Saving Marilee

by Annette K. Larsen

  He gave a grudging bow of his head. "Of course, Highness. I regret that my arrival caused such upheaval."

  "Good evening, sir." I turned and Rogue turned with me, always close enough that I could reach out and touch him as we ascended to my room.

  I crawled into bed and forced my mind to clear, refusing to allow Edmund Rockwell to deprive me of sleep. I would consider his offer in the morning, when my head was clear and the sun shining.

  ***

  The next morning I shot up in bed, my heart pounding, my eyes darting to each corner of the room. Rogue whined and I turned to see his big eyes gazing up from where his head lay on his paws on the bed beside me. I lay down again, wrapping my arms around him as I recalled the events of the night before. Whether I chose to trust Lord Rockwell remained to be seen, but clearly I didn't trust him yet. Perhaps I should have had Falstone toss Lord Rockwell out when he first arrived. If he turned out to be as two-faced as his brother, then I would not be able to abide his presence.

  But as I dressed, having Cecily take extra care with my appearance, I acknowledged that as of yet, Edmund had given me no reason not to give him a chance. I would go down and hear what he had to say.

  He was seated at the table, already halfway through his meal when I entered. Rogue hesitated, his eyes fixed on the intruder, but when I flicked my hand, he went to lie on the rug in the corner.

  Edmund stood and pulled out a chair for me. I froze, not sure how to interpret such an act.

  "Since you don't have a footman," he said, gesturing to the chair.

  "Thank you," I murmured and sat in the chair as he pushed it under me. It was still an oddity to have a chair pulled out or pushed in for me.

  Edmund sat, his eyes flicking to the corner. "A dog in the dining hall?"

  "Yes." I refused to justify myself.

  His eyes widened but then he shrugged. "As you wish."

  I released a breath. He hadn't fought me over the oddity of Rogue's presence. That was something at least.

  "I don't recall my brother saying anything about a dog. I was under the impression that he didn't care for them."

  "Rogue is a recent acquisition."

  He fought a smile, but it came through anyway. "Rogue?" His eyes were laughing, but not as though he were mocking.

  "Yes."

  "It suits him." He returned his attention to his plate. "And you."

  That sounded suspiciously like a compliment.

  "I must apologize for the way I arrived last night." He paused, probably waiting for me to forgive him or at least acknowledge his apology, but I just looked at him. "This house was my escape for many years. It hadn't entered my mind that the protocol for my arrival would need to change. I was shocked to discover that not only have you exchanged all of the soldiers for others, but you've also dismissed most of the staff."

  "I don't need more servants."

  He studied my face, probably gauging my sincerity. "You might not, but a well-run estate must have well-disciplined staff, and plenty of them. Might I ask your reasons for dismissing nearly everyone?"

  "I needed to be surrounded by people I trust."

  He sat back in his chair, my answer giving him pause. "You didn't trust the servants here?"

  "No."

  He studied me for several tense moments, clearly waiting for further explanation, which I refused to give. Finally he rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. "If this is to be a home you can be proud of, then we can't have the place falling down about your ears. While the legalities of ownership are being finalized, I would like to utilize the opportunity to do a thorough inspection of the house and grounds. Would you allow me to do that?"

  I considered his words. He hadn't said anything about hiring new people. He did know this estate better than I did. And while Mr. Vaden had proven himself more than competent in matters of money and business, household and grounds maintenance were beyond his purview. "And then what?"

  "Then, I would hope that you and I might sit down and discuss any needs so that you can make any necessary changes. I want to ensure your comfort and safety before I go."

  I nodded, my mind whirling, trying to assure myself this decision wouldn't prove disastrous. "I'd be happy to hear your suggestions," I consented, pushing my unease aside. I would trust his word this one time and see what happened.

  ***

  That evening, I was writing a letter to Raina when Cecily entered my sitting room carrying a note, her face clearly showing her disapproval. She curtsied and handed it to me. "From Lord Rockwell."

  My forehead crinkled in confusion as I took it. "The same Lord Rockwell that resides in the new wing?"

  She gave a stiff nod.

  "Oh, this is ridiculous," I muttered as I opened the note.

  Dear Lady Rockwell,

  I hated that title.

  Would you be so kind as to join me in the drawing room this evening? I would appreciate the opportunity to become better acquainted so that I might discover how best to alleviate the burden that has been set upon you.

  If you are not so inclined, I understand.

  Best regards,

  Edmund Rockwell

  I fell back in my seat, utterly perplexed, and stared at the note for several long moments before looking up at Cecily. "Do people who reside in the same household often send formal invitations to one another?"

  "Not that I've ever seen."

  "How very peculiar of him." I turned the note over, as if studying it would answer the questions I had about Edmund. It didn't. "Well, do you suppose I need to pen a reply?" I set aside the letter I had been writing. "Or is my showing up answer enough?"

  A snicker escaped Cecily's lips, but she smothered it quickly.

  I gave her a smile as I headed for the drawing room. Upon reaching it, I found Edmund pacing in front of the fireplace. "You wished to see me, Lord Rockwell?"

  His head snapped up at the sound of my voice and a nervous smile crossed his lips. "Yes, yes. Your Highness, thank you so much for joining me." He bent in a stiff bow.

  "Your invitation was very polite." Heaven forgive me, I was mocking him.

  "Yes. I apologize for such a frippery, but I did not feel I could seek you out. I have no wish to be rude."

  Hm. I found that a very suitable reason, and some of the iciness I felt toward him melted.

  He gestured to a chair. "Please, sit."

  I did and he perched himself on the edge of the chair facing me. This would be much easier with some sort of food to keep our hands busy. "Marcus?" I called.

  He stepped into the doorway.

  "Will you go down to the kitchens and ask Emeline to send up some refreshment?"

  Edmund fidgeted in a barely discernible way. He kept a polite demeanor, but I could sense the underlying tension. It was not insignificant. "I would have had something sent up, but I had no wish to impose upon the time of your staff."

  "I appreciate that. And I'm guessing that you'd like to discuss the hiring of additional staff."

  "I would. Your few servants are doing an admirable job at their duties, but I fear that if we allow too much time to pass, the manor will start to show signs of neglect."

  I let out a long sigh, knowing that he was right. "I am willing to discuss the hiring of more staff. But I cannot do it on a whim."

  He dipped his head in deference. "Understood, Your Highness." He scooted back into his seat, his posture relaxing. "Will you tell me a little more of your family? I know that you have many sisters, but your marriage celebrations were such a blur that I've forgotten most of them."

  I relaxed as well, happy with the change of subject. The refreshments were brought in as I started to give him a summation of my sisters' lives. We discussed the surprise of Mia falling head over heels in love, Jensa's arranged marriage, Ella's falling for a common man, and Lylin's recent engagement. However, I stopped short of explaining Kalina's marrying a man considered a traitor by some, or Lorraina's tragic love affair. He didn't need to know of t
hose complications.

  By the end of it, Edmund was shaking his head. "Seven daughters. Your father has my sympathy."

  "Come now, we weren't as bad as all that."

  His eyebrows shot up. "I'll have to take your word on that." He removed his napkin from where it was draped on his knee, having enjoyed some of Emeline's fine sweets. "Well, Princess Marilee." He stood. "It is getting late and I should bid you a good evening."

  I rose as well, saying goodnight. It wasn't until I had made it back to my room that I reflected with surprise on how pleasant the evening had turned out.

  Chapter Fifteen

  EDMUND HAD BEEN in residence for two days and already I wanted to crawl out of my skin. He was perfectly polite, almost charming at times, but he still felt like an invader. I knew that the law saw him as my relation, and since I was a respectable widow there was no scandal in it, but it felt inappropriate to be in residence with a single man.

  Thus far he had ordered nothing, only given me his assessment of things. Mr. Vaden nearly always concurred and despite my reticence, I felt compelled to listen to some of his suggestions. However, in order to go forward with the actual work, more staff would necessarily be brought in.

  "Are you prepared to hire more help at this point?" Edmund asked.

  "I—" His question was gentle and I wanted to move forward, but the thought of allowing strangers into my home, of opening myself up to the whims of others, left me tense. "I'm sorry. I can't. Not yet." I stood. "Please excuse me."

  Edmund stood and bowed as I left, despite his obvious disappointment.

  I went for a walk behind the house, trying to order my thoughts. I knew that logistically, I needed to properly staff the house. It was irresponsible of me not to maintain it the best I could. I also knew that Edmund's deference to my way of doing things was something he chose. For despite my inheriting the house from Damian, if Edmund chose to contest my claim, he would likely have a good case, since he was part of the ruling family. He could have attempted to take over the minute he walked through the doors, yet he hadn't.

  Taking a decisive breath, I turned back to the house. I would hire more staff. I would try to trust Edmund's expertise, and if in the end he turned out to be more like Damian than he had thus far demonstrated, I would leave. I had my guards and my few loyal servants. My staying here was my choice, and I could leave at any time.

  I entered the house in time to take tea in my sitting room. I allowed the warm aroma to calm my anxiety as I settled more firmly on my decision. It was fear that prevented me from hiring more staff, and being controlled by fear would be nearly as bad as being controlled by Damian. I finished my tea and went downstairs. As I descended, the murmur of voices reached my ears, slowly unraveling into distinct words as I stopped on the landing. Suspicion rose up in my chest and I crouched down, scooting over to the railing to look down on the scene below. Edmund stood with several of my guards lined up before him.

  "Begging your leave, my lord," Marcus interrupted, "but we are here to watch over and defend Princess Marilee. Those are our orders, and we will not be abandoning them."

  Abandoning them?

  "And I would never ask that you shirk your duties, but I'm sure you understand that others will be trained in your stead—men who are more familiar with this house and the surrounding area. The princess will be better protected."

  My heart froze. I wanted my guards to remain exactly as they were. Had I been fooled yet again? Was I completely without sense, unable to distinguish sincerity for lies?

  Falstone spoke up. "I'm sorry, Lord Rockwell, but we don't answer to you."

  "And yet, you are here in this house. Each of you is a guest here, and when all is said and done, I will determine who goes and who stays."

  My heart sped up, anger and disappointment roiling in my stomach. I had wanted to trust him. I had been willing to give him a chance, and he was threatening to throw my guards from the premises? If my guards were leaving, then I would be going with them. I stood, and ran up the stairs.

  "Princess?" Edmund's voice grated on my nerves. He had no doubt seen me pop up out of my hiding spot and would wonder at such odd behavior.

  I reached the second floor, moving swiftly but determined to maintain my dignity and decorum. However, the heavy pounding of feet sounding behind me forced me to lift my skirts and run.

  "Hold, Princess!" Edmund shouted behind me and I began to run faster until the thought broke through that I didn't need to run from him. This was my home; he wasn't Damian; and I had my own guards now.

  I slowed to a stop and whirled around. He skidded to a halt and I launched my assault before I could lose my nerve. "You may think, sir, that you will be permitted to enter here and assume your brother's position, but it is not so. I will not allow you to come here and dismiss my guards. If that is your intention, then you can be well assured that I will have my belongings packed within the hour. I will not be a prisoner."

  He was clearly bewildered, fumbling for words. "Prisoner? My dear Princess, what would give you such an outrageous idea?"

  "Aside from your heavy-handed attempt to replace my guards with your own?"

  "It was a mere suggestion. These men," he gestured to the guards who had followed him up the stairs and now stood surrounding him, ready to intervene. "They are from your own country, and I understand that comforts you, but for practical purposes, those who protect you should know the ways of this country."

  "Excuses! Their only job is to protect me, and I don't believe for a moment that men who know nothing about me would have any advantage over those who have known me my entire life. You are just like your brother, trying to manipulate and control the situation, to bend me to your will!"

  He took a step back, as if I'd slapped him. "Bend you to my will? What would make you throw such vile accusations at me?"

  "Experience."

  "You barely know me."

  "But I knew your brother. And the greatest lesson I learned from him was that anyone who claims to do something for my own good is not to be trusted."

  For the first time since Edmund and I had met, he looked at me, truly looked at me, and seemed to truly see me. His voice was soft as he asked, "What did he do to you?"

  My throat tightened and I turned away.

  "Wait, Princess."

  He grabbed my arm, but I wrenched it from his grasp, twisting away. By the time I faced him, my guards had him in hand. Leo stood in front of me, while Falstone and Marcus had Edmund backing away, his hands held up in a show of surrender.

  I tried to unclench my fists and slow my heart, relieved beyond measure to have my father's guards standing between me and Edmund. "You Rockwell brothers are not so very strong when you lack an army of servants and soldiers to do your bidding." I turned my back on him and retreated.

  I shut myself in my sitting room, stalking about like a caged animal, worrying over the position that Edmund's presence had put me in. Before his arrival, I had reached a place of calm within myself. Now I was reverting to my nervous patterns, and my mind was clouded with suspicion and a sizable dose of fear. I held a large lock of hair from the nape of my neck in my hands, wrapping it around my palm, running it through my fingers and twisting it over and over. My emotions were spiraling out of control, but I didn't know how to stop it.

  What if he started the rumors again? What if he saw my lack of attention to social graces and rules, my refusal to have an army of servants, and he ended up twisting it to make me seem mad? I wanted him to leave, but until I knew for certain that my claim on this house was certain, I would have to put on a good show. I hated the idea of stepping back into my role of a pampered princess, but wasn't that what everyone expected of me?

  Perhaps I needed to avoid him altogether. I could keep to this wing of the house, and ask the guards to keep him in the new wing.

  Then we would both be caged. I couldn't do that to him any more than I could do it to myself.

  A knock at the door made my head sna
p up.

  Beatrice peeked inside and, seeing my frantic state, stepped in and closed the door behind her. "You're working yourself into a frenzy, Mistress." She took my hands and carefully extracted my hair. "Perhaps a ride round the estate would calm your nerves. I heard what happened 'twixt you and Lord Rockwell. Getting away for a bit couldn't hurt, now could it?"

  "I suppose not." In fact, the idea was quite appealing.

  "You could go visiting," she said as she repaired the damage I'd done to my hair.

  I laughed at the idea of calling on some lady or other in the vicinity. I was in no mood to deal with shock and derision. "I doubt I'd be welcome within fifty miles."

  "Seems to me you'd be welcome at Sutton Manor."

  James. I hadn't seen him since Edmund arrived. I could speak with him about my worries, ask his advice. James had a way of making me not feel powerless, and I needed that right now. But I couldn't just go.

  "I need to follow the rules to be sure I appear respectable." At least until the business with the will and the house was settled. "You know I can't arrive without invitation or chaperone."

  "Why not?"

  "Beatrice," I sighed in exasperation.

  "I know, I know. But what if I went with you? Then you wouldn't be alone, and you needn't worry about my being there, because I'm certainly not going to turn you into a bit of gossip."

  I would still be bending the rules, but...

  "Yes. Yes, I'll ride there." I crossed to the door, heading for my room. "Will you help me with my riding habit?"

  We were ready and heading for the stables in a matter of minutes.

  ***

  I arrived at Sutton Manor and a footman led me to a drawing room, Beatrice trailing behind me. My guards were good enough not to comment or make any indication that they disapproved of my actions, despite the fact that I was going against all societal rules. Beatrice planted herself in a far corner and pulled some sewing from her pocket. I tried not to fidget as I waited for James's arrival, but ended up checking my hat and brushing at invisible spots on my skirt.