Chapter 4
Dead
We were, in fact, very late by the time we finally arrived at the castle.
With the dinner service already in process, we should have snuck into our rooms, but that wouldn’t have had the effect Rhys desired, which was absolute chaos.
I should have realized with the way he crashed into my old life and flipped it upside down; he’s not one of those bombs that spreads its damage far and wide.
Rhys is the highly sophisticated kind that causes the most damage to a specific area.
The kind that creates more chaos than the original path of destruction, leaving everything turned up in its wake while the victims and bystanders struggle to find their way out, causing even more damage in the end.
In the end, that’s exactly what he did by letting the world think we were on a sexy honeymoon on the French Riviera while the Serpents thought Lady Thomley’s attempt on my life was successful.
I’d like to say that I seduced my husband so that our trip home would be delayed.
I would have dragged my feet if I could, but I didn’t.
It’s Rhys who always overwhelms me and I lose my head.
I’d love to say we were making love on a yacht all week and that I have a sunburn in places that aren’t fit to be discussed in polite company.
But I can’t, and not just because I don’t burn.
After Rhys punished me, as delicious as it was, we finished dressing—him in a blue suit and me in a pair of wide-legged aubergine pants with a matching silk blouse that ties in a bow at the neck—we climbed into the car and headed to the private suite of the train station where we secretly climbed aboard one of the royal cars.
The ride home was not nearly long enough and at the same time, far too short.
A part of me wished we could have stayed on the train forever, but then the wrong people would win.
Not to sound all Lois Lane, but the fate of the world is hanging in the balance so it’s with resigned acceptance that I take Rhys’s hand.
He helps me from my plush seat on the royal train car and to traverse down the metal steps where we’re quickly escorted to a waiting car.
Leo holds the rear door open for me, and I slide in while whispering a quiet, “Thank you.”
He nods his head just once but otherwise, the exchange never happened.
The ride to the castle is quiet. For my part, because I’m lost in my own head.
I don’t know what awaits us and I’m worried about what that might be.
Rhys sits beside me, absently playing with the wedding rings on my finger as if he hasn’t a care in the world.
His eyes lock with mine. I hold my breath as he slowly raises my hand to his lips and presses a soft kiss to my ring finger before sliding the bands back in place to cover where his lips just touched, sealing it forever.
As he lowers my hand to the bench seat between us, he winks at me, and I can’t help but laugh.
The situation is so ridiculous. My life is unbelievable to anyone who currently isn’t in it.
It’s dark by the time we pass silently through the gates. There are no lights lit to welcome us home, the flag is not flying for the King. No one but those travelling with us know that we are here.
Not ready to alert anyone to our arrival, we drive around to the household side of the castle, and park in the roundabout. This entrance is for family only.
Leo exits the car and opens the door for Rhys, who comes around and holds his hand out for me to take when Leo opens my door.
Servants hold the door open for us with a gasp as they bow to their King and Queen.
It appears the household staff was also under the impression that I was dead and that the family is waiting to tell the world.
Spoiler alert: I’m not. I’m very much alive and mad as hell.
“The family has just sat down to dinner, Your Majesty,” a maid says. “I’ll alert the dowager that you’re home.”
“No, don’t,” he replies. “I’d like to surprise her myself.”
“Yes, sir,” she replies.
From behind me I hear Leo mutter, “I just bet you do.”
From there, we continue down the hall toward the family dining room. The door isn’t completely closed, not that that’s unusual for family nights. There is ceremony and decorum to be upheld but not to the degree of a formal visit.
From the open door, I can hear a commotion. Rhys holds his finger up to his lips to show me to be quiet and wait so that we can see what’s going on before we dive in.
“What are you saying?” Dahlia can be heard, her voice raised.
“I’ve already told you,” Saoirse says with disdain in her voice. “Stella is dead.”
“She can’t be,” Dahlia explains. “The Tatler has pictures of her topless on a yacht in the south of France.”
“Doubles,” she explains.
“What do you mean doubles?”
“Actors, stand-ins, whatever you want to call them,” Saoirse explains. “None of it matters. She’s gone and we need to move on.”
“Move on?” Dahlia screeches. “Not bloody likely.”
“Do you really let your brat speak in such a way,” the earl complains.
The hair on the back of my neck stands on end. Rhys tightens his hold on my hand to stay my actions, but he knows I won’t hold back if his sister is in danger.
“Really, Dahlia,” Taylor says, sounding bored. “Are we surprised? She didn’t belong here. Just let it go.”
“Let it go? Have you all gone mad?” she snaps. “Not fitting in isn’t a reason to kill someone.”
“Yes, dear,” her grandfather replies. “If it was, you’d have been gone a long time ago.”
“We need to focus,” Saoirse says, trying to gain control of the conversation. “She’s gone, dead, and Rhys is who knows where—”
“Fucking off with a bevy of blondes most likely,” Taylor adds.
“There’s no reason to be coarse,” Saoirse chides.
“I’m just saying…” he replies.
“We need to focus,” she says again. “Until otherwise, I’m in charge. This country needs a Queen, I’ve been that person before and I will do so now.”
“You can’t be serious,” Dahlia screams.
“Deadly,” her mother warns. “You need to remember your place or leave.”
“Gladly,” she sniffs. “I wouldn’t stay here with the lot of you for all the tea in England.”
Her chair scrapes back as she leaves and her sobs rise as she pushes through the door and retreats down the hall.
Rhys drops my hand to intercept her and place a hand over her mouth to keep her quiet.
When she sees me, her eyes go wide and he whispers in her ear.
“You need to be quiet. I need you to get it together so that I can go in there and give dear old Mum a surprise.
Dahlia nods once and then looks to Leo. He pulls her to the side so that Rhys and I can take the lead.
He takes my hand in his one more time and looks to me to ask if I’m ready.
I’m not sure I ever will be, so I nod. I’m sure it’ll get worse and if we don’t die, who knows?
Maybe it will all calm down for a little while.
He smiles and pulls me toward the door, tucking me safely behind it. We can hear the earl congratulating his daughter on remaining the Queen, even though we all know it is not her place. She should never be allowed on that throne ever again after orchestrating my murder.
“Once we announce the news, we’ll have to act quickly to keep our power,” the earl says.
Rhys pushes through the door.
“And what power is that?” he asks as he sits at the foot of the table. He doesn’t make his stepmother move but raises an eyebrow at her anyway.
“The Queen’s,” the earl stammers as if to chastise the King. “And where have you been anyway. This is not a time to disappear, the country needs a strong monarch and if you can’t be that, it should be my daughter.”
“I’ll address your questions in order,” he says casually, as a footman quickly sets a place for him and then blends back into the background. “One, I’ve been on my honeymoon. As you know, I got married not long ago—”
“We know that’s not true,” Saoirse says. “Those were doubles in France.”
“Yes, but we were at the country estate,” Rhys says. “You’re right, it is too precarious a time to disappear even on a honeymoon.”
“But that doesn’t make sense,” the earl snaps. “Your bitch is—”
“I’d watch yourself if I were you,” Rhys warns, his tone deadly.
“That’s my wife you’re talking about—the Queen.
Now where has she gotten to? She’s very tired from our relaxing trip.
Come here darling, let’s get some food into you.
You could be carrying the heir now after all,” he says laying it on a bit thick.
I move from my spot behind the door and step into the dining room with Leo and Dahlia behind me.
“I ran into Dahlia in the hallway and we were just catching up,” I answer with a smile as Leo holds out the seat next to Rhys for me. “I missed my new sister very much.”
“And did you miss me as well?” Taylor asks.
“You less so, but I missed you all the same.”
“We were just talking about how surprised everyone was that we were on our honeymoon,” Rhys adds.
“And why is that?” I ask. “Everyone was here for the wedding.”
“It appears they were all under the impression that Lady Thomley’s attempt on your life was successful,” he answers.
“Do tread lightly,” Saoirse says.
“Or what?” he asks. “I was under the impression that I am the reigning monarch. Not you. Now we’ll get on to the last question of whether I am unfit to rule, which I assure you, I am not.
If that were to be the case, my Queen would rule in place of my heir and if there is no heir, then the crown goes to Taylor, again not you. You carry no royal blood.”
“He’s not fit at all, just look at him,” Saoirse says with a gleam in her eyes that I do not like. “But in that case, I would rule in Dahlia’s place until she’s ready. I am her mother.”
“Is that really the angle you want to take?” Rhys asks quietly.
“You wouldn’t!” she gasps.
“I would do anything to protect my country, my crown, and my Queen. You would do well to remember that,” he says quietly before pushing back to stand . “I think we’ll dine in our rooms after all. Ready, hen?”