Before She Ruled (Before Series, Book 1)

Chapter Thirty-Seven

The route she took through London took her far longer than it should have. Theo's home near Hyde Park should have at most taken her a half hour to walk. But her worry of being recognized alone and unaccompanied kept her to the shadows. Addie knew it was likely unnecessary. People saw what they expected to see. And a pregnant princess dashing through the London haze was not one of them.

London was thick today, the Thames wafting over the city in an unpleasant aroma that, combined with the smell of poisoned tea on her dress, was nearly enough to make Addie retch into the shadows of the streets.

But she swallowed and kept going.

Addie reached the servant's entrance of Kingfield House with shaky limbs, having had the entire journey there to mournfully imagine a whole lifetime without Theo in it. Her hands trembled as they pushed open the door without even bothering to knock. Addie darted through the kitchens ignoring the indignant shouts of "excuse me!" and "who the devil was that?".

Her slippered feet quietly padded through the house to the front entryway with the intent of branching to the left to visit Theo's study when she halted at the sight of a woman pulling her gloves over her long fingers.

"Lady Humphries?" she piqued, breathless.

The countess turned her head, slowly, as if every movement she made was a practiced art. Addie shook her head. Every moment with her was a practiced art. The woman had mastered the appearance of mystery in a way that captivated every audience. And at the moment, Addie was that audience.

Lady Humphries smiled, just as slow. But if she was surprised, she didn't show it. She curtsied. "Your Highness."

Addie had no time for formalities. "Where is His Grace?" she rushed.

"Theo?" she questioned, and Addie kept from throwing her a disgruntled glare from the casual use of his name. "Oh, he left earlier this morning."

Earlier this morning? The countess said the words in a way that indicated she knew firsthand when Theo had left because she had been here. And why would she have been here at such an unfashionably early hour?

Unless of course, she had come last night...and never left.

Addie stiffened while jealousy bloomed in her chest, unable to keep it down even in this moment of life and death. Fear had not stopped her, nor had anxiety or sorrow. But envy had stopped her straight in her tracks, the ugly emotion momentarily blocking her from seeing her real goal.

Addie told herself she had no right to be upset. She had been married to another man, after all. There was no reason for Theo not to engage himself in a relationship with another woman. Lady Humphries was doubtless experienced in the ways of romantic affairs, not to mention stunning in every way. As a match, they made sense.

Addie didn't move or say anything. But the countess still looked on. In the background, the bells began to toll. Moments later, they didn't stop. A full peal of bells, meaning George's death had been discovered.

Seeming to note the tolls, Lady Humphries cleared her throat. "Is there something I can help you with, Your Highness?"

"I need to find the duke," Addie said, her voice harsher than she meant it.

"I do believe he had planned to call on Weston when he left earlier," she said, very matter of fact. "My carriage is just approaching. I would be happy to convey you to Weston's residence. Unless you have brought your own means to do so?" Her eyebrows raised in the smallest show of curiosity as to Addie's current presence. Anyone else would have been gaping by this point at such as sight. Here she was, heaving in anxieties in nothing but her morning dress, fine though it was, and her hair falling out of her pins in a dreadful array of curls. Not to mention, the fact that at this point in time her pregnancy would be difficult to deny.