Page 46 of Crown of Thorns
Rhys still smiles happily as if this is all absolutely normal, and I guess, to him, it is.
I make sure that my smile is delicate, and I don’t have the face of a paranoid maniac, before we step down the steps to meet the public who have gathered behind velvet ropes to watch the upper crust celebrate.
I feel more comfortable shaking the hands of the villagers than I do Rhys’s peers. These people are excited for their king and are proud to be here. It’s easyto say thank you for flowers and accept hugs even though I don’t feel remotely deserving of such adoration and know for a fact that Rhys doesn’t either. But then again, when faced with the other option for rule of this northern stronghold, Saoirse is definitely not it.
Maybe Rhys’s heir, Taylor, isn’t either. I still haven’t been able to get a read on him, but he seems to not care about much other than partying and fucking, in no particular order.
“I’ll take those for you, ma’am,” an aid says as she motions for the stacks of flowers in my arms that I’m not quite sure what to do with. They were given to me, and I don’t want to just throw them away. They were thoughtful gifts people spent their hard earned money on.
“Someone will take them and deliver them to the local children’s hospital in your name,” Rhys leans in and whispers into my ear. “We canno’ take gifts from anyone to keep. Everything must be declared for public record. This way you can honor their generosity and pay it forward.”
“Oh,” I reply. Learning that there are more rules that I don’t know has me worried, but I do like that they aren’t wasted this way. “Thank you.”
The aid takes the flowers from me and with a final wave to the people, Rhys turns me toward the entrance to the gardens and my breath stills in my lungs. The space is gorgeous. Different flowers and hedges all artfully arranged, I can’t take it all in at once. A windingpath leads to an open area hidden from public view, although cameras of the press still snap and click around us. The people will still get a glimpse of this lavish party while maintaining some semblance of privacy.
Round tables are topped with lace cloths and flowers arranged in crystal vases, each place set with heirloom China. I can’t believe all of this has been pulled off in such a short amount of time.
“If you think this is something,” he whispers into my ear. “You should see it at night in nothing but moonlight.” I shiver at the intimacy he’s hinting at and don’t dare look at him. “Aye, I think you’d like that, and I think I’d like to chase you naked through the maze and claim you as my prize.”
“Rhys—” I whisper. Being more than a little turned on and surrounded by people I don’t know is not a feeling that I’m familiar with.
“Oh look, there’s the archbishop,” he says. “We should go and say hello.”
He leads me through hellos and mindless chatter about my assumed excitement for the week’s main event. Little do these people know I’m actually scared shitless, or maybe they do. The archbishop thanks Rhys for his large donation to the church and reminds him that he’s due for confession. A woman grabs my attention and before I know it, the archbishop has led Rhys away and I’m all alone with this woman I don’t know.
“As I was saying,” she says. “The ladies’ leagueraises money for literacy. We’d love to have your support.”
“I love anything that has to do with reading,” I reply. “I’ll have to check with the royal offices to see what they have in mind for my schedule, but I’m sure we could talk about it. What did you have in mind?”
“She doesn’t need to waste her time on such stupid things, Annabelle,” an older man of moderate height and a round belly says. “She needs to focus on more important matters.”
“Excuse me,” I reply. “We were having a conversation.”
“A worthless one,” he sneers.
“I’m sorry,” I say hesitantly. There’s something about this man that makes me uncomfortable. “I don’t think we’ve been introduced yet.”
“I’m the Earl of Stuart,” he says, like I’m an idiot for not knowing who he is. “I’m an old friend of your uncle’s.”
“I’m afraid you have me at a disadvantage. I grew up in America, so I’m not well acquainted with my uncle’s friends.”
“Well, you’d do well to become acquainted with me,” he says.
Annabelle leaves me to the wolves and slithers away into the crowd of rich people. I’m not so sure I want to work with her now, if she’ll willingly abandon me to a jerk like this.
He grabs my arm in a way that won’t be obvious toanyone who’s looking, but hurts nonetheless. It’s sure to leave bruises if I don’t get out of it soon. “You’ve already screwed up enough by stealing my daughter’s power and if you’re smart, you’ll do as I tell you—”
“There you are!” Lady Thomley calls out. Here I was sure this moment couldn’t get any worse but adding my fiancé’s former lover to the mix will absolutely do it. And of course, she’s in cahoots with this madman.
Lady Thomely loops her arm through mine like we’re besties and the earl has no choice but to let me go.
“I just need to hear all the details about the dress,” she says, leading me into a quiet corner. “No one knows anything about it, and I simply have to know.”
“What are you doing, Lady Thomley?” I ask when we’re out of everyone’s earshot.
“Saving you, darling,” she says. “Why? What did it look like?”
“Like you’re my new bestie and that seemed… off?” I answer.
