The Reluctant Princess - a Novella

Chapter 13 - A Secret Revealed

When morning came and she began to stir, she did not immediately realize where she was nor why she felt so warm and cozy under the covers.

"Good morning."

She stiffened, her eyes flying open, the events of the previous night suddenly coming back to her in a rush.

"Oh, god!" she gasped, trying to extricate himself from Henry's warm embrace, but his arm tightened around her, and he pulled her back into his body, shamelessly pressing her bottom to his erection.

He chuckled and kissed her neck.

"Stay a bit longer," he murmured, tugging at her earlobe with his teeth "It's still early."

She tried to relax a little, noting from the greyish light filtering through the window that it was indeed barely dawn.

"Just one more minute," she agreed and turned in his arms to face him.

He kissed her slowly and she melted into the comforting warmth of his embrace, her slim legs twining with his powerful ones, but when she tried to pull him closer and line up their sexes he dragged his lips way, panting.

"Bad idea," he croaked cupping her face, "Very, very bad idea, Freckles."

She pouted, and he kissed her lips. He was right, of course and, rather half-heartedly, she slipped out of bed and crouched to recover her shift and robe from the floor.

It was much later, and Elizabeth was nearly ready for breakfast when Lavinia strode into her room, her expression terse.

Noting her unusually preoccupied state, she excused Mildred and watched her sister begin to pace the room.

"What is the matter?" Elizabeth inquired, frowning, and a tightening feeling in her belly made her frown.

Lavina stopped pacing and stood in the middle of the room, her lips drawn in a tight line and her hands clasped together before her.

"I have been a bad sister..." she said, sounding forlorn, "I'm so sorry, Elizabeth, this is all my fault!"

Elizabeth's frown deepened and she closed the distance between them, unclasping Lavinia's hands and closing her own around them.

"What are you talking about? What is all your fault? What has happened?"

Lavinia stared down at their joined hands and her eyes veiled with tears.

"I'm not the virtuous sister you believe me to be, Lizzie. Far from it, in fact. But please believe me that I did what I did because I thought you could handle this. You are so much stronger and smarter than I could ever be, and you would have made a wonderful Queen."

"Would have ? Not will?" Elizabeth muttered, dread starting to fill her now.

"I have to come clean, before it's too late. You have to know what I did. There is still time! I could not live with myself knowing I could have stopped this insanity and did not. Especially since this is techniclly all my fault!"

Elizabeth released Lavinia's hands and sighed.

"Sit," she said, trying to remain calm, though inside her turmoil swirled, making her feel physically nauseous, "Perhaps start at the beginning."

Lavinia nodded and moved to a nearby chair and sank in it.

"I have no intention of joining a convent," Lavinia blurted, flushing crimson, "I never have. Far from it in fact."

Elizabeth was left speechless, unable to process the revelation for a full minute.

"I lied, so I would not be considered for the arrangement, in case you managed to convince Mama and Papa to rescind on the bethrothal," the eldest Crawley sister went on, wringing her hands in her lap.