Before She Ruled (Before Series, Book 1)

Chapter Forty

Addie woke under the heavy weight of a man's arm, his soft snoring brushing the back of her neck. Sunlight streamed in through curtains the color of rose quartz, having not been pulled together the night before.

She subconsciously buried herself deeper into Theo's embrace as she thought of the day before. Addie knew she should instead get up, the sunlight telling of the late hour, but instead found the concept of leaving the bed, and the man in the bed, unthinkable. His muscles twitched against her shoulder as she positioned herself even closer to him. Addie had spent hours thinking of this, of being here with him. And she couldn't tear herself away just yet.

Theo teased of marrying her, but Addie wasn't sure he had thought it through all the way. Did she doubt that he loved her? No. Or that he would take care of the baby? No.

But Addie was once again in hiding. There would be those who undoubtedly thought she had killed George. Running away from London hadn't helped, of course. She wouldn't be able to return to town. More likely, Addie would have to leave the country, running both from her uncle and whoever wanted her dead. She couldn't expect Theo to follow her, to run with her. The two of them wouldn't be able to live happily ever after. At least not until the real killer had been found.

That was it.

Addie's breathing stopped, struck with the obvious answer. George's killer had to be found. And she knew just how to do it.

Inaction no longer an option, Addie snuck beneath Theo's arm and slipped her way to the edge of the bed. Grabbing a dressing gown, she crept through the bedchamber door and attempted to retrace her steps from the night before when they had arrived. Rosecrest Manor wasn't overly large, but it was big enough that it took Addie two tries to make her way to the parlor downstairs where she could call for a servant to send a message for her without disrupting Theo.

Rushing through the parlor doorway, she let out a scream of surprise and halted in her path at the scene before her.

Breaking what had clearly been, up until a moment ago, a passionate embrace, a very flustered Emilia jumped clear of her partner by two feet with a loud gasp.

"Addie!" she cried. "I didn't expect to see you there!" Her voice rang across the room, too loud for the small space.

Lord Trotten smirked in amusement next to her, looking entirely nonplussed. "Adelaide is the reason we came, Emilia," he pointed out.

She threw him a scowl, and his pleased expression only grew.

Addie smiled, happy, though surprised, to see them. And in such a fashion as well. Well that, actually, was not entirely shocking.

As she strode into the room to greet them, another startled gasp flew from Emilia's open mouth. "Addie! You're...you're expecting!"

Addie's hands went instinctively to her belly, reminding her of the silky fabric beneath them. Wearing naught but her dressing robe, she pulled it tighter around herself, only accentuating her increasing size.

Emilia crossed the space to envelop her in a warm hug, her chatter never ceasing as she did. "Oh, to be with child on top of everything else that has happened. You must be exhausted! No doubt you have just risen from bed. How are you? Is there anything I can get you?"

Really, Emilia had never spoken so many words in such a short amount of time.

Lord Trotten cleared his throat, putting his hand on the other woman's shoulder.

"Perhaps give Her Highness some space, Emilia. You're rather crushing her."

"Oh yes. Oh yes, of course." Emilia instantly dropped her arms from their grip around her and went to brush her perfectly pressed skirts.