Before She Ruled (Before Series, Book 1)

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Addie stood in the doorway, dropping the hood from around her face. Relief was almost making her feel faint as she saw Theo was safe. Her gaze tried to assess his wellbeing, inspecting him for signs of injury, but he was moving too quickly toward her.

"Addie." His voice held the same relief that she had been feeling. His strong arms swept her into a tight embrace, and she relaxed into him. "Theo," she mumbled into his chest, not wanting him to let her go.

All too soon, he did.

"Are you well?" she asked at the same time that he asked, "Are you all right?"

She smiled. "Yes, I'm fine. Tell me you are as well?"

Theo frowned. "I'm well, of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

Addie's limbs turned to jelly. All of the emotion of the morning caught up to her. She put her arm out to brace herself against the doorway, but was met with Theo's firm arm instead. Addie looked up to see his mouth set in a tense line. He didn't say anything but guided her to the cushioned chair.

She stood next to it, knowing there was something she had to do before she sat down. Nervous excitement filled her. Since she had accepted that she would never have the chance to do this, Addie hadn't thought about what she would say. She hadn't let herself think about it. It would have only driven her crazy.

Addie took a deep breath. "Why don't you sit down, Theo?"

He looked unsure, assessing her for any chance of further unbalance on her end. She reassured him that she would be fine.

"I will sit momentarily. I just—I need to tell you how sorry I am. About the ball, about everything."

Theo didn't sit. "Addie, stop. We don't need to talk about it right now."

"Yes," she insisted. "We do. I have to tell you, show you, because I have been in agony. I was going to write to you, but now you are here. Please sit down." He obeyed, hesitantly. Addie decided that since she hadn't prepared any words, she would do the one thing that required none. She unclasped the cloak that she had borrowed from Emilia, letting it fall to the floor around her.

Words might have been better.

"Oh, God," Theo moaned, his face transforming into a pale sheet of white. His head fell into his hands, and she could barely make out the muffled words. "Not only is George dead, but you are carrying his child."

It would have been humorous if it didn't sound so dismal. And if it didn't raise a few questions of her own.

"You know about George?" she asked, sitting down in the chair now that she had dropped the cloak.

"Charlie, the footman," Theo muttered from his hands.

Addie glanced to Andrew for confirmation, and he nodded. She hadn't looked at him since she had walked in. He was calm and confident even though he could have been lamenting their failed coup, and in turn, it soothed her. He also did not seem surprised regarding her pregnant state, but Addie supposed Charlie must have told him of that as well.

"Ah, yes. I suppose that makes sense." Addie did not know the young man well but knew of who Theo referred. He was one of the servants from Andrew's employ. "Now Theo, I need you to look at me."

He did, though slowly. His face was the same shade of white, and tired. Oh, so tired.

"It is true that Prince George is dead." Her voice shook at the thought. "I—I suppose I should start at the beginning." She cleared her throat, not because anything was in it, but because she needed a composing moment. "He and I were never...intimate. When he learned that I was with child, he was pleased with the situation because he did not wish to become intimate."