My mouth parted to speak, but she spoke again. “I will not sit back and let you degrade this family, your role here, and especially him. He is in love with you. He wants to marry you, make you part of this family, a future queen! And this is how you repay him?” she hissed, getting more into my face. Lennox inched closer, but I shook my head. This was my battle to fight. “So, you tell him, Spencer…or I will.”
“He already knows.” Theo’s voice came from behind his sister, causing her to spin around, her mouth dropping.
“Wha-what?” She blinked at him in puzzlement.
Theo’s tucked his hands into his trousers, strolling up to us, his face impassive. “I already know,” he repeated to her.
“I—I don’t understand.” Her wide eyes turned to each one of us, searching for the answer, probably hoping to find this was some horrible misunderstanding on her part.
“It means I already know my fiancée is shagging the help.”
Lennox shifted on his feet, his chin rising.
“Oh, sorry, mate, was that a bit boorish?” Theo glowered at him. “I mean, how terribly rude of me.” He dug in, the insinuation clear.
“Theo.” My lids lowered on him. I understood he was hurt, but I also wasn’t going to let him walk all over us. I had been honest. He simply didn’t want to hear it. “Stop.”
“Stop?” He chuckled derisively. “Yes, because I’m the one who went too far.”
“Bloody hell!” I moved up to Theo. “I told you. I have been honest. I ended it, but you were the one to push it, to ignore me like I was of little consequence. I am sorry you are hurt, but stop making us the absolute villains here.”
“Sorry, did I cheat on you with a maid?”
“Bugger off,” I seethed.
“Wait, wait!” Eloise held up her hand. “You guys broke up? When?”
“We didn’t exactly break up.”
“Yes. We. Did.” I growled in frustration.
“When?” Eloise asked.
“Officially? The morning he proposed to me.” I gritted through my teeth. “Surprising me in front of everyone, leaving me with no choice.”
“It was already planned! I couldn’t stop it.” He flung back at me.
“Stop what?” Another woman’s voice came down the hall, making me groan.
“Oh, you’re going to have a laugh right now.” I tipped my head back.
“What?” Hazel stepped up in her creamy white sequined dress, looking every bit the runway model. “What’s going on?”
“Oh, just that Spencer here has been shagging the man you did while engaged to my brother, behind all our backs.” Eloise stared at me boldly, letting the truth fall with a splat to the ground.
“What?” Hazel’s body jerked, her head snapping to me then Lennox, a slice of hurt and disbelief ghosting her features.
“Blimey, El, that was a bit rough.” Theo gaped at his sister.
Eloise shrugged one shoulder. “Is anything I said not true?”
“Wait.” Theo shook his head, spinning back to his friend. “You slept with him too?” He held out his arms, glancing at Lennox briefly. “What the hell? Seriously, Haz? What is it about him? Is he that bloody good?”
Fuck yes.
Hazel tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her blush screaming out her answer, but she disregarded Theo’s queries. She stared at Lennox, her jaw locking, ire filling her eyes.
“I knew it.” She squared her shoulders, glowering at him. “I saw it happening. I tried to warn you, but you couldn’t help yourself, could you?” Her nose twitched like she was trying not to cry, her head turning to the side. “And I really liked you. I thought you liked me too.”
“Hazel.” Lennox’s voice was strained. “I’m sorry. You are a great girl—”
“Don’t.” She swiped at him. “Obviously, I wasn’t that great of a girl, or you’d be with me. Was I just a distraction before you got what you really wanted?”
“You were the one who said we could use each other,” he exclaimed. “I never lied to you. You knew what you were walking into.”
She blinked rapidly, glancing away again. She may have said it, but I don’t think she meant it.
“You never lied? So you told them all before you screwed them that you were married?” Theo tilted his head smugly.
“WHAT?” both Hazel and Eloise bellowed, all attention on Lennox.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” I palmed my face.
“You are married?” Hazel’s hand dug into her hipbones, her cry echoing off the walls. “You lying, cheating—”
“There you all are.” A pretentious accent cut through us like a sword, freezing everyone in place. “How incredibly rude you all are being. Unacceptable. You were brought up better.”
Bleeding hell…
This night just continued to get worse.
Eloise and Theo reacted instantly, trained from birth to respond to her like some Pavlov experiment, rushing to her side, fussing and clucking.
“Grannie.” Theo swallowed nervously, taking the dowager queen’s arm. “We apologize. We got caught up in a conversation. We’ll return straightaway.”
“Yes.” Anne frowned, her gaze parting the group, landing on me. “You do that. However, I am curious as to what was so enthralling that encouraged this rudeness and disregard of your duties?”
Not once did her gaze leave me. I had no doubt who she blamed for this.
“Nothing, Grandmother.” Eloise took her other arm. “It’s not important.”
“Clearly, it is.” The old bat didn’t move a muscle as her grandchildren tried to steer her away.
“Let me get you a drink. Dinner should be starting soon.” Theo forced a smile onto his face, patting her arm, but she wasn’t paying him a bit of attention. That was all on me. She gave nothing away, but in my gut, I felt she knew…something. Maybe not the exact story, but this woman was far too sharp and clever to not pick up on a bit of it.
“Dinner is now being served in the dining room,” a smooth deep voice announced from the other room.
Theo’s shoulders sagged in relief, thankful for the diversion. “Come, Grannie, let me escort you.”
She allowed him to guide her around, my breath slipping from my chest the moment her gaze left mine. My moment of reprieve was short-lived.
“Spencer.” She paused, her long swan neck swiveling to me. “I would like you to sit next to me. Allow me to get to know my future granddaughter-in-law better.”
Kill me now.
“Be my pleasure.” I dipped in a curtsy, forcing the false words up my throat, my gaze slipping to Theo. I wanted to end the facade now and walk out. I wouldn’t, though. I couldn’t do that to him, although Theo did not look a bit sorry for my predicament.
Anne regarded me for another moment before dismissing me, letting Theo lead her to the dining room.
Hazel and Eloise stared at me; their silence filled with the one thing worse than their anger—fear and pity.
My lips pinching painfully together, I took a deep breath through my nose, pushing my legs forward.
Anne was a viper, and I was the furry, little mouse about to be swallowed whole.
Chapter 17
Beads of sweat dampened my neck and armpits; every move I made was under intense scrutiny and judgment: how I sat, picked up a utensil, sipped my wine, or spoke.
The dowager queen watched me out of the corner of her eye, and outright, like a hawk waiting for the precise moment to swoop down on her prey. Theo watched me on my other side, while Eloise and Hazel glared at me from across the table. They had me covered. If this crazy stalker person decided they wanted to come in and kill me, they’d have to wait in line.
Low chatter hummed in the room as our main course was served. It took everything I had not to speed eat, hoping we could get through the evening faster. These dinners were painful on a good day.
My attention remained on the wine glass in front of me. This society was still so archaic and misogynistic that wo
men weren’t supposed to finish a full glass of wine. Though the waiters were always circling, topping it off, so you might have several, you weren’t supposed to go below the halfway mark. It was deemed unladylike.
I was about two seconds away from saying fuck it.
“It is quite irregular for bodyguards to join a dinner party at a private residence, let alone be in the room as we eat.” Anne cut into her already sliced piece of filet mignon, taking a bite so small I wondered why she even bothered.
“I suppose it is.” I took a sip of wine, my façade cool and unruffled, but on the inside, I was like a cartoon character running around screaming and flailing about.
She frowned at my lack of response.
“That is all you have to say on the matter?”
“There was a threat, Grannie,” Theo spoke around me.
“There is always a threat.” She rolled her eyes like we were drama queens.
“This one was more credible. They wanted to take extra precautions.” Theo’s hand came down on my leg. “Especially for Spencer.”
“The threat was for her?” Grannie’s eyebrows went up, then returned to her dish. “I wouldn’t think she would be worth threatening.”
Ouch. The comment was subtle and thrown away like she didn’t just stab me—zing one for Grannie.
“It was for all of us, but they singled Spencer out.” Theo’s hand moved up and down my thigh as I darted my gaze to him. He kept his head forward, acting like he didn’t feel my eyes burning into him.
“Theo,” I ground out, barely loud enough for him to hear.
“What?” He smiled widely, leaning into my ear. “We’re supposed to be acting like two people in love.” His lips grazed my ear. “Like we can’t keep our hands off each other.” He kissed my cheek, then turned his head to his other seat partner, chatting with Duke Henry, his hand staying firmly on my upper thigh.
Don’t lose it. Don’t lose it here.
My skin prickled with the sensation of eyes on me. I didn’t have to look. I could feel Lennox behind me, his gaze burning into the back of my neck.
“So…Spencer,” Anne’s lips twisted down as she clicked her tongue. “Who names a girl Spencer anyway? It’s so masculine and harsh on the tongue and even worse on the ear.”
“I was named after my great-great-grandfather, Lord Spencer.” I stabbed at the fish on my plate, the Prime Minister kindly recalling I didn’t eat red meat when everyone in the Royal House did. “He was the King’s best friend, was he not? You probably remember…you were around then, weren’t you?”
Anne’s mouth parted, choking slightly on her bite of food.
Zing one for Spencer.
“Around then? What nonsense.” She quickly gathered herself. “And his best friend? What are we, in school? Neither men nor kings have best friends, as you adorably put it.” She took a sip of her wine, staring off as if she was recalling a memory. “Hmm…Lord Spencer, yes, I think he was spoken of with great respect. I can only imagine his disappointment at what has happened to your family name since then.”
Zing two. Bloody hell, this woman was good.
“Good thing he’s long dead then.”
She pressed her lips, her head shaking. “You don’t think I can see what is going on with you?” Her voice was steady and controlled but full of implications.
My tongue swelled. “What do you mean?”
“You have no real desire to be part of this revered monarchy. You are stepping into one of the most prestigious roles in the world. Women groomed from birth covet the chance to be deemed worthy of being chosen. Yet, here you are. Merely by marrying my grandson, you will be allowed to be addressed as princess, and then you will be queen. Once you marry, there is no turning back. You are part of this family and will be called upon to act like it. You will be the dutiful wife and queen, no matter what private issues are going on.” Everything in her face and words was always so even and cool; no one would suspect she was using you as a dartboard. “Will you be the princess the public and press never really accepts, or will you accept your role and duty here?”
None of those. I had to clench my jaw together, my tongue eager to spout the response.
“I am going to be blunt with you, Spencer.”
“You haven’t been so far?”
Her lips compressed. “I do not feel you are right for my grandson.”
Neither do I. “You’ve already made that clear.”
“I do not feel you are up to par to be princess, queen, or even a wife to Theodore.”
“Nothing new so far.”
Her eye twitched. I don’t think she was used to being sassed back to.
“Theo is young and foolish, choosing with his heart instead of his head. Hearts never choose wisely; they choose the moment, not what’s best for the long-term. He will regret you.”
“But it will be his regret. His choice. Not yours.”
Her shoulders puffed up. I was sure no one had ever challenged her. She expected me to fold, crumble under her ruthless scrutiny and words. The Spencer before would have. But little did she know, I didn’t fold for anyone anymore, especially for the Royal House.
“I know you are hiding something. I can smell it,” she hissed loud enough for only me to hear. “I will find out what it is. If I can stop my grandson from making such a misstep in choosing you, I will.”
I picked up my glass, a smile curling my lips. “Here’s to your quest, then.”
Her lids narrowed, her head leaning back in shock and speculation.
“Now, if our getting to know each other talk is over, I’d like to enjoy the rest of my dinner.”
She gaped at me, stunned into utter silence.
Damn, that felt good. Twice tonight, I had stood up for myself to those trying to intimidate me. Bullies usually were the ones to crumble when they were challenged. Guess the mouse wasn’t ready to go down.
Cheering my glass in the air, I sipped far past what I was supposed to, winking at her when she gasped at my inappropriate behavior.
Her eyes lowered into slits, her mouth puckering before she huffed, completely turning away from me to the person on her other side, deliberately giving me her back—very much a sign I had been snubbed.
I grinned. Bloody hell, she hated me. But honestly, what did it matter? She was going to anyway, might as well make her really appreciate the next girl in Theo’s life.
“Darling.” Theo’s fingers dug into my inner thigh. “Are you being nice to Grannie?”
“Me being nice to her?” I sputtered. “I don’t think she needs any protection.”
“Spencer.” He eyed the wine glass I was still milking, leaning into my ear. “Enough.”
An order. A king telling his subject, a husband controlling his wife. A foreshadowing of what would have been our life, of me being forced to stay in the lines.
I shot him a look as I took one more sip before setting it back down. Fuck you. I shot him. I’m doing this for you.
You owe me. His narrowed lids countered. This mess is all your fault.
Maybe, but I’ve had my fill of being walked over.
“We are doing something special in the drawing room for dessert and coffee.” Paul spoke at the end of the long table, his light, pleasant voice a contradiction to the climate I sat in. “Your Majesty?” The table waited for the King to rise first. Most of us weren’t finished, but when the King was done, everyone was done.
Alexander and Catherine rose, the room responding in kind.
Scooting his chair back and rising, Theo leaned over and kissed me, acting like nothing but love was between us. “Let’s not fight,” he muttered against my mouth, pulling me up with him.
A forced cough behind me twisted my head enough to see Lennox, his glower drilling into Theo, which only made the prince smile wider.
“Your guard looks particularly red in the face. Maybe he’s coming down with something.” Theo threaded our hands together, pointing us for the doorway.
“A ca
se of insufferable prince-itis,” Lennox growled under his breath.
Theo grinned widely. “Better than a deceitful, backstabbing friend and employee. Someone who steals other men’s women.”
“Can’t steal something that didn’t want to be taken,” Lennox knifed back.
“Oh, look at you two!” A woman’s voice cut over to us. It was instant, Theo and I clicking into our roles, smiling politely.
“Duchess Caroline.” Theo tipped his head at the old woman. “It’s so good to see you. Can I say you look remarkable?”
“Oh, such a charmer! Just like your father.” She swished her hand at him. “You two are such a beautiful couple. To see two people so in love, it does wonders for this old heart.” she gushed, pressing her hands into her chest.
My thin smile twisted tighter as Theo’s hand went to my bare back, staring at me with overdramatic moony eyes.
“Aren’t we, though?” He sighed, his thumb pushing into my spine. “I just can’t put into words what I feel about this girl.”
“Oh, darling, the feeling is mutual.” Thick honey poured from my lips.
“Young love,” Caroline sighed. “Your children are going to be so beautiful; I can already see it.”
“Spencer expressed to me she wants at least five or six straight away, didn’t you, my love?” He nudged me in the side when I didn’t answer.
“Mmmm-hmmm.” I clutched his hand so hard, he yanked it away with a yip.
Caroline’s forehead scrunched, but she kept her smile large, her attention drifting to the figure behind me, her happy manner shifting to that of a predator. “And who is this delicious specimen? Are you my dessert?”
“This is Spencer’s bodyguard, Lennox,” Theo spoke easily, not a note of anything but good feelings.
“My lady.” Lennox bowed to the woman, only causing her pallid skin to pink.
“I have it on good authority he has a thing for noblewomen,” Theo stage whispered to her with a wink, his arm coming around to my hip.
Royal Command (Royal Watch Book 2) Page 19
