Ever After (Unfinished Fairy Tales #3)(32)
“I don’t think Bertram would ever be violent to her,” I say. “Edward would skewer him first, and I’d roast him later.”
Mary breaks into a smile. She finishes the last pot and wipes her hands on her apron before speaking. “Amelie is right.”
“About what?”
“Most people in court have been talking about the new princess and her strange behavior, but Amelie told me you were the best mistress she ever had. I see that now.” Mary sets a hand on my shoulder in a matronly way. “You had better make that other lady step down from the throne and become princess again.”
I don’t know how I’m going to achieve it, but one day I will.
17
Kat
It’s a messy job taking care of the chickens, but having nothing else to do all day, I tell myself it’s better than most manual labor in Athelia. I do get tired from collecting eggs and cleaning manure, but it’s also a relief I’m no longer easily out of breath. Life at Mary’s certainly cannot compare to my life in the palace, but I’m not complaining. There are advantages, such as not having to put on multiple layers of petticoats and dresses, and have my hair primped and curled every day. On the other hand, it’s boring for the mind. I miss the days reading the paper, proofing for Edward and offering suggestions.
One day, I am chasing a rooster that had somehow wandered out of the fence, when I notice someone heading in my direction.
Edward.
I halt immediately, all thoughts of catching that rooster forgotten. He’s back from Moryn. At last.
Edward strides up and despite the lines of worry on his face, there is an amused gleam in his eyes. “You look terrible,” he says, plucking a feather that got stuck to my chest.
“Hey.” I smack his hand. “I thought you were a prince, not a pervert.”
He withdraws his hand, but he rakes his gaze over me, and the corners of his mouth lift. Blood rushes to my face; I’m both embarrassed and thrilled. Why can’t I maintain my dignity so many times when we meet? Falling on my feet in the presentation, getting my hair tangled in the branches and Claire’s croquet party, stepping into the fountain during a dancing lesson… so many instances that my clumsiness surfaces. He finds it cute or even endearing, but I’m not a young girl anymore.
A soft cluck nearby. Mary hovers near the coop, the rooster in her arms, and there’s apprehension in her expression. When Edward glances at her, she turns red. “Your Highness! Forgive me, I didn’t mean to bring Miss Katherine here.”
“Don’t blame her, Edward. It was my idea.” I explain to him how bored I was, and since I’m incompetent with most stuff, helping out in the coop is the only way to occupy myself.
Edward holds up his hand. “I have no intention of blaming anyone,” he says firmly. “Mary, you will excuse us.”
“Actually...we should excuse ourselves,” I say, taking his arm. “There are helpers in the coop. They might not recognize me, but they will definitely recognize you.”
His arm slips around my waist, making me lean against him, and Mary’s eyes widen. I give her a sheepish glance and drag Edward away. Maybe Katriona Bradshaw did something to infuriate him; he really shouldn’t be embracing me in front of others, especially when Katriona is still legally his wife. Luckily it’s Mary that saw us, not one of the helpers.
Edward doesn’t stop until we reach a deserted place deep in the forest, and then his passion erupts. Pinning me against a tree, he pushes my hair away from my face and devours my lips with startling passion. He had kissed me when he sneaked me away in a carriage in Moryn, but that time was fraught with tension and I was eager to leave. Now we are safe in the furthest corner of the palace, with little chance of anyone coming and walking in on us, he shows no sign of stopping. Every time he breaks off the kiss so we could breathe, he would start again. And for a moment, I’m glad I’m not princess. As he rips off my kerchief and my hair tumbles around my face in loose, messy locks, I don’t have to worry about Amelie scolding me for messing my hair again.
So I wrap my arms around Edward’s neck and practically jump on him. If he’s surprised by my passion, his reaction can only be of pleasant surprise. By the time we finally break away, my lips are puffy, and I’m probably sporting multiple strawberries on my neck.
“I’ve missed you,” Edward says, keeping his arms around me. “It seemed like a dream when I met you in Moryn, but now you are in the palace, I know you are truly here with me. Would that I were able to evict Katriona and install you in the suite.”
“I’ve missed you as well.” I inhale his scent and let out a contented sigh. “Mom and Paige were worried about me because I was acting like a zombie—a soulless person.”
“I suppose I should be worried too, but I am glad to hear you missed me so.” He strokes my back. “They must have been unwilling to let you go.”
There’s a pang when I think of Mom and Paige. “Naturally. But I made my choice, Edward. I choose you.”
A fierce joy shines in his eyes when I said I chose him. “I can never replace your family, love. But I promise you that as long as I live, I will stand by you and hold you dear.”
“About Katriona Bradshaw...did you get along with her?”