Arranged: An Array Series (Book #1)(26)

The room was lit with dozens of candles and a roaring fire. Cecilia stood in a gold dress that sparkled, pearls etched perfectly into it, demanding attention from the room. I shifted in annoyance; my patience didn’t want to handle this today.

“Evening, my darling,” she hailed with her arms outstretched. She squeezed me tightly, and then George.

“Would you like some refreshment?” she asked. A servant appeared immediately, and she handed me a flute of champagne.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” I welcomed the drink to tamper my nerves.

“Come and meet my dearest friend,” she said, walking over to a woman sitting comfortably in an arm chair, “Natalie Dawson.”

I froze. She wouldn’t.

Anger brimmed in my veins. She had invited the conniving woman who had chased George down for years. I clenched my jaw, keeping the words that wanted to spill out of my mouth at bay…for the moment.

Lady Natalie Dawson daintily held out a hand for me to shake. My instinct was to smack it away, but I took it anyway. The woman had aged just as well as Cecilia; dark chestnut hair, that was put into a perfect bun on top her head. Her light brown eyes still held their splendor, and the only signs of age were the slight wrinkles.

“My, Ava Barlow,” she began. “I haven’t seen you since you were a child. Your beauty proceeds you, as I was told.”

“Lady Dawson,” I strained. “Lovely for you to be here. I didn’t know we’d have guests.”

“I hope you don’t mind,” she conceded. “I don’t get to spend much time here, but with Her Majesty’s birthday celebration tomorrow, I get to spare a few days away from my duties.”

“Of course,” I said. “I just hope we don’t keep you from your husband for too long.”

Cecilia and Natalie tittered softly. Natalie placed a hand on her chest, drawing attention to her low-cut violet gown. “I never married again, my dear. No other man caught my selected interest for an extended period of time, until recently.” Her gaze slipped past me, likely focusing on George.

Tactfully, I stepped to the side slightly, blocking her view and forcing a chuckle. “Oh, Lady Dawson, that is marvelous. He must be a handsome, older gentleman. Pray tell, who is he?” I watched her swallow, peering up at Cecilia for help, but the Queen gave her none.





Garrett





Chapter 10





At dinner, I sat next to my father, who babbled on about the attack on Ava and George, but my thoughts were occupied by the threat in the room. Lady Natalie Dawson. The pesky woman must have gotten it in her head to try again for George’s attention, and I didn’t need another issue. George was searching for a bride, so Natalie couldn’t wait to get her claws into him.

George’s courtee, Madelyn, was sweet and quiet. The daughter of a politician in Vorset, a town at our southern border, she raised money for various charities. I’d done more than enough research on her to make sure she wasn’t tainted by power or money. My only concern was if she could handle the pressure of the crown.

“We need to figure out who Pierce was working for quickly,” Father mumbled. “I want these men captured and killed.”

“I have John working on it,” I advised, taking a bite of venison. “I should hear something back in a day or so.”

“And Pierce’s men?”

“In the dungeon. My men are interrogating them.” I would try all means of torture necessary to get one of them to speak.

“You’re doing a good job, son,” my father complimented. “Those Elite Eight of yours do wonders. You need to train more, we need a whole damn army of those type of beings.”

“Thank you.”

It felt good to be needed by my father since we hadn’t much of a chance to get to know each other. When I was young, my mother moved my sister and I back to Aruna, where I attended school. I rarely came to Telliva, mainly because Cecilia hated me, and my mother urged me away from her.

A clatter rang through the dining room and my gaze went to Ava. Her cheeks blazed pink, as she took deep, long breaths while shooting a dangerous glare at Lady Dawson.

“A politician?” Lady Dawson gasped, brows raised. “So, your table is filled with criminals and rapists?” She was looking at Madelyn, who paled.

Ava placed a hand on her back in silent comfort. “That was uncalled for, Lady Dawson.”

“Excuse me?” Lady Dawson snorted, hand to her chest.

Ava brows deepened. “I said, it was uncalled for. This dinner was supposed to be a delightful, quiet night. Throwing jabs at Lady Stratford is childish and rude.”

Lady Dawson glanced at Cecilia, who sat beside her, before speaking again. “I believe it should be duly noted with whom we are sharing a meal.” Cecilia smirked while delicately taking a nibble of her food.

“Oh shit,” Father mumbled next to me.

“Lady Stratford is my guest,” George said, his jaw locked in place. “I won’t allow her to be interrogated at dinner.”

Natalie tsked. “Someone needs to. Really, Your Grace. For one, she isn’t even Tellivan, and for two, we have enough killers running around trying to eliminate you. For all we know, she could be one of them.”

“That’s enough,” Ava growled. Her fingers clenched around Madelyn’s hand, turning her knuckles white.