Chapter 47
Chapter Forty-Seven
After we finish dining, we walk to Eddie’s car, leaving behind James’ SUV for me to pick up later, with Miles following in his vehicle, and we make our way to the stables.
By the time we meet our mounts and find ourselves on the bridlepath, I’m feeling a little unexpectedly homesick for my family.
Beside me, Eddie glances over, sensing the shift in my mood.
“Alright?” he asks.
“Yeah, this is great. Sorry I’m a little quiet. I guess being out on horseback has me thinking about going on holidays with my family, growing up. My father passed away last year. I guess… thinking about it… the last big family holiday was a few years ago, riding together in Spain.”
Eddie gives me a wry smile. “I’m sorry to hear about your father.”
“Thanks. Yeah, it’s a big loss.”
I give him a sidelong glance, chewing my lip. Dare I mention my situation to him like James said? Who knows how much James has said to him already.
My horse whinnies and bobs his head, as if he knows I’m distracted, and spooks a little at who knows what in the woods.
A bird, I think. Or maybe he picks up my stress.
He prances sideways a little towards Eddie, who holds his mount steady, and I soothe my horse back to his track as well as guide him with a touch of my legs.
“Both my parents are gone now,” he offers, pulling up his horse as well. “Losing a parent is never easy.”
“It’s not. And—I’m going to be King,” I blurt out. “My sister’s abdicating soon. Please—don’t tell anyone. I just—I need to tell you.”
Eddie looks startled, giving me a sharp look. “Right—”
“And James thinks we—you and me, not me and James, to be very clear—should make a pact in a marriage of convenience. And yes, that sounds totally mad because it is totally mad.” I glance over, fearing I look a little wild-eyed. My horse tosses his head. Fuck. I draw in a deep breath and refocus.
Eddie’s eyebrows have climbed considerably. “I see.”
Shit.
Eddie doesn’t seem to be as enamored of the idea of marrying me as James would like to believe. Probably because this is an entirely outlandish scheme. And then, the memory comes from last weekend, Stef challenging me to marry him in this half-baked idea.
“Sorry. I’m sorry. This is all very…” I wave a hand.
“Ridiculous-seeming. Because it is. And you seem like a very nice man living a very nice and respectable life, and then James comes up with this wild idea because he wants to help me. And he probably wants to help you too. James’s got a good heart, deep down.
And he knows I’m in trouble. Because… because, well, I’m a train wreck of a prince, unfortunately. ”
Eddie clears his throat. He gazes at me steadily. “Theo, you don’t strike me as a train wreck of a prince. Becoming King when you don’t expect to be one is a great deal to grapple with. For anyone. Of course you’re feeling overwhelmed.”
I slump, quiet, my hands light on the reins. We reach a shallow creek, and the horses pick their way across as we reach a meadow. “Yeah. I guess.”
“It’s entirely understandable.”
We reach the edge of the expanse of meadow with its spring wildflowers. Our horses prick their ears forward. I draw a deep breath, feeling too vulnerable and somewhat embarrassed. “You want to run these guys?”
“Let’s.”
And a moment later, we’re off from a trot to a canter, the world entirely different on horseback.
Everything’s spring green, and there’s a carpet of bluebells coming out of the woods, and even the spit of rain doesn’t take away from the beauty here.
When we rein them in a while later, the exertion helps ground both me and my mount.
Like some of that nervous energy was left behind at the creek.
“James has some fascinating ideas about me, it seems,” Eddie offers with a smile. He doesn’t seem offended, thank God.
“Sorry, I know this is all mad.”
“Life is like that sometimes.”
“Yeah.”
“I’d… need some time to think about this idea,” Eddie chuckles.
“Makes two of us.”
“I think you’re intriguing, Theo. But the whole future King revelation is rather… daunting.”
“Yeah, I know. Believe me. It’s a real relationship killer.”
Then, there’s a sudden knot in my stomach.
And I realize all I want is time with Stef, despite this incredibly difficult situation we’re in.
In a future we can’t have together. But does it make it any better to try to make a fake future with Eddie?
Then again, who would want me, given my track record of disasters and bad press?
If marriage for love is out, I’ll take marriage for strategy. Maybe.
We’re paused on our horses near another creek. We have the estate to ourselves, or at least it feels that way.
“Also,” Eddie says wryly, “I’m probably thirty years older than you.”
I shrug. “Could be an advantage, to be honest.”
Eddie considers me. The wind ruffles his hair. He smiles but doesn’t look entirely convinced. “How old are you, anyway?”
“Twenty-seven. Twenty-eight in July. You?”
“Fifty-three.”
Startled, I stare at him. Whatever I expected, fifty-three isn’t it. “You really don’t look fifty-three.”
“It’s due to the spring of eternal youth I keep on my estate.” He gives me a solemn look. “Amid the other springs.”
“Right, okay. I can see how that would be an advantage.” I tilt my head as I scratch my horse’s neck. “Where’s this estate, anyway?”
“It’s not far from here. I have a couple of hundred acres. I live out there full-time, and I only go into London twice a month if I can help it. Less if I can.”
“So, local Lewes pub crawl Friday nights for you, then.”
Eddie laughs, nodding. “Exactly. Or I host my own parties, and then they all come to me. When I’m not arranging my stamps.” He looks at me seriously. “Theo, this idea of marriage is truly something else. I had no idea that was James’ endgame.”
“I—yeah.” Scratching my horse’s neck, I sigh. “Obviously, James missed his calling as a matchmaker.”
“What is his calling?” Eddie frowns. “Truth be told, I can’t recall.”
“I think he’s still working that out, as far as I can tell. There’s something about a trust fund coming to maturity on his twenty-fifth birthday. We haven’t really gotten into it.”
“Fair enough.” Eddie’s appraising gaze unsettles me.
Or I could be imagining it. Maybe I’m still out of sorts from last weekend.
“I must say, it’s been quite a few years since I entertained the idea of marriage.
It’s always something I imagined where my prospective partner would be much more excited about the hypothetical idea. ”
“C’mon, what about all the sham marriages to ensure the stability of the kingdom?” I point out reasonably.
“How does Denmark need me, specifically, to forge an unnecessary alliance with England right now?” He peers at me, intrigued.
“I… well.” I cough, trying to come up with something good. “Tax reasons? I mean, that’s a whole thing now that your country’s no longer part of the EU.”
He laughs. “Fine, I’ll take your point. But Theo, it might be my imagination, but you don’t seem excited by the idea of marrying me.
Maybe it’s indulgent, thinking even if I want an impulsive marriage where we both include extensive prenuptial agreements, I want a partner who’s happy and excited about a lifetime together with me. ”
My mouth twitches at happy. I droop, circling my horse around his on the trail. “It’s not you, believe me. It’s all me. There’s a lot going on. Sorry. I’ll work on being more excited. And on my delivery.”
“Theo… I’ll need a little time to let this all sink in. It’s rather a shocking, er, proposal. If that was a proposal.”
“It’s, um, more of a business proposal than a marriage proposal, I admit, yeah. And I get it if I’m not your ideal catch.”
Eddie runs a hand through his hair. The first droplets of rain start to fall, but at least it’s not cold.
He’s in a pink polo shirt and khakis. Perfectly handsome.
Perfectly great. He knows who he is. Plus, he’s out.
And Eddie’s not even as boring as James led me to believe.
He has a career path and stability and an estate of his own. Multiple businesses, even.
And yet—all I can think of is Stef.