Page 46 of From London, With Love
“That was before you cast me to the devil.”
“I thought you’d forgiven me for my vote?”
Alexandra looked away. It wasn’t Mina’s fault that the day’s events had happened as they had. Guilt festered within her, and though she knew she was lashing out unfairly, she couldn’t quite bring herself to apologize.
Mina knelt beside the tub, taking Alexandra’s hand between hers. “Who is it that causes you such consternation?”
She sighed and collapsed back against the bath. “Prince Ivan was virtually down on one knee today.” She pressed a hand to her lips, feeling again that lackluster kiss and wishing she could replace it with Gideon’s. “As ruling monarch, I must be the one to officially ask for his hand, but I know what his answer will be.”
“Prince Ivan?” Mina said noncommittally.
“Heisa blue blood,” she pointed out.
“What does it matter whether your future husband is a blue blood? A human would be acceptable.”
Alexandra’s heart skipped a beat.
“The Echelon would be up in arms. A human consort poses a risk, when I am a human queen. I need to choose someone whom the majority of London will accept. There’s been so much unrest. Too much blood and tears. My people deserve peace and prosperity.”
“Choosing a human consort isn’t going to ignite a war,” Mina countered. “And we will all understand why you wouldn’t wish for another blue blood in your bed.”
Alexandra stirred her legs through the water.
She felt almost breathless. Was it true?
“Do you truly think the Echelon would accept a human consort?”
“There are ways to manage them,” Mina replied. “Set Malloryn upon the few rabble-rousers that remain.”
“Malloryn? Good grief. I cannot risk alienating them. They’re already terrified of him. And we’ve barely recovered from Lord Balfour’s coup attempt. The peace is so tenuous.”
She didn’t dare do anything to risk it.
“Then let your council deal with it,” Mina insisted. “That’s what we are there for. To support you. There are many Great Houses who have lost their entire bloodline in the coup attempt. Estates stand empty and titles languish. There’s nothing a blue blood aristocrat likes more than the opportunity to improve their standing. Gift a few estates that the crown holds in escrow. Knight a handful of loyal blue bloods. Dangle a duchy in front of some of the others… but only if they behave.”
Could it be possible?
She’d been staring war in the face for so long that it had frozen her. The human and blue blood conflict had been so ingrained in the past few years that she’d felt as though she walked a narrow tightrope between them.
“The commoners would love a human consort,” she said slowly. “And if I can manage the Echelon, it… it may be possible.”
“Though not the Duke of Alba’s brother,” Mina teased. “Not if he cannot understand you.”
“No? That sounds like the perfect husband to me. As long as we can conceive an heir, it doesn’t matter whether I can speak to him or not. The more interests he has outside marriage, the better. This won’t be a love match.”
The words sounded almost by rote, but she couldn’t help thinking of Gideon. Her heart quickened, and she hoped Mina didn’t hear. Dearest friend or not, she couldn’t betray her growing feelings toward him. Not just yet. It still felt so new, and so… tenuous.
After all, he’d told her to her face that he did not desire to be her consort. Even if the Echelon could accept it, would he deny her?
There was a leaden pit in the hollow of her abdomen.
Mina stroked a finger along her jaw. “All jests aside, may I suggest you marry the man who’s been leaving these marks on your throat.”
Alexandra slapped a hand to the skin there. Surely not.
Mina laughed as she pushed to her feet. “I thought so. Marry the one kissing you in private corners. You’ll never regret it.”
* * *
