“He arrived this morning? Where was he the past few days?”
“At the home of a commoner. He was found by a man who recognized the palace insignia and had to drag him to shelter. Nathaniel was quite determined to go looking for you, but the man insisted that it would be no use during the storm, especially with his injury.”
“I’m sorry.” It was the only thing I could think to say.
“Don’t you apologize, Lylin.” This command came from Ella, who looked entirely indignant. “Nothing was your fault.”
I nodded, trying to keep my emotions in check. She was right, and it was good to hear someone say it out loud. Ella likely knew exactly how I felt. However, there was a stark difference between her situation and mine. She had discovered who was responsible for her abduction, whereas I still had to wonder not only who my attackers were, but if they would continue to pursue me.
Chapter 8
ONCE MY FAMILY was convinced of my well-being, I returned to my room to freshen and change. Missy, my lady’s maid, exclaimed over the remaining scabs and bruises running down my left side, but kept her questions to herself. My evening was spent surrounded by my family, telling them about my stay at Fallon manor, though I tended to exaggerate Rosamond’s role and understate Rhys’s. I didn’t bother mentioning Tobias.
I settled comfortably into my own bed that night, looking forward to a peaceful sleep, but it wouldn’t come. I was safe in my home, but I couldn’t help wishing I were back at Fallon Manor.
I awoke the next morning, tired and worn, and asked that breakfast be brought to my room. It was a habit developed over the past year. With most of my sisters gone, I was often left to eat alone and preferred sitting comfortably in my room to sitting alone in the echoing chamber of the dining hall.
My food was brought and I curled up in a chair, a blanket wrapped over my night dress, the view from my window extending over the countryside.
I was surprised when my chamber door opened and Ella stepped in. “May I join you?”
“Of course.”
She entered, trailed by a servant who deposited another tray of food on the table across from me. I smiled in amusement as Ella thanked the servant and sat down with me once the door had closed.
“Good morning, Ella,” I laughingly greeted.
“You didn’t really think you could abandon me to sit alone in the dining hall, did you?” She gave me a scolding look, which made me smile.
“Actually, I had forgotten that you were here.”
She dipped her head in acknowledgement and sat back while she chewed, her gaze steady. “Will you tell me what really happened?”
I blinked in surprise. “You know what happened.”
“You didn’t tell us everything last night.” I was taken aback, wondering how she could know that.
I took a breath and decided to just tell her. “I didn’t find the manor house right after I left my horse. I wandered for hours. Or, at least, it felt like hours.”
Ella’s face crumpled in worry and compassion, but she said nothing.
“It was dark and raining and I had no idea where I was. It was the middle of the night before I took refuge in the Fallon stables. When Rhys first found me, he thought—”
“Rhys?” Ella asked, eyebrows raised.
My cheeks burned and I ducked my head. “I mean Lord Fallon.”
“Yes, I know who you mean, I just wonder at you calling him by his given name.” She wasn’t scolding; she was bursting with curiosity.
“We...became friends.”
Ella’s eyes searched mine. “So, not only was it worse than you let on, but it was also better?”
I nodded. It was an apt description. My arrival had been much worse than I had led my family to believe, but my time spent at Fallon manor had also been so much better than I was willing to admit.
“You know,” Ella continued, “I don’t believe I’ve ever met Lord Fallon, which, now that I think about it, seems odd since his estate is so close to mine. Although,” she said as though just realizing something. “I think I have met a Mr. Fallon. There are two brothers, I believe.”
“Tobias.” She looked at me, surprised by my familiarity with his name. “The younger brother is Tobias.” My eyes fell to my hands as they twisted the napkin in my lap. “I had the displeasure of making his acquaintance the night before I came home.”
She raised her eyebrows. “The displeasure?”
I shifted in my seat, uncomfortable with the recollection of Tobias. “Lord Fallon was an absolute gentleman, one of the kindest persons I’ve ever encountered. His brother was...” I groped for a word to adequately describe him. “Crude and cruel and violent and underhanded.”
Ella’s eyes widened. “He was really that bad?”
I was tempted to say that perhaps he was not that bad, but found my head nodding of its own accord and admitted, “He was terrifying.”
“Did he threaten you?” she asked, clearly unsettled by the idea.
“Not outright. But he was…menacing; and he looked at me as though he saw more than he should.”
“What did—”
The door swung open. We turned to see Kalina looking more than a little flustered. “There you are,” she said in exasperation and walked directly to my side, practically throwing herself across my shoulders as I continued to sit.
“Kalina,” I managed to say through my surprise. It had been several weeks since we’d seen each other. She and her husband, William, lived not far from the castle and were expecting their first child.
She pulled back, putting her hands on my cheeks to force me to look her in the eye. “You’re all right, then?”
I covered her hands with my own, trying to comfort her. “I really am.” I stood and took hold of her shoulders, forcing her to switch places with me. “Now sit down.”
She huffed in relief as she lowered herself and her rounded belly into the chair I had vacated. “You two,” she muttered.
“What?” Ella and I both asked in confusion.
“This is precisely why I never travel on horseback. A good, solid carriage is much more easily defended.”
“I wouldn’t have been able to outrun them in a carriage,” I pointed out, pulling up another chair.
“And I was walking,” Ella reminded her. “A horse had nothing to do with it.”
“Don’t contradict me right now.” Kalina’s raised voice silenced us. Expecting a child had awakened her fiercer inclinations. “I am not in the mood.” She unfastened her cloak and threw it from her shoulders. “It’s far too warm in here.”
It felt perfect to me, but we scooted away from the fire anyway.
“And where is Guinevere?” Kalina asked, suddenly remembering that Ella should have a child in tow.
“With father, of course. I could swear he was lurking outside my door waiting for her to wake up.”
My shoulders lifted. “He probably was.” I watched Kalina adjust to accommodate her awkward figure before asking, “Have you eaten?”
“No, I don’t feel well.”
“Then you should definitely eat something,” Ella said as she stood to ring for a maid.
“I know,” Kalina said in resignation. “Though how that makes sense, I will never know.”
“You’re expecting.” Ella sat back down. “It’s not supposed to make sense.”
We talked for several more minutes before my mother walked in. “There you girls are.”
“Good morning, Mama,” I greeted.
She turned toward Kalina. “I see you’ve found our wayward daughter.”
“And she’s in surprisingly good spirits,” Kalina observed.
I furrowed my brow. “Would you prefer I be more despondent?”
“Of course not. I’m thrilled to find you looking so well. It’s just a surprise. A very pleasant surprise.”
I turned to my mother, who did not seem inclined to sit. “Did you need us for something, or were you just wondering where we’d disappeared to?�
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“I just wanted to check on you,” she said as she rubbed my arm. I reached over and squeezed her hand, wondering if she just needed reassurance of my well-being.
“I’m doing well. My sisters are taking great pains to entertain me.” Ella snickered and Kalina rolled her eyes. “Where is Lorraina?”
“I haven’t seen her this morning.” Mother sounded puzzled. “I wondered if she had joined you, but she must be occupied elsewhere. I will leave you girls to visit.” She turned to Ella. “And I will let your father know where you are in case Guinevere needs you.”
When the door shut behind her, I turned to Kalina. “Is William here?”
“Of course. Do you think that man would leave me to my own devices at this point?” She smiled as her voice softened with affection.
“I would certainly hope not,” I answered lightly. “And Mother did have a point; where is Raina?”
Ella looked at me as though I were daft. “Do you really have to ask that?”
“I am asking. I would think she would want to visit with us since the number of sisters at home has doubled.”
“Yes, but I’m here.” Ella tried to say this in a light hearted, self-deprecating manner, but instead she just sounded sad.
“It’s not as though she hates you, Ella.”
“No indeed, she just avoids me if at all possible because she hates my husband.” I didn’t know what to say to that. “I never have been able to figure out what we did to offend her so deeply.”
“She only gets under your skin because you let her,” I pointed out.
Ella smiled and shook her head. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“And she doesn’t hate Gavin. She disapproves because she doesn’t understand.”
Ella shrugged. “The result is the same.”
The conversation turned to more trivial matters and I reveled in the companionship of my sisters. I got along with Lorraina just fine, but it wasn’t the same as the deep connections I shared with my other sisters.
“Well, dearest,” Ella said as she stood. “Now that I’ve assured myself of your well-being, I’m afraid I must be on my way.”
“But you’ve been here less than a day.”
“I love you, Lylin, but the longer I am away from this place, the less I want to come back.”
“Yes, you escaped. Don’t remind me or I’m liable to get jealous.”
“It may wear on you once in a while, but you belong here. You know that, don’t you?”
I managed a smile and a nod. “I know. And I really am content most of the time. I just miss your company, is all.” I turned to Kalina. “You’re staying for a while, aren’t you?”
She snorted. “Do you think I would get back in that carriage any time soon? No, thank you. It may be a short trip, but I plan on avoiding it for several days at least.”
Ella bent to give Kalina a hug. “Take care of her,” she said.
“I will,” Kalina and I responded in unison.
Ella just smiled, not bothering to clarify who she had been speaking to. “Good,” she said as she hugged me in parting.
Chapter 9
THE NEXT MORNING, I sat poised at my desk but unable to put quill to paper. I was determined to write this letter before anything else today. But how did one go about writing a letter of gratitude when it also had to be an introduction of your actual identity? I started several times, but discarded each one before deciding that formality was my best option.
Dear Lord Fallon,
I’m sure you’re wondering why you’ve received a personal letter bearing the royal crest, so I’ll get right to the point. When I stayed in your home, you knew me as Lily. In actuality, I am Princess Lylin, seventh daughter of King Forrester Milandaro.
First allow me to apologize for my deceit. It was unfair of me to take advantage of your gracious hospitality without revealing myself, but let me assure you, I had no sinister intentions. I was only trying to safeguard myself in the best way I knew how. My fear of the unknown propelled me to hide my identity as a means of protection, not only for myself, but for my family as well.
It didn’t take me long to realize that I had nothing to fear from you, but I didn’t know how to go about admitting the truth without ruining the friendship we had built. In addition, I did not wish to cause you any undo anxiety or discomfort in knowing that you harbored a member of the royal family. Please know that while I may have changed my name, I was utterly honest otherwise. I sought to tell you as much truth as possible and never lied for the sake of lying.
I hold you in the very highest respect and cannot begin to express my gratitude for all that you did for me, for the excellent care and comfort that I received while in your company. Please accept my deepest gratitude.
Yours, very gratefully, etc...
Princess Lylin Milandaro
“Lily”
Adding my false name to the bottom of the letter was not planned, but it didn’t seem right to only sign it with my official title. I wanted him to remember me as Lily so that, hopefully, he would know of my sincerity. Sealing the missive with wax and using my ring to leave an impression of—appropriately—a lily, I set it aside, knowing that it would take some time before I was brave enough to send it. I wished for that bravery now. He deserved to know what had happened to me. He deserved more than a few sentences scratched out in haste and left for him to find. But I was too afraid of what he would think of me once he knew. So I left it in a box on my desk and went down to breakfast.
My mother and Lorraina were already eating. My father walked in shortly after I did, smiling sadly as he gently squeezed my shoulder. Though my mother and sister had already finished their meal, they stayed for several minutes to talk with me and be sure that I was recovering well. Their hovering was sweet, but it made me feel a little guilty. True, I had some physical ailments, but my experience had not been nearly as harrowing as they seemed to believe.
My mother kissed the top of my head before leaving to attend to her duties, and Lorraina left shortly after.
My father had remained quiet and distracted. His eyes were heavy, tired, and bloodshot. We ate in silence and when I finished my food I decided to leave him to his thoughts.
I rose from the table, but halted when he spoke up. “Lylin, a word?”
I nodded and followed him out of the dining hall and into his study. He did not sit behind his desk, but instead leaned on the front of it. It was his way of setting an informal tone to this meeting. I preferred this over his sitting, in all his regal glory, behind his desk.
“We need to discuss your protection.”
I took a breath and nodded, already resigned to an adjustment in my protection after what happened.
“I know that Nathaniel has worked out well, and he will continue to take the lead in your protection, but when you go outside the palace walls, you will be accompanied by no less than two guards. If you are going on more than just a short ride, there will be more.”
My heart sank, uncomfortable with the idea of so many guards following after me, but I didn’t bother arguing. I just looked at the floor, waiting to hear the rest of his new rules.
“If you are traveling any distance, you will take a carriage.”
My head snapped up. “Father, surely that’s not necessary.” I despised bumping along inside those stifling carriages.
His eyes narrowed. “It is.”
“For how long?”
“Lylin.” There was a warning edge in his voice. “You must let me protect you.”
“I can be perfectly safe on a horse. You know—”
“Lylin.”
I fell silent, hearing the note of finality in his tone, and nodded.
“I know how much you dislike the lack of privacy, but you know that your safety must come first. Remember, we still have not apprehended the last man involved in the attack.”
“How many were there? I saw three, but there may have been more.”
“There were only three
, and Nathaniel dispatched two of them.”
“Do we know if they targeted me specifically?”
His eyes swam with worry. “No, we don’t. And unless we find out otherwise, we have to assume that you were the target. And we also have to remember that there could be others involved.”
I sank into a chair, overwhelmed by the possibility that a threat of danger still stalked me. My father crouched in front of me, forcing me to look at him. I tried to smile as though I weren’t worried, but he was not fooled. He put a comforting hand to the back of my neck, and I tipped my head forward to rest it on his shoulder.
“I will keep you safe, Lylin,” he murmured, and I just nodded.
After the conversation with my father, I wandered out to the stables, only to realize when I got there that I didn’t have a horse to visit. I missed Willow.
Several days later, I decided to try riding, but I only got as far as her empty stall before I lost my enthusiasm. It was another week before I could convince myself to try a different horse. It didn’t feel right, but I rode anyway. I wanted Willow back, but everyone told me the chances of her being recovered were all but nonexistent. Still, I hoped.
Chapter 10
THE FOLLOWING WEEK, Lorraina and I were both invited to join my parents in my father’s study. I wondered what would prompt my parents to hold such a formal meeting, but kept my questions to myself. Once we had all taken our seats, my father wasted no time with formalities.
“We need to discuss your marriages.”
“Our marriages?” I asked, baffled by this introduction.
“The marriages you will eventually make,” my father clarified, but I was still at a loss.
“All right,” I said warily.
“First, I think it’s time that we discuss Lorraina’s betrothal.”
Her what?
“We realize this will come as a surprise to you, Lylin, so please bear with us as we explain.”
“There is already a betrothal?” I asked, completely taken off guard.
I was even more surprised when Lorraina answered, “Yes, there is.”
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