Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 107763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
“You are still silly. I thought the palace would have dulled your tongue.”
“They have tried, but I am the daughter of Lady Deanna Du Bell, and if you could not manage it, no one else can.”
“You are buttering me up.”
I nodded, laughing. “Is it working?”
“Barely.” She reached up, touching my curls. “Welcome home, sweetheart.”
“Thank you, Mama. Forgive me for being so troublesome.”
“Not yet. You still have to receive your punishment.”
“What?”
“Abena, show her to the pots!”
“Mama!” I gasped in horror as I quickly ran to my father and clung to him. “Papa, help! She means to destroy my pretty hands.”
“Let’s go!” Abena giggled and pulled on my dress.
I shook my head, holding on to Papa for dear life. “Absolutely not. Mama, can you not be reasonable? Papa, say something, please.”
“Let us eat first, and then make her do the pots, my dear,” Papa said to her.
I let go of him, aghast. “Papa, you would betray me so? If you all have missed me, why show me this much cruelty?”
“Consider it repayment for the stress you cause, troublemaker,” Damon snickered, making Mini laugh with him.
In fact, they were all laughing, and it felt good to laugh with them.
“Fine, I shall do the pots, and I shall do them excellently. But first, little bug…” I looked to Abena, because only she would know. “Is there any pie?”
She grinned, nodding. “I shall tell them to bring it!”
“Come, let us all eat. We’ve been waiting since we heard you would return this morning,” Papa said, already walking forward. My mama stopped me, taking my hands into hers.
“Mama?”
“I wished to apologize to you, sweetheart.”
“What?”
“You were right. I did do all I could for everyone else and their loves, but then came down harder on you. I am sorry.”
“Mama, you don’t have to—”
“I do. Parents should never be too proud to apologize to their children, especially when we hurt them so deeply. I see now that you truly love him, and I should support—we should support you in that, for love is the greatest of all things. And so, your father and I will. Whatever you need, we shall do.”
I did not wish to cry, but my eyes teared up again and I moved to hug her. “Thank you, Mama.”
“All I ask, my dear, is that you be safe and think of us before you act. You children are our greatest treasures, and I cannot bear to see any of you harmed.”
“I will. Always.”
No matter what happened in the future, I was so glad to have them all. I never realized how glad until now.
Wilhelm
She’d been gone for the last three days, and to say I was rather discontent would be putting it lightly. I’d improved slightly and wished to be up and about, but the doctors treated me as if I were glass. Apparently, I was very lucky the bullet had not hit any vital organs. When I tried to get up, I found my body too weak to move far, leaving me merely lying in bed, wondering when she’d return. Each time the door opened, I expected it to be her. Even now, I sat up hopefully as the door opened, only to be disappointed by the maid, who’d entered to air out the room.
“Your Highness, your food will get cold.” Sir Darrington snickered. When my gaze shifted to him, my overseer with his book of notes on my condition in his hands, I knew exactly why he was snickering. I had grown that pitiful.
“Did I not charge you with the task of returning her?”
“Yes, but you did not tell me by which time she was to return,” he replied.
“Would it not obviously be soon?”
“Soon is relative.”
“Is it? Tell me then, is three days away from your wife a relatively short time?” He did not answer. “Exactly.”
“Well, she is not yet your wife,” he muttered.
Now I was silent. He was right, though. Sighing, I lay back on the pillow, lifting an apple to eat. “How long have you been married to Lady Verity?”
“Nearly two years now.”
“And you both are still happy?”
“Happier, in fact.” His snickering had now become a sly smile as he hung his head. It was good to know I was not the only pitiful one. “I owe the Du Bells greatly for my current fortunes.”
“You are close with their family?”
“Verity is Lady Monthermer’s goddaughter, though she is seen more as a daughter.”
“Is she close to Hathor?”
“Quite, though they are both so different. Verity despises being the center of attention, where Lady Hathor seems to thrive on it. Verity says she’s very good at making people like her, even when she is mocking them.”
I grinned. “She does not mock people undeservingly. She is keenly aware of people’s character. She is pompous to those who are pompous, kind to those who are kind, and ready to help them no matter how awkward the situation may be. And she…”