Before She Ruled (Before Series, Book 1)

Chapter Thirty-Five

Once the royal couple had left, Theo promptly stalked his way across the midnight covered room to the window. He attempted to throw the pane open so he could feel something fresh on his raging face, but he fumbled with the latch, overcome with frustration.

His fist shattered through it as if it had been made of paper instead of glass. He welcomed the pain. He welcomed any pain that was greater than what the last ten minutes had caused him.

He didn't give a shit if George was the future king of England. He could go to hell.

Theo couldn't think about what he had just seen with Addie and George. He couldn't think about seeing the two of them entangled on the couch or the look that Addie had given him as they'd passed in the doorway.

And he knew, he knew, that nothing untoward had been occurring with Addie and Trotten, but to see them sequestered together had been...a shock. To see them hiding in a room together when he would have done anything to have had a private moment with her...jealousy had overtaken him.

Theo was tempted to punch the window with his other hand.

He refrained.

But only because he would need a good fist to give to Trotten when he returned Emilia back to his home. He stripped off his cravat, wrapping the starchy fabric around his hand before exiting into the ballroom in search for his sister. Theo found her laughing enigmatically with Lord Trevor, and he had to wonder if it was possible for anything to be as humorous as the way his sister was making it appear.

Lord Trevor could not have been that funny for Emilia did not protest once at having to leave with Theo. Though, she did assess his lack of cravat and wrapped hand with immediate alarm. He brushed off her questions with gruff nondescript answers.

As soon as they returned to Trotten's residence Theo heard a resounding, "Kingfield, a word!"

Theo scowled. More. He scowled more, since he had been scowling for nearly an hour. Emilia gave him an intrigued glance, but Theo just shrugged, sending her upstairs while he ventured to find the vexing viscount in his study.

He found the man sitting at his desk, a glass of amber colored liquid grasped in his hands. His feet were propped up casually on his desk, but Theo wasn't fooled. Trotten's eyes were hard, his lips pressed into a thin, grim line on his usually handsome face.

"You called?" Theo asked tersely.

"Sit down," Trotten motioned to one of the leather chairs, forgoing all pretense of civility.

Theo sat.

"I was in the room, alone, when Addie entered. She was just as surprised to see me in there as I was to see her. But she seemed upset, and I was trying to comfort her."

Theo nodded stiffly. "Why was she upset?"

Trotten looked a little surprised by Theo's easy acceptance of his words, but just shook his head. "I am not certain. She said she could not say."

Theo frowned, then wondered, "Why were you in that room, Trotten?"

The other man only stared intensely, and Theo raised his brows. "I would ask what's got your cravat in a twist, but I see you've already dispensed of it," Theo remarked on his disheveled appearance, a stark contrast from when he saw him at the ball.

"Kingfield, honestly, how you can make that remark to me is unbelievable. Your cravat is wrapped around your hand soaked in blood. And yet my appearance is the once that is cause for concern?"

Theo grumbled. "I punched the window."

"You punched the window?"

Throwing his hands up as if it shouldn't be such a surprise, Theo shrugged.