Chapter 70
Seventy
James
I felt like I’d run around all day with the same organized chaos as a mother with quadruplets, but I had gotten things done. Important things, even. There was just one very important thing left to do today, and it might well be the most uncomfortable one yet.
Today, I’d meet Edwin’s family.
Technically, I knew them all. But in this lifetime, I had yet to meet them except for Lila. Needless to say, this was not how I’d wanted our first meeting to go. Unfortunately, this was how things had worked out, so the only thing I could do was make the best of it.
Edwin had arranged for a private dinner with only ourselves and his family present, which was the best way to handle this. I went where instructed, dressed in a somewhat informal suit in my preferred hunter green to give me a more friendly countenance.
Upon reaching the dining room doors, Dame Temperance planted herself in a guard position and gave me a bracing “Good luck, Your Majesty.”
“Appreciated.” Hopefully I didn’t need it. But I might. Butterfly wings fluttered in my stomach.
Sucking in a breath, I headed inside.
I hadn’t expected the whole family to be here already. Alban and Jehu, the two older brothers, lived in the next town over, but I saw them upon breeching the doors.
Of all seven siblings, only Edwin, Lila, and Jehu looked like their father.
The rest of them looked much like their mother with the fair red hair, freckles, and blue eyes.
I felt the weight of such eyes when every single person stopped talking and looked up, tracking me as I came in.
About half stood to curtsey or bow, and I hastily waved them back down.
This was a meeting not with King James, but rather with in-law James.
Edwin stood immediately and crossed to me, giving me a quick peck hello before murmuring quickly, “I don’t know where to begin to explain.”
“Introduce us?”
“Of course. James, this is my father, Anthony, my mother, Rosalie, my eldest sister, Claire, with her daughter, Maisie.”
The line continued around the table, with me greeting each person. The only person not here was Bradley, Claire’s husband, but I was told he was still on a boat and would likely catch up later tonight or in the morning. Lila popped up to give me a good hug, which did settle my nerves some.
With introductions all done, I sat at the head of the table, Edwin to my right, new in-laws surrounding me on all other sides. From the looks of them, everyone was more than a little overwhelmed right now, and it would behoove me to address that first.
“Rosalie?” I looked at my new mother-in-law and smiled. “How are you?”
“I do not know,” she said. Her eyes locked on mine as she observed me carefully. “I don’t know what to think. Please start from the beginning.”
The beginning, eh? That was a tricky question, although she didn’t seem to realize it. Perhaps if I blended past life with this life, the story would make more sense? “I met Edwin the day I came into the palace, about a week before I was adopted.”
I started there, with Edwin pitching in to explain his part as well. My husband’s hand stole into mine, gripping tightly. He was clearly nervous, although his poker face didn’t reveal it readily.
Anthony lifted a hand to stall me. “Wait, wait, you really just took one look at my son and knew he was the one for you?”
“It was a bit more gradual than that, but yes? I don’t have to explain how wonderful he is, surely.”
Caught, Anthony laughed softly. “No, you don’t need to explain how wonderful my son is.”
“He’s been my stalwart support since the first day I met him, going above and beyond what I needed, and it captivated my heart without question.”
Edwin eyed his parents uncertainly as he spoke. “I realize this is strange. Trust me, I tried to reason with him, but in the end, I couldn’t even slow him down. James isn’t your typical royal; he was raised working class. He doesn’t see me as anything other than his equal.”
He was right, I had been raised working class in many respects, even though I was educated like a royal. That said… “I beg your finest pardon, you are not my equal, you are my superior.”
Edwin drawled, “Case in point.”
I tried to elaborate, knowing the whole table was very much interested.
“There’s personal and practical reasons for my choice.
Practically speaking, Edwin’s fully capable of running the government without my interference.
He’s got the right savvy, experience, and intelligence to rule this kingdom.
That’s not just my opinion, either. Supreme Judge Galbraith said as much right before he married us.
Everyone who has worked with Edwin has given me a seal of approval because they, too, see how wise his judgement is. ”
Edwin’s head was in his hand, even the tips of his ears red. “Dearest. Please. Any more and I’ll combust.”
I lifted his knuckles to my mouth for a quick kiss.
“You won’t die from blushing. It’s the truth, anyway.
On a personal level, I trust Edwin. In my position, finding someone I can trust without reservation is a very rare thing.
I knew from the moment I met him that I could trust him with my well-being as well as my heart.
There was never any question. Edwin’s the only one I want to marry. ”
Anthony let out a long sigh, like a man well satisfied. “Edwin’s been full of news of you from the time he met you. The first thing he told me was that you’re the strangest aristocrat he’s ever met.”
I laughed. I could hear Edwin saying that all too clearly. The frankness meant Anthony had accepted me, too, which took a load off my shoulders.
Edwin hissed at his sire, but Anthony was not to be stopped.
“Then, next visit I had from him, he said you’re still the strangest of the lot but he was grateful for it.
That you saw people, appreciated them, and now I understand what he meant by that.
You saw my son. You truly see him, value him, and cherish him. ”
“Knowing him, I could not do anything less.”
Jehu, the eldest brother, stirred in his seat next to his father. “Do you truly not care about bloodlines, then?”
“I do not. Stuff and nonsense, all that is.” I rolled my eyes. “If bloodlines were to be believed, Victor should have been the epitome of a prince. Instead, he was such a waste of air his own parents refused to give him the throne. Pedigree is useless, for people especially.”
“Then you won’t—” Jehu paused and visibly reworded. “We’re just not sure how you’ll handle an heir.”
“I will adopt one of my sister’s children as my heir. Or one of yours. Depends on who has the aptitude for it.”
Jehu looked at his own children, his son and daughter sitting next to him, with a kind of poleaxed look.
Both children were young, Cyrus only five and Henrietta three, so there was plenty of time to educate and train them.
If they’d inherited the same intelligence and ability Edwin had, they’d be fine rulers indeed.
“That said, I refuse to have any infighting for the position,” I warned. “I will not accept any bloodshed. The child must want the throne, must prove they are worthy. My own siblings either weren’t up to the task or didn’t want it, which is half the reason I now sit upon the throne.”
Claire said hesitantly, “From what Edwin said to us, you didn’t want it either.”
“I do not. However, Edwin’s willing to share the burden with me, which makes it far more tolerable.
I do not mind sitting on it, now.” I looked around at each person and felt an apology was due.
“I am sorry to have pulled all of you into this. Your lives will have to change from this day onward. For safety reasons, if nothing else. It is the only pitfall to my marriage with your son. I’ll need to move you into more secure housing.
You could be used against us in political maneuverings otherwise.
We’ll talk details after this, of who is going where, but just think of what you want to do. If you want to continue to work, or—”
Rosalie patted my arm. “It’s all right. I expected something like this when I read Edwin’s letter. It’s still surreal to me, but I do not mind.”
“Rather, Mom, I want to hire you.” Edwin spoke earnestly, almost as if he was ready to launch into a prepared speech.
“There’s multiple projects going on right now in the government, and frankly, having two architects run the projects would be to our benefit.
I know you don’t want to retire yet, and we could use the expertise. ”
I agreed with his assessment, but Edwin spoke like he had something in mind specifically. “Which?”
“The street project, for my parents.”
Ahh, how smart. The revitalization of that part of the city needed a good architect, and Rosalie was that. Anthony had run a construction company alongside his wife, so they were the perfect choices.
“Agreed.” I gave my verbal stamp without hesitation, looking to my parents-in-law. “That fine with you?”
“I’m delighted. The project will do wonders for the city and truly get our names out there.” Anthony rubbed his hands together in anticipation. “Edwin, just that?”
Edwin gave him a speaking look. “For you, yes, you workaholic. That project is more insane than it sounds. Trust me, I’m doing you a favor by only giving you one to start with. Also, the new housing projects can be taken over by both Jehu and Alban.”
They’d taken over their father’s construction company—they were the foremen on the ground—so they had the right expertise to handle the affair. “Perfect. If you’re all willing to take up those mantles?”
“We are,” Alban said with a glance at his wife, Maxie. “Well, we will be once Edwin can catch us up to speed. We’d rather work than just sit about idly, and it feels wrong to be handed all this luxury without putting some work in.”
And this was why I’d always gotten along well with Edwin’s family.
We had the same mindset. “We’ve got more work than people to hand it to, so your help will be more than welcome.
It’s not something we need to sort out tonight, however.
This week, please just settle into your new apartments, and help Edwin where you can to prepare for the ceremonies.
Sadly, the affairs of state do not pause because I’m preparing for a wedding. It’s quite rude.”
Claire snickered and shifted her sleeping daughter to her other shoulder. “Yes, real life tends to do that.”
Dinner arrived, carted in by various staff members and served.
I let the conversation veer off in a different direction as the siblings started talking about the ceremony and what they could do to help.
They had taken everything rather well. Better than I’d expected actually. Edwin seemed very much at ease, too.
Having them all so readily on board was a weight off my shoulders. I also considered myself lucky to have so many experts willing to handle the many, many projects I had going on. That would also save us manpower in the long run.
I chatted with my new family over dinner and saw their tension with me start to ease. We weren’t on casual terms with each other yet, but that would take time. Still, this was a very good start to a relationship that would last our lifetimes.
All in all, I couldn’t be more pleased.