Kellan laughed as he walked away, and King Edmund turned to Sophia with a grin. “Shall we adjourn to the throne room, Lady Sophia?”
Sophia hid her smile as she nodded. “As you wish, Your Majesty.”
Chapter twenty-two
Caspian
CaspianfollowedKingEdmundtoward the throne room, Sophia’s hand tucked into his arm. Even though he’d had some time to adjust to the idea of Sophia being nobility, it hadn’t felt like it would change much. But now that it was true, now that the king had recognized her as Lady Manning…it was all crashing into him.
His Sophia was Lady Manning, with lands and people to look after and provide for.
And she knew nothing about being nobility. But he did—and he would be there to help her shoulder the burden. If she was willing for him to do so.
Her skirts swished around them as they walked, and he looked down at her with a smile. The dark blue dress she wore this morning belonged to his mother, and despite being made for someone else, it fit Sophia well. It was shorter on his mother, of course, but the way it brushed the floor as Sophia walked made her look like a lady on her way to attend a ball.
Sophia had probably never been to a ball.
They would have to throw one for her.
She held her head high as they made their way into the throne room. Caspian looked around, trying to see it through her eyes. What would she think of the glittering drama of the royal throne room?
King Edmund made his way up the dais and settled on his throne, gesturing for their party to stand off to the side.
Sophia began to tremble as they waited for the former Lady Manning to be brought before the king. If only he could pull her into his arms and tell her all would be well—but he didn’t want to undermine this, her first moments as nobility. She was strong enough for this.
The doors to the throne room were thrown open and she froze as her stepmother was brought into the room, her upper arms held by two guards. The woman was wearing the same gown they’d captured her in, a gaudy purple thing that seemed designed to highlight the fact that she was wealthy. His mother’s dresses were far simpler and much more to Caspian’s taste. He resisted the urge to look down at Sophia, as if he hadn’t already practically memorized the way she looked in his mother’s gown.
She looked noble, and the clothes weren’t necessary to highlight that. They simply served to showcase it.
“Your Majesty,” the former Lady Manning began as she was brought before the king.
King Edmund showed no sign of softening toward her as he simply waited.
Caspian felt a surge of satisfaction at how desperate the woman looked.
She deserved it for her treatment of his Sophia.
“What have I done to deserve such treatment?” the woman asked, attempting to wrench her arm away from the guard. “I am Lady Manning, your Majesty’s loyal servant, and I have been treated rudely since the moment I arrived.”
Her focus was entirely on her sovereign. Had she even noticed Sophia was in the room?
“Do you know what charges have been brought against you?” King Edmund asked, his voice hard. Gone was the childhood friend they’d met in the library. Here, he was every inch the king that he’d become.
“I cannot imagine what they might be,” the woman said airily.
“You have been charged with kidnapping and attempting to steal a child’s title from them,” the king said.
“Stealing a title?” She laughed. “What a story. The only title I have is one that I was given through my marriage, certainly not any that were stolen.”
“And what of your stepdaughter, Lady Blanche?” the king asked.
Her face grew somber. “A tragedy to lose both my husband and our daughter so quickly after each other,” she said, sniffling. “I cannot imagine you would understand the pain, Your Majesty.”
“I know what it is to have someone you love taken from you,” the king said. “What I don’t understand is how you could then take away his daughter’s inheritance.”
“I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean,” the woman said, but her voice held a tremble that hadn’t been there before.
“You don’t?” the king asked. “Perhaps I should refresh your memory. Where is the cook?”
