“None of us have any interest in being caught up in any of your nonsense.” Lady Helena shakes her head tiredly. “Out with it already.”
The king pulls on the cuffs of his shirt and says, “I need to know if you’ve seen your brother.”
“Wait. What?” asks Lady Helena with much confusion. “You mean James, the Prince of Wales? The one who’s supposed to be about to get married?”
“Yes. He’s currently not communicating with his office nor any family members nor friends. None that I am aware of, at least.” The king’s gaze returns to his son. “He’s always been curious about you. I hoped he might have sought you out.”
“Hoped is the wrong word,” says Her Ladyship. “Or it’s correct only inasmuch as you hoped coming here would mean you could stop chasing after your wayward second son, right?”
“Just answer the question.”
“That’s why you leaked news about Alistair and Lilah’s engagement. You’re desperately trying to divert attention that your heir has disappeared. What a disaster.”
“You could enjoy this a little less,” snaps the king.
A bitter smile curves Helena’s lips. “The way you lot throw people under the bus whenever it’s convenient. Just like when your sister announced my young son’s presence to the world. All because she was jealous of the attention your pretty bride was receiving and wanted to tarnish your image. Though she told me recently that she was under the influence at the time. Said she was quite sorry about all the trouble it caused us. Which goes to show, people can change. Sort of.”